Anderson Football: IV Webb Commits to SMU

Commitments are heating up around the Anderson football program, and this one is definitely the biggest yet. IV Webb is headed to Dallas to play Division 1 football for the SMU Mustangs.

Webb said that he picked SMU “for the opportunities it provides [him] beyond football.” He cited the prestigious business school and how SMU can set him up for life after football. His excellence on the gridiron certainly helped him get there though.

As a three-year varsity player, IV has been a steady force for the Anderson defense. As a sophomore, Webb made 47 tackles, 8 TFL, and 2 sacks. He was named Co-Defensive Rookie of the Year for the Trojans as well as second team all-district. IV continued to improve in his junior season, racking up 125 tackles, 8 TFL, and 2.5 sacks. He was selected to the all-district first team and was the Trojans’ Defensive MVP.

That success earned him a spot on the FLX-ATX Linebacker Watchlist before the 2022 season began, but before that, Anderson made a coaching change. Coach Hatcher said that “IV was the first person to reach out to me when I got the job here. [IV] told me what the team needed and what they lacked.” This just goes to show how dedicated Webb is to this sport and this team.

Co-Defensive Coordinator Mike Maldonado would tell you the same thing. “IV is a rare breed,” he said. Not only is he big, fast, and athletic, but “off the field, he was a student of the game. He knew each of our opponents inside and out. He was always willing to step in and coach his teammates.” IV was not only a captain this season but he was truly a leader for this Trojan squad. “He led by example and was our emotional leader on defense. He never wanted to come off the field,” Maldonado said. Coach Hatcher furthered that with his words as well. “IV is a great leader, his teammates follow him and feed off his energy,” he praised.

All of that transferred into a monster senior campaign. The star linebacker was among the leaders of the state in tackles and led Anderson in almost every major defensive category. IV racked up a whopping 172 total tackles, 22.0 TFL, and 7 sacks as a senior en route to earning almost every honor imaginable. IV was named to the All-District first team, the All FLX team, the All CENTEX first team, and was named co team MVP along with QB Fred Dale.

A season like that allowed Webb to fulfill a lifelong dream of playing college football. IV said that “it’s surreal to finally achieve that goal.” He certainly wouldn’t have gotten to this point without the help of coaches, teammates and other people in his life. He named his dad as his biggest football influence. IV says that his dad pushes him harder than anybody else, but is always there to help him along the way. Anderson football has also played a big role in IV’s rise to football stardom. It’s taught him how to deal with adversity and how to be an underdog.

IV isn’t just a star on the field, he’s a star off of it as well. Many including his coaches have described him as a hard worker in the classroom, and that’s evidenced by a high GPA and an SAT in the 1400s. Coach Maldonado said that IV’s “someone than any Trojan, not just a football [player], can look up to.  He set a goal early and worked everyday to achieve it.”