JONESBORO - Blake Anderson spent part of the first year of his life in Jonesboro while his father, Scott, sold insurance in northeast Arkansas.
Anderson was back in town Thursday, almost 45 years after his family left town for Hubbard, Texas. In between, Anderson grew up and built a coaching career that took him through seven different states over 22 years before returning Thursday to his birthplace.
This time he was standing on stage in the auditorium of the Convocation Center while being introduced as Arkansas State’s next football coach.
Anderson, 44, became ASU’s fifth coach in five years, putting an end to an eight-day process that bridged a gap between its third coach to leave after one season and its new leader, who pledged in front of a packed room of supporters to play “fast-break basketball on grass,” fill the seats and, more than anything else, stick around for longer than 12 months.
“In some ways, I’m coming home,” Anderson said. “It started here for me as a child, and my career as a head coach started here. So, God works in really mysterious ways.”
Anderson spent the past two seasons as offensive coordinator at North Carolina, where he helped the Tar Heels offense set 35 school records and make consecutive bowl appearances.
Athletic Director Terry Mohajir said his top priority was finding someone with a desire to be at ASU when he set out to find a new coach after Bryan Harsin left Dec. 11 to become head coach at Boise State. Mohajir has hired two football coaches in just 14 months in his current post, and when ASU opens the 2014 season Anderson will be the school’s fifth coach in consecutive seasons.
“You have to want to coach here at Arkansas State, and guess what? We found that guy,” Mohajir said. “He wants to coach here. He will be here at Arkansas State.”
Before Harsin left for his alma mater at Boise State, Gus Malzahn left for Auburn after the 2012 regular season, Hugh Freeze left for Ole Miss after the 2011 regular season and Steve Roberts resigned after his ninth season in 2010.
Anderson said Thursday that he has no desire to join the list of quick exits, and his five-year, $3.5 million contract will make it harder for him to do so. If Anderson resigns from ASU before Jan. 31, 2016, he owes ASU $3 million. Anderson’s payment for leaving decreases to $2 million in 2017 and 2018 and $1 million in 2019.
Mohajir said Thursday that ASU has received the $1.75 million buyout from Boise State for Harsin’s departure.
“I’m not here to leave,” Anderson said. “I’m just excited to be here, and I think it’s what needed to be done. I think the school, the university and the fan base deserve it.”
Anderson’s hiring came after he interviewed Sunday in Raleigh, N.C., with Mohajir, ASU System President Charles Welch and ASU Chancellor Tim Hudson. The job was offered to Anderson on Thursday morning while he was driving to a staff meeting in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Anderson said the four days that had passed since the interview made him believe the job had gone to somebody else, especially considering online reports circulated Wednesday afternoon saying he was ASU’s new coach even though he had not yet received a formal offer.
His phone rang while driving to campus at about 6:30 a.m. Eastern time Thursday, and on the other line was one of his representatives telling him to head back home and prepare his wife, Wendy, and their three children for a 7:30 a.m flight to Jonesboro.
Anderson spoke to ASU players at noon, and by 2p.m. he was speaking to well-wishers during a news conference.
“I am flattered that an old ball coach from Hubbard, Texas, is standing up here right now when there are so many great coaches out there,” Anderson said. “I’m a guy that’s here and I’m going to do the very best I can to make you guys proud.”
Anderson helped Larry Fedora turn Southern Miss into one of the country’s top-mid major programs, going 34-19 over four years, including a 12-2 mark in 2011. Anderson went with Fedora to North Carolina last year, and he was one of the first names on Mohajir’s list.
When Harsin’s name first began to be linked to the Boise State opening Dec. 6, Mohajir went online and read news reports about Anderson, watched videos of him breaking down plays and took note of how he handled himself with reporters.
Mohajir said he interviewed four candidates in person, but he declined to name them. When asked if he had offered the job to anyone other than Anderson, Mohajir paused.
“The offer was made this morning, and he is our head coach,” he replied.
Mohajir said he was sold on Anderson’s offensive philosophy that has evolved over two decades working with Fedora, while also borrowing ideas from Spread experts Rich Rodriguez and Mike Leach.
Anderson said his no-huddle, Spread offense will be “one of the fastest operating teams in the country.” His first offense at North Carolina set school records for most points per game (40.6 ) and total offense (485.6 yards per game).
Anderson didn’t meet with any of ASU’s coaches before Thursday’s news conference, but he said all will be considered for spots on his staff. He said he’d like his defense to play physical and be based out of a 4-2-5, which is similar to what current defensive coordinator John Thompson has run the past two seasons.
Anderson said he isn’t sure if he’ll assist North Carolina against Cincinnati on Dec. 28 in the Belk Bowl, but he would like to see ASU play Ball State on Jan. 5 in the Go-Daddy Bowl.
“I can’t wait to get them on the field and start slinging the ball around,” Anderson said. “At the end of the day, this is not me. I want a hat on backwards with the music blaring and the ball slinging. That is what I want.”
Blake Anderson glance POSITION Head coach SCHOOL Arkansas State AGE 44 BIRTHPLACE Jonesboro HOMETOWN Hubbard, Texas COLLEGE Sam Houston State (1992) FAMILY Wife, Wendy; children;
Callie, Coleton, Cason COACHING EXPERIENCE Trinity Valley, quarterbacks, defensive backs, recruiting coordinator, 1995-1997; Trinity Valley, offensive coordinator 1998; New Mexico, running backs, 1999-2000; New Mexico, wide receivers, 2001;
Middle Tennessee, co-offensive coordinator, wide receivers, 2002-2004; Louisiana-Lafayette, offensive coordinator, quarterbacks, 2007;
Southern Miss, quarterbacks, run-game coordinator, 2008-2009;
Southern Miss, offensive coordinator, quarterbacks, 2010-2011; North Carolina, offensive coordinator, quarterbacks, 2012-2013.
Sports, Pages 22 on 12/20/2013