Blake Anderson (American football)

Robert Blake Anderson (born March 24, 1969) is an American football coach and former player. Anderson is currently the head coach of the Arkansas State Red Wolves football team. He was the North Carolina Tar Heels offensive coordinator in 2012 and 2013. He was previously the offensive coordinator at Southern Miss.

Playing career
Anderson began his playing career as a quarterback and wide receiver at Baylor University from 1987 to 1989, but tore his ACL during practice. After his recovery he chose to transfer to Sam Houston State University where he played as a wide receiver for the Bearkats from 1989 to 1991. At Sam Houston State he was named to the Southland Conference All-Academic team as a senior. During his college days he played in the I-formation and Veer offenses popular at the time. Sam Houston State Defensive Coordinator Mike Lucas told Anderson that he believed he was suited for a coaching role.

Eastern New Mexico
Anderson got his start from Howard Stearns at Eastern New Mexico Greyhounds football as a graduate assistant in 1992 and received a full-time position there tutoring wide receivers for the Greyhounds in 1993.

Howard Payne
In 1994, he coached wide receivers for the American Southwest Conference co-champion Howard Payne University Yellow Jackets under head coach Vance Gibson.

Trinity Valley
Anderson joined the Trinity Valley in 1995 as an assistant. He was the offensive coordinator during the Cardinals run to the 1997 NJCAA National Championship under coach Scott Conley.

New Mexico
Before the 1999 season he joined New Mexico as running backs coach under Rocky Long and served in that position until 2000. During the 2001 season he took the wide receivers coaching position. During the 2000 season his rushing attack averaged 148 yards per game which accounted for 56% of the team's offensive production.

Middle Tennessee
In 2002 Middle Tennessee coach Andy McCollum hired Anderson to serve as co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach in replacement of Larry Fedora who had left for Florida. At Middle Tennessee he was exposed to variations of the Hurry-up offense which dramatically changed his outlook. The Blue Raiders passing offense increased each year under his tenure improving from 154.0 yards per game in 2002 to 226.7 in 2003 and 267.7 in 2004. Anderson's offense led the Sun Belt Conference in scoring offense in 2003 and saw the school's first 1,000 yard receiver in 2004. After leaving MTSU he left coaching for three years for a stint in private business.

Louisiana–Lafayette
Anderson was hired by Coach Rickey Bustle as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Ragin' Cajuns for the 2007 football season, replacing Rob Christophel. Anderson's offense churned out over 250 yards per game on the ground making it the #6 ranked rushing offense in the nation. The 2007 Ragin' Cajuns became the Sun Belt's first ever 3,000-yard rushing team.

Southern Miss
Anderson joined Southern Miss in 2008 as quarterbacks coach and run game coordinator under new coach Larry Fedora. He mentored record-setting future NFL quarterback Austin Davis during his freshman and sophomore years and was promoted to offensive coordinator for the 2010 season where the Golden Eagles averaged 36.9 points per game. Anderson was the play-caller during Southern Miss's stellar 12-win season in 2011 including the Conference USA Football Championship Game victory over the previously unbeaten Houston Cougars. Southern Miss capped off the 2011 season with a 24-17 victory over Nevada in the Hawaii Bowl.

North Carolina
When Fedora left Southern Miss for North Carolina in 2012 he took Anderson along as his offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. In his inaugural season with the Tar Heels Anderson oversaw an offense that produced 485.6 yards per game, setting over 35 school records, and ending the campaign ranked eighth in the nation in scoring. During the 2013 campaign his offense gained 432.4 yards per game.

Arkansas State
Anderson was announced as Arkansas State's head coach on December 19, 2013. He became Arkansas State's fifth head coach in five years, replacing Bryan Harsin who had left for Boise State.

Coaching Tree
Assistant coaches under Anderson that became NCAA or NFL head coaches.


 * Walt Bell: Massachusetts (2019-present)

Personal
Anderson was born in Jonesboro, Arkansas but moved to Hubbard, Texas at an early age. He graduated from Hubbard High School. He obtained a degree in kinesiology from Sam Houston State in 1992 and his master's degree in sports administration from Eastern New Mexico University in 1994. Anderson and his wife Wendy have one daughter and two sons.

On August 20, 2019, Anderson announced that Wendy had passed away after a battle with an aggressive form of breast cancer. Defensive coordinator David Duggan will coach the team during Anderson's leave.