Gary Lee Andersen (born February 19, 1964) is an American football coach. He has been the head football coach at Oregon State (2015â€"2017), Wisconsin (2013â€"2014), Utah State (2009â€"2012), and Southern Utah University (2003). Andersen also served three years as the defensive coordinator at the University of Utah, where he coached the 2008 team that went undefeated and beat Alabama in the Sugar Bowl to finish #2 in the nation.
College
Gary Andersen out as Oregon State Beavers football coach - Gary Andersen is out as coach of the Oregon State Beavers football team after starting the 2017 college football season 1-5. Here's a quick recap of why he and Oregon State decided to part ways.
Andersen began his football career playing center at Ricks College (now Brigham Young Universityâ€"Idaho) in Rexburg, Idaho, where he received first-team junior college All-America honors in 1984. He transferred to the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, where he lettered two years for the Utes and graduated in 1986 with a bachelor's degree in political science.
Coaching career
Utah
Andersen served as the assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and defensive line coach for the University of Utah in 2005â€"2008. He was a 2008 finalist for the Broyles Award, given annually to the nation's top college football assistant coach.
Utah State
Andersen was the head coach at Utah State for four seasons, beginning with 4â€"8 records in 2009 and 2010. His first winning season at Utah State came in 2011 (7â€"6) and his fourth and final year was the most successful, as the 2012 Aggies won 11 games and lost only two (the two losses were by 2 and 3 points against Wisconsin and BYU, respectively).
Wisconsin
Andersen was introduced as the new head coach at Wisconsin (which beat Utah State in an early season game in 2012) on December 21, 2012 to replace Bret Bielema, who left for Arkansas. After Andersen decided to leave Utah State for the Wisconsin job, he called every one of his players at Utah State individually to inform them personally of his decision. In 2013, Andersen's first win as a Wisconsin coach was a 45â€"0 win against Massachusetts. Andersen's final 2013 record was 9â€"4.
The 2014 regular season ended with the Badgers taking 1st place in the West division with a 10â€"2 record. Wisconsin played Ohio State for the conference title in the 2014 Big Ten Championship Game where the Badgers lost to Ohio State 59â€"0. Andersen left Wisconsin four days later, having taken the vacant head coaching position at Oregon State. Andersen cited family as his rationale for taking the Oregon State position while it was reported by some media outlets, such as Fox Sports and Sports Illustrated, that Andersen was frustrated with the University's high academic standards for athletes. Those reports turned out to be accurate, and were confirmed by Andersen in January 2015.
Andersen had to pay a $3 million buyout for departing within the first two years of his contract, which was set through January 2019.
Oregon State
Andersen was announced as the new head coach of Oregon State on December 10, 2014. Andersen replaced the previous coach at Oregon State, Mike Riley, who left for the same position at Nebraska. On October 9, 2017, Andersen and Oregon State football parted ways with him forgoing $12 million left on his contract.
Utah
On January 2, 2018 it was announced that Andersen will be returning to Utah for a 3rd time as an associate head coach and defensive assistant.
Coaching tree
Assistant coaches under Andersen who became NCAA Division I head coaches:
- Brent Brennan: San Jose State (2017â€"present)
- Kalani Sitake: BYU (2016â€"present)
- Mike Sanford: Indiana State (2013â€"2016)
- Matt Wells: Utah State (2013â€"present)
Head coaching record
Notes
References
External links
- Oregon State profile
