Blake Anderson

Position: Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks

Blake Anderson returns for his fourth season at Southern Miss and second year as the offensive coordinator after leading the Golden Eagles to their highest national marks on offense since his arrival in Hattiesburg. Anderson spent his first two seasons as quarterbacks coach after directing the position to some of its most successful performances in school history.

Under the eye of Anderson, the Golden Eagles finished with their highest rankings nationally in rushing offense (No. 20) and passing offense (No. 35) in three years. Anderson's offense was also No. 18 nationally in yards per game with 453.38 while averaging 36.85 points per game. Even with his duties expanded, Anderson's quarterbacks were still among the most efficient in the nation with only eight interceptions thrown including one by a wide receiver in 2010 to 24 touchdowns. The starter, Austin Davis, also accounted for 10 of the team's 28 rushing touchdowns, more than any other running back.

Anderson's offense also set new school records for offensive production in a season by racking up 5,894 yards to break the previous mark of 5,636 set in 2008. The 453.38 yards per game was also a new single-season school record.

In his second season as quarterbacks coach, Davis was injured in the fifth game and backup Martevious Young took over the offense for the remainder of the season. Under Anderson's watch, the redshirt junior threw for more than 1,861 yards with 16 touchdowns and only three interceptions.

In all, the Golden Eagles threw just six interceptions on the season, one coming from a running back.

In his first year as quarterbacks coach, Anderson mentored then redshirt freshman and first-year starter, Davis, who responded by having the best season ever for a freshman QB at the school, while also putting together one of the better years that any signal caller has had at the university.

Davis, who was the first freshman to start in his opening game since 1991, notched 15 school records, including six season marks that included passing yards (3,128), completions (261), attempts (454), total offense (3,636) and touchdowns responsible for (30).

The freshman quarterback also tallied a school mark for longest pass from scrimmage (97 yards) with fellow freshman DeAndre Brown and added a school-best five touchdown rushing game against UAB. Young added a 95-yard TD pass to Brown in 2009 for the second longest pass play at the school and the only two 90-plus yard completions at Southern Miss.

Anderson came to Southern Miss after spending the 2007 campaign at Louisiana-Lafayette as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

The Cajuns posted the No. 6 rated rushing offense nationally (251.6) in 2007 and became the Sun Belt's first ever 3,000-yard rushing team (3,019). The team averaged a Sun Belt-record 5.6 yards per carry en route to producing two 1,000-yard rushers. UL ran for 250 yards or more in seven games and scored at least one rushing touchdown in all but one contest.

Anderson, who was in private business from 2004-2006, previously worked at Middle Tennessee, where he helped direct an offensive unit as co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach from 2002-04. During his time with the Blue Raiders, the team led the Sun Belt in scoring offense during the 2003 season and ranked 15th nationally in passing offense during the 2004 campaign. His 2003 team averaged 27.7 points per game, generating 42 total touchdowns. In 2004, his MTSU passing attack averaged 267.7 yards per game.

Anderson spent three seasons at New Mexico before landing at MTSU. He served as the wide receivers coach in 2001 and running backs coach from 1999-2000. The UNM rushing attack was responsible for a major share of the Lobo offense in 2000. The Lobos averaged 148 yards per game on the ground, which accounted for 56 percent of the team's total offense.

Anderson worked at Trinity Valley Community College (1995-98) before joining the Division I FCS ranks at New Mexico. In 1998, he was the offensive coordinator and the Cardinals went 7-3. Trinity Valley led the conference in rushing offense and was eighth nationally. The Cardinals were also second in their league in total offense under Anderson's guidance and led the league in scoring average. He helped lead the Cardinals to the 1997 NJCAA National Championship. Other capacities in which Anderson served were quarterbacks and receivers coach, defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator.

A two-year letterwinner at wide receiver for Sam Houston State from 1989-91, Anderson was named Southland Conference All-Academic as a senior. He also played for two years as a quarterback and receiver at Baylor (1987-89) before transferring. A native of Hubbard, Texas, Anderson graduated with his bachelor's degree in kinesiology from Sam Houston State in 1992. He also attained his master's degree in sports administration from Eastern New Mexico in 1994.

Anderson, and wife Wendy, have one daughter, Callie, and two sons, Coleton and Cason.