Anderson Introduced as New Head Coach at Oregon State

Gary Anderson the new coach at Oregon State has no doubt the team is the right fit. He does not expect that everyone will completely understand his decision to leave Wisconsin and head to Corvallis.

However, he is insistent that he believes this is where he has been told to go. Many believe that to be weird, but that is the way he works.

From a strictly a football standpoint, his decision for the majority, will be puzzling. He had just coached two years of a promising tenure at a program where each year the College Football Playoff would have been a realistic aspiration.

However, with Oregon State that will not be the case. The success he will enjoy with the Beavers will be measured in a different way and it would be foolish for anyone to believe he does not know that.

Some question if Anderson’s decision was so he could be closer to Utah, his home state.

Others wonder if the more strident restrictions for admissions at Wisconsin were wearing him thin.

That might have been true, but Wisconsin for years has attracted more talent than has Oregon State.

In his press conference to introduce him to the local media on Friday, Anderson returned over and over again to the fit. He seemed careful not to mention anything that would reflect poorly on the Wisconsin program, where he was 19-7 in two seasons.

However, he did not state specifics as to why Oregon State for him was a better location.

He mentioned that he feels Oregon State is where he is supposed to be.

He denied any speculation of a rift that might have existed between Barry Alvarez the athletic director at Wisconsin and himself.

He did mention that the people who work with him behind closed doors are the one that matter the most to him.

One of them he said was Dr. Ed Ray the president of Oregon State. Ray told those at the press conference that now anyone that comes to play Oregon State must have their A-game with them or the Beavers will beat them.

Anderson said he asked his friend and Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham his opinion of Oregon State and a move there.

His friend told him the school was very good, but the question most are asking is can he win in Oregon State.

Mike Riley who left to coach Nebraska gave a clear message that winning might not be immediate for Oregon State.

Anderson did not mention any names of coaches he had hired or was speaking to but did say that next week those announcements would start to come.

For now many will continue to remain puzzled by Anderson’s decision, but in the end, all that matters is it was his choice to make and no one else’s.