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UL's football program stayed within the Sun Belt Conference family to find coaches once again Wednesday.
Former Middle Tennessee co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Blake Anderson has been hired as the Cajuns' offensive coordinator, filling the third of four vacant slots on coach Rickey Bustle's staff.
A native of Hubbard, Texas, Anderson was on the Middle staff from 2002-04 along with recently-hired defensive coordinator Kevin Fouquier.
"The whole time I was at Middle, I always thought the environment and the atmosphere at Lafayette was big-time football," Anderson said Wednesday. "We played in some stadiums in the league that you had the idea that other things were more important, but when you came to Lafayette you felt the town and the people were behind you."
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Dan McDonald
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Anderson, a native of Hubbard, Texas, who has been out of coaching the last two seasons, joins Fouquier and cornerbacks coach Hurlie Brown as new members of the staff. Fouquier and Brown both came from posts at league rival Florida International and Fouquier served five previous years on the Middle Tennessee staff.
Bustle, who still has to fill a wide receivers position on his staff, said that Anderson fits well into the Cajuns' offensive plans.
"When you talk about a fit it's a lot of things," Bustle said. "It's fitting with people, fitting with philosophies. I think Blake's just a great fit. He's got an attacking-type philosophy and I think our kids will be excited about it."
Anderson first interviewed with Bustle at the recent AFCA Convention in San Antonio and came in for a campus visit last weekend.
"The more we talked, the more we had the same thought processes in how to attack a defense," Anderson said. "We've got some things we both feel strongly about."
"His experience and the success he's had with the passing game, it's some things I'm very interested in," Bustle said. "He's also had a lot of experience in the no-huddle."
Anderson's Blue Raider offense led the Sun Belt in scoring in 2003, with 42 touchdowns and a 27.7 average, and ranked 15th nationally in passing in 2004 with 267.7 yards per game. The Blue Raiders' passing numbers increased each of his three seasons.
Prior to those three years, Anderson was at New Mexico for three seasons as running backs coach (1999-2000) and wide receivers coach (2001), following four years as offensive coordinator at Trinity Valley Community College in Texas. That stint included the 1997 NJCAA national title.
The Sam Houston State graduate played collegiately at both Baylor and SHSU and earned his master's degree from Eastern New Mexico, where he coached the first two years of a 13-year collegiate career. He left Middle following the 2004 season.
"I knew my heart was still in football," he said, "but I stepped away to take care of my family and get away from it, get a fresh perspective. I said that when the right time came around I'd know it, and this seemed to be the opportunity ... good people and good atmosphere, everything I've found out about Coach Bustle and how he treats his coaches and players, it seemed like all the pieces to the puzzle fit."
Anderson's appointment will be effective Feb. 1. "As far as I'm concerned, I'm already started," he said. "I'm ready to go full speed."
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