Blake Anderson Named 24th Head Coach at Southern Miss

By Luke Matheson:

HATTIESBURG, Miss. — Blake Anderson, a two-time Division I head coach with a long record of success, has officially been named the 24th head football coach in Southern Miss history, the university announced Thursday. Director of Athletics Jeremy McClain made the announcement, confirming earlier reports that the school would remove Anderson’s interim tag following the departure of former coach Charles Huff.

“We are excited to announce Blake Anderson as the next leader of our football program,” McClain said. “He brings a wealth of experience and a ten-year run as a successful head coach, including multiple conference championships in the Sun Belt, a Mountain West conference championship, and nine bowl appearances. Blake is an exceptional leader, a great communicator, and has the respect of the players and the staff throughout the Duff Center. We look forward to supporting him at the highest level and continuing the positive momentum for our program.”

A Return — and a Turnaround

Anderson returned to Southern Miss in 2025 as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach after previously serving on the staff from 2008–11. In his first year back, he helped engineer a six-game turnaround, including a five-game winning streak. His offense ranked first in the Sun Belt Conference in passing and fifth overall in scoring.

The strong season positioned him as a natural successor when the head coaching position opened, and his interim appointment quickly evolved into a full-time role.

A Proven Winner

Across 30 years in coaching, Anderson has been part of six conference championships, 14 bowl games and a national championship at the junior college level. His 10 seasons as a Division I head coach include stints at Arkansas State (2014–20) and Utah State (2021–23), where he compiled a combined 74-54 (.578) record with a 53-27 (.663) conference mark.

At Utah State, Anderson orchestrated one of the best turnarounds in college football history. In 2021, the Aggies went from zero or one win the previous season to 11 victories, a Mountain West title and a final No. 24 ranking in the Associated Press poll. He was named the 2021 AFCA Region 5 Coach of the Year and was a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award.

He followed with back-to-back bowl seasons in 2022 and 2023, including appearances in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl and the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

Success at Arkansas State

Before arriving at Utah State, Anderson spent seven seasons leading Arkansas State, producing six straight winning campaigns and six consecutive bowl trips from 2014–19. His Red Wolves won Sun Belt titles in 2015 and 2016 and competed for another in 2017. He went 51-37 overall and 38-18 in Sun Belt play, ranking among the top coaches in school history.

Following the 2019 season, Anderson was honored with the Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award and the Grant Teaff Coach of the Year Award after guiding the Red Wolves through an 8–5 season shortly after the death of his wife, Wendy, who passed away following a three-year cancer battle.

Earlier Stops and Southern Miss Roots

Anderson’s offensive credentials were established long before his head coaching career. During his earlier stint at Southern Miss from 2008–11, the Golden Eagles set school records for total offense in his final two seasons and won a program-record 12 games in 2011, including a Conference USA championship.

His coaching résumé also includes stops as offensive coordinator at North Carolina, Louisiana, Middle Tennessee, and Trinity Valley Community College, where he helped win the 1997 NJCAA national title. He began his career at Eastern New Mexico in 1992.

Playing Career and Education

A Texas native, Anderson was a two-year letterwinner at Sam Houston State and previously played quarterback and receiver at Baylor. He holds a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Sam Houston State and a master’s degree in sports administration from Eastern New Mexico.

What’s Next

Anderson takes over a Southern Miss program looking to build on the momentum created this season and return to sustained success. With deep ties to the university, a proven track record and a strong endorsement from the athletics department, he steps in with immediate expectations — and the résumé to match them.

Southern Miss has not yet announced details of Anderson’s introductory press conference.