LOGAN — Not only was he a valued assistant coach, but he has head coaching experience at a smaller program. He's a longtime Utah resident, so he knows what Utah State can attract. He has a gift for recruiting local players, too.
Just checking: Did the Aggies hire Dave Arslanian again?
The long-suffering Aggies introduced the 26th football coach in their history on Thursday, handing the reins to former Utah defensive coordinator Gary Andersen. The move was met with general goodwill, especially at the press conference/pep rally at the Laub Athletics Complex.
Optimism was everywhere. When you're hiring coaches, that's the only way to go. They did it when Mick Dennehy was hired; Brent Guy and Arslanian, too. They probably did it when George P. Campbell took over in 1902, after which someone surely got up and said they had found the perfect fit.
Hiring day is no time for gloomy reflections.
"There's a major commitment here to not be just a good football program, but a great program," said Andersen.
Considering where it has been, "good" would be fantastic.
"I think I look pretty dang good in blue," added Andersen.
If this all sounds familiar, it should. Not just the hiring process, but the end result. The Aggies invested locally. They did so when they hired Arslanian in 1997, and when they elevated assistant coach — and Utah native — Chris Pella in 1982, too.
Arslanian was a head coach at Snow College and Weber State, but only coached two years at USU before getting dumped. Pella went 9-24 as the Aggies' head coach before being fired after the 1985 season.
So strong local ties and a layout of the land aren't necessarily the answer. You need that extra something (money?) that has been missing in Big Blue country for a millennium or so.
In that light, Andersen vowed to recruit Utah players, mixed with Polynesia, Texas and California talent. It's working at Utah, why not USU?
Although this isn't the first Utahn the Aggies have employed, it's not like local coaches have done worse than anyone else. USU has tried just about every avenue, hoping to return to the glory days of the 1960s and '70s. It has hired assistant coaches from big programs (Guy, Charlie Weatherbie) and head coaches from smaller programs (Chuck Shelton, John L. Smith, Dennehy, Arslanian). Pella came from within the ranks.
Nothing, but nothing, has worked. Even Smith and Weatherbie, who converted mediocre success into better jobs, had overall losing records. The last Aggie coach to leave town with a winning record was Phil Krueger in 1975.
That doesn't mean Andersen is doomed. Improved facilities and increased funds for coaching salaries have made the job more attractive than it has been in three decades.
"We have what we need to go out and compete," said Andersen.
That even seemed possible Thursday. When Smith was hired, the press conference was held in the Spectrum conference room. When Guy was hired, he was introduced in a downtown Salt Lake office building. Arslanian met with the press at the Delta Center prior to a basketball game.
This time, Andersen was trotted out at the stadium.
Imagine, a complex so good they actually introduce a coach where he'll be working.
Andersen, a former head coach at Southern Utah, said the combination of environment, academics and athletics is enough to compete with BYU and Utah for top local players.
So they're saying everything is in place. As athletics director Scott Barnes put it, "This is a good time, not just to take the next step, but to make the most significant step in some time for USU football."
Meanwhile, Andersen fired up the Aggie boosters — some of whom attended the standing room only press conference — by saying all the right stuff. He added that he isn't worried about the sad legacy of USU football.
"I love a challenge," he said, "but at the same time, you've got to pick your challenges."
Considering USU hasn't had back-to-back winning seasons in 28 years, this one is a doozie.
E-mail: rock@desnews.com