Gary Andersen

Gary Andersen is entering his third season as Utah State head football coach, after being named to the role on on Dec. 4, 2008 by USU Athletics Director Scott Barnes. Andersen is the 26th head coach in 115 years of Aggie football.

In 2011, Andersen will be taking over the defensive coordinator duties as well. Andersen will also be on the 2011 USA Today Coaches' Poll voting committee, marking the second time in three years that Andersen has been a voter, also doing so in 2009.

In his first season at the helm of the USU program, Andersen led the Aggies to a 4-8 mark, USU’s most wins since 2002. The Aggies finished 3-5 in Western Athletic Conference action, matching the 2008 season for USU’s top conference record in its five seasons in the league.

The 2009 USU offense amassed a school-record 5,272 yards of total offense. Aggie quarterback Diondre Borel also set a USU individual record for total offense with 3,343 yards in 2009, along with the school record for fewest interceptions thrown with four. Additionally, running back Robert Turbin earned second-team all-WAC honors with a school-record single-season 18 total TD’s and 110 total points. Turbin amassed 1,296 rushing yards to become the first Aggie running back to reach the 1,000-yard plateau since 2001.

Defensive highlights from 2009 included first-team all-WAC linebacker Bobby Wagner, who led the league and ranked tied for 22nd in Football Bowl Subdivision in tackles with 115, a 9.6 per game average. Wagner also led the league in WAC only games with 71 stops (8.9 pg). Wagner’s 115 tackles ranks as the second-most by a USU sophomore, behind the record of 138 in 1996 by Johndale Carty. Wagner was the first sophomore to lead the Aggies in tackles since David Gill’s 89 stops led the 1994 USU squad.

Andersen was also on the 2009 USA Today Coaches Poll voting committee.

Andersen, who came to USU after five season at Utah, reached a rare plateau in USU’s season-opener on Sept. 3, when he led the Aggies into action against his former team Utah. Since 1982, only two other head coaches in college football have began the season against their former team from the season before.

Andersen is the second coach in USU history to open their coaching career against Utah, as Dave Arslanian began his Aggie tenure against the Utes on Sept. 5, 1998.

Andersen also faced another former team when he and the Aggies made their home debut against Southern Utah on Sept. 26, with USU winning 53-34. Andersen was head coach at Southern Utah in 2003. He became the third-straight Aggie football coach to win his home-opener.

With four wins in his first season, Andersen is tied for the fourth-most victories in his opening season in school history, trailing eight by Tony Knap in 1963, while Chuck Mills in 1967 and Fred Walker in 1907 won seven, and four Aggie coaches won five, most recently Mick Dennehy in 2000. Also, Andersen joins John L. Smith in 1995 and Ev Faunce in 1955 as the only three USU head coaches to win four games in their first season at the helm of the Aggie program.

Andersen came to Utah State after five seasons as the assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and defensive line coach at Utah, where he helped guide the Utes to a 13-0 record in 2008. Utah finished the season ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press poll after winning the BCS Sugar Bowl with a dominating 31-17 victory against Alabama. Andersen was a part of seven bowl teams as Utah has an 8-0 bowl record since 1999, giving the Utes the nation’s longest bowl winning streak.

“Obviously, Gary’s vast knowledge of the state of Utah coupled with his overall recruiting success will pay long-term dividends to our program. He will be focused and tireless in his approach to building and sustaining a winning program here at Utah State. We are all very excited to have Coach Andersen leading this program to the next step,” Barnes said.

Dave Baldwin is entering his third season as Utah State’s offensive coordinator and erupted on the scene, mentoring the Aggie offense to a school-record 5,272 yards of total offense.

Baldwin also coached USU quarterback Diondre Borel to the USU individual record for total offense with 3,343 yards in 2009, along with the school record for fewest interceptions thrown with four.

Under Baldwin, the 2009 USU offense ranked fourth in the Western Athletic Conference and 12th in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) with 439.3 ypg. The Aggies also were third in the WAC and 20th in FBS in rushing offense (192.6 ypg) and fourth in the league and 36th in the nation in passing offense (246.8 ypg).

In addition to Borel, Baldwin also guided second-team all-WAC running back Robert Turbin’s school-record single-season 18 total TD’s and 110 total points, on the way to his 1,296 rushing yards to become the first Aggie running back to reach the 1,000-yard plateau since 2001.

Baldwin is also taking over the reins of the quarterback position, after coaching the wide receivers last year.

“Dave has been a Division I offensive coordinator for eight years and has 11 years of head coaching experience,” Andersen said. “He always finds a way to get the best out of his offensive personnel. Coaching against him for the last two years, while I was defensive coordinator at Utah was a major task. His running of the spread offense is one of the best in the country. Dave’s extensive coaching background, especially his head coaching experiences, will be a tremendous asset to me as a head coach.”

Baldwin came to Utah State from New Mexico, where he spent two seasons as offensive coordinator for the Lobos.

“I’m extremely excited for the opportunity to coach along side Gary Andersen,” Baldwin said. “I’ve coached against him for two years, and I have tremendous respect and appreciation for him as a coach and as a person. I’m excited about the magnificent facilities that Utah State has to offer and am anxious to continue and build on their success. This is a wonderful opportunity to regain Utah State’s national exposure.”

Baldwin was offensive coordinator at New Mexico for two seasons, after spending four years (2003-06) as offensive coor- dinator and tight ends coach at Michigan State. His coaching resume? includes 11 years of head coaching experience at San Jose State (1997-2000) and Cal State North- ridge (1995-96) plus five years as a head coach at the junior college level.

The 2008 Baldwin-directed New Mexico offense was third in the Mountain West Conference and 16th in the NCAA in rushing at 208.3 yards per game.

In 2008, Baldwin’s offense produced two all-Mountain West Conference performers in second-team honorees senior running back Rodney Ferguson and junior center Erik Cook. Ferguson was second in the MWC and 24th in the NCAA in rushing with 100.5 yards per game, including a league- high 13 rushing touchdowns, ranking third in the conference in TD scoring (7.1 ppg) as well as sixth in overall scoring.

In 2007, New Mexico was one of just three FBS schools to produce a 3,000-yard passer (Donovan Porterie 3,006), a 1,000-yard rusher (Rodney Ferguson 1,177) and two 1,000-yard receivers (Marcus Smith 1,125 and Travis Brown 1,031). Smith led the MWC in receiving (seven per game) and yards (86 per game), while set- ting a school record with 91 receptions.

Baldwin coached seven all-Mountain West Conference selections in Ferguson, Smith and Brown, as well as center Vince Natali and offensive tackle Devin Clark, who were all named first team all-MWC in 2007.

In his first season as the Lobos’ offensive coordinator, he increased their numbers in rushing, passing, scoring and total offense from 2006. Porterie finished third in the MWC in passing yards (231.2 ypg) and total offense (228.6 ypg) and was named the MVP of the New Mexico Bowl after throwing for a career-high 354 yards and two TDs to lead UNM to a 23-0 victory against Nevada in the 2007 New Mexico Bowl, marking the Lobos’ first bowl win since the 1961 Aviation Bowl.

At Michigan State, Baldwin mentored Spartan QB Drew Stanton, who in 2006, was one of five finalists for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, presented annually since 1987 to the nation’s top senior quarterback. Stanton finished his MSU career setting a school record for completion percentage (.642), and second in pass com- pletions (543), pass attempts (846), passing yards (6,524) and total offense (8,036).

Additionally, Baldwin coached wide receiver Kerry Reed, who ranked second in the Big Ten in 2006 in receptions per game (5.33) and was fifth in receiving yards per game (64.58). Wide receiver Matt Trannon set a single-game school record with 14 catches against Eastern Michigan, and left MSU as the program’s all-time receptions leader with 148 career catches.

In 2005, Michigan State ranked among the NCAA leaders in four offensive categories: No. 20 in rushing (201.8 yards per game), No. 11 in passing (school-record 295.5 ypg.), No. 5 in total offense (school-record 497.3 ypg.), and No. 18 in scoring (33.8 ppg).

In 2004, Stanton became the first QB in Spartan history to throw for 300 yards and rush for 100 yards in the same game.

Bill Busch is entering his third season as Utah State’s defensive coordinator.

Highlights from the 2009 Busch-led Aggie defense included first-team all- Western Athletic Conference linebacker Bobby Wagner, who led the WAC and ranked tied for 22nd in Football Bowl Subdivision in tackles with 115, a 9.6 per game average. Wagner also led the league in WAC only games with 71 stops (8.9 pg). Wagner’s 115 tackles ranks as the second-most by a USU sophomore, behind the record of 138 in 1996 by Johndale Carty. Wagner was the first sophomore to lead the Aggies in tackles since David Gill’s 89 stops led the 1994 USU squad.

Busch also coached safety James Brindley, who signed a free agent contract with the Seattle Seahawks. Brindley was eighth in the WAC overall in tackles with 7.8 per game, ranking third among defensive backs in tackles.

The 2009 Busch-led USU defense had three games of forcing three turnovers, with season-best of holding San Jose State to 56 yards rushing and New Mexico State to 81 yards passing.

Busch’s most recent coaching job before Utah State was at Nebraska from 2005-07, where he was assistant coach for safeties and special teams coordinator. Busch coached with USU head coach Gary Andersen at both Northern Arizona and Utah. He and Andersen were at NAU together from 1995 to 1996, with Busch serving as secondary coach in 1995 and co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach in 1996, while Andersen was assistant head coach and defensive line as well as special teams coach.

Additionally, Brindley ranked third overall in passes defended with nine on six pass break-ups and three interceptions. Brindley was the top ranked defensive back in the WAC for combined tackles and passes defended, as the two other defensive backs ahead of him in tackles were below him in passes defended and the two others in passes defended were below him in tackles. Brindley ranks 12th on USU’s career interceptions list with nine, but is second on the Aggie career list for interception return yardage with 210 yards. replace this tex

“The excitement for me is two-fold. For one, it’s a great opportunity to coach at such as great university like Utah State due to the fact of the tremendous commitment that the administration is making to football. Secondly, getting the chance to work with Gary Andersen is very exciting. He’s obviously a great friend but also for the opportunity to work with him again are major reasons why I can’t wait to get back into coaching,” Busch said.

After Busch’s four-year stint as secondary coach at New Mexico State from 1997-2000, Busch and Andersen joined up again at Utah in 2001 when Busch was safeties coach until taking over the entire secondary in 2003. He then went to Nebraska in 2004 where he coached outside linebackers and was the special teams coordinator, before moving to safeties in 2005 while remaining special teams coordinator until 2007.

“Coach Andersen and I have worked together at two different programs at Northern Arizona and Utah, so we have a great feel for each other. I know exactly what he wants from me and vice versa, and what we can do for each other with what exactly our schematic plan is,” Busch said. “I’m thrilled for the chance to work in a program with the great potential that Utah State has and in a great conference like the WAC, as well as to work with Coach Andersen again.”

In his year away from full-time coaching, Busch worked with some NFL and college teams in addition to spending time with his family in Nebraska, but he was excited about the chance to return to college football and the state of Utah.

“In this profession, everything is short lived and you’re back and going again, so it was nice to do some things outside of football, but I’m very excited to get back into coaching and return to Utah. I love the state of Utah and am excited about being a part of the Logan community as we continue to develop the Utah State football program,” Busch said.

Jovon Bouknight (pronounced Juh-vonn Bo-night) is in his third season with the USU football program, going into his first as wide receivers coach after serving as the Aggies’ offensive graduate assistant last year.

"It was a great opportunity to move up to a full-time assistant from a graduate assistant at the Division I level," Bouknight said. "I'm grateful for Coach Andersen and Coach Baldwin to have the confidence and faith in me and be able to help me develop as a football coach."

In 2010, Bouknight coached the USU wide receivers, as a total of nine different wide receivers had at least one reception, including Dontel Watkins, who ranked 15th in the Western Athletic Conference in receiving yards per game (41.0) as well as tying for 15th in receptions per game (3.5).

Watkins was the lone USU receiver with 400 yards, but three other receivers had over 200 yards receiving. A total of four different receivers snared at least one TD pass with Watkins leading the team with four scores.

In 2009, Bouknight helped coach Stanley Morrison, who led USU and ranked 12th in the WAC with 616 yards on 33 receptions (18.7 ypc) with three TD's. The 18.7 ypc average ranked Morrison second in the WAC and 11th in FBS. Morrison's 51.5 ypg ranked 14th in the WAC, while his 2.75 receptions per game was 16th in the league.

Morrison’s 18.7 yards per catch average was also the most in USU history since Dionte’ Holloway’s 19.4 ypc average in 2005. Morrison was one of four Aggie receivers with at least 400 yards receiving while a total of six receivers had over 20 catches on the season. A total of 14 different receivers caught at least one pass with eight different receivers logging a TD catch, including three with three or more.

Bouknight came to USU after one season at his alma mater of Wyoming, where he was offensive graduate assistant, working with the Cowboys’ wide receivers.

During his senior season, he was one of only 15 semifinalists for the 2005 Biletnikoff Award, which honors the nation’s top college receiver each season. He also earned honorable mention All-America honors from College Football News in 2005. He earned first-team all-Mountain West Conference honors as a senior in voting by MWC coaches and media. The College Football News also selected him to its all-Mountain West Conference first-team. For the 2005 season, he ranked No. 9 in the NCAA in average receiving yards per game (101.45 yards per game), No. 15 in total receiving yards (1,116), No. 10 in all-purpose yards (160.45), No. 12 in average receptions per game (7.00 catches per game) and No. 11 in kickoff returns (27.75 yards per return). He BOUKNI GHT’s File Coaching Experience 2008 Wyoming Graduate Asst./Wide Receivers 2009 Utah State Graduate Asst./Wide Receivers 2010- Utah State Wide Receivers Playing Experience 2002-05 Wyoming Wide Receiver/Kick Returner 2006 Carolina Panthers Wide Receiver 2007 Cologne Centurions Wide Receiver 2007 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Wide Receiver Education 2006 Wyoming Kinesiology And Health Promotion Personal • Born July 15, 1983 in Neuenbürg, Germany concluded his career ranked No. 2 in Mountain West Conference history in both receptions (250) and receiving yards (3,626).

A native of Denver, Colo., Bouknight was an outstanding quarterback at Manual High School in Denver. He received his bachelor’s degree from Wyoming in 2006.

In Wyoming school history, Bouknight ranks No. 3 in career receiving yards behind former All-Americans Marcus Harris (No. 1 with 4,518 receiving yards from 1993- 96) and Ryan Yarborough (No. 2 with 4,446 from 1990-93). Harris was the 1996 Biletnikoff Award winner. Bouknight ranks No. 2 in school history in career receptions, trailing only Harris with 259. Bouknight also completed his career as Wyoming’s all-time allpurpose yardage leader (5,921 all-purpose yards) and career kickoff return leader (2,016 kickoff-return yards). He caught at least one pass in 47 consecutive games, which was also every game of his college career and is the UW school record. He actually caught at least two passes in each of those 47 career games.

“Jovon has done a tremendous job in the year that he has been with us. He has tremendous potential and upstart as a coach. He has shown terrific ability and knowledge on and off the field, always wanting to learn and improve as a coach,” Andersen said.

Bouknight concluded his college career ranked No. 20 in NCAA history in both career receiving yards (3,626) and career receptions (250). After graduating from UW in the spring of 2006, Bouknight signed a free agent contract with the Carolina Panthers and went to camp with the Panthers in the summer of 2006. He later played in NFL Europe in the summer of 2007, before signing as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers later that summer and attended camp with Tampa in 2007.

“It’s a great opportunity to move up to a full-time assistant from a graduate assistant at the Division I level,” Bouknight said. “I’m grateful for Coach Andersen and Coach Baldwin to have the confidence and faith in me and be able to help me develop as a football coach.”

Under Bouknight’s tutelage, both Morrison and Eric Moats had a streak of snaring at least one catch in all 12 games in 2009.

Working with the Aggie receivers last season, Bouknight helped coach Stanley Morrison, who led USU and ranked 12th in the Western Athletic Conference with 616 yards on 33 receptions (18.7 ypc) with three TD’s. The 18.7 ypc average ranked Morrison second in the WAC and 11th in FBS. Morrison’s 51.5 ypg ranked 14th in the WAC while his 2.75 receptions per game was 16th in the league.

Kevin Clune (pronounced Kloon) is in his third year with the Utah State football staff as the Aggies' linebackers coach.

In 2010, Clune mentored first-team all-Western Athletic Conference linebacker Bobby Wagner, who led the WAC and ranked eighth in the NCAA FBS with 11.1 tackles per game, earning first-team all-WAC honors for the second-straight season. Wagner's 133 tackles are just shy of the WAC's single-season top 10 list and are the most by a USU defender since 2002 when Jesse Busta logged 135 stops. Wagner is No. 12 on USU's single-season tackles list.

Linebacker Kyle Gallagher ranked seventh in the WAC in tackles in 2010 with 7.58 pg, posting 91 total stops.

Under Clune's coaching in 2009, Wagner earned first-team all-WAC honors and led the league and ranked tied for 22nd in Football Bowl Subdivision in tackles with 115, a 9.6 per game average. Wagner also led the WAC in league only games with 71 stops (8.9 pg). Wagner's 115 tackles ranked as the second-most by a USU sophomore, behind the record of 138 in 1996 by Johndale Carty. Wagner was the first sophomore to lead the Aggies in tackles since David Gill's 89 stops led the 1994 USU squad.

"I'm very excited to be working with Coach Andersen again," Clune said. "Continuing the success that we have built at Utah State and turning this program into one with continued success is one of our top goals. I believe in Gary Andersen 110 percent and know that he will get that done."

"Kevin and I worked together when he was my defensive coordinator at Southern Utah so our defensive beliefs are extremely close. He has coordinator experience, something that is invaluable to a program, and he is a vital part of our strength as a defensive staff," Andersen said. "Kevin is very familiar with the state of Utah and everything that it has to offer. He's a terrific recruiter and will help us maintain our goal of continuing a successful program here at Utah State and pursue a conference championship."

Clune was Andersen's defensive coordinator at Southern Utah in 2003 and was at SUU through 2004 until joining the Weber State staff in 2005.

Clune's defense was fourth in the Big Sky and 76th in FCS in total defense (363.9 yards per game), as well as leading the Big Sky in pass defense (208.4 ypg), good for 69th in FCS. Weber State also led the league in pass efficiency defense (109.4), which ranks 17th in FCS.

Clune was Weber State's defensive coordinator from 2005-08. He came to Utah State after four years at Weber State, recently helping the Wildcats to a share of the 2008 Big Sky Conference title and advancing to the quarterfinals of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.

Under Clune, Weber State’s defense was ranked second in the Big Sky in both 2006 and 2007. The 2007 Wildcat defense yielded an average of just 348.4 yards per game. WSU also ranked first in the league in pass defense (212.2 ypg) and third in rushing defense (136.2 ypg). Weber State’s 23-0 win at Northern Colorado on Oct. 13, 2007 was the Wildcats’ first shutout of a league opponent since 1980 and the first shutout of a league opponent on the road since 1966.

Clune was a graduate assistant coach on the Utah staff in 2001 and 2002, spending the 2001 season with the running backs before shifting to the defensive side of the ball where he worked with the linebackers, where he coached with Andersen who was the defensive tackles coach for the Utes that season. Clune also assisted with special teams preparation and scouting.

He also spent time on the football staffs at Occidental College and Fullerton Junior College. At Occidental, his primary responsibility was the defensive line, while coaching the linebackers at Fullerton JC as well as the special teams coordinator. Clune also coached at Dos Pueblos High School and Palma High School.

While at Southern Utah, Clune mentored outside linebacker Nick DiPadova, who earned second-team NCAA Division I-AA All-American honors in 2004 and was honorable mention in 2003. Marques Harris also earned third-team NCAA Division I-AA All- American accolades in 2004 as well.

During his tenure at Weber State, Clune coached 15 all-Big Sky Conference winners, including nine in 2008, as tackle Bryce Clune’s File Coaching Experience 1991-92 Palma HS (Calif.) Defensive Line/Receivers 1993-94 Dos Pueblos HS (Calif.) Linebackers 1996-99 Fullerton JC Special Teams Coordinator Linebackers 2000 Occidental College Defensive Line 2001-02 University of Utah Graduate Assistant 2003-04 Southern Utah Defensive Coordinator 2005-08 Weber State Defensive Coordinator 2009- Utah State Linebackers Playing Experience 1995-96 Fullerton JC Defensive Lineman Education 2000 Cal State Fullerton Kinesiology Personal • Born Aug. 6, 1972 in Carmel, Calif. Scanlon, end Kevin Linehan, linebacker J.D. Folsom, cornerback Josh Morris and safety Beau Hadley all earned first-team accolades, while tackle Ryan Eastman, end Pate Moleni, linebacker Biff Swan and safety Scotty Goodloe were on the honorable mention list. In 2005, defensive end Brady Fosmark was a second-team All-American and firstteam all-Big Sky selection.

Clune was Andersen’s defensive coordinator at Southern Utah in 2003 and was at SUU through 2004 until joining the Weber State staff in 2005.

“Kevin and I worked together when he was my defensive coordinator at Southern Utah so our defensive beliefs are extremely close. He brings coordinator experience to us, something that is invaluable to a program, and he will only strengthen our defensive staff,” Andersen said. “Kevin is very familiar with the state of Utah and everything that it has to offer. He’s a terrific recruiter and will help us maintain our goal of continuing to build a successful program here at Utah State and pursue a conference championship.”

Clune was Weber State’s defensive coordinator from 2005-08. He came to Utah State after four years at Weber State, recently helping the Wildcats to a share of the 2008 Big Sky Conference title and advancing to the quarterfinals of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs, where they lost at No. 5 Montana, 24-13.

“I’m very excited about the opportunity to work with Coach Andersen again,” Clune said. “I’m looking forward to the challenge of building on the success that Utah State has had and turning that program into one with continued success. I believe in Gary Andersen 110 percent and know that he will get that done.”

Clune’s defense was fourth in the Big Sky Conference and 76th in FCS in total defense (363.9 yards per game), as well as leading the Big Sky in pass defense (208.4 ypg), good for 69th in FCS. Weber State also led the league in pass efficiency defense (109.4), which ranks 17th in FCS.

Clune mentored first-team all-WAC linebacker Bobby Wagner who led the league and ranked tied for 22nd in Football Bowl Subdivision in tackles with 115, a 9.6 per game average. Wagner also led the league in WAC only games with 71 stops (8.9 pg). Wagner’s 115 tackles ranks as the second-most by a USU sophomore, behind the record of 138 in 1996 by Johndale Carty. Wagner was the first sophomore to lead the Aggies in tackles since David Gill’s 89 stops led the 1994 USU squad.

During spring drills 2010, Clune helped Junior Keiaho’s conversion from defensive end to linebacker.

Kevin Clune (pronounced Kloon) is in his second year with the Utah State football staff as the Aggies’ linebackers coach.

Clune earned his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Cal State Fullerton in 2000.

Clune was a defensive lineman at Fullerton JC for one year and spent one season at the University of San Diego.

Kendrick Shaver is in his first season with the Aggies, coming to USU after serving as the secondary coach at UNC for four years, coaching two all-Big Sky Conference players, as cornerback Korey Askew earned first-team all-BSC honors in 2010 after being a second-team selection in 2009. Safety Max Hewitt was a three-time honorable mention all-BSC honoree in 2008, 2009 and 2010. Both Askew and Hewitt earned Phil Steele’s Preseason all-Big Sky accolades with Askew named to the first-team and Hewitt collected second-team honors.

A native of Eufaula, Okla., Shaver played two seasons (1998-99) at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Junior College before transferring to Missouri State, where he was a free safety and cornerback in 2000 and 2001. With 11 pass break-ups in 2001, Shaver is presently tied for No. 6 on MSU’s single-season pass defense list. Shaver spent the 2003 season playing for the Sioux Falls Storm of the NIFL before committing to coaching full-time.

Shaver graduated from Missouri State with a bachelor’s degree in business in 2002 and went on to earn his master’s degree in physical education in 2005 from Eastern Kentucky.