Mike Anderson returns to Moscow and the University of Idaho as the Vandals’ linebackers coach after having played linebacker and defensive end for the Vandals from 2002-05. Most recently, Anderson has been on the staff at the University of Washington but he also served as a graduate assistant at Idaho in 2008.

“He’s a Vandal. He was a great player here,” head coach Paul Petrino said in announcing Anderson’s joining his staff at Idaho. “He has a lot of pride. He wants to see this program where it needs to be.”

Petrino knows some of Anderson’s coaching mentors and they endorsed their former student.

“I like his passion,” Petrino said. “He’ll be a great teacher. That’s the biggest thing I was looking for – guys who will be great teachers and motivators. And he has a lot of connections in the Northwest.”

After graduating from Idaho in the spring of 2006, Anderson first was a student assistant at Washington State University then was a graduate assistant in 2007 before returning to Moscow.

He headed west to Seattle and the University of Washington in 2009. Among his duties as an assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for Football and Football Defensive Assistant for the Huskies in 2011 and 2012 were: assisting in all aspects of the football strength and conditioning program; creating and producing position specific training, and assisting with weekly game plan preparation, charting game day tendencies, protections, and assisting in defensive run game adjustments.

From 2009-10, he was the Huskies’ Defensive Graduate Assistant and Assistant Linebackers Coach. He recruited Colorado and National Recruiter as well as coaching the offensive and special teams scout teams; video breakdown and computer entry for opponents and self scout; assisted with scouting reports and game plan preparation, and charted game day tendencies, protections, and assisted in defensive run game adjustments.

While at Idaho in 2008, he was a Defensive Graduate Assistant and Assistant Defensive Line Coach. He coached the offensive and special teams scout teams, video breakdown and computer entry for opponents and self scout; assisted with scouting reports and game plan preparation, and charted game day tendencies, protections, and assisted in defensive run game adjustments. He recruited Utah.

In 2007, he was a Defensive Graduate Assistant and Assistant Linebackers Coach at Washington State University. He was Cougars’ placekicking coach in the spring then focused on the defense in the fall when he coached the offensive and special teams scout teams, video breakdown and computer entry for opponents and self scout; assisted with scouting reports and game plan preparation, and charted game day tendencies, protections, and assisted in defensive run game adjustments. He recruited the Eastern Seaboard and assisted with recruiting in Texas.

His first year with the Cougars was 2006 when he was Defensive Quality Control/Linebackers. Among his duties were video breakdown and computer entry for opponents and self scout, and assisting with scouting reports and game plan preparation, and charting game day tendencies, protections, and assisted in defensive run game adjustments

His playing career at Idaho began during his redshirt freshman season when he had 51 total tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss. His best season was 2003 when he led the Vandals in total tackles with 97 and added another four tackles for loss to his total. He wrapped up his Idaho career with 247 total tackles (140 solo and 107 assists), 12.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, four interceptions (one of which was returned 71 yards to score against Utah State during his senior season), five pass breakups, six quarterback hurries, five forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries and two blocked kicks.

Anderson earned his bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Finance from Idaho in 2006 and completed his master’s degree in Organizational Leadership at Idaho in 2009.

He is a graduate of Lewiston (Idaho) High School where he played football and basketball, and was a sprinter on the track team.

Anderson is married to his wife, Alyson.