Follow Coach Anderson on Twitter: @CoachA_Elon
Recruiting Areas:
• Virginia (Richmond / Western), Georgia (Northeast Atlanta / East of I-85) and Tennessee (Nashville)
Ryan Anderson joined the Elon football program as its safeties coach on January 16, 2019 and is in his second season with the team in 2020.
His first season with the Phoenix saw Greg Liggs, Jr. take his game to a new level in setting the program's FCS single-season interception record with eight throughout the team's 11 games. A Buck Buchanan Award finalist and a First Team All-CAA Football honoree switching back and forth between safety and corner, Liggs was also named a unanimous First Team All-American, picking up six All-America honors after the conclusion of the 2019 campaign.
Anderson was also key in developing Elon's defensive backfield mainstays Cole Coleman and Tre'Von Jones. The two finished the season as two of Elon's top four tackle leaders with Coleman's 84 pacing the unit and Jones's 57 finishing fourth on the team. With Liggs exhausting his eligibility in 2019, Anderson oversaw a changing of the guard moment in Elon's season finale at No. 19 Towson when Jones sealed Elon's 25-23 victory over the Tigers with his first-career interception in the closing seconds.
Anderson teamed up with Elon ahead of the 2019 season after serving one season as the defensive coordinator at Hampton in 2018. The stint followed a two-year run as the inside linebackers coach at East Carolina after serving as a defensive assistant at Vanderbilt for three seasons from 2013-15.
In 2018, Anderson's Hampton team posted a 7-3 record while finishing the season on a six-game winning streak after starting 1-3. Throughout the year, Hampton forced 18 turnovers while only allowing 191.1 yards per game through the air. Though the Pirates allowed 39.5 points per game during its first four games, Anderson helped the unit settle in and allow just 20.8 over the course of the team's last six games during the winning streak.
At Vanderbilt, Anderson worked with the inside linebackers and defensive ends in 2015, helping the defensive unit rank 23rd in the nation for scoring defense in allowing just 21.0 points per game and total defense overall. It also ranked among the NCAA's best in fourth down defense (4th), first down defense (5th), red zone defense (6th), third down defense (7th), interceptions (13th), turnovers gained (13th), fumbles recovered (20th) and pass defense (23rd). Along the way, Anderson guided Zach Cunningham to Associated Press First Team All-SEC honors after ranking among the league leaders in tackles for loss (16.5), tackles (103), solo tackles (69), forced fumbles (4) and recovered fumbles (3).
In his second year at Vanderbilt, Anderson helped develop Nigel Bowden into a Freshman All-SEC performer. Bowden topped all first-year SEC players in total tackles (78) and became the first rookie to amass more than 75 tackles in his first season for the Commodores since the 1998 season.
His time at Vanderbilt started after spending one season as the defensive line coach at Reinhardt (Ga.) in 2012. Before that, Anderson was the linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator for one season at Cumberland (Tenn.) University, guiding the Phoenix to No. 1 in the country in third down defense and No. 9 in total defense in the NAIA rankings.
Anderson's first coaching stop came as linebackers and tight ends coach at E.C. Glass High School in 2009.
Anderson graduated from Presbyterian in 2009 with a degree in Psychology. He went on to earn a masters degree in Education in Community Development & Action from Vanderbilt in 2015. At PC, Anderson lettered in 2006, 2007 and 2008 as a linebacker with the Blue Hose.
What They're Saying...
Trisciani on Anderson: "Ryan brings FCS coordinator and FBS experience at East Carolina and Vanderbilt to our defensive staff and we're excited to have him. Ryan has impressed me with his ability to communicate his knowledge of schemes and skill progressions and that will play a big role in developing our young safeties into top-end CAA performers. He learned from great coaches at Vanderbilt – Bob Shoop and Derek Mason are two of the top defensive minds in football. His experience on the field and recruiting high academic prospects at Vanderbilt make Ryan a great asset to our football staff here at Elon."
|
Coaching Experience
|
| 2009 |
Linebackers/Tight Ends, E.C. Glass High School |
| 2010-11 |
Inside Linebackers/Recruiting Coordinator, Cumberland (Tenn.) |
| 2012 |
Defensive Line, Reinhardt (Ga.) |
| 2013-15 |
Defensive Assistant, Vanderbilt |
| 2016-17 |
Inside Linebackers, East Carolina |
| 2018 |
Defensive Coordinator, Hampton |
| 2019-Present |
Safeties, Elon |
