It turns out that Oregon State had a little more up its sleeve on Wednesday than just the plans to finish the Reser Stadium expansion. In fact, it's now pretty obvious why they feel confident they can fill the extra seats.
Though I will admit that I was not initially very excited about the hiring of Gary Anderson from Wisconsin, I have come to realize that my apathy was due mainly to ignorance. Not only did Gary take Utah State from 4-8 to 11-2 and their highest AP rank in school history in only four seasons, he actually had a better career win percentage than beloved Coach Alvarez did at Wisconsin.
But then Oregon State isn't exactly Utah State or Wisconsin. While the football history of the two State schools is eerily similar, something tells me it is a bit easier to win games in the WAC and MWC than it is in the PAC 12. And though he has proven he can succeed in a power conference, can Coach Anderson succeed in one when he has to start from scratch?
I guess we will have to wait and see. In the meantime, I do hope that he is the perfect hire; my due diligence tells me he is. If he can combine even a modicum of his ability to take a conference doormat to the top with his proven success in a power conference, there is no telling how high Oregon State can climb.
Though some around the country see the move as lateral at best, Coach Anderson obviously missed the West Coast. Here's one better educated Beaver fan who is thankful he did.
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