Justin Anderson’s career resurrected under UGA line coach Will Friend
Georgia senior Justin "Bean" Anderson, running during practice this week in Tampa, will start his 14th consecutive game at right tackle during Monday's Outback Bowl. (UGA photo by Steven Colquitt)
TAMPA – Justin Anderson doesn’t make any bones about it. Georgia offensive line coach Will Friend, he said, “saved my career.”
“He did,” said the Bulldogs’ senior right tackle. “When he came in, he just knew how to coach me. He knew how to work with me. I can’t thank him enough.”
Friend, who joined the Bulldogs as offensive line coach last February, accepted Anderson’s request to move back to offense from defensive line, where he had spent the previous season. Fast-forward to Monday’s Outback Bowl game against Michigan State, Anderson will start his 14th game at right tackle. Beyond that, he’s expected to continue his career in the NFL.
“He plays hard every week. He practices hard. He’s been a joy to coach,” Friend said of the player friends and family call “Bean.”He’s a dang good football player. But I don’t know how far he’s come. From Day 1 I’ve heard that but since I’ve been with him he’s been all about hard work and done a good job. I’m proud of Bean.”
Exiting his junior season, Anderson found himself in the kind of football purgatory that has trapped many a college player. By every account an exceptional athlete with SEC-caliber size and strength, Anderson nonetheless was a man without a position.
After playing his first two seasons on the offensive line, Anderson heartily accepted a move to defense. But about the time he got comfortable at noseguard, he suffered a debilitating turf-toe injury that sidelined him for most of the season. He ended up playing in one game and recorded one tackle.
“It was rough,” a 6-foot-5, 342-pound senior from Ocilla. “When I was asked to played defensive line, I was excited about it. I prayed about it. I said, ‘God, if this is something for me, then by all means please let me excel at it.’ I go out and had a good first few days in camp. Then I got hurt. I took that as a sign. Maybe this ain’t for you.”
A preliminary discussion with former offensive line coach Stacy Searels about moving back to the side of the ball was met with disinterest. Then Searels left to join the Texas Longhorns last January.
“I found out we were getting a coaching change and I thought, ‘hey, this is my time to get a fresh start,’” Anderson said. “So I took advantage of it.”
Friend, admittedly “looking for bodies” anyway, told Anderson they’d give him a look in the spring.
“I was a little slow,” Anderson said of spring ball. “I mean, I was in a lot of pain, you know. But [Friend] didn’t pressure me that much. He told me to come out and do the best I could and that’s what I did.”
Anderson exited spring practice without any setbacks, continued to rehab and, by summer workouts, was back to full speed.
“When camp came, I was 100 percent. I was ready to go and I’ve been going ever since,” he said.
It wasn’t instant success for Anderson. Both he and left tackle Cordy Glenn struggled in the opener against Boise State, which recorded six sacks. And there were some major breakdowns in the South Carolina game as well.
But the Bulldogs finally got the loose ends tightened down and the offensive line has played solid the rest of the way.
“Coach T and I were just talking about those two big guys,” head coach Mark Richt said this week. “We were talking about how Cordy was very close to possibly taking a shot at the NFL last year and Justin was playing noseguard and had been injured the whole time. We needed them to play and to stay healthy. They did and it’s been a blessing for us. We might not be here today if those guys didn’t come through.”
Now Anderson is preparing to play his last game as a Bulldog and he’s not sure he wants it to end.
“It’s been my best one yet,” Anderson said. “It’s been fun being a part of this team.”
But more football awaits Anderson. Friend predicts his career will continue in the NFL.
“There’s no question I think he can,” Friend said. “He’s got all the tools. He’s got grown-man strength and talent and he’s a team guy. He’s a quick-twitch kind of athlete so I wouldn’t be surprised if he could play either guard or tackle. That’s their job to decide. But I think he’s a heck of a football player,”
When I first got here I thought it was all guard. But after being with him enough, I thought he could do either one.
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93 comments Add your comment
Gjjj
January 1st, 2012
5:26 pm
Thank God Searles is gone!!!!!
Lowcountry Bulldawg
January 1st, 2012
5:27 pm
I liked how Ken came out and busted Headley publicly for posting under different handles after the Tech game. That was refreshing as so many trolls stalk these blogs trying simply to stir the pot.
Honestly once Tech was up 24-10 with 10 minutes to go I turned the game off and went about my business the rest of the evening thinking it was a fore gone conclusion they had won. Then catching the score later I was shocked they let it slip away.
In regards to this blog congrats to Bean for hanging tough with the program and showing what a DGD you are. You dedication and hard work was rewarded. Good luck tomorrow and whatever your NFL future may or may not hold.
bitter QB
January 1st, 2012
5:32 pm
@garner—–go back to wal mart and put in some overtime and help pay off your probation
bitter QB
January 1st, 2012
5:34 pm
@dawggirl—-im sure your face represents your name well——-hahahah—-go dawgs
BiggDawgK
January 1st, 2012
6:04 pm
Coach Friend was a great hire by CMR. Bulldog nation owes a word of thanks to Texas for luring the overpaid overrated searles away.
Blind Willie
January 1st, 2012
6:53 pm
The mark of a good coach is can you get your players to improve and play up to their potential. Coach Friend has accomplished that this year. With the talent that is coming back with Burnette, Lee, Gates, Golston, Dantzler, Debell, Andrews, Long, Ward coupled with Theus, Brown, Pykje, Beard as new recruits the O line will be good for years to come. It is my understanding that A. Young is a strong Georgia lean and B. Greene is very close to flipping to make this one of the best O line recruiting classes in recent history.
dawggirl
January 1st, 2012
7:26 pm
“Honestly once Tech was up 24-10 with 10 minutes to go I turned the game off and went about my business the rest of the evening thinking it was a fore gone conclusion they had won. Then catching the score later I was shocked they let it slip away.”
Same here, Lowcountry. I thought the game was well at hand, and I started flipping around to some of the others. I was very sorry to hear that the Jackets didn’t win.
To direct this back to our team, I am going to miss these seniors. Congrats to Bean on turning around his career. I wish them all success in the NFL or whatever they choose to do in life.
jack bull
January 1st, 2012
7:35 pm
Great job, Bean. I’m proud of you!
JB
January 1st, 2012
8:07 pm
I have been concerned the last two years that our OL does not have good drive on run blocking. We seem to get manhandled, especially on short yard situations a lot. I think back to the Tech game last year when on 4th and one in the fourth quarter, we couldn’t push a tired, small Tech defense out of the way for a first down. Dawgs used to be king of pushing back and opening holes.
Tater Tot
January 1st, 2012
8:09 pm
So JB, Now your saying they are king of pushing back and riding poles ?
Hairy Dawg
January 1st, 2012
8:58 pm
Glad to see a story like this on our OL. We need to get better to beat the top teams, but I think our OL has improved this year. Kudos to Coach Friend.
Go Yellow Jackets!
January 1st, 2012
9:47 pm
Good luck Georgia Bulldogs against Michigan State!
alias
January 1st, 2012
10:39 pm
Sorry Garner…AM is not a great QB, he is good, nothing more.
JRDP
January 1st, 2012
10:52 pm
Searles = addition by subtraction
Dennis G. Berdanis
January 2nd, 2012
12:02 am
Searels leaving and Friend coming had a lot to do with 10 wins this year. Searels was horrible.
ca dawg
January 2nd, 2012
12:35 am
good for bean. seems like a fine kid and hard worker. wish him the best.
and yes, dawg fans let’s stay off the tech blogs. we don’t need to do that and not sure why anyone would. their failure is not our success, save the saturday after thanksgiving. if you don’t respect your rival, you shouldn’t call it a rivalry. let’s show some respect.
ray
January 2nd, 2012
7:21 am
Today is the day. We HAVE to beat Mich State. It will help build momentum for next season. IF we lose, we have no excuses, no ifs, ands or buts. No lame comparisons to Tech. The one thing I don’t want to read, our guys were not up for the game because we beat Mich State a few yrs ago. That is weak. We lose then that means we have lost every game against a quality opponent and we should take a look at truly how good is this team.
All Saints
January 2nd, 2012
7:38 am
This is a reminder that we’ll be having our regular tribute and moment of silence today for Saint Jan Kemp, the courageous martyr who exposed UGA and Vince Dooley’s “remedial studies” fraud, a shameful scam that Mark Richt carries on today, almost thirty years later.
Please approach this special moment with awe and reverence as we honor her sacred name.
RedandBlackDAWG
January 2nd, 2012
7:43 am
Chip, I hope all of these offensive line recruits read this story out there. I think we have a heck od a good OL coach and Mr. Bean is proof of how you can reach your goals. if you just listen and work hard. Bean will be a warrior at the next level. I am excited to see what he can do with the line candidates he has here and incoming this year. I think that the young man, Theus, has the potential to be one of the better lineman UGA has had in a long time, if all I have read about him and the little video I have seen proves true. I don’t think the young man can go wrong, as long as he listens to the coach, learns from him, and puts in the effort.
GO DAWGS and GATA
Indian
January 2nd, 2012
8:12 am
@ panhandle – Bean is far from Irwin’s finest- I will take Barnes or Sumner.
Mr. Dawg
January 2nd, 2012
8:27 am
I’m excited about the future and believe CMR is as qualified as anybody in the country to win a National Championship particularly when it comes to fighting through the SEC. While it is true that overall he is under ,500 against them, he has at least proven that he can beat Saban, Miles, Chizik and Meyer. Which is something Bob Stoops, Jim Tressell, Chip Kelly and Mack Brown have not. Not to mention that Tressell and Pete Carroll both were either fired or resigned amid disgrace. Replacing Bean and other veteran O-lineman will be the challenge for 2012. I’m already ;looking foward to it.
Jalex49
January 2nd, 2012
8:53 am
Although I am a solid UGA fan and have been since the late seventies, I would like to say “congradulations” to Auburn for beating Virginia. I hope UGA and the rest of the SEC can move forward in such a winning way!
I cannot stand UGA’s opponenets except when they are playing teams outside the SEC. I was hoping Vandy would win their game and I thought they played well for most of the game. They will have a good team next year.
Hope UGA wins today. Get the recruits they are targeting. Juniors come back for their senior year, Murray and Mason both get playing time and UGA uses all their rb’s and wr’s in this game. The offensive
line must be a beast in this game to win! Go defense! Special teams get it right and play hard!
GO UGA AND GO SEC !!!!!!
Davis, Gurley, Robinson and Cross- Come to UGA- We need all of you! Thanks to Keith Marshall for selecting UGA. I believe you will have a stand-out career. With Crowell, Malcome and the rest of the rb’s along with some of or all of the above listed backs it would be something too see!!!
The WR’s are doing a great job and the freshmen have made a huge impact this year! Thanks, thanks and keep it up! Patterson and Samuels would be two great additions to this very talented group.
It’s the time of year for all SEC fans to put their differences about one another’s team aside and root for the SEC. I challenge all the fans to do just that and hopefully the SEC will have an outstanding year!
ugab
January 2nd, 2012
9:05 am
Good luck in the future, Bean!!! Let’s beat MS to end this season on a good note. The players should want to prove something after the LSU break down. lol
The Bus Drivers Dawg
January 2nd, 2012
9:19 am
Friend has proven to be a Really Good Hire. His kids love and respect him, he works really well with the entire coaching staff, he seems to understand that building a Winner is a process and he has earned the respect of his Boss, CMR !
“Bean” is a great Kid and a Damn Good Dawg! He did everything that was asked of him for the Good of the Team! It’s great that he has been able to overcome the injuries, Just think how good he might be at this point of his development had the injuries had not occurred.
I’m sure that different coaches coach for different reasons, but I think that nourishing a solid talent like “Bean” to the point where he can and will get his chance at the NFL has got to be one of the most gratifying rewards that this job opportunity has endowed on Coach Friend.
What an inspiring story and—it certainly has the potential for a very happy ending. Go Dawgs-Go”Bean”-Go Coach Friend!
Keep up the Good Work!
RedandBlackDAWG
January 2nd, 2012
9:20 am
UGAB,
I think the DAWGS will win it today. MSU is not close to LSU, so there is no comparison. The defense will do it’s job and make it a long day for MSU’s offense. Our offense just needs to be methodical, have a good balanced attack with running and passing and control the ball. MSU can play ball no doubt, and they have a very good defensive line. What MSU doesn’t have, I don’t believe, is team speed compare3d to UGA. If UGA.s offense can sustain a few drives and not expect the defense to control the game, UGA should be able to put up enough points to make the 4th quarter a matter of containing desperation plays by MSU’s offense. I do hope that UGA has worked on it’s special teams play though and doesn’t give up or lose points by sloppy play in that area.
GO DAWGS and GATA
The Bus Drivers Dawg
January 2nd, 2012
9:24 am
By The Way—Tech Sucks. They deserve what they are getting!
Their “fish-fry” isn’t turning out like Paul Johnson was hoping for !
THE Dixie Redcoat Band
January 2nd, 2012
9:32 am
Bet you won’t find hip-hop/slap dancing on Sparty sideline today!
davidinloganville
January 2nd, 2012
9:36 am
good job this year Bean and good luck in the future.
davidinloganville
January 2nd, 2012
9:38 am
Jalex49
I’m with Eric Z on this one “I pull for all SEC teams except for Florida and any team coached by Steve Spurrier”. GO DAWGS!!
DOUG
January 2nd, 2012
9:49 am
Bean will be a millionare if he keeps pushin.
Mad Dog One
January 2nd, 2012
11:27 am
Go Dawgs beat MSU. Now something I thought I would never say “Thank you Jacket 99 for your post about buy American”. A short story I worked at GM plant off 285 in the early 80’s on a shut down about 1/3 of cars in the employees parking lots were not built in America. Trying to talk to anyone there about this met deaf ears. Where are the jobs now? As always GO DOGS & GATA.
tell me again
January 2nd, 2012
11:27 am
I posted on the Tech blog – 2nd time this year – feel free to repost my blog and show how terribly ugly I was after your loss….you see, you can’t because I wasn’t ugly – I never go to another teams blog and talk smack – BUT – if you come on OUR blog and talk garbage you will certainly get some feedback. There are a handful of Tech fans who live on our blog and attempt to belittle our program – a funny thing to do if you are a Tech fan. If I were a Tech fan, I would be on my own blog talking about my own program rather than going to a teams blog that owns you and trying to convince them they are irrelevant. I thought Tech people were supposed to have an IQ higher than Forrest Gump – maybe not.
Nub
January 2nd, 2012
11:53 am
Bust some arse Bean = DGD
Jacket99
January 2nd, 2012
12:01 pm
Mad Dog One…you’re welcome and thank you for looking at the video. The GM plant in Doraville and the Ford plant in Hapeville are both sad examples of good jobs lost forever. Good luck to the Dawgs and I hope you enjoy the Outback Bowl. I’m still disappointed by Tech’s loss, but I am looking forward to next year.
azdawg
January 2nd, 2012
12:03 pm
Seems like bean has been at UGA forever. He’ll be missed next season and wish him great success at the next level. He deserves it.
LawDawg
January 2nd, 2012
5:59 pm
Ugh. I try not to be too much of a hater, but Anderson was AWFUL all year and especially laid an egg just now in the Outback. I am not sure anything is more ironic than reading this headline.
BobDog
January 2nd, 2012
8:16 pm
He had a bad day, but so did the rest of the O line. Biggest in all of football, but FAR from the most talented. With no depth, I think we were fortunate to get this far with this group.
DAWG with two bags over head
January 3rd, 2012
8:08 am
This story doesn’t hold much weight this morning. Anderson was beaten many times yesterday. Every sack or tackle for a loss seem to involve Anderson being badly beaten. Disappointing and frankly embarrassing performance by our OL.
Old Dawg Fan
January 3rd, 2012
4:57 pm
I have to say our offensive line looked terrible Monday against MS. To be even more honest it has not been that great all year even during the winning streak. Part of it is poor play calling but a big part of it is the OL simply played terrible. This may have been the biggest OL in football but frankly it was the “weakest” in Div 1A. Maybe the new coach Friend needs to move on.
Fletcher
January 4th, 2012
8:40 am
From what I saw on TV, Anderson had no clue of who to block. Moved like a Mack truck, so how did was his “career” saved? He was just awful.
Jarvis Valenzano
January 5th, 2012
5:32 am
je suis entièrement daccord avec vous
damngooddawg!
January 5th, 2012
4:23 pm
Can he figure out how to stop getting called moving before the snap, or is that too much to ask?????
ListenUp!
January 5th, 2012
11:13 pm
Im sure Bean is a great kid and I wish him the best in life, but on the football field, He Sucks!