Southern Miss officially introduced Blake Anderson as its next head football coach Monday afternoon, completing the rapid transition following the departure of Charles Huff.
Athletic director Jeremy McClain said the university conducted a full search but moved quickly to elevate Anderson, citing his experience, familiarity with the program and readiness to lead immediately.
“Today’s a big day for us,” McClain said. “We certainly had an open search, a full search, and engaged several people. But being able to see Blake work in the building this year — around our players and our staff — gave us a unique perspective.”
McClain said that behind-the-scenes access played a meaningful role in the decision-making process.
“That look behind the curtain to see who he is and how he works was really helpful to us,” McClain said. “It’s an important day for our program, and we’re excited to leave here and hit the gas pedal.”
University president Joe Paul emphasized momentum and continuity during his remarks, calling on supporters to continue investing in Southern Miss athletics and football.
“We must be uncommonly successful in our revenue sports, and that starts with football,” Paul said. “We’ve got something really special going on.”
Paul pointed to the precedent set a year ago when Southern Miss hired a sitting FBS head coach for the first time in school history who had five years of winning experience. He said that now they are hiring a coach with 10, pointing to Anderson’s success at his previous stops at Utah State and Arkansas State.
“We went from 1–11 to 7–5,” Paul said. “We got our swagger back.”
Anderson, who previously served as Southern Miss’ offensive coordinator during the 2025 season and spent four years in Hattiesburg under Larry Fedora from 2008–11, said the opportunity to return as head coach was deeply meaningful for him and his family.
“It’s hard to even describe what this day means,” Anderson said. “I don’t ever take it for granted. I feel extremely blessed to be sitting here.”
Anderson said his previous time in Hattiesburg helped solidify his desire to return.
“We did life here,” Anderson said. “We were involved in the community, our kids were playing ball, and there was a sense of family here that we really loved.”
McClain said Southern Miss began preparing for the possibility of a coaching transition as the season progressed, particularly as the national coaching carousel accelerated.
“When we hired Charles, we knew if we had success, there were going to be opportunities for him,” McClain said. “As those jobs began to open, we understood we had to be ready.”
McClain said the university had its search firm on standby and was able to move quickly once Huff’s departure became official. The search process lasted three days.
Anderson said his immediate priorities include finishing the season strong in the bowl game and preparing for a challenging offseason defined by roster turnover and recruiting.
“My focus right now is helping this senior class find a way to finish,” Anderson said. “This is their game. I’m the bus driver trying to get them to the game and allow them to be who they are.”
Anderson said nearly the entire coaching staff chose to remain through the bowl game, which he described as a positive sign for the program’s culture.
“That says a lot about what’s happened in this building over the past year,” McClain said. “It’s a great sign of where we are.”
Staffing decisions are already underway, Anderson said, with several key roles filled and only a few remaining, including defensive coordinator.
“We’ve already secured our head strength coach,” Anderson said. “Offensive coordinator has been with me for 11 years, and we’re just down to a couple spots.”
Anderson also addressed the challenges of recruiting in the current college football environment, noting Southern Miss will need to be aggressive across high school, junior college and the transfer portal.
“It’s going to be a big task,” Anderson said. “But it’s one I’ve been through before.”
As the press conference concluded, Anderson reiterated his expectations for the program.
“The expectation is very clear,” he said. “To compete for championships.”
