Anderson a welcome addition to Wolves football staff

The American Canyon High football coaching staff received an early Christmas present -- the addition of Kirk Anderson.

The 36-year old Anderson has vacated Napa’s coaching staff in lieu of head coach Troy Mott’s much publicized resignation amid hazing allegations and a power struggle with the administration and school board to join American Canyon, where he will teach physical education beginning this fall. Anderson is in the process of finishing his current stint at Napa as teacher, where he graduated in 1998 and had two tours of duty on the Indians football coaching staff, 2002-2006 and 2014-2016 under both Mott and former head coach Jerry Dunlap.

I had the chance to catch up with Anderson last week after I got off work before the Wolves took the field for another spring practice session. I have heard numerous good things about Anderson throughout the years but had never met him. Thank you, Wolves assistant coach Chris Yepson and head coach Larry Singer for pointing him out to me.

You hear the term “passion for the game” in describing some coaches, particularly football. My first impression of Anderson is, he exudes it but in a controlled fashion. There is a purpose behind it.

He joins a situation in American Canyon that has five CIF Sac Joaquin Section playoff appearances in six seasons, each of which times the Wolves have won the Solano County Athletic Conference either sole possession or shared. The only time the Wolves did not reach the postseason was 2011 when the program had no seniors.

American Canyon went 11-2 in 2016, reaching the SJS Div. III semifinals for the second time in school history.

“The players have been really welcoming,” Anderson said. “That has been a great feeling. It’s very clear that this football program is trending in the right direction. They had a good run last year going to the semi-finals. We’re trying to improve upon that and move forward this season.”

Anderson is not going to be a coordinator by title but the plan is that he will work closely with both Yepson, who is the offensive coordinator, and Singer, who doubles as the defensive coordinator and head coach. When asked what Anderson’s title is, Singer referred to him as a quality control specialist but added that since Anderson brings a wealth of knowledge to both offense and defense, it’s hard to pigeonhole him to a specific title.

“It’s mainly about bringing another perspective and hashing out things with regard to game planning,” Anderson said. “I won’t say that I will be involved more in one or the other (offense or defense). I’ll definitely have an active role for what the game plan looks like.”

Based on his resume, Anderson brings a wealth of perspective that figures to only help an already reputable program.

Between stints at Napa, he was the head coach for two seasons at Mira Loma Sacramento). He also served as an assistant at Burbank, Rio Americano and Bella Vista. During his stints on the Indians staff, he was in charge of coaching receivers and scout team.

Anderson’s perspective is also linked to being a former quarterback, where by definition you are a coach in pads.

While quarterbacking Napa, he was honorable mention on the All-Monticello Empire League team and was voted team MVP as well as captain. Subsequently, Anderson went on to play at Butte College (Oroville) and University of Mary (Bismarck, North Dakota).

In two seasons at Butte, the Roadrunners compiled a record of 18-4 with two postseason bowl game appearances along with being ranked in both Northern California, state and national polls. Anderson threw 33 touchdown passes in that span.

Anderson’s success continued at the University of Mary, which is an NAIA school. The Marauders were ranked No. 3 nationally at one point. Anderson and University of Mary enjoyed a banner 2000 season. Anderson completed 94 of 215 passes for 1,576 yards, 22 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He also ran for 142 yards on 43 attempts as Mary reached the NAIA playoffs.

Anderson played one season in the National Indoor Football League before going into coaching. When returning to California, he graduated from Sacramento State, earning a degree in kinesiology.

“I think that being a coach you get to learn everyone’s position,” Anderson said. “A good coach knows what everyone is doing on the field. That came hand in hand with playing quarterback. I knew what all 22 positions were doing. That transition to being a coach was easy for me.”

While having played the game is all well and good, coaches that are former players are a dime a dozen, articulation of knowledge makes a coach more so than playing experience. Anderson fashions himself as a teacher at heart.

“I think that is the fun part of coaching,” Anderson said. “We are constantly evaluating players. The evaluation process will go from now until the end of the season. It’s up to these players to take ahold of that and figure where they can best contribute.”

What will be different about coaching at American Canyon as opposed to Sacramento and to a much lesser extent Napa is that there are no divided loyalties. In Sacramento, there are more high schools than most can count. In Napa, you have the Blue & Gold crowd that is pro Napa Indians and you have Vintage Crusher zealots wearing Burgundy & Gold.

In American Canyon, you have one high school. The colors are all Black & Gold, all the time.

“I have no problem wearing Black & Gold,” Anderson quipped. “I wore Black & Gold at Butte College. I’m kind of bringing back some of those memories. I’m looking forward to being here every Friday night.”

The feeling is mutual among the Wolves, particularly Singer and Yepson.