PLAN OF
ACTION
From building a staff to recruiting to getting to know
his players, Gary Andersen is tackling the transition
O
BY MIKE LUCAS • UWBADGERS.COM
ne of Gary Andersen's most prized
possessions has yet to arrive at his
new mailing address. When it does
get to Madison, it will hold strong
sentimental value for Wisconsin's
football coach.
The keepsake is an American flag that adorned
the casket of his father, a World War II veteran.
He already has a spot picked out for the flag in his
office at Camp Randall Stadium.
"It will be right next to my desk,'' he said. "It's
going to be with me every single day.''
Phil Andersen was a member of an infantry
regiment that fought in the Battle of the Bulge.
Later on, he impacted his son in many ways
during his formative years in Salt Lake City.
"Still does every day of my life,'' Gary Andersen
said. "He just taught me to be who I am.''
There was much to admire about his work ethic
and toughness, he added.
"His consistency as a dad,'' he said, "was there
every single day.''
Andersen subscribes to a time-honored quota-
tion: "The chief cause of failure and unhappiness
is trading what you want most for what you want
in the moment.
"The point is real simple,'' Andersen said. "Set a
goal. I'm a big goal-setter.''
It will be emphasized when he huddles with his
UW players for the first time on Jan. 22.
"Our kids,'' he said, "will set goals the first day.''
At that time, Andersen will remind them,
"Don't lose sight of those goals, because you can
get distracted and take the wrong turn if you allow yourself.''
Funny he should bring that up.
When Andersen took his first coaching job, his
dad not only thought that he took the wrong turn
but that he was "crazy'' for having turned onto a
dead end street from a career perspective.
Fresh out of the University of Utah, Andersen
was serving as a grad assistant-volunteer coach at
Ricks Junior College, where he had played, when
he got a call from the father of one of his former
teammates.
"Wally English got the head job at Southeastern
