Kurt Anderson - Football Coach - University of Massachusetts Athletics

Kurt Anderson

Title:
Offensive Line

Alma Mater: Michigan '01
Season at Massachusetts: First

Kurt Anderson came to Amherst in January 2025 after most recently serving as an offensive line coach at Northwestern for six years.

At Northwestern, Anderson played a role in the development of two first round NFL Draft picks in Peter Skoronski (2023 – Tennessee Titans) and Rashawn Slater (2021 – Los Angeles Chargers). He saw Skoronski become the first unanimous First-Team All-American in Northwestern history, while earning the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year honor, the Rimington-Pace Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year and the Outland Trophy in 2022. Anderson also coached several All-Big Ten Team members. He joined the Northwestern staff in 2019.

Before his time at Northwestern, Anderson spent two years as the offensive line coach at Arkansas. There, he helped mentor 2017 Detroit Lions first round draft pick and All-SEC offensive lineman Frank Ragnow. Anderson aided Ragnow in being named the nation’s best offensive lineman, best run blocker, a First-Team All-American by Pro Football Focus (PFF) and a Second-Team All-SEC choice by the Associated Press. He also coached Dan Skipper, who was a 2016 American Football Coaches Association Second-Team All-American and a two-time All-SEC offensive lineman. In 2016, Anderson’s offensive line helped pave the way for running back Rawleigh Williams III to capture the SEC regular-season rushing title with 1,326 yards and provided time for quarterback Austin Allen to throw for an SEC-best 3,430 yards.

Prior to Arkansas, Anderson spent the 2013-15 seasons with the NFL’s Buffalo Bills as an assistant offensive line coach. In 2015, the Bills led the NFL in rush yards per game (152.0) and yards per rush (4.8) and were fifth in the AFC in total offense (360.9). Aderson served as the team’s primary offensive line coach for the first six weeks of the season, becoming the organization’s first under head coach Rex Ryan. He also coached two 2015 NFL Pro Bowl selections. During the 2013 season, the Bills ranked second in the NFL in rushing (2,307 yards).

Anderson spent five seasons at Eastern Michigan, primarily as the run game coordinator (2010-12). His time at Eastern Michigan started in 2008 as the tight ends coach before moving to the offensive line and run game coordinator. He helped EMU rush for over 2,000 yards in three consecutive seasons for the first time in program history. The Eagles posted 2,263 yards in 2012, 2,620 yards in 2011 (218.3 yards per game), marking the 14th-best run game in the nation, and 2,380 yards in 2010.

In 2011, Eastern Michigan was the only FBS school to have four players average over 50.0 rushing yards per game. He also had running backs tally over 100-yard individual rushing games nine times that season, while it occurred seven times in the season prior. Anderson’s final three seasons with the Eagles saw nine games with rushing yards totaling over 300 yards.

Anderson joined Eastern Michigan after a two-year stint at his alma mater, Michigan. While on staff with the Wolverines, Anderson spent the 2007 campaign as a graduate assistant coach for the offensive line, helping develop All-America tackle and the overall No. 1 pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, Jake Long. Anderson was the defensive quality control assistant coach in 2006 and aided in the development of several NFL players.

Prior to his time at Michigan, Anderson was an assistant coach at Indiana State, working with the offensive tackles and tight ends. He also was a defensive coordinator and defensive line coach at Glenbrook South High School in Glenview, Illinois, in 2003 and 2004.

A standout offensive lineman at Michigan, Anderson was a two-year letter winner (2000-01) as the starting center and received the Hugh R. Rader Jr. Memorial Awards as the team’s top offensive lineman. He was also named an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention following the 2001 season. As a player and coach, Anderson has been involved in seven bowl games, highlighted by Michigan’s 1998 Rose Bowl win that sealed the program’s national championship.

In 2002, Anderson was an undrafted free agent signee with the Arizona Cardinals.

Anderson, a native of Evanston, Illinois, graduated with a bachelor’s in sport management and communication from Michigan in 2001.