You don’t usually get too jacked about a frosh who had only 12 catches last year. But when said frosh averages a freakish 31 yards per catch? Go crazy. Of course we’re talking about Jeshua Anderson. Anderson was last seen on the football field hauling in a TD in the Apple Cup. Remember this?
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I do. But see, there’s this little track gig that has been getting some buzz recently, and it’s starting to be an issue. Things have gone extremely well for Anderson away from the football field, so much so that he actually has Beijing aspirations. Are they realistic? Check out the KXLY video:
Now, being a complete track moron, I had no idea that it is still such a long climb to Beijing for him. I knew he has had a strong year in the NCAA level, but it’s really only the beginning. Cougfan had a premium story last week about Anderson and the odds that he faces for Olympic glory as a youngster. But in a nutshell, he’s headed to the US juniors, where he must finish in the top two in the 400m hurdles. If that happens, he advances to the US World Juniors. But the road doesn’t end there. Then he must do well enough to actually get to the Olympic Trials, and of course, do well enough THERE to actually make the Olympic team. I don’t know, I mean I wouldn’t put it past him that he could make it. As assistant track coach Mark McDonald says in the KXLY article, for him to be doing what he’s doing as a frosh is really remarkable. He is a world-class hurdler, that cannot be denied. But at this point, it is probably a long shot that he’ll be on the Olympic team for 2008.
I think the bigger concern from a football angle is what his future holds beyond just this year. There is big money one can earn going pro in the track-n-field circuit, and someone with Anderson’s ability, it has to be tempting.
ON THE FIELD in 2008, Anderson could be a real factor in the passing game. When you consider that Bumpus, Jed Collins and Charles Dillon have all left the building, along with their combined 159 catches from last year, the door is wide open for Anderson to have a big role this year. You can picture him lining up on the opposite WR spot from Gibson and becoming the top home-run threat on the outside. If teams choose to roll safety coverage towards Gibson in hopes of slowing him down, that could mean a ton of one-on-one situations with Anderson. With his speed, you have to like the odds of him blowing by many #2 corners in the Pac-10, as you know the top cover guy for every team we play will have the task of slowing down Gibson. You LIKE them apples??
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