Lance Anderson

Fllow @CoachL_Anderson

Hometown
Rupert, Idaho

Alma Mater
Idaho State ’96

Recruiting Areas
California (San Diego County, Imperial County), Arizona (Central, North, East, West), Georgia (North), Idaho, Utah

Notable Players Coached
Solomon Thomas, Blake Martinez, Justin Reid, Quenton Meeks, Trent Murphy, Chase Thomas, Henry Anderson, Alex Carter, David Parry, Jordan Richards, Aziz Shittu, Ed Reynolds, Harrison Phillips, Peter Kalambayi

 

Lance Anderson is in his 16th season on the Stanford staff in 2022 and ninth as the Willie Shaw Director of Defense. He is in his 13th campaign working with the outside linebackers. Anderson previously worked with the defensive tackles from 2007-09.
 
Prior to the 2018 season, Anderson was promoted to associate head coach.
 
One of the architects of Stanford’s vaunted defense, Anderson also has received considerable praise for his work as the program’s liaison to the Stanford admissions office.
 
Anderson’s players have played key roles in guiding the Cardinal to three Rose Bowl appearances and three Pac-12 titles with one of the nation’s top defensive units.

In 2020, Anderson's defense made big plays when it counted, securing four victories in just six games. Junior defensive lineman Thomas Booker earned second team All-Pac-12, while four others earned honorable mention.Booker was again named to the all-conference second team as a senior in 2021, and he was joined on the defensive side by cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly - also a second-team selection. 

Leading tackler Curtis Robinson and Levani Damuni anchored the defense from the inside linebacker positions, while Anderson's young outside linebackers made immense strides. By the end of the season, outside linebackers Gabe Reid and Stephen Herron had combined for 41 tackles and seven TFLs. 

Cornerback Paulson Adebo was drafted in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints. 

In 2019, Anderson mentored fifth-year senior Casey Toohill at outside linebacker. Toohill, who finished with 60 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks and 10 quarterback hurries, was named All-Pac-12 second team. A team captain, Toohill was also a finalist for the prestigious William V. Campbell Trophy and a member of the National Football Foundation's Scholar-Athlete Class.
 
Anderson has continually produced NFL talent from the defensive side of the ball, most recently instructing Philadelphia Eagles draft pick Casey Toohill and two-time All-Pac-12 selection Bobby Okereke, who was drafted in the third round by the Indianapolis Colts in 2019, and two-time team captain Peter Kalambayi, who was selected by the Houston Texans in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Okereke finished with 240 tackles (114 solo), 19.0 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks and nine passes defended in 51 career games, while Kalambayi accounted for 190 tackles, 18.5 sacks and seven passes defended throughout his career.

Anderson also helped mentor defensive tackle Harrison Phillips, as the All-American was selected 96th overall by the Buffalo Bills in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Phillips was the fifth Stanford defensive lineman in as many seasons to be drafted. Phillips led Stanford in tackles with 103, the most of any defensive lineman in the nation. Among those 103 tackles were a team-best 17 for loss and 7.5 sacks, as well as two forced fumbles. He was a second-team All-America choice by the Football Writers Association of America, and the Associated Press voted him third-team All-America.
 
Joining Phillips in the NFL ranks, All-American safety Justin Reid was a third-round NFL Draft selection by the Houston Texans, and a pivotal part of a Cardinal defense in 2017 that ranked 12th nationally in passes intercepted (18) and ninth in turnovers gained (28). Reid was one of three All-Pac-12 defensive backs in 2017, joining Quenton Meeks and Brandon Simmons.
 
Anderson held the controls during the breakout season of defensive lineman and All-American Solomon Thomas, the third overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Thomas, who was selected by the San Francisco 49ers, was the highest drafted defensive player in program history. Thomas also won the Pac-12’s Morris Trophy, given to the league’s top lineman, and was one of seven Cardinal defenders to earn All-Pac-12 honors.
 
The 2016 team finished ranked 12th by both the Associated Press and USA Today after earning a 25-23 win over North Carolina in the Sun Bowl.
 
Stanford ranked among the Pac-12’s best defensive units in 2015: second in third-down conversion percentage (.363), third in total defense (368.3), third in first-down defense (267), third in scoring defense (22.6) and fourth in rushing defense (139.9). That unit was spearheaded by inside linebacker Blake Martinez, a fourth-round draft choice of the Green Bay Packers. Martinez, Stanford’s 11th defensive player taken in the NFL Draft since 2010, was selected to the AP All-America third team, USA Today All-America second team and All-Pac-12 first team as a senior in 2015. A semifinalist for the Butkus Award, Martinez also was named to the Rotary Lombardi Award, Nagurski Trophy and Bednarik Award watch lists, and was a quarterfinalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy. As a senior, Martinez led the Pac-12 with 141 tackles (75 solo) -- ranking seventh nationally -- and averaged a conference-best 10.1 per contest. In 14 games, he collected 10 or more tackles nine times.
 
The secondary was anchored by All-Pac-12 second team defensive back Ronnie Harris in 2015 when the Cardinal posted the league’s fifth-best passing efficiency defense (123.96) and third-best total defense (368.3). Stanford’s secondary allowed only 6.76 yards/pass attempt while picking off eight balls, led by Quenton Meeks’ team-best three interceptions. Meeks added a pick-six in the Rose Bowl Game win over Iowa. The Cardinal tied for fifth in the Pac-12 in pass breakups (51).
 
While facing six ranked opponents in 2014, including four on the road, Anderson helped Stanford rank second nationally in scoring defense (16.4 points/game), third in total defense (282.4 yards/game), seventh in rushing defense (104.5 yards/game) and eighth in passing defense (177.9 yards/game). The Cardinal joined Penn State and Clemson as the only three to finish in the top-10 nationally in all four categories. The team was also among the best nationally in getting to the quarterback, ranking sixth with 46 sacks.
 
Strong safety Jordan Richards was awarded the 2014 National Football Foundation’s Scholar-Athlete Award. Richards was also a first team All-Pac-12 selection and finished his career with 233 tackles, nine interceptions and five forced fumbles.
 
While facing seven nationally-ranked opponents in 2013, Anderson helped Stanford rank third in the NCAA in rushing defense (89.4 yards/game), 10th in scoring defense (19.0 points/game) and 16th in total defense (343.1 yards/game). The Cardinal was one of only five teams to allow fewer than 100 rushing yards/game. The team was also among the best nationally in producing stops for negative yardage, ranking fifth with 44 sacks and seventh with 109 tackles for loss.
 
Linebacker Trent Murphy led the nation with 15 sacks and was a semifinalist for the Lombardi Award and Chuck Bednarik Award. Murphy was also a first team All-Pac-12 selection and finished his career as the NCAA’s active leader in sacks with 32.5.
 
Anderson’s work on the admissions front has been noteworthy. Stanford earned consecutive Academic Achievement Awards in 2015-16 from the American Football Coaches Association after posting a 100 percent graduation rate.
 
The 2012 defensive unit paved the way to a historic defensive output, breaking Stanford’s single-season sacks record (57). The Cardinal went on to win the Pac-12 title and claimed its first Rose Bowl crown in over 40 years.
 
In 2011, outside linebacker Chase Thomas earned Sporting News All-America honors after leading the conference in tackles for loss and ranked second in sacks.
 
As Stanford’s recruiting coordinator from 2007-11, Anderson played an instrumental role in landing four consecutive nationally acclaimed recruiting classes that were ranked in the top-25 by various scouting services.
 
Anderson came to Stanford from San Diego in 2007 after spending two seasons working with the Toreros under former Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh.
 
Prior to joining Harbaugh in San Diego, Anderson had coached at Utah State, Saint Mary’s, Bucknell and Idaho State.
 
In 1999, Anderson coached running backs for one season for the Mobile Admirals of the Regional Football League.
 
A native of Rupert, Idaho, Anderson began his coaching career in 1997 at his alma mater, Idaho State, where he spent two seasons.
 
He was a three-sport athlete at Idaho’s Minico High School, participating in football, baseball and track. After serving a church mission, Anderson was a walk-on at Idaho State where he played linebacker in 1993 and 1994.
 
Anderson earned a bachelor’s degree from Idaho State in 1996.
 
Lance and his wife, Sherri, have three children - Aubrey, Jaren and Braden.