Offensive Coordinator Robert Anae “Brought The Energy” Saturday

A little over a week ago, Virginia offensive coordinator Robert Anae told sportswriters that it was a must for the Cavaliers to get their running game going, to get tailback Jordan Ellis going.

The problem, Anae said bluntly, was the offensive line. It simply wasn’t getting the job done.

All that changed last Saturday night when the Cavaliers stunned 16th-ranked Miami, which featured one of the nation’s most respected defensive lines and front seven. UVa ran the ball 41 times for 139 yards (3.4 ypc) and a dozen first downs rushing.

What changed in two weeks from playing at N.C. State, where the Wahoos could muster only 93 yards on the ground, some of that yardage via QB Bryce Perkins’ scrambles?

Anae described the change, the strides made as “mindset.”

Bronco Mendenhall and some of UVa’s players said it was more than just that. They agreed that having Anae move down from the press box to the sidelines for the first time in two years played a significant role.

“Number one, [Anae’s presence on the sideline] was confidence for the whole offense, just to show that we can put [a lack of success] behind us and run the ball and have that threat as well,” said UVa graduate transfer right tackle Marcus Applefield.

Anae, known as a fiery competitor who speaks his mind, can definitely be an in-your-face intimidating force, particularly in the heat of battle.

“[Anae] can give a little bit of both worlds,” Applefield said. “He can definitely be an in your face guy and tell you exactly how he feels. But as an offensive linemen we know it’s not out of hate. It’s all out of love because he wants us to be all we can be.”

Applefield has heard the same message from Anae ever since training camp, that the offensive linemen had to develop a stronger mindset, not just for a week, but week-after-week.

The players definitely gained an edge from Anae moving down to the sidelines.

“He brought the energy,” tight end Evan Butts said. “He was dancing, air boxing looking at the Miami sidelines… he was juiced up. He was not backing down and that’s contagious. For me and my teammates, we see that from our offensive coordinator and that translated to our offense, our whole team. It was awesome to see that. For him to be down there for a big game against a great defense, it was great having him down there for that.”

After Virginia’s touchdown, Butts noticed Anae celebrating and couldn’t resist the temptation to join in.

“I ran over to give him a chest bump and he lowered his shoulder … I was surprised,” Butts grinned. “He’s still got some power. He may be a little old, but he’s a brick wall. I learned my lesson.”

Anae, a humble dude, of course downplayed his role in all this.

Asked about shadow boxing, Anae grimaced.

“No, I’m not shadow boxing, I’m just bouncing around, competing,” Anae said. “Right now we’re underdogs. So what do you do when you’re underdogs? You fight. That’s the message.”

Anae said he’s most always been part of underdogs and that mentality has always been part of who his identity.

“Those are just the places I’ve been, the coach I’ve developed into being,” Anae said. “Compete and fight. I’ve never been that giant favorite school. I’ve never been there. And as a player? Nobody expected anything from that group. That’s just who I am.”

The OC, who was an offensive lineman on BYU’s 1984 national championship team, said his move to the sidelines was tied in to certain positions on the field.

“Initially in the season I felt it was best for our quarterbacks coach (Jason Beck) to be on the sideline. But our quarterback has progressed at a good rate, so I felt my contribution with coaching my guys (inside receivers) probably needs to be at a higher level, hence the decision,” Anae said.

Mendenhall believed there was a little more to it than that.

“Robert thought that at N.C. State, at Indiana, we were a little hesitant and tentative offensively, and more reactionary rather than dictatorial, meaning this is what we’re going to do and how,” Mendenhall said. “He’s certainly not afraid of anyone, anywhere, anyhow, and that presence seemed to match where we currently are and need to be as we get ready for — it was the seven-game stretch — the six week ACC game stretch, and mindset that’s going to be needed.

“So sometimes when the words aren’t enough, then example is more powerful,” Mendenhall added of the move. “That was the genesis behind it.”

Anae refused to take any credit and said media was making more out of the decision than it should.

“Already that’s way more of a big deal,” Anae said.

Instead he heaped praise on offensive line coach Garrett Tujague.

“Our offensive line played great and Coach Tujague did an excellent job of preparing his guys for that game,” Anae said.

Anae, a 1977 graduate of Kahuku High in Hawaii, played at BYU, has coached at Hawaii, BYU, Ricks College, Boise State, UNLV, Texas Tech, BYU again, Arizona, and BYU a third time before moving with Mendenhall to Virginia.

Will he continue to coach from the sidelines this season or move back into the box?

“Let’s take it game by game,” Anae said.

He said the offense’s challenge is to keep the mindset it brought to the Miami game, particularly this week on the road against Duke.

This is Blue Devils’ coach David Cutcliffe’s best and fastest defense during his reign in Durham.

“I think he’s right about that,” Anae said. “They are very fast and very physical. This is a team that has a better record than we do.”

In the past, Duke has relied on exotic blitz packages to make up for a true three- or four-man pass rush from its defensive line. That’s no longer the case, so Virginia will have its hands full trying to block the Devils.

Virginia’s mission won’t change. The Cavaliers have to run the ball to win big games.

“I think that’s a vital part of our team’s success, that element of the game,” Anae said. “I don’t think we could be successful without that. It’s the body punch, body punch, body punch, body blow, body blow. Before long, just like Smokin’ Joe Frasier, that thing works in your favor.”

That mission won’t change, nor will Anae.

“Coaching with Robert is fun,” said UVa’s co-defensive coordinator Kelly Poppinga. “He keeps you on your toes. You never know what he’s going to say or what he’s going to do.

“He has a unique personality. I played under him and coached with him a long time,” Poppinga said. “He’s a smart coach and a deep thinker.”

Anae can also get after it.

“Oh yeah, very fiery, very passionate, very emotional,” Poppinga added. “I think that’s why he wanted to go on the sideline because he felt the team was ready for a different level of energy and emotion coming from the coaching staff.”

Poppinga also noted that because Beck sees things so well from up top, that the change up should help UVa offensively as well.