On May 17, Anderson said he called the running back he replaced at Cal,
Jahvid Best, to congratulate him on his hire as the coach at nearby Saint Mary's (Albany). Now Anderson joked he expects a return call from Best after Monte Vista athletic director Andy Popper's announcement this week.
"I'm super excited and grateful for this opportunity to uphold the tradition at a great school and program," Anderson told MaxPreps. "No matter where you go, what college you attend or NFL team you play for, you want to know and keep that history going."
Anderson played seven years in the NFL and reached the Super Bowl three times, twice with the Broncos and once with the Rams. He spent his first five seasons with the Broncos and the last two years with the Panthers, Raiders, Rams and Lions.
C.J. Anderson rushed for nearly 4,000 yards over four seasons at Bethel in Vallejo, Calif.
File photo by Dennis Stiff
In Super Bowl L in 2016, Anderson rushed for 90 yards and a touchdown, leading the Broncos to a 24-10 win over the Panthers. He rushed for 3,497 yards and 22 touchdowns in his career and had 108 catches for 900 yards. He was a 2014 Pro Bowl selection.
Anderson worked last season as a graduate assistant at Cal, where he played two season ending in 2012. He starred locally as a prep athlete at
Bethel (Vallejo) and in junior college at Laney (Oakland).
All that experience made him both a "wow" selection, Popper said, and an easy one, though it came after an exhaustive search.
"We're incredibly excited to bring in C.J. with all his wealth of experience not only as a player but in the sport of football," Popper said. "He brings in great enthusiasm, his smile and energy are infectious and he wants to be here. He wants to be a Mustang. It's the place he wanted to be."
Popper said Anderson has hit the ground running, already arranging team and parent meetings while putting together a coaching staff that includes his brother, K'Lan.
The Mustangs will need all the help they can playing in the rugged East Bay Athletic League which features, among others, perennial national power
De La Salle (Concord).
"I told the kids yesterday in a team meeting that I hope to bring a breath of fresh air," Anderson said. "I'm not from this community. I'm from a different place, but I'm a football junkie and I'm confident we can all come together to learn the game, understand each other and unite as a team."
Monte Vista went 0-6 during a shortened spring season, but was in every game, losing four games by a touchdown or less. The Mustangs are a perennial Bay Area power with seven North Coast Section championships, the latest in 2016 when current Fresno State quarterback
Jake Haener and two-time first-team All-Pac 12 linebacker
Nate Landman (Colorado) led the way.
Among other former prominent Monte Vista football players are All-Pro tight end
Zach Ertz and former national prep Player of the Year, University of Miami and NFL quarterback Kyle Wright.
