Anderson’s move to UT is adding up well
Finance student’s stock on rise after transfer from Rice
AUSTIN — At the least, Calvin Anderson knew he would have a captive audience in his parents, DeVry and Keiko.
The Rice offensive lineman and a classmate had thoughtfully transferred their meticulous research into an easily digestible format. They were confident in the analysis and, most importantly, the projections contained in the presentation.
Anderson had to persuade his parents that a newly released augmented reality mobile game featuring dozens of fanciful monsters would prove a boon to Nintendo stock. Anderson’s audition for a possible future in the financial sector relied on his ability to sell the merits of a Pokémon app — to his father and stepmother.
“We had seen the trends,” Anderson said Tuesday. “I ended up giving this long PowerPoint pitch to my parents and got them to invest, so they made a little money off of that.”
For Anderson, a Rice graduate with a degree in mathematical economics and a Texas graduate student pursuing a masters in finance, a career in investment banking has to wait. The Longhorns’ transfer left tackle has NFL aspirations, and he hopes a season spent opening running holes and flattening Big 12 pass rushers boosts his stock.
“It was a business decision to come here to play football and just set myself up to be ready for the 2019 NFL draft,” Anderson said. “I’m not so focused on that right now because I’m focused on winning games for this team, but life is unpredictable and I think I tried my best at Rice, and even while I’m still here trying to set myself up to have as many options as possible.”
Anderson wasn’t even a blip on the Longhorns’ radar when he was in high school.
He spent three years at Georgetown, then played out his senior season at Austin Westlake. The two-star lineman committed to Rice as a junior and remained loyal, rejecting offers from more prominent programs such as Texas Tech and Kansas State.
“I was a small boy coming out of high school, man,” Anderson said. “I got to college at 235 or 240 (pounds), something really light. I thought I was a good player, I just knew I was really light.”
Anderson started 36 consecutive games at left tackle for Rice and earned two honorable mention All-Conference USA nods.
Now a robust 6-5 and 300 pounds, Anderson beat out junior Denzel Okafor for Texas’ starting left tackle spot left vacant by Dallas Cowboys rookie Connor Williams.
Both coach Tom Herman and offensive line coach Herb Hand, who recruited Anderson at Auburn before joining the Longhorns in January, have praised the transfer tackle’s ability to rapidly absorb an unfamiliar playbook. Those who have lined up against Anderson applauded his skill and tenacity.
“I would say (he is) the best I’ve ever gone against, or at least one of the best I’ve ever gone against,” senior defensive end Breckyn Hager said. “I see him getting more comfortable with his vocal presence. I really like what I see from him in terms of effort, technique and nastiness.
“He’s very smart, but he also knows how to do what nasty tackles do.”
Anderson bemoaned some aspects of his debut in burnt orange, particularly his run blocking. He also said he believes there’s room for improvement in pass protection.
He’ll get a chance to showcase those adjustments Saturday against Tulsa in front of his immediate family and his girlfriend, a fellow Rice graduate. It will be Anderson’s first time playing at Royal-Memorial Stadium since Sept. 12, 2015, his second career college start.
“I can’t wait,” Anderson said. “I’ve never been in front of that many fans that are actually cheering for you ever in my football career.”
If it goes as well as his Pokémon PowerPoint presentation, Anderson’s family should be just as happy with the returns this time around.