Gary Andersen is out at Oregon State, but the story of Gary Andersen and Oregon State is not over. Leaving more than $12 million on the table begs further questioning, for one. Another item that bears further examination: how and why things got so bad that Andersen bailed halfway through the season.
Turns out, we have an idea.
Andersen texted The Oregonian columnist John Canzano throughout the season -- and, presumably, throughout his three years there -- and Canzano published them on Tuesday. The texts read like an expletive- and exclamation point-ridden diary of a coach during a season gone wrong. And some of them are downright hard to read.
It is not clear if Canzano got Andersen's clearance to publish the texts or made it clear to Andersen that he was going to publish them, but publish them he did. [Update: Canzano has updated his article with the following: Andersen was aware the texts were going to be published and we communicated on that front today.]
Of interest: Andersen's thoughts on his coaching staff.
(September 4, after a 35-32 win over Portland State): "Self promoting... that's what this business has become!!... That's the biggest reason I am not long for this (expletive)!! Kids are a second thought or third or fourth!!"
(September 9, after a 48-14 loss to Minnesota) "Hard place right now... one thing I guarantee you is this: This staff needs to figure it out. I ain't going to die doing this (expletive)! It's on me and I get that and right now I hired the wrong guys!! Beaver Nation deserves much better! End of story!!"
(September 20, four days after a 52-23 loss to Washington State) "I hired the wrong (expletive) guys and are still working our way through a bunch of recruiting years that stunk!! It's year three! If these (expletives) can't get it right I will not just say fire them and start over!! That's not the way to go about it. If I (expletive) it up that bad I will take the bullet and ride off into the sunset! I will stay old school!! I will not die doing this (expletive)!! Stay tuned!"
These texts likely do not come as a surprise to Andersen's staff, but it has to sting to see their head coach share them with a writer, and see the writer share them with the world.