Badgers football coach Gary Andersen says ultimate goal is to change kids' lives

MADISON (WITI) -- Gary Andersen made a strong first impression as Wisconsin Badgers' head football coach after Bret Bielema spurned the program for Arkansas -- a 9-2 start before ending the season with losses to Penn State and South Carolina -- the latter in the Capitol One Bowl.

So what impressed 50-year-old Andersen the most about his first season?

"The importance that's placed on our kids being, you know, again, I would say student-athletes -- but the way they're involved in the community is a unique fit -- and it's not like that everywhere. There's an expectation level, but there's a level of excitement for our kids to be involved in the community," Andersen said.

The former player at Utah turned around a floundering Utah State program. In 2012, the Aggies won 11 games and lost only two -- one of those by two points to host Wisconsin.

The coaching ability caught the eye of Athletic Director Barry Alvarez -- but Andersen's character -- the essence of who he is, put him over the top.

"I think that it will go back to my parents. You know, my dad was always a believer. He told me many times to just, you know, if you're going to say something you better mean it, and if you're going to talk about something you better back it up, and that was so important to me as I went through my life, and every day I think about it. My father's not with us anymore -- but I work every day to make him proud, and it means something to me," Andersen said.

It has been well publicized that before coming to Wisconsin, Andersen called every one of his Utah State players to tell them he was leaving. Unusual -- especially in this day and age -- but essential to the man they called "Coach A."

"When I go to every home and I go to every kid and I said, you know, I talked with them and I let them know that I will be there for them. I had to do what I had to do. They understood it, but it was important for me to let them know in a phone call before they read it on ESPN -- for two reasons. Number one, I owed it to them, and number two, to simply let them know that I still will be there for them," Andersen said.

Compassionate and competitive are two words that seem to describe Andersen -- who appears to have another winning quality -- the gift of leadership.

"I hope I have it, and I work at it every day. I felt like after I had coached and kids had gone on in life, they were still reaching out to me -- and that made me feel like they believed in me -- and that I was at least doing an adequate job of influencing them in a positive way which leads me to believe that I could lead some kids," Andersen said.

In the end, Andersen knows he'll be measured by wins and losses -- but he also wants to be measured by the impact he has on the lives of his young men.

"That's what drives me. It truly does. I mean, winning is so important, and it does matter, and ultimately that's what a lot of people care about. I really want to help them get a world-class degree. I want them to call me 10 years from now with whatever they've decided to do -- married, children, have a business -- whatever they want to do. I want to hear the successes. I hope they would lean on me when they have those issues in their lives and they need a helping hand. I have a job to do and I was put here for a reason -- and that's to reach out and change kids' lives. No matter where it takes me in other journeys of life and puts me in different directions, still -- that's my core, and that's what I believe in, and when I lay my head down on the pillow, man -- if I have to say 'I'm not changing kids' lives,' I'll have a real problem with that," Andersen said.