Football: Optimism pays off for Anyama – Linebacker’s patience rewarded

Tim Buckley, Daily Advertiser, Dec. 18, 2013

UL linebacker Boris Anyama (35) discusses strategy during a Cajun practice earlier this season. / Paul Kieu/The Advertiser

NEW ORLEANS — He was recruited to UL as an “Athlete” by the old staff of ex-head coach Rickey Bustle.

Translation:

Ragin’ Cajuns recruiters weren’t sure just what Boris Anyama would play coming out of Stafford High in Texas, but they figured they could find a spot for him somewhere on the field.

But Anyama – even after playing quarterback at Stafford, and even after redshirting as a receiver while a freshman in 2010 – was always sure where he wanted to be.

Anywhere, that is, not on the offensive side of the line of scrimmage.

And now, starting at outside linebacker for the Cajuns as they prepare to play Tulane on Saturday night in the New Orleans Bowl at the Superdome, Anyama is as happy as can be with where he is.

“Growing up, I’ve always loved defense,” he said. “I’ve always felt like, ‘I want to play defense.’

“But … I’m athletic, and I was always pretty good at offense, and I played quarterback in high school. They always said, ‘Oh, we need you to play quarterback.’ And I was upset, because I wanted to play defense.”

Things didn’t get much better after his arrival at UL.

“I said, ‘What do you want me to play?’ When they told me, ‘We want you to play receiver,’ I said, ‘Ahhh,’ ” he said. “I said, ‘You know what? I’ve got an opportunity to play DI football.’ I said, ‘Whatever it takes.’ ”

So a receiver he was.

Until, that is, Mark Hudspeth replaced Bustle after the end of that 2010 season and his new staff had to decide just what it wanted Anyama to be.

“We just didn’t know where he might fit in offensively,” Hudspeth said. “But felt he could really help us on the defensive side of the ball.”

Bingo.

Winner, winner.

Anyama may as well have hit the Mega Millions.

“Then, when an opportunity (came) to play defense, I didn’t overlook it,” he said. “I said, ‘Yeah, I’m gonna jump all over it.’ Because that’s what I love to do.”

Anyama played mostly on special teams as a redshirt freshman, and came up with four tackles – all solo stops, all on special teams – with a forced fumble in UL’s 2011 New Orleans Bowl win over San Diego State.

He played both on special teams and as reserve linebacker last season, and had three of his 21 total tackles in the Cajuns’ 2012 New Orleans Bowl win over East Carolina.

All of which would seem to set him up for quite a night Saturday against Tulane.

Before even thinking about that, though, Anyama reflects on the fact he’s lucky to be playing at all at this point in the season.

After starting in losses at both Arkansas and Kansas State to open the season, Anyama was sidelined by a hamstring injury that lingered.

While he was out, both Chris Hill and Al Riles had chances to start in his spot.

But he fought through, and won it back.

“It’s the kind of kid he is,” defensive coordinator James Willis said.

“He had a hard getting over his injury, and when he finally did get back, at that point, we had a few other injuries,” Hudspeth added. “So he was able to get a little bit of playing time, did a few good things, and earned a little more playing time as it went.”

Turning over so many starters at that position did not surprise Willis at all.

“First of all, we have a lot of depth there,” he said. “And luckily we do, because that is a point of impact in this defense.”

Anyama is living proof.

But he persevered, and is happy he did.

Anyama returned to UL’s starting lineup for a regular season-ending loss at South Alabama, and responded with nine total tackles including six solo stops and two tackles for loss.

“It definitely is a blessing, because of the fact I still am able to play,” he said. “I know a lot of people, they go and they get hurt and all of a sudden they’re out for a year.

“I stumbled, but I managed to come back and still be able to contribute to the team. So I can only say that it’s a blessing. I wouldn’t trade it for anything else.

“It was frustrating at first, then I (saw) it as a very humbling experience to just sit back and know what I had and what opportunity I was given in front of me,” Anyama added. “And I felt like, ‘When I come back, I’m gonna make the best of every opportunity, because I know how it feels when I was on the other side, when I was down and hurt.”

For inspiration, Anyama channeled his inner Stuart Smalley.

He probably has no clue who that is, but one punch into the Google and a few views of YouTube would take care of that.

“Really,” Anyama said, “the key was to stay positive.

“Because every time you see yourself on the sideline, (thinking), ‘I can do that, I can do that,’ but you never get the chance, because they kept going through other people, I was like, ‘You know what? Just stay positive, because everything happens for a reason, and your time will come.’

“So that’s all I did, is I just kept having a positive mindset,” he added. “That’s the best thing I did.”