New-Look Michigan Program Offers Mineola’s Austin + Riley Anderson

With 17 offers each entering Friday, twin offensive tackles Austin and Riley Anderson are sure to draw some big name college football coaches to Mineola during their recruiting process.

Jim Harbaugh and others from his Michigan program could pass through town before the Andersons sign the dotted line. Both players reported the Wolverines gave them their 18th respective offers Friday afternoon.

Michigan is trying to turn a corner after a disappointing 5-7 season which cost former head coach Brady Hoke his job. It made a splash when it pulled Harbaugh -- a former player and graduate of the university -- away from the lead job with the San Francisco 49ers.

He's just two years removed from guiding the 49ers to an appearance in Super Bowl XLVII and a year from coaching in the NFC Championship Game, but his relationship with the team's ownership soured.

Prior to his stint with San Francisco, Harbaugh served as head coach for Stanford from 2007 through 2010. Stanford was 1-11 the year before he got to Palo Alto, Calif., and won the Orange Bowl in his final game four seasons later to finish No. 4 in the county.

Harbaugh coached at the University of San Diego from 2004 through 2006 and guided the Toreros to a 29-6 record through three seasons.

Michigan's program has plenty of early selling points for its new head coach to work with. It owns claim to 11 national championships in its 135-year history, 42 conference titles, 78 consensus All-Americans and three Heisman Trophy winners.

The invitation is the Andersons' second offer from a school in the Big Ten Conference and eighth from a university competing in the power five conferences.

Austin Anderson (6-4, 289) and Riley Anderson (6-5, 287) are the second and third East Texas juniors to receive offers from Michigan. Nacogdoches safety Brandon Jones also has an opportunity with the Wolverines, but the former staff initiated contact with him.

The twins will return to Mineola for their senior campaign before becoming eligible to sign with any program that offers them on Feb. 3, 2016.

Mineola reached the Class 3A Division I championship game last season. It returns all of its offensive backfield, key pieces of a strong secondary and the majority of its offensive line aside from the brothers.

2016 East Texas Football Players With Division I FBS Offers