What Busta Anderson has been up to and how he helped the Gamecocks this spring
The practice fields were different.
Rory ‘Busta’ Anderson remembers practicing a little closer to Williams-Brice. That was back when Steve Spurrier was running the show, when Anderson was looking forward to an NFL career and starring at tight end for South Carolina football.
This spring, he was down the block and across the street, next to the indoor facility. He was with his former teammates, youngsters when his career ended now going into their senior years, but he wasn’t putting a hand in the dirt or catching passes.
He was teaching them.
“It was good, being around the guys,” Anderson said. “Being back in the stadium, back on the practice fields, although we’ve moved since I’ve been here. It’s been exciting seeing the new guys that came in, especially this January.”
This spring, Anderson, who was taken in the seventh round of the 2015 NFL draft and played for San Francisco, Chicago and Buffalo since then, was helping out with tight ends at USC’s spring practice. A knee injury put him on the shelf for the past year-plus, and while he waited to see on the next step in his NFL career, he returned to Columbia.
He had something to fulfill.
“A promise I made to my mom,” Anderson said. “That no matter what happened, after I left here, playing football, that I would come back and get my degree.”
He’ll get that squared away this week.
Anderson started 19 games across four USC seasons, catching 61 passes for 954 yards and nine touchdowns. His last two years were dampened by injuries, but he had between 188 and 271 yards each year, often while sharing the tight end position with Justice Cunningham and Jerell Adams.
He didn’t play a game as a rookie for the 49ers and spent the past two seasons on practice squads.
What’s next isn’t as clear. He’d still like to play, but didn’t comment on the status of that. He’s also looking to a future, perhaps in the coaching ranks.
“So it was fun being around the guys and seeing some young guys when I was here, now they’re older guys,” Anderson said. “They’re seniors now. It’s crazy I’m getting ready to graduate with them.”
He might try to take the next step on that front. He said he’s spoken to a few people about potentially becoming a graduate assistant. He added if USC had a position open up, he would “love to stay around.”
And if not, he’s got another passion that could provide a different avenue.
“I still want to play ball, but obviously, I’m setting myself up for success,” Anderson said. “Obviously, if ball doesn’t work, I definitely have plan. I’ve been into photography for about two years now. I’m trying to get some stuff going on with that, getting some guys to mentor me. I’m pretty excited about doing that. Obviously, I want to get into coaching, so I’m considering going to grad school.”
This story was originally published May 3, 2018 at 2:46 PM with the headline "What Busta Anderson has been up to and how he helped the Gamecocks this spring."