Gary Andersen will be coaching in the Pac-12 again in 2018.

Utah announced Tuesday that it hired the former Oregon State football coach as an associate head coach and defensive assistant. His tenure will officially start on Jan. 9, when the new NCAA rule allowing a 10th assistant coach goes into effect.

This will mark the third time Andersen, who played center for Utah from 1985-86, joined the coaching staff at his alma mater.

"Returning to the Utah football family is something my wife Stacey and I are very excited about," Andersen said in a statement released by Utah. "Having an opportunity to coach at your alma mater is somewhat unusual and having the opportunity to do it again is certainly special. Kyle Whittingham is a great coach and I look forward to working alongside him again. I am fired up to meet the players and go to work."

Andersen shockingly parted ways with Oregon State on Oct. 8, midway through his third season leading the Beavers. He went 7-23 at OSU after previous stints at Utah State (2009-12) and Wisconsin (2013-14), where he went a combined 45-31 in six seasons. OSU was 1-5 at the time of Andersen's departure and finished the season 1-11.

Andersen will be reunited with Utah coach and close friend Kyle Whittingham, who on Nov. 29 told The Salt Lake Tribune that Andersen was a candidate for the 10th assistant position. Andersen was the assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and defensive line coach at Utah under Whittingham from 2005-08. The two coached together as far back as 1992, serving as defensive assistants at Idaho State.

"Gary brings a wealth of high-level coaching experience to the program, including serving as the head coach at two Power Five schools," Whittingham said in the statement. "During his previous time on our staff, he developed some of the best defensive linemen in Utah history. In addition, he is an excellent recruiter and motivator and understands what it takes to win at this level."

Oregon State paid Andersen through the end of 2017, although the coach agreed to leave without the more than $12 million remaining on his contract, which was set to run through the 2021 season.

The Beavers do not play Utah again until 2019. The Utes went 7-6 last season and were the only Pac-12 team to win a bowl game, beating West Virginia in the Heart of Dallas Bowl.

-- Danny Moran