Two coaching journeys will cross paths in Dallas on Saturday when Arkansas State University plays Southern Methodist at 6 p.m.
ASU Coach Blake Anderson and SMU Coach Chad Morris share the same age (48), home state (Texas) and offensive backgrounds, although they made diverging career decisions more than two decades ago.
Anderson and Morris now are building reputations during their first head coaching stints, and a signature season could put either on the radar of bigger programs in the offseason.
The two coaches met when they were both offensive coordinators in the Carolinas (Anderson at North Carolina, Morris at Clemson).