McDaniel Anderson, who enjoys introducing himself as “Mr. Mack from way back,” is happy being 1-0 as Armstrong High School’s first-year football coach.

And he’s even happier being alive.

Coach Anderson’s Wildcats routed George Wythe 31-8 last Saturday at the new Huguenot High School stadium in the first game of a doubleheader. Huguenot beat Thomas Jefferson High School 14-0 in the second game.

Armstrong’s Devonta Jackson raced 83 yards on his first carry for the first official touchdown ever scored on Huguenot’s synthetic turf.

Later Armstrong High quarterback Jahizz Carter completed two touchdown passes, and Jordan Poindexter scored touchdowns on a run and interception return.

Wythe’s loss spoiled the debut of first-year Bulldogs Coach Dion Foxx.

There’s a certain suspense associated with any football game, but nothing like the high drama involving Coach Anderson in early May, just three weeks after he was named Armstrong’s coach and after he finally earned the credits needed for a degree from Virginia State University.

The 64-year-old Armstrong High alumnus, who graduated from VSU on May 2, soon after suffered cardiac arrest.

“For over a week, I was unresponsive — alive in the tomb,” he said of his hospital stay. During that tense period, he underwent double bypass heart surgery, which was successful.

On May 15, he woke up to smell the roses and begin a relatively quick recovery. By early August, he was conducting preseason drills at the East End school.

Coach Anderson now looks quite healthy and dapper. Showing loyalty to Armstrong, he wore a blue suit with an orange shirt, a straw fedora and fancy tan shoes for his first game.

“First of all, it’s a blessing just to be here,” he said. “As for the outfit, I always admired the old-school coaches like Tom Landry, Paul “Bear” Bryant, Vince Lombardi. They dressed in coat and tie on game day.”

Coach Anderson may be best known around town for his distinctive entertaining style as the announcer for the summer basketball league at Ben Wallace’s Big Ben’s Gym in the West End.

Since his medical emergency, Coach Anderson said he has been overwhelmed by the response from friends as well as from people he hardly knows.

“Lot of love,” he said.

There’s never too much of that.