Utah State Fires Football Coach Blake Anderson for Sexual Misconduct Violations

Utah State University terminated the employment of its football coach, Blake Anderson, for violating Title IX policies and failing to report sexual misconduct cases following an external review. The university also dismissed two other officials for related offenses.

Utah State University has made the decision to terminate the employment of its head football coach, Blake Anderson, due to significant violations of his contractual obligations. The dismissal comes after an external review revealed that Anderson failed to comply with Title IX policies regarding the reporting of sexual misconduct cases.

Utah State Fires Football Coach Blake Anderson for Sexual Misconduct Violations

The university also announced the dismissals of Jerry Bovee, associate vice president and deputy athletic director of external affairs, and Austin Albrecht, director of player development and community, for alleged violations of university policies related to the reporting of sexual and domestic violence and failures of professional responsibilities.

The university's investigation was prompted by actions taken by Anderson in the spring of 2023 that were deemed to violate both his employment agreement and university policy. The school conducted an external review, which found that he failed to fulfill his responsibilities as a USU employee and as a head coach.

Utah State Fires Football Coach Blake Anderson for Sexual Misconduct Violations

According to the university, Anderson's response to their decision to terminate his employment agreement was inadequate. They stated that he failed to acknowledge his responsibilities and instead attempted to make excuses and misinterpret the university's policies.

Anderson has refuted the university's claims, asserting that his firing was orchestrated to avoid paying his buyout. He emphasized that the university set in motion a "sham investigation" to justify firing him for "cause" over an incident that occurred in April 2023. He drew parallels to similar incidents involving other head football coaches who were fired for "cause" to avoid paying multimillion-dollar buyouts.

Utah State Fires Football Coach Blake Anderson for Sexual Misconduct Violations

Anderson, who was entering his fourth season with Utah State, led the Aggies to a 23-17 record in his first three years, including the program's first-ever Mountain West championship in his inaugural season. Following his dismissal, Nate Dreiling has been appointed as interim head coach.

Utah State University President Elizabeth Cantwell expressed her support for the decision, highlighting the need to prioritize student success and integrity in the university's athletic program. She emphasized the university's unwavering commitment to building a winning program that adheres to the highest ethical standards.

The Associated Press contributed significantly to this report.