Utah State fires Aggies football coach Blake Anderson

Utah State fired soccer coach Blake Anderson on Thursday, two weeks after informing him of its intent to terminate due to alleged actions in 2023 that the varsity stated violated his contract and college coverage.

The varsity cited “vital violations” associated to the reporting necessities for all Utah State workers.

“These reporting necessities embody a prohibition on workers outdoors the USU Workplace of Fairness from investigating problems with sexual misconduct, together with home violence,” the varsity stated in a press release Thursday. “Moreover, Anderson didn’t handle the workforce in a fashion that displays USU’s educational values.”

Anderson’s lawyer Tom Mars, in a press release on X, stated “all accessible authorized cures” will likely be pursued towards the varsity. Mars stated the firing determination and Utah State’s “intentionally inflammatory” information launch July 2, which outlined the explanations for Anderson’s anticipated dismissal, violated the phrases of Anderson’s contract. Anderson coached Utah State for the previous three seasons and in late 2021 agreed to an extension by 2027.

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Defensive coordinator Nate Dreiling has been named the Aggies’ interim coach for the 2024 season and represented the varsity final week at Mountain West media days. Dreiling beforehand was defensive coordinator at New Mexico State.

Utah State stated an exterior investigation discovered Anderson didn’t adjust to the varsity’s Title IX insurance policies, which require well timed reporting of sexual misconduct and home violence and bar workers from investigating studies of sexual misconduct themselves. The varsity additionally fired deputy athletic director Jerry Bovee and soccer workers member Austin Albrecht for violating college insurance policies linked to the reporting of home and sexual violence. Bovee final week introduced his intention to file a grievance, pursuant to school coverage, and stated he and two different Utah State workers reported an incident that occurred in April 2023 to the college’s Workplace of Fairness.

Mars on Monday despatched the varsity a 70-page response to Anderson’s termination, and instructed ESPN that he deliberate to launch the doc quickly. Utah State referenced the response in its assertion Thursday, saying it “didn’t acknowledge [Anderson’s] tasks as a USU worker and as a head coach and as a substitute sought to make excuses and unsuccessfully recast the clear language of USU’s insurance policies.”

“Whereas I acknowledge that at present’s determination has a big affect, it’s the just one that may very well be made primarily based on the info,” college president Elizabeth Cantwell stated within the assertion. “We’re dedicated to transferring ahead in constructing a profitable athletics program grounded in scholar success and integrity.”

Anderson went 23-17 with a Mountain West title at Utah State and is 74-54 total as an FBS coach. The Aggies open the 2024 season on Aug. 31 towards Robert Morris.