Utah State’s football coach, Blake Anderson, has been fired for cause based on his lack of compliance with Title IX policies on reporting sexual misconduct. The actions in question took place in 2023, and details have not yet been provided.
Interim Coach Announcement
Utah State’s defensive coordinator, Nate Dreiling, will temporarily take Anderson’s place during the upcoming season.
Announcement of Firing
The University announced the firing after the school’s athletic director, Diana Sabau, met privately with players and staff to communicate the decision. Little is known about the investigation, as the proceedings are pending a response from Anderson.
Additional Firings
In addition to Anderson’s firing, two other members of the athletic department were also fired “for violations of university policies related to the reporting of sexual and domestic violence and failures of professional responsibilities.”
Title IX Policy Violations
The school claims that Anderson and the two other faculty fired over the incident violated Title IX policies that explicitly “require full and timely reporting of disclosures of sexual misconduct– including domestic violence– and prohibit employees from investigating disclosures of sexual misconduct themselves.”
Statement from University President
In an email to faculty and staff, Utah State President Elizabeth Cantwell said, “As leaders, we are responsible for ensuring allegations of USU policy violations are investigated. Today’s actions result from thorough external investigations, and we believe the evidence demands immediate action.”
“Our job is to hold ourselves fearlessly and others accountable for their conduct and to make sure that we are living the values of our University for the sake of our students and our community.”
University Statement
They continued, “While recognizing the impact of these decisions on our student-athletes and football program, we will continue to take the steps necessary to deliver a respectful, transparent, and winning culture at Utah State University.”
Response from Anderson and Counsel
Anderson has two weeks to respond to the University’s decision. His counsel, Tom Mars, claims that Utah State is unjustified in firing Anderson for cause.
Anderson’s Attorney Argues Against the “At Cause” Firing
Mars argued, “Like any university, Utah State could fire Blake Anderson for any reason as long as they paid his buyout. However, based on the facts alleged and the language in Blake’s employment agreement, USU will be fighting an uphill battle if they try to fire him for the cause to avoid paying Blake what he’s owed.”
Mars Represents Anderson’s Position
He continued, “Stiffing a head coach by blaming him for what his supervisor allegedly failed to do is a novel approach that hasn’t been tried before, but that theory will never hold up in court.”
Anderson’s Coaching Record
Anderson was a celebrated coach for the Utah State Aggies during his three years as head coach. His team reached bowl games in the three seasons and posted a total win record of 23-17.
Aggie Winning Record During Anderson Tenure
In 2021, the first year Anderson served as coach, the team had 11 wins and three losses. The Aggies achieved a six-win, seven-loss season in the next two seasons.
Previous Coaching Experience
Before his stint at Utah State, Anderson was a football coach at Arkansas State from 2014-2020, where the team went 51-37.
Personal Life
Anderson had three children from his first marriage to his late wife Wendy, who died of breast cancer after 27 years of marriage.
Current Life
He married his second wife, Brittany, in 2021, and they have two children. One of the children from his first marriage also passed away.
