Utah St. fires Anderson as coach, mentions violations

Adam Rittenberg, ESPN

• Elder WriterJul 18, 2024, 10:22 PM ET Close College football reporter.
• Joined ESPN.com in 2008.
• Graduate of Northwestern University.Utah State fired football coach Blake Anderson on Thursday, two weeks after informing him of its intent to terminate because of supposed actions in 2023 that the school said broken his contract and university policy.The school cited “substantial infractions”associated with the reporting requirements for all Utah State workers.” These reporting requirements consist of a restriction on employees

  outside the USU Workplace of Equity from examining concerns of sexual misbehavior, including domestic violence,”the school said in a statement Thursday.”Additionally, Anderson stopped working to manage the group in a manner that shows USU’s scholastic values.”Anderson’s lawyer Tom Mars, in a statement on X, stated”all offered legal remedies

  “will be pursued against the school. Mars stated the shooting choice and Utah State’s” deliberately inflammatory “press release July 2, which detailed the reasons for Anderson’s expected dismissal, broke the terms of Anderson’s contract. Anderson coached Utah State for the previous 3 seasons and in late 2021 agreed to an extension through 2027. Editor’s Picks Defensive coordinator Nate Dreiling has actually been called the Aggies’ interim coach for the 2024 season and represented the school last week at Mountain West media days. Dreiling previously was protective planner at New Mexico State.Utah State stated an external examination found Anderson did not comply with the school’s Title IX policies, which require prompt reporting of sexual misconduct and domestic violence and bar employees from investigating reports of sexual misbehavior themselves. The school also fired deputy athletic director Jerry Bovee and football team member Austin Albrecht for breaking university policies linked to the reporting of domestic and sexual violence. Bovee recently announced his intent to submit a complaint, pursuant to university policy, and stated he and 2 other Utah State workers reported an occurrence that took place in April 2023 to the university’s Office of Equity.Mars on Monday sent out the school a 70-page reaction to Anderson’s termination, and informed ESPN that he prepared to release the document quickly. Utah State referenced the reaction in its statement Thursday, saying it”stopped working to acknowledge [Anderson’s] responsibilities as a USU employee and as a head coach and rather looked for to make reasons and unsuccessfully modify the clear language of USU’s policies.” “While I acknowledge that today’s choice has a significant effect, it is the only one that might be made based on the facts,

  “university president Elizabeth Cantwell said in the statement.” We are committed to progressing in building a winning athletics program grounded in trainee success and stability.” Anderson went 23-17 with a Mountain West title at Utah State and is 74-54 overall as an FBS coach. The Aggies open the 2024 season on Aug. 31 versus Robert Morris.