Utah State fired football coach Blake Anderson on Tuesday after an external review of allegations that he had not complied with Title IX policies regarding the reporting of sexual misconduct cases.
Two other staffers were fired alongside Anderson following the review.
The big picture: Utah State’s defensive coordinator and defensive ends coach, Nate Dreiling, will be the interim coach during the upcoming season, following Anderson’s dismissal.
- The university also fired associate vice president/deputy athletic director of external affairs, Jerry Bovee, and the football director of player development and community, Austin Albrecht, for violations of university policies related to the reporting of sexual and domestic violence and failures of professional responsibilities.
- Utah State noted that Title IX policies require full and timely reporting of disclosures of sexual misconduct, including domestic violence, and prohibit employees from investigating disclosures of sexual misconduct themselves.
Driving the news: The decision to fire Anderson and the other staff members was the result of a thorough external investigation, according to Athletic Director Diana Sabau and Utah State President Elizabeth Cantwell, who emphasized their commitment to holding themselves and others accountable for their conduct in accordance with the values of the university.
- Anderson has 14 days to respond to the university’s decision under the terms of his employment agreement, and no additional information will be released until all opportunities to respond or appeal have expired.
- Anderson led the Aggies to a 23-17 record in three seasons at Utah State, reaching bowl games each year, but his job was terminated for actions that took place in the spring of 2023, which did not comply with Title IX policies.
