Utah State University will fire football coach Blake Anderson for allegedly violating Title IX regulations, the university announced Tuesday.
“This decision follows a thorough external investigation into alleged violations of university policies implementing Title IX, which requires complete and timely reporting of findings of sexual misconduct, including domestic violence, and prohibits employees from self-investigating findings of sexual misconduct,” the university said in a news release.
USU said Anderson violated university rules in the spring of 2023. According to his contract, he must respond to the university's intent to fire him within 14 days.
Utah State also fired associate athletic director Jerry Boaby, who was interim athletic director at the time the alleged violations occurred, and Austin Albrecht, the football program's director of player development and community affairs, for “violating university policy regarding reporting sexual assault and domestic violence and dereliction of duty.”
“As leaders, we have a responsibility to ensure that allegations of violations of USU policies are investigated,” Utah State University President Elizabeth Cantwell and Athletic Director Diana Sabua said in a statement. “Today's actions are the result of a thorough external investigation, and we believe the evidence demands immediate action. Our job is to fearlessly hold ourselves and others accountable for their actions and live the university's values for our students and community. While recognizing the impact these decisions have on our student-athletes and football program, we will continue to take the steps necessary to achieve a culture of respect, transparency and winning at Utah State.”
Defensive coordinator Nate Dreiling will serve as the team's interim head coach for the 2024 season.
USU's current athletic director, Diana Sabau, met with the football team on Tuesday to inform them of the change.
Anderson was preparing to enter his fourth season as Logan's head coach after winning the Mountain West Conference title in his first year and then suffering losing seasons the last two years, going 6-7 in 2023 and losing in the Idaho Potato Bowl.
This isn't the first time Anderson has been involved in a school investigation. In December 2021, Utah State University student Kaytria Flynt filed a lawsuit alleging that USU did not adequately investigate a sexual assault case involving a football player. She also said the school misled her in her Title IX lawsuit.
Flint alleged that he was sexually assaulted by a football player in 2019, before Anderson became manager, but the lawsuit uncovered recordings of Anderson speaking with players in 2021 about being a victim of sexual assault.
Anderson said being a victim of sexual assault has “never been more glamorized” and that football teams are “a much more dangerous target” for sexual assault allegations.
“You don't need to put yourself in a position where you're creating victims,” he said in the recording. “And it doesn't take that much. So that's why I'm so scared.”
The recording was made by one of Anderson's players, Patrick Maddox. Maddox left the team and said Anderson had forced him to apologize to the group for making the recording. Maddox filed a lawsuit against USU, claiming he had been retaliated against. He settled out of court for $150,000.
After the recording was made public, Anderson apologized for his comments and was allowed to continue coaching.
