Utah State fires football coach Blake Anderson, cites Title IX violations

July 19 (UPI) -- Utah State has fired Blake Anderson, alleging that the football coach violated Title IX policies.

The Aggies announced the move Thursday night. They first announced July 2 that they informed Anderson of their intent to terminate his contract, citing 2023 violations of his employment agreement and school policy.

"While I recognize that today's decision has a significant impact, it is the only one that could be made based on the facts," Utah State president Elizabeth Cantwell said in a news release.

"We are committed to moving forward in building a winning athletics program grounded in student success and integrity."

The decision followed an investigation into the alleged noncompliance with university policy related to Title IX, "which requires full and timely reporting of disclosures of sexual misconduct -- including domestic violence -- and prohibit employees from investigating disclosures of sexual misconduct themselves."

USU updates statement regarding the football program. https://t.co/nrcMI5eZyT — Utah State University (@USUAggies) July 19, 2024

On Thursday, the Aggies said that those reporting requirements include a "prohibition on employees outside the Utah State University Office of Equity from investigating issues of sexual misconduct."

The Aggies initially gave Anderson 14 days to respond to their intent to terminate his contract. On Monday, he sent the 70--page response, through attorney Tom Mars, to the Aggies.

The Aggies said the response "failed to acknowledge his responsibilities" as a school employee and coach and "instead sought to make excuses and unsuccessfully recast the clear language" of school policy.

"We were disappointed to learn [Thursday] evening that Utah State University has terminated the employment of head football coach Blake Anderson," Mars said in a statement on X. "Coach Anderson's legal team believes this decision -- as well as USU's deliberately inflammatory July 2 press release -- violate the terms of coach Anderson's employment agreement and the implied covenant of good faith.

"We will be pursuing all available legal remedies on his behalf. Coach Anderson will be issuing his own statement at the appropriate time."

Aggies associate vice president and athletic director of external affairs Jerry Bovee, who was interim athletic director in 2023, and football director of player development and community Austin Albrecht were previously dismissed for violations of school policy related to reporting of sexual and domestic violence, in addition to failures of professional responsibilities.

Aggies vice president and athletic director Diana Sabau met with athletes and staff from the football program to inform them of the changes on July 2. She also announced that former defensive coordinator and defensive ends coach Nate Dreiling will serve as interim coach for 2024.

Anderson, 55, posted a 23-17 record over three seasons with the Aggies. He also went 51-37 over seven seasons at Arkansas State from 2014 to 2020.