Utah State fires coach Blake Anderson following investigation into alleged Title IX violations

Utah State has officially fired head coach Blake Anderson for cause, two weeks after the school announced it would fire him following an investigation into alleged Title IX violations stemming from a domestic violence incident in April 2023. The athlete have learned.

“This action is based on significant violations of his contractual obligations regarding USU’s employee reporting requirements,” the school said in a statement. “These reporting requirements include a prohibition on employees outside of the USU Office of Equity from investigating cases of sexual misconduct, including domestic violence. In addition, Anderson has failed to lead the team in a manner that reflects USU’s academic values.”

Anderson’s contract included a notice of intent to terminate and a 14-day period to respond. Anderson and his attorney Tom Mars filed a 70-page response on Monday.

“Coach Anderson’s legal team believes this decision – as well as USU’s deliberately inflammatory press release of July 2 – violates the terms of Coach Anderson’s employment agreement and implied covenant of loyalty and fidelity,” Mars said in a statement Thursday. “We will pursue all available legal remedies on his behalf.”

Mars added that Anderson will issue a statement on the matter. The dismissal for cause will mean the school will not pay $4.5 million in severance pay.

The incident involves a former player who was arrested on April 5, 2023, for domestic violence in the presence of a child and assault. According to a police report, the player put the hoodie on a female victim, leaving bruises on her neck. A witness said he heard the woman screaming, “Get off me” and “You’re choking me.” The player had a baby with him at the time.

In the school’s termination letter, athletic director Diana Sabau and President Elizabeth R. Cantwell claimed Anderson violated university policy requiring him to report the alleged crime to Utah State’s Title IX coordinator within 24 hours. They claimed Anderson “took the investigation of the matter into his own hands” and “interviewed” the athlete, the potential victim and a witness to the incident.

In Anderson’s response letter, filed this week, Mars claimed the incident did not fall under Title IX requirements because it occurred off campus, in front of a residence. When Anderson learned of the arrest, he reported it to assistant athletic director Jerry Bovee the next day. He claimed the player initially concealed from Anderson that he had been arrested, and when he admitted it, he claimed he did not know what the charge was.

The player pleaded no contest to the assault charge, while the domestic violence charge was dismissed.

“To USU’s disappointment, Anderson’s response failed to acknowledge his responsibilities as a USU employee and as head coach. Instead, it attempted to find excuses and unsuccessfully reword the clear language of USU policies,” Utah State said of Anderson’s formal response.

Bovee, who was interim AD in spring 2023, was also fired on July 2. Bovee said last week he intends to file a grievance with the school. A representative for Bovee said Thursday he has not yet done so but remains in the process. His deadline to file a grievance is Aug. 1.

“Contrary to what has been alleged, Bovee and two other USU employees did in fact report the incident to the USU Office of Equity,” his representative said in a statement last week. “Nevertheless, the external review did not begin until fall 2023. And it was not until July 2, 2024, approximately eight months later, that Bovee was summarily terminated without an opportunity to respond to the results of the review.”

Anderson went 23-17 in three seasons, including an 11-3 record and a Mountain West championship in 2021 and three bowl appearances. He previously served as head coach at Arkansas State.

Defensive coordinator Nate Dreiling is Utah State’s interim coach and represented the program at Mountain West Media Days last week. Dreiling joined the team this offseason after two years at New Mexico State.

(Photo: Rob Gray / USA Today)