Utah State to fire head football coach with 2024 season looming

A Mountain West football program is making a head coaching change with the start of fall camp looming.

Utah State University officials plan to fire Blake Anderson for actions taken in spring 2023 that, according to the school, violated both his employment agreement and university policy.

Anderson has been on paid leave, according to ESPN. Defensive coordinator Nate Dreiling will serve as USU’s interim head football coach for the 2024 season.

Anderson, 55, has gone 23-17 in his three seasons at Utah State, winning the Mountain West Conference in 2021.

The Aggies have stumbled since, going 6-7 in back-to-back seasons since. They lost to Georgia State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl last season.

Utah State did not provide a specific reason for Anderson’s dismissal, saying only that the decision “comes after a thorough external review of alleged noncompliance with university policies that implement Title IX, which require full and timely reporting of disclosures of sexual misconduct — including domestic violence — and prohibit employees from investigating disclosures of sexual misconduct themselves.”

Associate Vice President & Deputy Athletic Director of External Affairs Jerry Bovee and Utah State Football Director of Player Development & Community Austin Albrecht have also been dismissed for violations of university policies related to the reporting of sexual and domestic violence and failures of professional responsibilities.

Utah State President Elizabeth Cantwell sent an email to faculty and staff on Tuesday morning:

“As leaders, we are responsible for ensuring allegations of USU policy violations are investigated. 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 conduct and to make sure that, for the sake of our students and our community, we are living the values of our university.”

“While recognizing the impact of these decisions on our student athletes and football program, we will continue to take the steps necessary to deliver a respectful, transparent and winning culture at Utah State University.”

Anderson coached at Arkansas State from 2014 to 2020. The Aggies open the 2024 season against Robert Morris on Aug. 31 before visiting USC and hosting Utah.