Blake Anderson calls investigation that led to his firing as Utah State football coach a 'sham'
Former Utah State football coach Blake Anderson’s response to the school’s termination letter says he was fired for “convenience,” not for cause, and called the investigation that led to his dismissal a “sham.”
Former Utah State football coach Blake Anderson's response to the school's termination letter says he was fired for “convenience,” not for cause, and that the investigation that led to his dismissal was a “sham.”
Anderson's attorney, Tom Mars, posted excerpts Friday on social media from the 70-page response that was provided to the school earlier this week. Anderson's firing was made official Thursday. Utah State notified him of its intent to dismiss for cause July 2 after an investigation found he failed to comply with Title IX policies regarding the reporting of sexual misconduct cases.
“These reporting requirements include a prohibition on employees outside the USU Office of Equity from investigating issues of sexual misconduct, including domestic violence,” the school said. “Additionally, Anderson failed to manage the team in a manner that reflects USU’s academic values.”
The response said the university began its investigation last year following an incident that occurred in April 2023. The document referred to Kansas' dismissal of then-football head coach David Beaty in 2018 as starting a trend in college sports where schools attempt to manufacture reasons to fire highly paid coaches without paying the agreed upon buyout.
