Utah State intends to fire Blake Anderson as the head coach of USU, per an official announcement on Tuesday. This is in regards to Anderson’s alleged actions a year ago which would violate his contract and university policy.
According to the announcement, this is 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.” Interim athletic director Jerry Bovee and USU director of player development and community Austin Albrecht were also fired due to “violations of university policies related to the reporting of sexual and domestic violence and failures of professional responsibilities” according to the announcement.
“As leaders, we are responsible for ensuring allegations of USU policy violations are investigated,” the announcement said. “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.”
Earlier in the day, ESPN reported Anderson was on administrative leave from his duties.
Anderson has two weeks to respond before he is terminated. He was also the team’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
Who’s The New Head Coach At Utah State?
Defensive coordinator Nate Dreiling will be Utah State’s interim head coach for the 2024 season.
Dreiling was going into his first year as the DC for USU. He had spent the previous two seasons as New Mexico State’s defensive coordinator.
A former linebacker at Pittsburg State, Dreiling played professionally briefly for the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Kansas from 2015-16 before going back to Pittsburg State to coach safeties (2017) and be the team’s defensive coordinator (2018-19).
He was then a defensive analyst at Oregon in 2020 before being an inside linebackers coach and defensive run game coordinator at Southeast Missouri State in 2021.
What’s Utah State Head Coach Blake Anderson’s Salary?
Blake Anderson signed a contract extension late in 2021 which would end after the 2027 season. He made $1.4 million in total pay in 2023, according to USA Today.
Blake Anderson’s Coaching History
| Years | Team | Position |
| 2023-present | Utah State | HC/OC/QBs |
| 2021-22 | Utah State | HC |
| 2014-20 | Arkansas State | HC |
| 2012-13 | North Carolina | OC/QBs |
| 2010-11 | Southern Miss | OC/QBs |
| 2008-09 | Southern Miss | QBs/Run Game Coordinator |
| 2007 | Louisiana | OC/QBs |
| 2002-04 | Middle Tennessee | Co-OC/WRs |
| 2001 | New Mexico | WRs |
| 1999-2000 | New Mexico | RBs |
| 1998 | Trinity Valley CC | OC |
| 1995-97 | Trinity Valley CC | QBs/WRs/DBs |
| 1994 | Howard Payne | WRs |
| 1993 | Eastern New Mexico | WRs |
| 1992 | Eastern New Mexico | GA |
What’s Blake Anderson’s Record?
Blake Anderson is 74-54 in the FBS as a head coach. He’s gone 23-17 in the last three years at Utah State and was 51-37 at Arkansas State from 2014-20.
Anderson is 3-6 in bowl games with a 1-2 record in bowls while at Utah State.
How Old Is Blake Anderson?
Blake Anderson is 55 years old.
Blake Anderson’s Background
In 10 years as a head coach at Arkansas State and Utah State, Anderson had one losing regular season, which was his final year at Arkansas State in 2020. He led the Red Wolves to two Sun Belt Championships in 2015 and 2016 and helped the Aggies win a Mountain West title in 2021.
After his playing career, first as a quarterback and wide receiver at Baylor and then as a wideout at Sam Houston, Anderson began his collegiate coaching career at Eastern New Mexico. He was a graduate assistant there in 1992 and then coached wide receivers in 1993 before moving on to coach wideouts at Howard Payne in 1994. After that, he was a recruiting coordinator who coached quarterbacks, wide receivers, and defensive backs at Trinity Valley Community College from 1995-97 and was the team’s offensive coordinator in 1998.
He’s been an OC at Louisiana (2007), Southern Miss (2010-11), and North Carolina (2012-13) and a co-offensive coordinator at Middle Tennessee (2002-04). He also coached wide receivers at New Mexico in 2001 – where he also coached running backs from 1999-2000 – and Middle Tennessee. He coached QBs at Southern Miss from 2008-11 – where he was also a run game coordinator from 2008-09 – at Louisiana in 2007 and at North Carolina from 2012-13.
