Utah State Coach Out?

[teappotts]

It's on the twitters

[teappotts]

Administrative leave?

[teappotts]

Seems like a crappy time to make a change. Aggie board saying multiple AD personnel being let go.  

[teappotts]

https://www.ksl.com/article/51058977/report-blake-anderson-out-as-utah-state-football-coach

[Wyobraska]

That's rough timing for sure.  Hopefully the Aggies don't have an exodus in the portal and the DC can keep it all together.  

[LoFasZz]

Probably cuz he hired a murderer and tried helping cover it up

[masterfrog]

He has had a tough run the last few years. His first wife dies from cancer. His son dies from suicide and now this. 

[Claude G]

This now opens up the 30-day transfer window for Utah State players now.  Trouble is, most roster spots on Division one teams have been filled.

[NevadaFan]

On 7/2/2024 at 10:19 AM, Claude G said:

This now opens up the 30-day transfer window for Utah State players now.  Trouble is, most roster spots on Division one teams have been filled.

Norvell must be licking his grubby chops. Haha. Nevada, pick up the phone! 

[NevadaFan]

On 7/2/2024 at 10:08 AM, masterfrog said:

He has had a tough run the last few years. His first wife dies from cancer. His son dies from suicide and now this. 

I watched something on ESPN?? It was freggin horrible.  So sad. 

[justsurvive]

He gets fired over something that happened last year?  Why would they wait another year before firing him, especially in July, right before the MW media days?

 

https://www.usu.edu/today/story/usu-makes-significant-changes-in-football-program/

[NevadaFan]

On 7/2/2024 at 11:10 AM, justsurvive said:

He gets fired over something that happened last year?  Why would they wait another year before firing him, especially in July, right before the MW media days?

 

https://www.usu.edu/today/story/usu-makes-significant-changes-in-football-program/

Sounds like he had a relationship with an employee. Just a guess. This could be completely wrong. 

[Aggie84025]

On 7/2/2024 at 12:35 PM, NevadaFan said:

Sounds like he had a relationship with an employee. Just a guess. This could be completely wrong. 

Not all reports are out but there 3 alleged players who were accused of sexual assault reported to the title 9 office.  It sounds like Blake and few others including the interim AD did not follow proper protocol in dealing with those allegations as it pertains to title 9 policies.  Just plain stupid to not follow proper protocol in these type of cases.

[LoFasZz]

On 7/2/2024 at 11:35 AM, NevadaFan said:

Sounds like he had a relationship with an employee. Just a guess. This could be completely wrong. 

Sounds like you don’t know how to read 

[Nevada Convert]

He needed to go. He doesn’t know how to lead young men regarding respect for women. Simple as that. He’s been horrendous with that, and it’s obvious that they’re seeing signs that nothing has changed or worse. 

[madmartigan]

No way to paint this positively. A really bad look for USU. We've had an outsized amount of scandals in the AD the past few years. Embarrassing. 

[utgrizfan]

Welp depending on how the D-Coordinator does (honest doesn’t look good) who'd be a good hire?

Weirdly I think there is a Chance Coach Ken Niumatalolo could be a target despite being at SJSU. His character is flawless, devout Mormon and was considered for the BYU job a few years back so a job in Utah could be attractive to him.

Outside of that I'd have to say Jay Hill (who destroyed USU in his last year as HC at Weber State) who is now BYUs D-Coordinator and a few Big Sky coaches (Idaho, MSU, Montana etc.) might be in the mix.

[teappotts]

Why do coaches keep doing this? Just kick it up the ladder to the appropriate authorities and be done with it. I would much rather someone else deal with it anyway. Is this really that difficult?

 

[trvitmvnz]

Bryan Harsin time baby

[TrueAg]

DC Nate Dreiling was already named the interim head coach and will remain the head coach through the 2024 season.

There are several others in the AD being let go as well as a result of the independent investigation results. Supposedly it all revolves around the same lack of proper protocol for reporting the sexual assault incident in 2023. Anderson has already hired a lawyer who made a statement about how it's going to be very difficult for USU to fire Blake with cause since he claims he did what he was supposed to do as coach but his superiors failed to take the proper action.

The 30 day transfer window is not open to players because Anderson is on adminstrative leave, not officially fired yet. 

The closer it comes to Fall practice, the less openings there will be for players to jump ship. I still expect to see some player change over. I also expect Anderson will settle with the University out of court and each will go their separate ways. 

Many people feel the new AD, who commissioned the investigation with the backing of the USU president, had her hands tied by the results but also isn't personally saddened by the loss of Anderson.