Lawyers: Blake Anderson to sue Utah State for wrongful termination - ESPN

Former Utah State head coach Blake Anderson intends to sue his ex-employer for wrongful termination, according to a news release from lawyers representing Anderson.

The suit, to be filed by the law firm Bearnson & Caldwell, alleges Utah State administrators including athletic director Diana Sabau of leading «a public smear campaign» against Anderson prior to his termination July 19.

Utah State fired Anderson after an internal investigation concluded he violated Title IX policies related to properly reporting sexual misconduct. The school's investigation suggested Anderson had improperly contacted the girlfriend and roommate of a football player accused of domestic violence in what the school called «a fact-finding mission» rather than allowing the school's office of equity investigate the situation.

Anderson told ESPN he did nothing wrong in handling the matter, and his attorneys called Utah State's explanation for the firing «misinformation.»

"[Utah State administration] including… Athletic Director Diane Sabau have unfortunately chosen to level what is essentially a public smear campaign not only against Coach Anderson and others, but also against USU itself," according to the statement from Anderson's lawyers. «The public arena is typically not the preferred place for these types of disputes to be aired, but given the amount of misinformation that has been publicly stated and released by USU, and more particularly Ms. Sabau, Coach Anderson herein states publicly and with certainty that he completely denies having engaged in any wrongdoing, and looks forward to the truth and details underlying that truth being revealed through the appropriate process — in a court of law before a selected jury of his peers.»

Utah State