Utah State - Blake Anderson's 'fact-finding mission' broke rules - ESPN

Utah State's athletic director and university president told football coach Blake Anderson that he was fired for attempting to personally investigate the circumstances of a player's domestic violence arrest, according to a termination letter obtained by ESPN Friday.

Anderson contacted the girlfriend and roommate of a Utah State football player in April 2023 after learning that the player had been arrested due to an alleged domestic abuse incident, according to an investigation commissioned by the university. Anderson said he was on a «fact-finding mission» to determine if the player should be suspended or if they needed to take any further action, according to an investigative report obtained via public records request.

University officials received the final report, which was conducted by the Husch Blackwell law firm, on July 1. The school announced it has placed Anderson on leave on July 2 and formalized their decision to fire him on Thursday. A letter signed by athletic director Diana Sabau and university president Elizabeth Cantwell cited several reasons for firing him, but highlighted his efforts to «investigate» the player's behavior rather than immediately report the issue to the university's Office of Equity.

«Most egregiously, you engaged in investigative efforts regarding the domestic violence arrest, including meeting with and collecting written statements from the potential victim and another witness,» the letter states. «You undertook these actions following an arrest and while a criminal investigation was ongoing.»

Anderson denied mishandling the situation via his attorney, Tom Mars. Mars said that he will pursue «all available legal remedies» while stating the school owed Anderson the buyout money