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LOGAN — Blake Anderson intends to sue Utah State University, alleging it wrongfully terminated him last month, according to a document the former the football coach shared on social media platform X Wednesday afternoon.
Anderson has retained the law firm Bearnson and Caldwell, the document says, and "a complaint of breach of contract and other wrongful acts taken by USU" is currently being prepared.
Anderson was fired by the university last month for violating Title IX policies regarding timely reporting of domestic and sexual abuse. Other Utah State administrators were also fired, including former deputy athletic director Jerry Bovee, football program's director of player development Austin Albrecht, and former senior associate athletic director Amy Crosbie.
Bovee and Crosbie have since filed an official grievance with Utah State.
UPDATE - Below is a press release prepared by my attorney to address my position moving forward and some of the concerns circulating in the media. Thank you pic.twitter.com/MUjoKTzP9p
— Blake Anderson (@CHbanderson) August 21, 2024
The document Anderson shared claims that current athletic director Diana Sabau, along with "certain members" of Utah State's administration "have unfortunately chosen to lead what is essentially a public smear campaign" against the former coach.
"The public arena is typically not the preferred place for these types of disputes to be aired," the document says, "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."
The document also says Anderson "does not condone any type of abuse whatsoever," and that he "followed all the proper reporting processes during his time at USU and throughout his lengthy coaching career, and has always complied with Title IX."
In a press conference on the football team's media day earlier this month, Sabau said firing Anderson and others was the first step in cleaning up the culture of the football program, which for years has been mired in controversies surrounding sexual assault.
