Blake Anderson, who was fired back in July at Utah State following allegations from the school that he violated Title IX reporting requirements related to an athlete's assault case from the spring of 2023, has filed a lawsuit against his former employer.
The wrongful termination suit alleges that he was the scapegoat for the school's ongoing issues with the Department of Justice, while also stating that he followed the school's protocol that was in place.
Anderson, who 55 years old and had four years remaining on his contract when he was let go, is seeking $15 million in damages.
"Multiple schools have expressed a high level of interest, but have stated that they are concerned about the optics," the lawsuit, which was filed in District court this week shares.
The lawsuit also alleges that athletic director Diana Sabua engaged in a public smear campaign of the college coaching veteran where she "knowingly or recklessly made false or misleading statements."
According to the Salt Lake Tribune, Utah State's issues with the Department of Justice stretch back to 2017, when the DOJ began looking into sexual misconduct and harassment within the football program, fraternities, and even the school's piano program.
Anderson, who went 23-17 in three seasons leading the Aggies, arrived on campus as head coach in 2021 after a successful 51-37 run as the head coach at Arkansas State.
Defensive coordinator Nate Dreiling was tabbed as the interim head coach for the season, and he's led the program to a 3-7 mark with games remaining at San Diego State and Colorado State.
Stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.