Report: Andersen out as Utah State coach
Utah State is parting ways with coach Gary Andersen after an 0-3 start, USA Today reported Saturday.
The Aggies fell Thursday night to Nevada, 34-9, in their third straight blowout loss. The Mountain West Conference team lost its opener to Boise State 42-13 and followed with a 38-7 drubbing by San Diego State.
This was the second stop in Logan, Utah, for Andersen.
In 2009, the Utah native took over a downtrodden program that had only two winning seasons in 28 years. In 2011, the Aggies finished 7-6, snapping a 13-year streak of below-.500 play. The following season, the Aggies were 11-2, won the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl and ended the season ranked No. 16 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll.
With the team’s success, Wisconsin hired Andersen to replace Bret Bielema. After two seasons and 19 wins, he left the Badgers to take the head coaching job at Oregon State but resigned after two-plus seasons and a 7-23 record with the Beavers.
He returned to Utah State in December 2018, and the Aggies were 7-6 in 2019. He has a 59-63 career record.
Utah State is schedule to host Fresno State on Nov. 14.
Andersen, 56, made news in early October when he reportedly defied the NCAA’s requirement that players who choose to opt out of the 2020 season amid the coronavirus pandemic not be penalized, including through the loss of their scholarships.
“At least in our program, we don’t have an opt out. And it’s not an option,” Andersen said in a conference call at the time, per The Salt Lake Tribune. “If you opt out, you’re not with us.”
–Field Level Media
