Tag: Gary Andersen

Aug 30, 2019; Winston-Salem, NC, USA; Utah State Aggies head coach Gary Andersen stands on the field during the second half against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at BB&T Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Andersen out as Utah State coach

Posted on | by Field Level Media

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

Oct 5, 2019; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Utah State Aggies head coach Gary Andersen looks on during the first half against the LSU Tigers at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Utah State coach: Player opt-outs ‘not an option’

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The NCAA has allowed players the choice to opt out of this season and have required schools to honor the scholarships of any players who will do so.

For Utah State, however, that doesn’t appear to be an option.

“At least in our program, we don’t have an opt-out. And it’s not an option,” Aggies coach Gary Andersen said during a conference call last week, per the Salt Lake Tribune. “If you opt-out, you’re not with us.”

While Utah State’s athletics department confirmed to the newspaper that no players have opted out this season, the quote gets into a dicey area given the world’s climate during the coronavirus pandemic. It also raises an eyebrow given Andersen’s recent history of moving from school to school.

Andersen posted a 26-24 record in four seasons leading Utah State from 2009-12, including the team’s first bowl game in 14 years in 2011. After an 11-2 record produced the team’s first outright league title since 1936 in 2011, Andersen left Logan for Big Ten powerhouse Wisconsin.

He went 19-7 in two seasons with the Badgers, then surprisingly departed for Oregon State. However, Andersen agreed to part ways with the program in the middle of the 2017 season having posted a 7-23 record in two-plus seasons.

Andersen spent the 2018 season as an associate head coach and defensive line coach at Utah.

The Mountain West previously voted to cancel the 2020 season in August, but the conference changed course on Sept. 24. Instead, it opted to hold an eight-game season.

The Aggies are slated to begin their season against Boise State on Oct. 24 and conclude the regular season against Colorado State on Dec. 12, playing eight straight weeks.

–Field Level Media