Utah State HC Blake Anderson Apologizes for Comments About Sexual Assault Victims

Blake Anderson, the head football coach at Utah State, has apologized after making demeaning comments about sexual assault victims to his players during camp earlier this year. 

“In the course of that conversation, I used a phrase regarding victims of wrongdoing to magnify that message to our team, but after reading my comments in the transcript that was released, I realize my choice of words was hurtful,” Anderson said in a statement, per the Associated Press. “I regret the words I used, and I apologize to anyone who has bravely come forward with allegations of wrongdoing.”

Anderson could be heard saying it “has never been more glamorized to be the victim” of sexual assault in a recording obtained by Courtney Tanner and Jessica Miller of The Salt Lake Tribune before Utah State's game against Oregon State on Saturday in the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl. 

The recording was mentioned in a lawsuit filed earlier this week by a female student who alleges Utah State "mishandled her sexual assault report involving a football player," per the AP.

In a separate recording obtained by theTribune, Utah State University police chief Earl Morris could be heard warning football players about having sex "with women who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because they might later feel regret and report it as nonconsensual."

Players "laughed and hollered in response to Morris’ comments," per Tanner and Miller. 

Anderson is in his first season as head coach of the Aggies, who enter Saturday's game against Oregon State with a 10-3 record. He previously coached Arkansas State from 2014-20.