Report: Blake Anderson unlikely to return to Utah State, Nate Dreiling named interim head coach

After being placed on administrative leave, Blake Anderson is unlikely to return to Utah State, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. Defensive coordinator Nate Dreiling was named the interim head coach.

It is unclear why Anderson was placed on leave, but it looks like his time with the program is done. Dreiling was added to the program this offseason after two years at New Mexico State as its DC.

Dreiling began his coaching career in 2015, as a GA for Kansas. He also coached at Pittsburgh State, Oregon and Southeast Missouri State.

Anderson is 74-54 as a head coach with Arkansas State and Utah State.

As a head coach, Anderson rose to stardom with Arkansas State, going 51-37 from 2014-20. He won two Sun Belt Conference titles and was 2-4 in bowl games with the Red Wolves.

He hit the ground running in 2021 with Utah State after he was hired. Anderson went 11-3, won the Mountain West and finished with an LA Bowl victory.

The Aggies finished No. 24 in the AP Poll in Anderson’s first year as head coach. Anderson played quarterback and wide receiver in college prior to his coaching career, suiting up for Baylor and Sam Houston State.

From there, he began his coaching career in 1992 at numerous colleges, steadily climbing the latter. His first Power Five job came in 2012, when he became the North Carolina offensive coordinator for two years.

Anderson’s dealt with personal tragedy over the last five years after he announced his wife Wendy passed away after a battle with breast cancer in 2019. His son Cason died due to suicide three years later.

“If you are hurting, if you are dealing with dark thoughts, if you are depressed, if you are dealing with grief so heavy that you don’t know what to do with it, please reach out,” Anderson stated in a mental health piece, via the team’s website. “There are people around you that want to help you. There are people that God has put in your life that want to carry your burden. They would much rather carry your burden than carry your coffin. 

“Mental health matters, I encourage you, if you or someone you know is hurting, step up, speak out and do everything you can to help them find the resources they need. Staying silent is too costly. I pray that those that are listening — if you’re hurting — that you won’t wait.” 

He married his now-wife Brittany in March of 2021. Anderson did welcome a newborn on June 29th, his son Cannon, as he announced on Twitter.