Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes
LOGAN — A former Utah State University football player has settled a federal lawsuit against the school and the football team's head coach for $150,000, attorney Lauren Hunt confirmed.
The suit alleged retaliation by the team and staff after Patrick Maddox recorded and shared team meetings that included derogatory comments about sexual assault victims — retaliation that led to Maddox leaving the team.
"While the university disputes the allegations made in Mr. Maddox's lawsuit, we have resolved this matter to allow the university to move forward with continued efforts to strengthen the culture in the USU football program," the university said in a statement to KSL.
"USU has said those kinds of things for years with all the other cases that have happened over the past decade, so it's kind of hard to take their word on it," Maddox said in response to USU's statement. "But I hope that, given the changes that have happened in the past year or two, some substantial progress can actually be made with Utah State."
Court documents said the recordings Maddox shared of an August 2021 team meeting "highlighted the problematic manner in which USU handles conversations about sexual harassment and assault."
Maddox's recordings captured remarks made by Anderson and campus and Logan police chiefs. This included the campus police chief's "problematic" comments about some women who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who "may tell church leaders that sex was nonconsensual even if it was consensual."
The release of those recordings led to the resignation of the Utah State police chief and an apology issued by head coach Blake Anderson.
Maddox said he shared the recordings to support a friend, then-USU student Kaytriauna Flint. Flint, who has since graduated, settled a December 2021 lawsuit against USU for $500,000 in October 2022 in exchange for her dropping her claims that the school mishandled her report of being raped by a USU football player.
"Men, as a whole, can do better," Maddox said. "They can be more accountable, and they can carry themselves in a better way."
Maddox experienced harassment and retaliation by teammates and team staff members after he released the recordings, including having his cleats stolen and his belongings "doused" in protein shakes, according to court documents.
This behavior continued even after being reported to team officials, and Anderson told team members that Maddox had "made a mistake" and could be punished by players however they "saw fit," the documents allege.
"Patrick officially left the team due to the retaliation taken by fellow teammates and coaches against him, and the hostile environment they created for him, for making and distributing the recordings of the football meetings," the lawsuit states. "The reaction of the football team and coaches following the leaked recordings emphasizes the toxic nature that exists in USU athletics, and USU's continuing deliberate indifference to a known and obvious risk of sexual assault."
Anderson tweeted a statement in response to the lawsuit on Oct. 28, 2022, saying, "Misconduct and violence will never be acceptable in our program. I care deeply about Patrick Maddox, as I do all of our players. Before and after the incidents at issue in this lawsuit, I supported Patrick as a player and in his goals for the future. I wish him nothing but the best."
Anderson has retained his position as head coach. In a statement released by USU, Anderson said, "Since becoming the head football coach at Utah State and throughout my career, any misconduct I have learned about, I dealt with swiftly and immediately. I have zero tolerance for sexual misconduct, and I look for frequent opportunities to educate my coaching staff and team on preventing sexual assault and relationship violence."
The university also said in its statement that Anderson, other football coaches and athletics leaders have been trained by the USU Office of Equity on how to address sexual misconduct and "avoid victim blaming language."
All USU student-athletes will now receive training on relationship violence and sexual misconduct, and can report anonymous tips to the athletic department, the statement said.
"All Aggies are encouraged to speak out against sexual misconduct and report it to the university," the university said. "USU strictly prohibits retaliation against individuals who speak out or report incidents of sexual misconduct to the university."
Although Maddox is skeptical about USU's changes, he said he hopes Cache County policing will improve, that victims will be believed and receive justice, and that athletes will improve their conduct.
"I hope ... athletes can understand that they're in a position where they can actually provide some really positive outcomes for the community, because a lot of people look up to them," Maddox said, adding that he hopes athletes will stand up for women and victims to help Cache County and Utah State "become a much better and safer place."
In the statement from USU, the school's interim athletic director, Jerry Bovee, said the school will hold athletes accountable. He called the most recent arrest of a USU football player, Kingsley Krey Holliday, "deeply concerning and not in line with our values and the overall culture of USU athletics." Holliday was accused of pulling a woman he did not know away from an event and raping her.
Holliday, 22, was charged earlier this month with rape and forcible sodomy, first-degree felonies; obstructing justice, a second-degree felony; and aggravated kidnapping, a third-degree felony.
"This issue is a lot more prevalent than people think it is, and people really need to start taking it seriously, especially in athletic programs," Maddox said in response to the allegations against Holliday. "If change isn't made and if people don't actually start believing and supporting victims, the issue is never going to stop."
Maddox graduated from USU this spring with a degree in business management and an emphasis in wealth management. He now coaches football at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon.
