Utah State’s Uncommon Coaching Carousel and Continued Basketball Success
Utah State University’s men’s basketball program has become a familiar face in the NCAA Tournament conversation, a consistent presence that even casual fans of college hoops recognize. Their frequent appearances in March Madness, including a victory in last year’s tournament, have solidified their status as a team to watch. However, a deeper dive into the Aggies’ recent trajectory reveals a narrative far more unique and compelling than mere consistent winning.
The program is poised to secure an NCAA Tournament bid for the third consecutive year, an impressive feat in itself. What makes this achievement truly remarkable is the fact that it has been accomplished under the leadership of three different head coaches. In an era where mid-major programs often struggle to retain both coaching staff and key players after periods of success, Utah State’s sustained excellence despite these transitions is a testament to the program’s resilience and the strong foundation it has built.
This season, the Aggies are led by Jerrod Calhoun, who took the reins in April after a successful stint at Youngstown State, where he guided the Penguins to back-to-back 20-win seasons. Calhoun is, in fact, the fourth different head coach to be hired by Utah State since 2018, highlighting the unusual level of turnover at the helm of the program.
“I think when I came out here I just felt an instant connection to the place,” Calhoun explains, emphasizing the importance of finding a program that aligns with his values and family. “I wanted to go to a place that kind of fit me and my family, and a place where they really care about basketball.”
There’s no arguing with that assessment. The Mountain West Conference is renowned for its challenging home environments, including venues like San Diego State’s Viejas Arena and New Mexico’s notorious "The Pit." However, Utah State’s Dee Glen Smith Spectrum stands tall among these intimidating arenas. The enthusiastic Aggies student section, known as the HURD, has earned a reputation as one of the loudest and most passionate in the entire country, not just within the Mountain West.
"I think what makes ours unique is just the care factor. Every new class that comes in really wants to take ownership of it," Calhoun observes, underscoring the critical role of the students in creating a formidable home-court advantage.
While the Aggies have thrived at home, road games proved more challenging late in the regular season. They suffered three losses away from Logan, including a decisive 27-point defeat against Colorado State. However, a significant non-conference road victory against West Coast Conference regular-season champion Saint Mary’s, coupled with a home-and-home sweep of perennial contender San Diego State, keeps the team in a favorable position. Heading into the Mountain West tournament, the Aggies boast an impressive 25-6 overall record.
Despite the strong campus support and consistent winning seasons, the program has experienced a significant amount of coaching turnover in recent years. Calhoun replaced Danny Sprinkle, who departed for Washington after a stellar 28-7 season. Sprinkle himself had been hired from Montana State, his alma mater, after Ryan Odom, famed for his upset victory with Maryland-Baltimore County, chose to return to the East Coast and accept the head coaching position at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) after a two-year tenure with the Aggies. Before Odom, Craig Smith led the program for three years before moving on to the University of Utah. Ironically, Smith was recently dismissed from his position with the Utes, adding another layer of intrigue to the coaching carousel narrative.
Calhoun recognized that his first priority was retaining key players from the roster assembled by his predecessor. He credits Athletics Director Diana Sabau for her proactive approach in laying the groundwork for a smooth transition.
“The student-athletes were part of the interviews,” he reveals. “That’s the first time I’ve had an AD do that, including the players. I just really fell in love with the mountains, with the history of the program, and with the whole process.”
Sabau explains the rationale behind including the players in the coaching search: “We had a roster filled with talented young individuals, and when it came to the ultimate decision I wanted them to know that their voice mattered.”
Of course, not every player remained in Logan. All-Mountain West selection Great Osobor followed Sprinkle to Washington. However, Mason Falslev quickly announced his return to the program after Calhoun’s hiring was finalized. Shortly thereafter, backcourt mate Ian Martinez also committed to returning. With these key pieces in place, the foundation for another 20-plus-win season was established.
"I think a lot of coaches make the mistake when they start out of wanting to bring in all their own people," Calhoun acknowledges. "I made all those mistakes at Youngstown, so I wanted to make sure I didn’t do that here. I wanted to get to know these kids, get to know their story, and just familiarize myself with the culture."
So, just how rare is Utah State’s accomplishment of reaching the NCAA Tournament for three consecutive years with three different head coaches? According to research conducted by Utah State’s sports media relations department, only one other school has achieved this feat since the tournament field expanded in 1985. Southern Illinois University (SIU) reached the 2003 tournament in Bruce Weber’s final season before he took the job at Illinois. The Salukis returned to the tournament in 2004 under Matt Painter, who spent only one year as head coach before becoming the coach-in-waiting at his alma mater, Purdue University. Chris Lowery then led SIU back to the tournament three times, including in his first year as head coach in 2005.
Curiously, this period of coaching instability at other programs coincided with a period of remarkable consistency and stability at Utah State under longtime head coach Stew Morrill. Morrill’s leadership helped put the Aggies program on the map. Utah State won at least 23 games every season from 1999-2000 through 2010-11, and made eight NCAA Tournament appearances during his tenure. The program experienced a bit of a decline after Morrill’s retirement in 2015, but Craig Smith restored the Aggies’ winning ways during his three-year stint from 2018-21.
With Utah State’s pending move to the soon-to-be-revived Pac-12 Conference in the summer of 2026, everyone associated with the program hopes to avoid being involved in the coaching search process for the foreseeable future. The move represents a significant step forward for the university and its athletic programs.
"That’s going to be a really great opportunity," Calhoun emphasizes, expressing his optimism for the future. "I really feel like we can win a national championship here." His confidence, combined with the program’s demonstrated resilience and the passionate support of the Aggies faithful, suggests that Utah State’s basketball success is far from over. The coaching carousel may have spun rapidly in recent years, but the Aggies have managed to maintain their course, consistently competing at a high level and representing their university with pride.
