Utah State Basketball: Coaching Launchpad

0:00On March 26, Utah State basketball has turned into the ultimate coaching launch pad in college hoops. Coaches come in, rack up quick wins, and NCAA tournament trips, then bolt for bigger programs. The latest is Jared Calhoun, who posted a 55 and 15 record over two seasons, made two tournament appearances, and just left for Cincinnati. Before him, Danny Sprinkle won 28 games in one year, and headed to Washington. Ryan Odom stuck around for two seasons with a 44 and 25 mark before jumping to VCU and then Virginia. Craig Smith took three years, when 74 and 24, and landed at rival Utah. That's four coaches gone in six years. Fans in Logan might grumble about the turnover, but the program's stability shines through. The Aggies hit six of the last seven NCAA tournaments, including a canceled bid in 2020, due to the pandemic. They just finished their four straight 25 win season, sweeping the Mountain West titles and advancing before falling to top-seated Arizona.

1:01Looking back, this pattern holds with proven hires from smaller schools, who build fast. The one exception was an internal pick after a long tenured coach who struggled without a tournament run. Now, with an assistant leaving, too, expect another outsider to keep the wins coming. Utah State's jump to the Pac-12 next season could change things, bringing more exposure and resources to maybe hold on to town and longer. Still, their track record proves they thrive no matter who leads, feeding success to the sport one coach at a time.