Cincinnati Hiring Utah State Coach Jerrod Calhoun

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 20: Head coach Jerrod Calhoun of the Utah State Aggies celebrates a 86-76 victory against the Villanova Wildcats after the game in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Viejas Arena at San Diego State University on March 20, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) Getty Images Cincinnati is hiring Utah State head coach Jerrod Calhoun, according to multiple reports.

Calhoun, 44, will succeed Wes Miller who was fired after failing to reach the NCAA Tournament in five seasons. Miller has since taken the head coaching position at Charlotte. Calhoun is an East Liverpool, Ohio native who went 55-15 in two seasons at Utah State, with two NCAA Tournament appearances.

This year’s team was a No. 9 seed and beat Villanova in the first round before falling to No. 1 Arizona, 78-66, Sunday night.

Prior to that he coached at Fairmont Sate and Youngstown State. At a time when Cinderellas are an endangered species in March Madness, Calhoun will move up in terms of his NIL budget in the Big 12. “I think it’s on every coach’s mind, right around the country,” he said of NIL.