Utah State Coach Reflects on Path to First NCAA Tournament Win

Jerrod Calhoun gets emotional after Utah State upsets Villanova in the Round of 64.

Mar. 21, 2026 at 5:24am

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In his postgame comments, Utah State head coach Jerrod Calhoun reflected on his journey to reach this point, including leaving a high-profile assistant job at West Virginia to become the head coach at Division II Fairmont State. Calhoun said he "always dreamed of this" moment of earning his first NCAA Tournament victory, which came after his team's 86-76 win over Villanova on Friday.

Why it matters

Calhoun's emotional comments highlight the perseverance and determination required to work one's way up the coaching ranks, especially for those who don't have the benefit of high-profile jobs early in their careers. His story provides inspiration for other aspiring coaches who may have to take untraditional paths to achieve their goals.

The details

Utah State was led by strong performances from Mason Falslev (22 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists), MJ Collins (20 points, 4 rebounds), Adlan Elamin (13 points, 7 rebounds), and Drake Allen (11 points, 6 assists). The Aggies will now face the Arizona Wildcats in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on March 22.

  • Utah State defeated Villanova 86-76 on Friday, March 21, 2026.

The players

Jerrod Calhoun

The head coach of the Utah State Aggies, who previously served as an assistant at West Virginia before taking the head coaching job at Division II Fairmont State.

Mason Falslev

A Utah State player who led the team with 22 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists in the win over Villanova.

MJ Collins

A Utah State player who scored 20 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in the victory over Villanova.

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What they’re saying

“We had a $30 million practice facility in the Big East, and I wanted to be a head coach. I went down the road to Fairmont State and started my journey with Joe Mazzulla and Paul Molinari and Mentors Robinson. And here we are, so when I get asked to speak at clinics, when people email me or call me, I always try to respond because I think there's a lot of great young coaches out there that could use some inspiration.”

— Jerrod Calhoun, Head Coach, Utah State Aggies

“It's not about me at this point; it's about surviving in advance. But that was the turning point for me, and I always dreamed of this, you know, watching guys like, you know, Jay Wright and all the great coaches in the NCAA Tournament. To get the first one, it's special. But hopefully, we get some many more.”

— Jerrod Calhoun, Head Coach, Utah State Aggies

What’s next

Utah State will face the Arizona Wildcats in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on March 22.

The takeaway

Jerrod Calhoun's emotional comments after Utah State's upset win over Villanova highlight the perseverance and determination required to work one's way up the coaching ranks, especially for those who don't have the benefit of high-profile jobs early in their careers. His story provides inspiration for other aspiring coaches who may have to take untraditional paths to achieve their goals.