A very familiar refrain was being sung at Utah State this offseason and Aggies fans are likely sick of this happening. For the fourth time in six years, this program saw success and reached the Big Dance only for its head coach to be poached by a bigger program. That occurred yet again earlier this year, as Jerrod Calhoun was plucked away by Cincinnati after two remarkable years in Logan.
Fresh off a 29-win season that included an MWC title and a first round win in the Big Dance, Utah State is embracing a new direction in multiple ways. First off, the Aggies join the new Pac-12 and certainly become one of the contenders in that league. Secondly, they managed to do some plucking of their own, grabbing Ben Jacobson as their next head coach, taking a man who had spent two decades over at Northern Iowa in the MVC.
Some changes for the Aggies
There’s obviously a big difference between what happened last season and what’s going on now and in the near future for the Aggies. Calhoun took a few players with him, while Utah State also lost several veteran pieces in the offseason. Fortunately, the cupboard is not entirely empty while Jacobson and his staff also grabbed some notable names both through the portal and in other means.
Nobody knows just what the future holds for this new Pac-12 but there’s a fantastic opportunity for Utah State to show that they’re the real deal. In reality, a team with multiple Tourney wins in the last three years doesn’t have much to prove. It’s all about how Jacobson comes into this program and attempts to maintain that recent momentum. Did Utah State hit coaching gold for a fifth straight time?
Projected Starters
Guard – AJ Bates (Junior)
After brilliant work at Louisiana Tech, Bates joins the Aggies and should see considerable run at the point. A 6-3 guard from Houston, we took a major step in his development last year, putting up 12.1 points and 5.9 assists as a sophomore with the Bulldogs. We’ll see just what kind of development his shooting can take after some rough numbers at times last year, though Bates is a floor general and fantastic addition into the fold.
Guard – Dallin Hall (Senior)
A late offseason addition and a valuable veteran presence, Hall is back in his home state for what should be his fifth season of college ball. After three solid years with BYU, Hall was a full-time starting guard at Virginia, averaging 5.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.4 assists for the Cavaliers. He’s another important backcourt piece who doesn’t have the gaudiest numbers but works hard on both ends and that long-term experience cannot be understated.
Guard – Mason Falslev (Senior)
The best news of the offseason revolved around Falslev’s return for his senior year. Entering his fourth year as a full-time starter for the Aggies, he’s fresh off a junior year where he was named MWC Player of the Year with 16.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists a game. Falslev does much of his work inside the arc but is a great scorer and fantastic defender who once led the MWC in steals, and will be a certain backbone for this team.
Forward – Karson Templin (Senior)
Whether or not he’s in a starting role moving forward, Templin is another experienced player with this program, entering year four at Utah State. The MWC Sixth Man of the Year last season, he put up 8.8 points and 4.2 rebounds and is renowned for his strength and physicality. After flirting with the transfer portal, he’s back and should be even better as a senior, with the potential to become one of the top scorers and rebounders for this crew.
Forward – Connor Turnbull (Senior)
A fresh face in the frontcourt, Turnbull joins the Aggies as the likely starting center after two year stops at both Butler and Evansville. The Missouri native was a backup with the Bulldogs, but Jacobson saw him up close in the MVC in recent years. Turnbull missed half the season with injuries but managed 11.5 points and 6.1 rebounds last year. He’s trending in the right direction if he can stay healthy and could certainly develop into an important interior scorer and defender.
Key Reserves
Guard – Ace Reiser (Sophomore)
A notable transfer guard from the JUCO level, Reiser enters this lineup after great work at the College of Southern Idaho last season. He’s not just a quick point guard; Reiser has great potential thanks to his long-range shooting and ball handling abilities. Expect him to play backup minutes at the point with the opportunity to earn more play as he familiarizes himself in this system.
Guard – Brayden Boe (Sophomore)
We did not see Boe on the court last season, as he took a redshirt year with Utah State. A former 4-star guard out of Oregon, there’s a lot to like about his game, especially after taking a year to build himself up and familiarize with the college game. His mid-range shot is great and there’s potential to become a fantastic all around shooter, though he’ll certainly have opportunities after sitting out last year.
Guard – Solomon Callaghan (Junior)
Another transfer piece added into the backcourt, Callaghan spent his underclassman years at Wright State, becoming a starting guard for the Raiders last season. That sophomore season was pretty valuable, contributing 10.2 points per game while making just under 40% of his 3-pointers. Callaghan has sharpshooter potential and should be one of the more reliable veteran options off this bench.
Forward – Will Hornseth (Junior)
Following Jacobson from Northern Iowa, Hornseth is a 6-8 forward who was a full-time starter for the Panthers last year. He put up 11.1 points and 4.6 rebounds as a sophomore and was an important piece as Northern Iowa reached the Big Dance. Lineups are still being figured out in the weeks to come, though Hornseth could certainly see more of a starting role thanks to his interior presence and familiarity with what Jacobson will want from his team.
Forward – Collin Mulholland (Junior)
Mulholland is an underrated transfer addition, as the 6-10 forward heads over from Chattanooga. Largely a bench piece with the Mocs, he’s coming off a sophomore year where he averaged 7.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. The staff is excited about his size and playmaking ability even if those numbers don’t jump off the page, as there’s always room for more frontcourt depth in this system.
Wing – Kingston Tosi (Sophomore)
There wasn’t a role for him to play last season, but Tosi is ready to contribute for the Aggies after redshirting as a freshman. Another former 4-star prospect, his versatility and size is the first thing that stands out about him. He’s an athletic wing who can put the ball in the basket in a number of ways and has every chance to prove himself as a tough go-getter on both ends this season.
Center – Sean Felts (Junior)
The lineup has a few minor pieces at the backend, though we’re including Felts above the others because of his potential. A former JUCO big man at Snow College, he was among the most notable centers coming up from the junior college level and is both a poised scorer and impressive presence around the rim.
Schedule Outlook
Utah State’s first five games come at home, but let’s not act like nonconference play will just be easy street for the Aggies with all these changes. They should be favored in each of those games, though UC San Diego is among them and is never an easy matchup.
Things get more challenging later in November, with Utah State heading to Palm Springs for the Acrisure Series and matchups with SMU and USC. Right afterwards, they have a tough November 29th matchup at New Mexico, their former MWC rival, but that’s far from their only challenges on the road in nonconference.
After December begins against Montana at home, there’s a big challenge as the Aggies head to BYU on December 9th. Another road trip comes later in the month as they’ll head to Frisco, Texas for the Texas Legends College Classic. Those matchups against Tulsa and George Washington won’t be easy, though they’re following up by two home dates before Pac-12 play begins in January.
It’s just a 16-game schedule due to the size of this new conference, giving Utah State two looks at each of these teams. Many will circle their matchups with Gonzaga, hosting the Bulldogs early on January 21st before the return game just before Valentine’s Day. There’s also the rivalry with San Diego State, with both of those games in February. Also note a nonconference matchup at Memphis on February 20th that fills out the schedule.
Season Outlook
In a way, we’re almost automatically expecting that a fifth straight coach is going to come to town and turn the Aggies into an NCAA Tournament team that can generate noise. Jacobson has significantly more experience than any of the Aggies’ recent hires and seems ready to turn this team into one of the best in the Pac-12, but let’s not act like everything will be easy street for this team.
Admittedly, there is a lot to like about what Utah State has brewing in the backcourt. This was already a talented lineup even before Hall joined the fold late in the offseason and his presence and experience are invaluable on a new-look squad. After all, it’s not entirely new-look with a great scorer in Falslev back, hoping to win even more conference honors in the Pac-12. Don’t ignore how important Bates could be as a facilitator or someone like Callaghan as a sharpshooter off the bench.
Over the years, Jacobson has fostered a flurry of successful big men at Northern Iowa and is hoping to keep that up with the Aggies. He’s got a familiar face back in Hornseth and a returning big in Templin who can be a major playmaker. Things are a little more complicated at the center position, though Turnbull is an experienced big expected to take another step forward while pieces like Felts add depth and could rise into major roles down the line.
Life is forever changed at Utah State in the Pac-12 and we’ll come to see just what that means for this program. The potential is right there for this new unit to make noise right off the bat, much like several recent Aggies squads have done. Falslev, Hall, and the rest of this talent can absolutely be a top-tier team in the Pac-12. Has lightning struck for a fifth time with Jacobson leading the charge?
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