Cincinnati set to hire Utah State’s Jerrod Calhoun as next head coach

Cincinnati is set to hire Utah State head coach Jerrod Calhoun as its next head coach, sources tell On3. He emerged as the leading candidate in the last week.

Calhoun is a former Cincinnati student assistant under Bob Huggins. The Bearcats have committed to funding their NIL payroll at a high level, with sources estimating it will be over $10 million. Calhoun has led the Aggies to two consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, including a first-round win last week over Villanova.

Cincinnati fired Wes Miller earlier this month and formalized his exit last week. Miller did not make the NCAA tournament once in five seasons with the Bearcats. Calhoun is expected to return them to annual tourney contenders. Not since Mick Cronin’s tenure has Cincinnati made back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances in 2019 and 2018.

The East Liverpool, Ohio, native was a student assistant under Huggins before rejoining him as the director of basketball operations at West Virginia. Calhoun was hired at D-II Fairmont State in 2012, posting a 124–38 record. He was hired at Youngstown State in 2017 and posted two 20-win seasons before arriving at Utah State in 2024.

Calhoun has a buyout believed to be worth around $4 million. He is 55–15 in two seasons with the Aggies. Utah State exited the NCAA tournament on Sunday night with a loss to No. 1 seed Arizona in the West Region.