Karson Templin becomes fan favorite at USU
With his wavy, bouncing blonde hair held back by what has become a signature headband, junior forward Karson Templin has grown into a pivotal piece for Utah State University Men’s Basketball. In his third year with the program, Templin has not only played an important role for head coach Jerrod Calhoun’s Aggies, but he’s also become a fan favorite, as evidenced by the frequent, rhythmic chanting of his name by the HURD when he’s on the floor.
“I don’t really remember when the chant started, but I remember my freshman year, I didn’t play a ton. I played a little bit, but they had a little Karson Templin fan club, and they were all wearing wigs and had a sign,” Templin said. “That was a pretty surreal moment.”
#22 Karson Templin celebrates after making a momentum-building shot against Fresno State in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum on Jan 4, 2025.
That strong culture and bond between fans and players is part of what lured Templin to Logan in the first place.
“The culture of Utah State is just so good,” Templin said.
Templin, a native of Fairview, Texas, originally committed to former USU head coach Ryan Odom in high school. Odom then left for Virginia Commonwealth University before Templin arrived on campus, leaving Danny Sprinkle at the helm to welcome him.
Even as the coaching carousel fired up again a year later when Sprinkle left for the University of Washington, Templin wasn’t fazed.
“I knew the fans and the guys who stayed around were going to be great, and so just knowing I was going to a winning program regardless of the coach,” Templin said. “I didn’t know much about coach Sprinkle but just had the confidence in Utah State as a school and a program, and it’s an amazing place. Logan’s great.”
This commitment to the program rather than any one coach is in part due to the relationship Templin has built with Mason Falslev. Falslev, a Cache Valley native, was involved in Templin’s recruitment to USU and has since played a role in keeping Templin around.
“We kind of clicked as soon as we met. He’s a really nice guy and a lot of fun, so I think that you can relate to anyone on any level, and since coming here, we’ve gotten pretty tight,” Templin said. “Me and Mason always talk, especially whenever the coaching rumors circulate. We’re like, ‘Hey, if you stay, I’m staying.’”
Though both players are juniors, Falslev is several years older than Templin, as Falslev went on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints out of high school and redshirted his freshman year. Partially because of that age gap, Templin considers Falslev a mentor and role model.
Recently, Falslev’s influence on Templin has extended beyond the hardwood.
“He loves it out here, and he’s begging me to find a girl from Cache Valley,” Templin said.
Karson Templin, 22, and Mason Falslev, 12, during game in the Spectrum, Jan. 28. Photo by: Alyssa Cook
Standing at 6 feet and 9 inches, a height listing he thinks is generous, Templin is considered undersized for the position he plays. Many of the top forwards and centers in the Mountain West Conference have several inches on him, which can make battling them in the paint a difficult task.
Despite the size difference, Templin frequently tries to outperform bigger bodies through executing the intangibles.
“I’ve always been looked at as an underdog. I’m going to give everything I have on the court every night to help my team win,” Templin said. “Being undersized — you have to do the little things. You have to play harder, move a little faster than the big guys.”
In addition to trying to out-work the competition, Templin said he relies on another key factor to advance his game: the guidance of former Aggie Great Osobor. Osobor was a member of Utah State’s 2023-24 Mountain West champion team and was named the Mountain West Player of the Year for that season.
Templin was Osobor’s backup as a true freshman and credits Osobor for advancing his skillset in a number of ways.
“He kind of just showed me what it was like to be a college basketball player and work hard every day, and you have to take care of yourself and maintain a level of confidence,” Templin said.
Even since that Aggie team, the two have remained close, talking or texting several times per week.
“He’s just given me a lot of advice on things I need to do to improve my game and take my game to the next level,” Templin said.
Two years after winning the regular-season Mountain West championship and an NCAA tournament game with Osobor, Templin finds himself again in the thick of a race for a conference championship and an NCAA tournament run. This time, though, Templin is one of the top contributors for his squad — as was the case with Osobor before.
After appearing in all 34 games as a sophomore, Calhoun expected Templin to be a crucial contributor. Templin started the first eight games of this season for the Aggies before freshman Adlan Elamin was inserted into the starting lineup, pushing Templin to one of the first off the bench.
For many, this would be seen as a relegation to a lesser role. Templin, however, said he focuses on making an impact on the game in whatever way he can.
“I just kind of like being that spark plug off the bench,” Templin said. “We have probably eight or nine guys on this team who could all start at a lot of schools in the country, so it’s a lot of that. And starting or not, as long as I’m finishing games and helping the team win, I’m happy.”
As the season has grown old and the calendar gets closer to tournament time, Templin’s production has continued to improve, according to Calhoun. Templin’s experience has played a role in that uptick, but his head coach saw the potential the whole time.
“He fits our system really well. I think he’s really bought into how we play. I think he’s comfortable,” Calhoun said. “Confidence is a scary thing. When you get confidence, you’ve got to have it from your teammates, but the players have got to see it from the coach.”
Karson Templin dunks the ball against Weber at the Spectrum on Oct. 18.
About halfway through the season, Calhoun sat down with Templin and told him what the team needed from him and how he could get better in those areas.
“It wasn’t a very fun conversation. Coach said some things and motivated me in a lot of different ways, and I responded to that,” Templin said. “Credit to him. He knows how to coach me. Sometimes, I need to hear those things to get me motivated because he knows my potential more than I do. So yeah, it definitely has boosted me, and I’m glad he did that because it’s paid dividends for our team and for me.”
While Templin and the Aggies look forward to upcoming tournaments where they hope to make some noise, Templin’s experience looms large. Templin is one of five returners who played in the Mountain West and NCAA tournaments last year with Calhoun. The remaining 10 are a combination of freshmen and transfers, most of whom haven’t played in either tournament.
Templin is counting on his previous experience to help guide the Aggies to what they hope is a deep run in each.
“I’m excited to get a third crack at it, and I definitely know the type of atmosphere we’ll be playing in and how much build-up there is to that game,” Templin said. “It’s not easy playing on a big stage, and I think I’m ready for it this year more than I was last year and the year before, and hopefully I can get my teammates ready for it too.”
In the meantime, Templin, with his fan club sporting blonde wigs and headbands cheering him on, can be found diving after loose balls and sliding around the gym as several thousand students sing his name to their familiar tune.