Utah State reportedly set to hire Northern Iowa’s Ben Jacobson as next head coach

Utah State appears to have found its next men’s basketball coach.

According to an ESPN report published on March 30, the Aggies are finalizing a five-year deal with longtime Northern Iowa head coach Ben Jacobson, who would replace Jerrod Calhoun after Calhoun left last week for Cincinnati. Utah State has not yet officially announced the hire.

Jacobson, 55, has been the head coach at Northern Iowa Panthers men’s basketball since 2006 and is the winningest coach in program history. He has led the Panthers to five NCAA Tournament appearances, including a Sweet 16 run in 2010, and has been named Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year five times.

Northern Iowa went 23-13 during the 2025-26 season and earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament by winning the Missouri Valley Conference tournament. The Panthers averaged 69.4 points per game this season and were known for a defense-first, half-court style of play.

Before becoming head coach, Jacobson spent 12 seasons as an assistant coach, including time at North Dakota, North Dakota State and Northern Iowa.

If finalized, Jacobson would take over a Utah State program coming off one of the best seasons in school history. The Aggies finished 29-7 in 2025-26, won both the Mountain West regular-season and tournament titles, and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Utah State also sold out season tickets for the first time in program history this past season, reflecting increased interest around the program.

Jacobson would become Utah State’s fifth head coach since 2021. Previous head coaches Craig Smith, Ryan Odom, Danny Sprinkle and Calhoun all left Logan for other opportunities over the past four years.

Utah State is set to join the Pac-12 beginning July 1, 2026.