Karson Templin Announces Return To Utah State For Third Year
Apr 14, 2025, 12:15 PM | Updated: 4:22 pm
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JANUARY 15: Karson Templin #22 of the Utah State Aggies gestures after hitting a 3-pointer against the UNLV Rebels in the first half of their game at the Thomas & Mack Center on January 15, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LOGAN, Utah- The Utah State Aggies are building on some offseason momentum following their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance and incredible success under first-year head coach Jerrod Calhoun.
In the wake of Calhoun signing an extension to remain in Logan and Mason Falslev striking a deal to return for his junior season, Karson Templin has also expressed his commitment to the program, returning for a third season instead of entering the transfer portal.
Let's get it! Back for year 3, thank you to the coaching staff for believing in me and the Blue A Collective for keeping their commitments and making this happen.
Can't wait to be back in the spectrum and for another great year. Go Aggies🤘❤️ pic.twitter.com/mrunMyDJ3D— Karson Templin (@karsontemplin) April 14, 2025
Sophomore Season Development For Karson Templin
In his first two seasons as a member of the Utah State Aggies, Karson Templin has provided a spark off the bench as a core piece of the second unit.
The 6’8 forward shined in stints during his freshman year under Danny Sprinkle, getting on the floor in 23 games, but averaging just 7.6 minutes. Regardless, the experience helped him develop and improve going into his sophomore season.
In 2024-25, Templin’s role grew, as did his opportunities. The growth in Templin’s game was noticeable almost immediately when he put up double-figure point totals in three of the first four games of the season, something he didn’t do even once in his freshman year.
He was also getting significantly more minutes as his average skyrocketed from 7.6 to 17.1 minutes per game over the course of the season.
Karson even started three games for the Aggies in 2024-25 against Montana, Nevada, and in the NCAA Tournament against UCLA, showing that he had clearly gained Coach Calhoun’s trust to be able to start in the team’s biggest game of the year.
In the 2024-25 season, Karson Templin averaged 7.4 points and five rebounds. He also shot 29.5% from three-point range, an impressive rise from 20% his freshman year. Karson had several strong performances this season, but his best was an 18-point, 10-rebound double-double in an 89-83 win over Fresno State. He was 5-8 from the field and 2-2 from beyond the arc.
🏀 Highlights from @USUBasketball's 89-81 win at Fresno State pic.twitter.com/QAaEBvPDM6
— Mountain West (@MountainWest) February 8, 2025
Overall, Templin continued to be the energy guy for the Aggies off the bench, but his development in being able to hold his own inside while also stretching the floor with an improved three-point shot showed how pivotal his play can be to Utah State’s success going forward.
Why This Is Important For Utah State
Continuity from year to year has become a luxury in college athletics, something the Aggies know from experience over the last few years.
Over the last five seasons, Utah State has had four different head coaches in charge, and since new transfer portal and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rules were implemented, rosters have also looked extremely different from year to year.
With a new head coaching hire last season, the only three returners were Mason Falslev, Karson Templin, and Isaac Johnson, forcing the new coaching staff to field their roster primarily from the portal, bringing in seven transfers.
Now, after uncertainty following the season, Jerrod Calhoun, Mason Falslev, and Karson Templin, who all certainly had lucrative offers to jump ship and take their talents elsewhere, are staying at Utah State.
RELATED: Per Jon Rothstein, Jerrod Calhoun Finalizing Deal To Return as Head Coach Of Utah State
This rare stability in this day and age of college sports will give the Aggies the chance to truly build from last season to next. While the squad did lose pieces like Ian Martinez, Dexter Akanno, and Aubin Gateretse to graduation, only Isaac Johnson, Deyton Albury, Pavle Stosic, and Braden Housley have entered the transfer portal. With just four departing transfers so far and eight days remaining in the current portal window, the only Mountain West teams with fewer exits are San Diego State and Nevada.
This means that along with Falslev and Templin, players Tucker Anderson, Jordy Barnes, and Isaac Davis are all seemingly coming back in 2025-26, allowing the returning coaching staff to supplement the already strong roster with transfers as opposed to building a team entirely from the portal.
RELATED: Mason Falslev Confirms Return To Utah State For Junior Season
It has also become less common for top players for mid-major teams like Mason Falslev and Karson Templinto to turn down the chance to jump to a Power 5 program. This can be seen even just within the Mountain West Conference with Donovan Dent transferring from New Mexico to UCLA, Obi Agbim jumping from Wyoming to Baylor, Dedan Thomas Jr heading from UNLV to LSU, and so many more.
For Utah State, this much returning firepower to a team that already made the NCAA Tournament will mean high expectations heading into next season.
About Karson Templin
The 6’8, 217-pound Templin played his prep basketball at Lovejoy High School in Fairview, Texas.
the blonde one! https://t.co/626xrBkp5Y pic.twitter.com/9c8qjbRy1l
— USU Men's Hoops (@USUBasketball) April 4, 2024
As a senior at Lovejoy HS, Templin averaged 20.7 points, 11.1 boards, 2.2 assists, and two blocks per game. During his prep career, the second of four children earned Texas 5A all-state, two-time 5A all-region, two-time district MVP, three-time first-team all-district, and Defensive Player of the Year as a three-year starter with the Leopards.
Lovejoy teams went 76-17 with Templin in the lineup.
