B-ball analysis?

[Roy Rangum]

I mostly follow Utah football and not so much basketball, so I would be curious to hear your guys general thoughts about the state of the basketball program.

It feels like Smith inherited a mess and sounds like injuries have been a part of it too, but I don’t know that I can really guess what our trajectory is. Is Craig Smith going to turn the ship around in years to come? Or is Utah b-ball a sinking ship?

[Itacoatiara22]

Hard to judge a coach with less than a year on the job. Time will tell. I’m sick of Utah sucking at hoops though.

[younglurch]

I haven’t watched a ton of basketball either. It is depressing how much our program has tanked over the last 5 years. I will say that I am a believer in Smith. He’s a high energy guy who got the most out of his USU teams. 

From the games I’ve watched, we just don’t rebound very well and don’t have a go-to scorer. The 14-point collapse against UW was not a great indicator for the trajectory of the program this season. 

[chinngiskhaan]

It really depends on what he is able to do in recruiting, and so far (and this may not be fair) it is not looking good. He did an admirable job of putting together any team at all this year. I’ll give him that. Since then, he lost a recruiting battle to BYU for a player that was born and raised a Ute. He would have been our highest rated recruit ever, and Smith somehow screwed that up… though I don’t think it’s fair to say that is entirely his fault given the state of the program before he arrived. Aside from that massive recruiting failure we have yet to receive commitments from any players for next year as far as I am aware.

[Stone]

Also must consider the NIL landscape on that recruit – rumors are that the recruit found signing with the Y much more financially lucrative. Cannot blame Smith for that.

[utefansince79]

Seeing a sort of a vicious cycle.  I was part of maybe 3000-4000 fans (a generous estimate) actually there in the stands last night with likely under 50 students (students used to have 6 sections which wasn’t enough when BYU, Wyoming, or UTEP was in town).   Year after year, the team keeps on losing and each year fewer fans attend.

We can show a recruit that fancy basketball center that Jon Huntsman generously helped build, but if they watch a home Utah game, then watch a home game in Provo with their rowdy boisterous students, I can see where they would decide that signing with the Cougars would be a bit more fun.

I’m giving coach Smith a few years to try to right the ship which is only fair considering the mess he inherited, but last night was a rough one to watch indeed.   

 

 

[Author]

Posts