Either Way it’s on Larry

[Utah5410]

Transfers, No Transfers, Lack of talent, too much talent not enough playing time. It’s embarrasing that Larry has gotten away with it for so long. We have been to the tournament two times in his tenure. That is my issues. This is his tenth year. So 8 out of the ten years Larry has been our coach we have not made the NCAA tournament. Even though he is paid like he gets us in every year (But I won’t go down that rabbit hole). Larry got us to the tourney in 15/16. He did a great job resurrecting us from the dead with literally nothing. Since then, he has been nothing sort of mediocre. NEXT YEAR is the theme, but the program turns over every year, every year becomes next year. Again, people on the baord argue our guys that transfered sucked so what does it matter. Or they were headcases. Fine, whatever. But, the ball stops with Larry, he recruits the guys, he brings in the “talent”, he orchastrates the “fit”, he gets the “team Guys”who “buy in”.  Say what you want about BYU hoops (who yes I know we beat) and Rylan Jones will be a stud, that kid isnt going anywhere. But at least every year they have direction. 

Utah Basketball is/was an instituion in the west. That has been replaced by Gonzaga. We should not be missing the tournament 8/10 years. It is unaceptable. Before, people go off on how I love Whit, at least Whit has a direction. He has never been the best recruitor (Although he has and continues to improve) Whitt, sees his deficincies and changes, adapts, coaches his guys up, maximixes there talent, and his teams rarely if ever fold or quit (minus the TX game). 

With K it is always an excuse, any notice after loses he never does post game interviews one of his assistants does them.  You who disagree can flame away all you want, but I expect more from Utah basketball, I get how many fresman and sophmores we have and blah blah this is more than just this year. This is a yearly problem.  K is the problem, wish we could buy him out. Bottom line with Whitt I always feel I know what I’m going to get game by game year by year and no he is not perfect, but he acknowledges that an improves. K just doubles down, blames others, kicks guys off the team and feeds us the same BS. 

Stoked they beat Kentucky, BYU, Minesota. That just makes it more frustrating, Gach may be the next to transfer, whi knows man. 

Always love the Utes, if we get everyone back with the gusy coming in, we could be good NEXT YEAR, but  history hasnt shown that. Guess we will see. GO UTES 

[chinngiskhaan]

Dude, just stop. You do this after every loss. If you expected this team to win a lot, that is a you problem. If you didn’t, why do you care?

[Central Coast Ute]

His seat has to be getting a little warm, no?

[gUrthBrooks]

Interesting to me is the lack of “Bigs” development on the team. J. Johnson took way too long to develop and left. Battin looks like his outside game is coming along but we don’t have an inside presence to score the ball and own the paint. I’m curious why you don’t play the 7’5” every minute considering where the program is at at the moment. That kid needs to be eating 5,000+ calories a day and hitting the squats, deadlift, mix in some upper body, etc. he can be a real asset. I’m wondering what his parents are thinking at the moment?

[Cesar Chavez]

NOT! Specially having just signed the 18th best class in the country and the 1st in the PAC-12.

however, in a couple of years if these teams are not competing for the PAC 12 championship and at least a trip to the sweet 16, then absolutely YES.

[AlohaUte]

Here’s the thing, considering how long he’s been at the U, he should have a better and more stable program than he has. Something isn’t working. I willing to give him next season to see if these recruiting classes gel. But if the Utes don’t make the tourney in 20-21 season, he needs to go.

[Utah5410]

Stop what man ? Either way you want to justify it. The guy has gotten us to the tournament 2 of 10 years. THAT IS A FACT. It is always “NEXT YEAR”. I really do not understand why or how anyone has confidence that he is the one to turn it around. So one expects UTAH to make it every year (although they should). But come on, LarrY is the CEO, he hires the staff, recruits the players, builds the offense and defense (or lack there of) and win or lose praise or criticism the buck stops with him. At least Whitt understands that.

[astUTE]

i don’t post complaints very often, but i have to say, i’m feeling very unhappy with the current program direction as well.  I’ve said in the past, I will give Larry this year and next.  I do see some hints of the sort of recruiting and development that led to the 2015 and 2016 years where I really felt Larry had this program back on the right track.

However, a lot of departures next year, or failure to make the tourney, and I’m planning to stop buying season tickets, tickets that I’ve had since sometime during Pimm’s tenure.

I’ve paid for 2 or 3 season tickets and attended virtually every game since Majerus left.  That’s 15 years, with three different head coaches (not counting Rupp who simply finished out Majerus’ last year). In that time Giac took us to the Sweet 16 with Majerus recruits once out of three years, Boylen, lost in the first round once (out of four years), and Coach K has a Sweet 16 and a second round appearance in 8 years (i assume we will not be going this year).

Four apperances in 15 years, is not what I think anyone expects from the Utah progam.  However, that is where we are.  If that appears to still be where we are at the end of next year, well, i’ve been exceedingly patient, but will be no longer.

Nothing would make me happier than to have Coach K and this team succeed. But i’m not going to continue to throw good money and time after bad.

[gUrthBrooks]

I agree. Bottom line: with the salary Utah is willing to pay a coach and the facilities and budget they are willing to invest, Utah is not getting the ROI that it was expecting. The fans expectations of more tourney appearances is reasonable compared to the resources poured into the program. But money does not equal smart money and good players don’t mean the program is being run well. I wish we had more answers as to what is holding back the player development and or players wanting to leave.

[EagleMountainUte]

Payment

[Ute2]

People need to realize how big kuzma leaving early was.

That team was primed to be pretty special and he was primed for a big season.

And the entire perception of the program would be different.

I don’t think it’s so crazy to rag on coach k like I think it’s crazy to rag on Whitt. K has made some mistakes.

But perspective IS a big deal. You can’t blame Larry for kuzma leaving and him leaving was a complete game changer.

[Utesby1]

i guess I am in the minority but I think Timmy is a ball hog. When he gets the ball the offense comes to a halt because everyone know he is going to drive, to his right, and throw up some stumbles, off balance, wrong footed prayer of a shot hoping to draw a foul call. Now that other teams in the Pac-12 have scouted him they are forcing him left, and letting him throw up all the prayer shot he wants. That is why his scoring average has dropped so quickly.

[Ute2]

He was so dang good for so long!

You’re right, they’ve scouted him and now he needs to take the next step as a passer.

Az state was impressive the way they passed out of the double and whipped the ball around!
Hope everybody took note.

I think we started to do that yesterday but we’re just babies at it… but I really like that we’ve started cause we weren’t doing that earlier in the losing streak

[chinngiskhaan]

I’m not defending the coach. My issue is that you weren’t on here bitching about it when we were playing good. I’d be happy with a new coach, but losing these games was inevitable. If you want to kick against the pricks go right ahead. This team has potential, but they are also very young and have a few major holes.

[Utah5410]

Read my post. My issue is with the coach and his year in year out bull****. This year, last year, next year it is all the same. And again if you read my post the fact the team Beat Kentucky, BYU, Minnesota makes it that more frustrating. As a poster said earlier, you would like that this far into his tenure you shouldn’t have consistent let downs. But again, my issue is the tournament. Great they beat Kentucky, awesome they beat Minnesota. THEY ARE LIKELY NOT GOING TO MALE THE TOURNAMENT AGAIN. And we just say “oh well next year and then we lose “key guys” and then repeat. My issue is with the coach. If you don’t understand that then you aren’t seeing the big picture of where the basketball program is.

[Staples]

You’re not wrong and the stats back it up. Allen has by far the highest usage rate on the team (30.9%) and is only 7th on the team in offensive efficiency. It’s not all on him because someone has to try to score sometimes, but there are definitely times when as soon as he gets the ball you know it’s going up regardless of the defense.

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