FountainofUte

If the magic number is 40. Based on these rankings and trying to build four geographical groups of 10, here’s what it might look like:

EAST
Duke
North Carolina
Ohio State
Michigan
Michigan State
Penn State
Pitt
Maryland
Kentucky
Tennessee

DEEP SOUTH
Alabama
Georgia
Florida
LSU
Florida State
Clemson
Arkansas
Auburn

MIDWEST
Notre…[Read more]

By the way it’s looking, I’d slice the pie like this:
NIL 48%
Playing time 47%
Some blend of coach and school rep 5%

Obviously it’s going to be tough.

The confluence of perfect timing of talent, experience, and depth on the team, coupled with extreme luck of the bounce of the ball, lack of injuries, probably help from other teams making your path easier. I just can’t fathom a season where Utah is the last team standing.

It’s not impossible, but it’s so hard…[Read more]

This is where I am too.

Yes, our attendance and vibe at mbb right now is bad. But it didn’t used to be…until the program has slogged along for most of the last two decades. And 8 years w/o an NCAA berth is crazy.

I know it’s chicken/egg, but the unfortunate reality is that some coach is going to have to figure out how to build a…[Read more]

I can’t either, but can you imagine if we did!? Boy howdy.

It is a hire like that that we need. We can’t eff around anymore. This has gotten bad.

On one hand I feel like our program is miles from where it needs to be. And on the other, I think the fix could be quick if the right moves are made — possibly even by Smith (though I’m losing faith f…[Read more]

Here’s what I’d do if I were recruiting the Runnin Utes…

First, it goes without saying that we need the biggest, baddest, most athletic and NBA-bound studs we can find. Easy to say. Hard to do. But we’ve landed those guys in the past, and we’ll keep getting them in the future. Just gotta keep digging and we’ll get our share. No big surprise…[Read more]

I agree with those saying that it seemed like the right idea at the time to lock up LK. If you capture that very moment in 2015 when he signed it, we had literally just been to the Sweet 16 the month before. Not only that, but we had basically that whole team coming back minus Delon. (That included Poeltl who was clearly a stud, Kuzma who was…[Read more]

Why is KGRZ too much like “Cougars”? Did no one think this through?

I’d love to see a scenario where (from Utah’s perspective) we play one home game vs B1G/ACC and one road game vs B1G/ACC every season. It could alternate (e.g. vs Michigan/@Virginia Tech in ’22, then vs VT/@Michigan in ’23), or you just move on from year to year to new teams (e.g. vs Michigan/@Virginia Tech in ’22, then vs Syracuse/@Iowa in…[Read more]

It’s a shame if we go to 8, even though I get why. But much of the blame rests at the feet of the playoff selection committee. The teams they rewarded with a spot became the teams to emulate. So rather than punish an SEC team for playing 8 conf games, 2 FCS games, and 10 home games by leaving them out of the playoff, they reward them and even…[Read more]

I’ll have to say Majerus for me. Like others, I’m a Gen-X’er who has no memory of a coach before him. At the time, all I cared about was the winning that he brought and the prestige that came to the school and community that I’m proud of. In the years since, as I hear more about his oddities and mean streak I see him a little differently. I’ll be…[Read more]

Agreed. I think (read: hope) we’ll be fine. But yes, it’s waaaaay too soon to be frustrated or bummed about the kinds of guys CS is losing vs bringing in. Like was said above, it looks like we were going to lose Micky, Timmy, and Plummer no matter what. And the second we changed coaches Ian was likely out the door. I’m actually stoked that we…[Read more]

Agreed.

I will say, the public-ness of the AJ interview made me think it was a done deal. Maybe it was closer than we think, because if it’s just an easy “no” that can be handled over the phone w/o an on-campus interview.

With that said, who the heck was Rick Majerus? Who the heck was Ray Giacoletti or Jim Boylen? We knew who Larry was with his…[Read more]

I’m with you. I’m not as nervous as some about his lack of HC experience. When someone has “it” things will be fine, and AJ has “it.” I think someone like Moser might hit the ground faster in some ways, but I think AJ is actually the better bet the longer he’s here. I think he has more to offer than many guys like Moser, Smith, and Pope.

I get that he’s not the nationally sexy hire, and maybe a controversial local hire with folks skeptical about his HC inexperience, but he may just be exactly the right guy. And he doesn’t want it, no worries. I don’t blame him if the NBA is where he wants to stay. Totally undertandable.

I guess I’d put myself in the “supporter” camp — only because I know I’m not in the “100% fire” camp. Here’s what my ledger looks like:

The Good:
– I do think he’s a good, honest guy with a strong work ethic
– He runs a clean program, gets kids to class and graduates the ones who stay
– I think he’s a long term guy if things make sense for both s…[Read more]

When he grows up a crazy hard-core Ute fan and the worldwide communication grid is down so that he’s unaware of any programs outside of the Beehive state. So in other words “we” need to create him and then start the apocalypse. Get busy, folks!

Kidding aside, I expect no 5 stars unless it’s a freak circumstance. It really would have to be a…[Read more]

You’re both kind of alluding to this, but I think it’s FAR more important that we get the right person in than that we get LK out. By that I mean, yes, if we can get the home run hire this spring, we do it, but if Harlen isn’t liking what he’s seeing as he sniffs around, better to hold on to LK for another year rather than settle for second best…[Read more]