[Trailgoat]

Under KW’s recent contract amendment we’ll know by 12/8 or 12/12-(if Utah is in the B12 championship) whether KW is staying for another year or not. His special advisor contract under the amendment was pushed to a two year $3.5 million
yearly contract term from the original 5 year, $995K yearly payout. Smart move by KW and UofU. KW has stated he would not coach past 65 y/o. I hope Utah has a solid year so KW can go out on a well deserved good note. Kw’s successfully lead the program through some very tough waters over the past five years. From a player investment stand point, Utah not shelling out a bunch of cash for unproven H.S. recruits is good business. Rewarding the in house good players and strategically paying for players in the portal you need seems to be a good strategy in the current landscape.

Will be interesting to see how Utah distributes the revenue sharing. Guessing football, mens BB, and gymnastics get the most. Skiing, woman’s BB or other Title IX sports get the remaining crumbs. I don’t know how colleges from an operational cost stand point are going to justify dumping money into non-revenue (nice way of saying financial liability) sports. One of many story lines in today’s changing college sports landscape.

[Trailgoat]

From a somewhat related perspective, IMO, what’s going on in college football is a last phase, gold rush money grab considering the long term trajectory decline in football participation and viewership. Youth tackle football over the past 10 years has declined roughly 30% nationally. H.S. football in the US last year had the lowest football participation number in 20 years. This will be a major factor in the next 5-10 years as the talent pool stagnates for the best football players. The 2025 College football championship game had 12 million less viewers compared to the 2014 championship game. Factor in the college football system gutting fans for cash at every possible transaction, and the toxic mismanagement, college football is in a precarious transition period. IMO, the SEC, BIG and media contraction is a business move preparing for the future. Next 5 years will be interesting.

[Trailgoat]

7-5 seems reasonable at this point. KW over the past 13 seasons (minus covid) averages roughly 5 loses a season. After the past two seasons of a 7-11 conference record and all of the coach and player turnover on O, man, I have no idea what to expect. Factor in the annual 1-2 WTF losses and 2-3 road losses, 7-5 record should be about right.

[Trailgoat]

This late in the portal game, Utah BB has little choice to fill a roster. AJ’s going to take some risk with bad attitude talent. He’s dealt with plenty of mental hopscotch with players in the G league and NBA. He will set expectations with players and not tolerate toxic behavior. Probably a last chance for this kid. Alex and his staff have deep connections to the NBA. Howard screws this stent up he won’t have a chance in the NBA. Next couple seasons are full rebuild. AJ may have a bigger challenge dealing with the dysfunctional athletic and school leadership getting in the way. Hopefully the new BB GM tells Harlan to keep his mouth shut and focus his time on going to tennis matches, and having lunch with the golf team.

[Trailgoat]

Interesting Cam not mentioning KW in his farewell letter. Some WTF head coaching moments not pulling CR out of the ASU game when he was clearly injured then stating he left it up to Cam to stay in when clearly he was struggling. The knee injury debacle. KW did not do a good job protecting CR on and off the field. Cam deserved better. Good for Cam going back to his home town to live and coach.

[Trailgoat]

Agree he’s a loss if it’s your 3rd or maybe 2nd talented player in the WR rotation. I have a hard time endorsing ZW as a top level play maker loss based on a breakout game against UCF and 15 days of Spring football. I was somewhat surprised ZW, per KW, emerged as the #1 WR considering WR was a top portal priority.

[Trailgoat]

Good point RU. If Utah’s #1 WR going into next season compiles a whopping 10 catches for 101 yards in two games last season, 70% of the production against an unmotivated 4-8 UCF team. WR recruiting and utilization is an inherent program problem that has not changed and never will under KW’s leadership. This is really nothing new.

[Trailgoat]

Maybe a dumb question. What is the ROI bucking up $1M for a kid to play 1 maybe 2 years? Hopes of a championship? Pride seeing the FB or BB make it to the playoff and March Tourney? Seems to me this is all fun money.

[Trailgoat]

Man, cleaning house might be the right move for AJ, coaches included. Plenty of players in the portal as good and better than what’s left over. The entire program needs a reset.

[Trailgoat]

Every Utah player should test their market value. Utah is a huge risk going into next season. Smart move jumping into the portal before Mondays game to get more PR on Fox Sports. If Dawes finds a program with established NIL, a stable culture, and in the mix for NCAA postseason play next season, it will be hard to keep him. Worked out well for Smith and Keita.

[Author]

Posts