Utah's next coach

[SeattleUte]

Lost in this discussion is how respectful Boylen has been with his principle rival. He's understood the importance of the games but has never made the mistake of degrating his rival as others have. Instead he's chosen to be respectful and always complimentary.

Maybe that, more than anything, is why Ute fans want him gone despite an obvious team improvement this year?

I also think that tirade directed at Gordon Monson earned him at least a 2 year extension.

Yes, on my qualifications list is a coach who degrades and ridicules BYU. That is mandatory a far a I'm concerned. But I want him to do it with wit and elan, not like Roger Reid or Frank Arnold tried to put down Utah.

[Blueintheface]

Yes, on my qualifications list is a coach who degrades and ridicules BYU. That is mandatory a far a I'm concerned. But I want him to do it with wit and elan, not like Roger Reid or Frank Arnold tried to put down Utah.

Did I suggest BYU coaches haven't done the same? Your sarcasm aside, I think having a guy like Boylen has really seperated the wheat from the chaff in the Ute fanbase and the next coach will be the beneficiary of his cheerleading/fully immersed coaching style.

[Top Ute]

I agree that winning trumps everything, including pettiness, but Boylen had no choice with the defections/dismissals last year and found a real gem at the 11th hour.

I also agree that he may not know what to do with that admittedly short-term solution but at least the talent is currently better, right? That has to count for something. Of course I'm a fan of a historically mediocre team so...

It is better this year, but the bar was set so low last year, improvement wasn't tough to come by. Boylen, for better or worse, gets 2011-12 to prove himself, but I'm terrified as to what 2012-13 will provide after we lose Clyburn and Jiggy. We are relying on a lot of unknowns just to think we could get to .500 that year, and Boylen's history with HS kids leaves a lot to be desired.

[DrumNFeather]

It is better this year, but the bar was set so low last year, improvement wasn't tough to come by. Boylen, for better or worse, gets 2011-12 to prove himself, but I'm terrified as to what 2012-13 will provide after we lose Clyburn and Jiggy. We are relying on a lot of unknowns just to think we could get to .500 that year, and Boylen's history with HS kids leaves a lot to be desired.

It appears that Dominique Lee and Preston Guilot (sp?) are redshirting as well, so those are two unknowns heading into the 2011-12 season.

[SeattleUte]

Wouldn't it be great if we had a freshan kid to get excited about for once. The absense of that, more than any other factor, makes me lose confidence in Boylen.

[UteStar]

Wouldn't it be great if we had a freshan kid to get excited about for once. The absense of that, more than any other factor, makes me lose confidence in Boylen.

I think OBrien is a player that Ute fans should be excited about. Too bad he was injured right off the bat. Lee is also another player that I am curious to watch. I actually think that this past class (with JUCOs included) is pretty strong. With that said, I don't know if I believe that Boylen is one who can truly develop them.

[Blueintheface]

It appears that Dominique Lee and Preston Guilot (sp?) are redshirting as well, so those are two unknowns heading into the 2011-12 season.

Wasn't Guillot rated as a very high recruit on ESPN? 95 or something like that?

[DrumNFeather]

Wasn't Guillot rated as a very high recruit on ESPN? 95 or something like that?

I think so. He might have been the one LA was so high on. Maybe Boylen thought he could get away with a redshirt and use Jiggy and Hines at the point and save this kid for next year and beyond.

[SeattleUte]

I'll tell you one thing, we'll find out a lot about Boylen and these newcomers in the next half dozen games. Utah has Boise, SDS and BYU all at home. They have a wounded and probably originally overrated Butler on a neutral court. Boise is no pushover, almost beating Vegas in Vegas. This team has a chance to really pleasantly surprise us in the next six games, or, perhaps, the good ship Boylen will take on more water. We shall see.

[Top Ute]

It appears that Dominique Lee and Preston Guilot (sp?) are redshirting as well, so those are two unknowns heading into the 2011-12 season.

Here's what worries me about those two: Is Shaun Glover that much better than Lee? Is Chris Hines that much better than Guiot? If Guiot is that good, why did we go to the lengths we did to keep Hines?

My point is, if Lee and Guiot have any long-term potential, we'd be seeing them playing right now. Because what we're getting out of Glover and Hines is nothing to write home about. Those two are not players that should be receiving heavy minutes if you have any designs of being on the right side of .500. Glover especially has been a huge disappointment with an expanded role thus far.

Guiot and Lee may be unknowns, but based on who's ahead of them and what they're doing, it's safe to say they're not light-years better, either. With Tavita gone, I'm all in favor of pulling Guiot's redshirt now, especially if he can be anything close to a 40 percent shooter from 3. Heaven knows we need help from the perimeter.

[UteStar]

Here's what worries me about those two: Is Shaun Glover that much better than Lee? Is Chris Hines that much better than Guiot? If Guiot is that good, why did we go to the lengths we did to keep Hines?

My point is, if Lee and Guiot have any long-term potential, we'd be seeing them playing right now. Because what we're getting out of Glover and Hines is nothing to write home about. Those two are not players that should be receiving heavy minutes if you have any designs of being on the right side of .500. Glover especially has been a huge disappointment with an expanded role thus far.

Guiot and Lee may be unknowns, but based on who's ahead of them and what they're doing, it's safe to say they're not light-years better, either. With Tavita gone, I'm all in favor of pulling Guiot's redshirt now, especially if he can be anything close to a 40 percent shooter from 3. Heaven knows we need help from the perimeter.

Part of the reason that Lee is redshirting, from what I understand, is that he needs to get stronger...and that the staff knew Clyburn and OBrien would really fill that role well thus no need for Lee. I assumed Lee would redshirt from the start because with both of them and even Glover in a limited role, it was overkill so why not sit him this year.

Same for Guiot this year. Boylen absolutely planned on Jiggy taking most of the minutes this year with Kupets and Hines filling in when needed. Guiot could have played, but I have to agree with Boylen, there is no reason to play him when his minutes would have been so low.

[SeattleUte]

Part of the reason that Lee is redshirting, from what I understand, is that he needs to get stronger...and that the staff knew Clyburn and OBrien would really fill that role well thus no need for Lee. I assumed Lee would redshirt from the start because with both of them and even Glover in a limited role, it was overkill so why not sit him this year.

Same for Guiot this year. Boylen absolutely planned on Jiggy taking most of the minutes this year with Kupets and Hines filling in when needed. Guiot could have played, but I have to agree with Boylen, there is no reason to play him when his minutes would have been so low.

Is O'Brien coming back this year/season?

[Top Ute]

Part of the reason that Lee is redshirting, from what I understand, is that he needs to get stronger...and that the staff knew Clyburn and OBrien would really fill that role well thus no need for Lee. I assumed Lee would redshirt from the start because with both of them and even Glover in a limited role, it was overkill so why not sit him this year.

Same for Guiot this year. Boylen absolutely planned on Jiggy taking most of the minutes this year with Kupets and Hines filling in when needed. Guiot could have played, but I have to agree with Boylen, there is no reason to play him when his minutes would have been so low.

Guiot's minutes wouldn't be low if you really believed he could shoot 40 percent from 3. Even if you don't believe that, this goes to the heart of the problem with recruiting under Jimmy. Sub .500 teams should never be so overstocked at two positions, yet so deficient at others. We don't have a single true two-guard on the roster.

It baffles me that finding a capable shooter could be so tough with the emphasis on the 3-point shot at all levels of hoop. With Tavita, we had four PGs and five wings (Glover, O'Brien, Clyburn, DiMaria and Lee). Really tough to justify that kind of roster makeup.

And what does Boylen have coming in with one of our two available schollies for next year? At best, another Clyburn clone who won't take minutes from Will because he's not suited to be a 2. With O'Brien and Glover returning, he'll probably redshirt as well. Average-to-bad teams have no business recruiting so many players who will have zero impact in their first year.

[UteStar]

Guiot's minutes wouldn't be low if you really believed he could shoot 40 percent from 3. Even if you don't believe that, this goes to the heart of the problem with recruiting under Jimmy. Sub .500 teams should never be so overstocked at two positions, yet so deficient at others. We don't have a single true two-guard on the roster.

It baffles me that finding a capable shooter could be so tough with the emphasis on the 3-point shot at all levels of hoop. With Tavita, we had four PGs and five wings (Glover, O'Brien, Clyburn, DiMaria and Lee). Really tough to justify that kind of roster makeup.

And what does Boylen have coming in with one of our two available schollies for next year? At best, another Clyburn clone who won't take minutes from Will because he's not suited to be a 2. With O'Brien and Glover returning, he'll probably redshirt as well. Average-to-bad teams have no business recruiting so many players who will have zero impact in their first year.

I agree to an extent. I do agree that some of Boylen's recruiting decisions have been strange. I just didn't agree with you saying Lee and Guiot must not be very good because they are redshirting. They are playing behind the two deepest positions on the team so it makes sense that they are redshirting. Now, should they have been recruited to play two positions that the Utes are deep in...that is debateable. I just don't believe it means that they are are low quality players - it just means that the Utes have good players in those positions.

I want to see a real good quality big man. Monson probably won't be that guy. Foster will always be a nice 15 minute, block some shots kind of a guy but nothing beyond that. Washburn has potential, but the Utes need some depth at the big positions, not at the Small forward and point guard positions.

[jay santos]

We've hired HCs from the MAC and Big Sky. No coach from an inferior conference like the WCC is in a position to look down on Utah, save for maybe Mark Few. And he's only 1-1 against Utah.

Have you ever hired a head coach away from BYU in football or basketball? It's absurd to even consider. Run along.