Official Utah basketball coach candidates thread.

[cougjunkie]

Kfan reporting that Mark Gottfried is the front runner for the Ute job.

[Jarid in Cedar]

Kfan reporting that Mark Gottfried is the front runner for the Ute job.

When the dust settles, this is who will likely have the job. I don't know if he is the front runner at this time, but Gottfried is going to be the next coach, IMO.

Rose, Bennett, and Kruger would be ahead of him out of the names that have been bantered around.

[UteStar]

When the dust settles, this is who will likely have the job. I don't know if he is the front runner at this time, but Gottfried is going to be the next coach, IMO.

Rose, Bennett, and Kruger would be ahead of him out of the names that have been bantered around.

Out of those 4 you have listed, I would put it at: Rose, Gottfried, Kruger and Bennett. I think Rose would be as close to a homer as possible. I like Gottfried because he wants to be here. I think he would recruit well and I think the Utes would get better and could have some solid seasons and some terrific seasons. He would need a good solid staff (hopefully he would keep Peery on the staff). I think he has more potential than Kruger. With that said, he could crash and burn more likely than Kruger. With Kruger, the Utes will have a solid stable program.

I like Bennett but, I don't know, I am just not convinced on him. If the Utes hired him, I would still be happy because he is significantly better than our last 2 hires. Larry K is interesting with a tons of potential and tons of potential for disaster. I am glad I am not Hill.

[scottie]

From ESPN today:

Gottfried the guy for Utah?

Former Alabama coach Mark Gottfried appears to be the frontrunner to replace Jim Boylen at Utah. That's the latest word from Dirk Facer of the Deseret News.

BlockU.com reports that in addition to Gottfried, current New Jersey Nets assistant and former Montana head coach Larry Krystkowiak has emerged as another leading candidate for the job. BlockU.com argues that while both have had success in their coaching careers, Gottfried has a distinct advantage in head coaching experience and a Krystkowiak would be the much riskier option of the two.

Utah athletic director Chris Hill has taken his time with this hire, so careful consideration is going into this. Some other possible candidates for the job? David Locke of LockedOnSports tweets, "Chris Hill is going to make a major mistake when he doesn't have the guts to hire former Ute Tommy Connor." Connor, who played and coached for the school, is currently in his 12th season at Westminster.

[Maximus]

How would you guys feel if the westminster guy was hired versus the coach k guy

[TripletDaddy]

How would you guys feel if the westminster guy was hired versus the coach k guy

the reality of the situation must be oppressive.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

I don't get Locke being so pro-Connor. If Connor was a really impressive coach wouldn't he at least have moved up from the NAIA ranks to Div 2 or 3 at some point in the last 12 years? That seems odd to me, perhaps he is the next great coach.

[LA Ute]

I don't get Locke being so pro-Connor. If Connor was a really impressive coach wouldn't he at least have moved up from the NAIA ranks to Div 2 or 3 at some point in the last 12 years? That seems odd to me, perhaps he is the next great coach.

Locke is an idiot. Your question is the right one, and there is no good answer to it.

Not that I feel strongly about this or anything....

[UteStar]

I like Tommy Connor a lot. From what I have seen and what he has done at Westminster, I think he could do good things. But, he should not be hired on as the head coach. I would love to have him as an assistant. That would be awesome.

Is ESPN really using blockU's analysis and Bleacher Report as the sources? With that said, I don't know why people are freaking out about Krysko being interviewed. I think Hill has probably interviewed a lot of guys.

[cougjunkie]

Locke is only on Connors jock because Doleac, VanHorn and Andre Miller are.

In fact they said the want Utah to assemble a staff of Connors as HC, Donnie Daniels, Chris Jones, Barrett Peery and Alex Jensen.

Krystowiak is a joke, he has never in his entire career spent more than 2 years at any one place. I think that is a huge red flag.

[FMCoug]

I think it would be funny if somebody put up a billboard on I-15 with a mock "Help Wanted" ad for the Ute coach.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Locke is only on Connors jock because Doleac, VanHorn and Andre Miller are.

In fact they said the want Utah to assemble a staff of Connors as HC, Donnie Daniels, Chris Jones, Barrett Peery and Alex Jensen.

Krystowiak is a joke, he has never in his entire career spent more than 2 years at any one place. I think that is a huge red flag.

Well those are 3 people who know substantially more about basketball than anyone else on this site.

I'm not an advocate of Tommy Connor as a head coach, but that would be a great staff. I really am hoping that whomever we hire as a coach brings back Donnie Daniels.

[UteStar]

Well those are 3 people who know substantially more about basketball than anyone else on this site.

I'm not an advocate of Tommy Connor as a head coach, but that would be a great staff. I really am hoping that whomever we hire as a coach brings back Donnie Daniels.

I would keep on Peery. I think he is terrific as an assistant and he knows his current team and he knows how to coach. I would be happy if they brought on either Al Jensen, tommy Connor or Daniels. Any one of those, I would be thrilled.

A good head coach is important...great assistants are vital. As I have said before, I am nowhere near panic-ing right now. We have no idea what is going on behind the scenes. When the hiring happens, then we can look at it and see what we think.

On another note - Coach Krysko is sitting on the Nets bench at the game tonight.

[MartyFunkhouser]

I would keep on Peery. I think he is terrific as an assistant and he knows his current team and he knows how to coach. I would be happy if they brought on either Al Jensen, tommy Connor or Daniels. Any one of those, I would be thrilled.

A good head coach is important...great assistants are vital. As I have said before, I am nowhere near panic-ing right now. We have no idea what is going on behind the scenes. When the hiring happens, then we can look at it and see what we think.

On another note - Coach Krysko is sitting on the Nets bench at the game tonight.

I'm not freaking out either. If it is Krysko, I would still rather go into the next season with him a our coach than Boylen.

The more you look at things, the more it was clear that Boylen had to be fired. Utah had no choice. The couldn't let him recruit 5 new players next year.

[UteStar]

I'm not freaking out either. If it is Krysko, I would still rather go into the next season with him a our coach than Boylen.

The more you look at things, the more it was clear that Boylen had to be fired. Utah had no choice. The couldn't let him recruit 5 new players next year.

I would take Krysko over Boylen. Boylen had to go. I am truly hoping for a hire that gets alumni and current students excited...but I don't know if a guy like that is available besides someone like Rose. Hill has a lot at stake with this hire...and he knows it. Hopefully we get someone that can come in and get this program back on its feet and to its rightful throne of awesomeness.