Official Utah basketball coach candidates thread.

[SeattleUte]

Watching BYU play UTEP and sitting there throwing eye daggers at Tim Floyd (junkie can attest), but as his team fell further and further behind, I couldn't help but wonder if he wishes he were still coaching in the PAC instead if coaching UTEP. It is a desirable conference for hoops.

I would imagine that right now is a great time for Utah to make this move. Any new coach coming in will be able to recruit under the PAC banner, he will be following a dud so expectations will be very low and the bar of success will be very achievable, he will be taking control of a once proud brand-name that has relatively recent tournament success to its credit, and the salary will be generous, again, relatively speaking (assuming that right now is not a great time for Utah to skimp on a head coach).

Boylen is a dead man walking.

Yes, if anything the Pac 12 transition should hasten his departure. A good time to clean house. Also, a new coach would inherit an experienced team and have an opportunity to substantially exceed low expectations. Majerus' first year he took over a team not unlike this one, horribly coached with some players, Majerus would quickly prove, who in the right system and with the right guidance could accomplish super special things.

You can't just kiss off those kids who left last year as alcoholics and uncoachable. That was a Bronco-like smear, and I know that the people purveying it had basketball office ties. I'm still furious about last early offseason's developments. What a debacle. Where we've wound up only makes it worse.

[CardiacCoug]

You guys would be lucky to get Dave Rice. He would turn things around fast. I wish he could succeed Rose eventually.

[UteStar]

It is only a matter of time, so lets get this started right now. We know what we have in Boylen and it isn't pretty. There is a certain amount of risk with pulling the trigger now, but worst case scenario we end up with someone like Mike Dunlap or Tommy Connor. Hell, we end up with Dave Rice, I would be pissed off but still I'll take the unknown over the known bad.

The Utes cannot pull the trigger right now. That would be insane. It is not fair to the new coach, the old coach or the players. You just get through the season.

Unless the Utes turn it around, Boylen will be gone by the end of the year. The crowds have been atrocious. I can basically yell to my friends across the court at any time of the game and we can have a conversation. The team is digressing as the season progresses.

With all that said, I would have no problem with a Gillespie, Eustachy or even a Tim Floyd hire. I don't want an assistant coach (Boylen) and I don't want a head coach from a small university who has had limited success with them (Giac).

I am still all about letting Boylen finish out the year and see what he can do. I still believe that this team is as talented of a ute team in years...but outside shooting and a crummy offense are dooming it.

[Portland Ute]

Utah won't be replacing a BBall coach any time soon.

The big bucks from the PAC10 are a few years away.

Next year will be like the MWC revenue.

We cannot a) afford to buy out Screamin' Jims contract or b) offer the kind of money that would attract anyone that is any better than Boylen.

Also, we would have the dubious distinction of firing two coaches just 2 years removed from NCAA appearances and conference championships. It's probably not fair to any close observer of the program, but it will be the perception.

Frankly, unless some donor/s step up to buy out Screamin' Jim AND provide enough cash for a true, proven commodity, then there will be no switch?

And why should there be? Going bargain basement is not going to get us anywhere. People are mentioning names like Tommy Conner, Randy Rahe, Rupp.... Seriously? How is that any kind of an improvement? All that really does is prolong the pain by having yet another coach to fire and replace.

[CardiacCoug]

Unless the Utes turn it around, Boylen will be gone by the end of the year. The crowds have been atrocious. I can basically yell to my friends across the court at any time of the game and we can have a conversation. The team is digressing as the season progresses.

Now I want to attend a Utah basketball game just to try this out.

Sounds awesome, UteStar.

[SeattleUte]

Utah won't be replacing a BBall coach any time soon.

The big bucks from the PAC10 are a few years away.

Next year will be like the MWC revenue.

We cannot a) afford to buy out Screamin' Jims contract or b) offer the kind of money that would attract anyone that is any better than Boylen.

Also, we would have the dubious distinction of firing two coaches just 2 years removed from NCAA appearances and conference championships. It's probably not fair to any close observer of the program, but it will be the perception.

Frankly, unless some donor/s step up to buy out Screamin' Jim AND provide enough cash for a true, proven commodity, then there will be no switch?

And why should there be? Going bargain basement is not going to get us anywhere. People are mentioning names like Tommy Conner, Randy Rahe, Rupp.... Seriously? How is that any kind of an improvement? All that really does is prolong the pain by having yet another coach to fire and replace.

I've had it with your negative attitude. My inside sources say you are wrong. Do you know anything or just being a foul wind bag?

How high can Boylen's buy-out be? We got him on the cheap (I presume, he was our fourth choice), and after this season there's only a year left on his contract. If Hill did his job, there is not an expensive buy out.

Hill can add program turnouver and discouraging direction to his reasons for the firing.

I'm looking forward to a Ute coach making the NCAA playoffs with players that Majerus had nothing to do with attracting to Utah.

[doctorcoug]

What will boylenover do with his handle?

[old_gregg]

My inside sources say you are wrong.

are these the same "inside sources" they have over on cougarboard?

[Top Ute]

I've had it with your negative attitude. My inside sources say you are wrong. Do you know anything or just being a foul wind bag?

How high can Boylen's buy-out be? We got him on the cheap (I presume, he was our fourth choice), and after this season there's only a year left on his contract. If Hill did his job, there is not an expensive buy out.

Hill can add program turnouver and discouraging direction to his reasons for the firing.

I'm looking forward to a Ute coach making the NCAA playoffs with players that Majerus had nothing to do with attracting to Utah.

Apparently, you missed this bit of news from two years ago:

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=635&sid=6468789

So Boylen has three years left on a deal that averages $850K. Unless Hill got really creative in the buyout clause, we're likely on the hook for no worse than $1.5 million if we fire him at season's end. If you can get away with it for $1 million, you do it without thinking where the money is coming from.

[SeattleUte]

Apparently, you missed this bit of news from two years ago:

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=635&sid=6468789

So Boylen has three years left on a deal that averages $850K. Unless Hill got really creative in the buyout clause, we're likely on the hook for no worse than $1.5 million if we fire him at season's end. If you can get away with it for $1 million, you do it without thinking where the money is coming from.

It doesn't take much creativity: "We'll pay you 850K a year; if we fire you, we pay you $100K to call it even."

[Top Ute]

1. Seth Greenberg. Has it all -- he's a winner, has been out West (and won big at LBSU) and has an Urban-like persona that would immediately catch on with the fans. He can win 25 games in the Pac-10 and not be snubbed by the selection committee, too.

2. Gib Arnold. Damn I wish Jimmy could make it another year so we could really evaluate the job he's doing at Hawaii, but has too much of what we need for us to emphasize his lack of HC experience.

3. Randy Rahe. Would take the job in a heartbeat, but I know little about his recruiting chops.

[Portland Ute]

Apparently, you missed this bit of news from two years ago:

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=635&sid=6468789

So Boylen has three years left on a deal that averages $850K. Unless Hill got really creative in the buyout clause, we're likely on the hook for no worse than $1.5 million if we fire him at season's end. If you can get away with it for $1 million, you do it without thinking where the money is coming from.

Don't confuse this sausage wallet with facts, SCP.

Aside from perusing final scores, this guy follows Utah athletics as closely as the Pope does.

[DrumNFeather]

Blaine Taylor, Old Dominion. Ties to the west and was a candidate before.

I suppose they could kick the tires on Larry Krisrtooewwodkaiak, and get him much cheaper than they would've before.

Even if he says no, you have to look at Randy Bennet.

[mUUser]

Same candidates as last search:

1. Experienced coaches with a unattractive baggage - Gillespie, Eustachy etc...
2. Incestual relationships - Connor, Rahe, Rice etc...
3. Razor thin resumes of diamonds in the rough - Dunlap & the 2 dozen other Boylens of the basketball world.

I suspect our next great coach will be in group three and still like Dunlap ever since Majerus retired, but don't ask me to defend it. Its a matter of figuring out which one of these guys is Urban/Kyle of the hardwood.

Good luck with all that Dr. Hill.

[SeattleUte]

Gillispie doesn't have much baggage. He has taken care of his drinking problem, by all reports. He's paid his debt to society for the DUI's. He's not the first coach that has been devoured by that Kentucky job. His "baggage" is completely different than Eustachey's because it was entirely personal and took place apart from work or campus environment. He didn't fit in at Kentucky and Kentucky was looking for an excuse to sack him so it could hire a recruiting hot shot. He'd take this UTah team and have them in the Sweet 16 like he did A&M the year after it was terrible. There's no stigma in giving him a new chance. Everybody deserves a chance to redeem themselves. It's a good thing, not a bad thing, to grant that. Plenty of people have recovered from alcoholism and done great things. Indeed, many admired people like Chris Hitchins are continuing alcoholics.