Official Utah basketball coach candidates thread.

[cougjunkie]

Be that as it may, I will always have more connection to BYU than you will. Theres some irony for ya.

Are you related to Brigham himself? Because that is the only way I can see your statement being true.

[DrumNFeather]

I agree the Utes have some serious limitations, but we can be a good team and a good program again. The days of us dominating a conference and making yearly sweet 16 runs are over. The expectations are going to have to change with a tougher conference. Expectations really should adjust to conference title every 4-5 years, NCAA tournament 3/4 years, and a sweet 16 run every 4-5 years. The right coach can get that done at Utah even with the limitations.

Utah certainly has limitations, but we have to remember that those limitations are going to be met with a lot of new money that Utah has never before seen. It may take some time to get everything upgraded, but I don't think a guy like Randy Bennett comes to Utah without some kind of assurance that these things will be taken care of. Utah as a Pac 12 school has far fewer limitations than Utah as a MWC school, and if Randy Bennett ends up being the hire, that will be exhibit A. Were Utah in the MWC, he wouldn't come, period.

[TripletDaddy]

I agree the Utes have some serious limitations, but we can be a good team and a good program again. The days of us dominating a conference and making yearly sweet 16 runs are over. The expectations are going to have to change with a tougher conference. Expectations really should adjust to conference title every 4-5 years, NCAA tournament 3/4 years, and a sweet 16 run every 4-5 years. The right coach can get that done at Utah even with the limitations.

Are there any current PAC teams that make the tournament 75% of the time? Im not sure about that. In fact, making the tournament every 3 out of 4 years would put Utah in rare air nationwide. A great goal, not sure if it is realistic. But more power to the Utes in their quest. Dont forget, I rooted for the Utes against SDSU in the MWC tournament. Go Utes!

[UteStar]

You really are dumb. Of course I use Randy Bennett as my example if you look directly above my post someone posted the link about him being in negotiations with Utah. Should I pull some random coach out of my ass and use them? Or should I use an example that most can relate too?

And no it was not a dig at all at Utah, it was an observation about coaches coming from smaller conferences. Sean Miller mentioned this when he went from Xavier to Arizona as well, he said it took him a few years to realize that he had a chance to land guys like Derrick Williams.

I actually think you make an interesting point. With that said, there are countless number of suggestions of good coaches moving up to large conference from smaller ones and having great success. Good coaches will make that transition and surround themselves with good assistants to be able to handle a step up in competition and in conferences. Other coaches can't do it, recruiting and coaching wise and they fail (Gaic is a prime example of this). I am hoping that whoever the Utes hire, has either proven he can do it or will prove he can do it on the larger PAC-12 scale.

[UtahDan]

Are you related to Brigham himself? Because that is the only way I can see your statement being true.

Actually, aside from having gone to school there, there is a building on campus named for my ancestor. Not too shabby!

[UtahDan]

Utah certainly has limitations, but we have to remember that those limitations are going to be met with a lot of new money that Utah has never before seen. It may take some time to get everything upgraded, but I don't think a guy like Randy Bennett comes to Utah without some kind of assurance that these things will be taken care of. Utah as a Pac 12 school has far fewer limitations than Utah as a MWC school, and if Randy Bennett ends up being the hire, that will be exhibit A. Were Utah in the MWC, he wouldn't come, period.

What if we were a WCC school?

[NorthwestUteFan]

I am so sorry that I overreacted .

But just in case I didn't, please meet me at the Red Iguana at noon and I will beat your face in with my centurion card.

As a former Lock, I would gladly get your back in that fight. I always stand by my Props and Hookers. I would even bring my Diners Club Iron card.

[DrumNFeather]

What if we were a WCC school?

Let me just say "mid-major" if we were a mid major by conference affiliation, he would not come.

Now, as I say that, I recognize that there are a handful of programs that are mid major by conference affiliation that probably could lure a fellow mid major coach...Gonzaga, George Mason, UNLV etc...(I'm not including BYU in the discussion because whomever their new coach would be would have to be LDS).

So my point is, I think you can go mid-major to high-major, but rarely will you go high major to mid major or mid-major to mid-major.

Now that I've said that, I anxiously await all of the replies of coaches who've done what I just said they don't do. I'll even get you started: Alford from Iowa to UNM.

[cougjunkie]

Let me just say "mid-major" if we were a mid major by conference affiliation, he would not come.

Now, as I say that, I recognize that there are a handful of programs that are mid major by conference affiliation that probably could lure a fellow mid major coach...Gonzaga, George Mason, UNLV etc...(I'm not including BYU in the discussion because whomever their new coach would be would have to be LDS).

So my point is, I think you can go mid-major to high-major, but rarely will you go high major to mid major or mid-major to mid-major.

Now that I've said that, I anxiously await all of the replies of coaches who've done what I just said they don't do. I'll even get you started: Alford from Iowa to UNM.

Alford was ran out of Iowa. I think more often than not you are correct. But there is a difference between a high mid-major (most MWC schools) and a mid-major (all of those 1 bid conferences out there)

[DrumNFeather]

Alford was ran out of Iowa. I think more often than not you are current. But there is a difference between a high mid-major (most MWC schools) and a mid-major (all of those 1 bid conferences out there)

That's a fair point.

High Major (BCS)

Mid-Major (WCC, MWC, CAA, Horizon, MVC)

Low Major (WAC)

[Flystripper]

I think Bennett would be a very good hire for Utah. In my opinion the hiring of Bennett would be a much better acquisition than either Giac or Boylen was at the time of their hiring.

[Flystripper]

That's a fair point.

High Major (BCS)

Mid-Major (WCC, MWC, CAA, Horizon, MVC)

Low Major (WAC)

The mountain West has never been considered a "mid major" in basketball. It might be a "mid major" in the future without BYU and Utah. When discussing conferences and teams on ESPN CBS etc the pundits typically say The Big Six and the MWC.

[DrumNFeather]

The mountain West has never been considered a "mid major" in basketball. It might be a "mid major" in the future without BYU and Utah. When discussing conferences and teams on ESPN CBS etc the pundits typically say The Big Six and the MWC.

I think the argument could be made (especially this year) for several of the listed conferences being better than the big 6...and RPI states that to be a fact. I'm speaking strictly from that BCS - NON-BCS or Mid Major label that all of those conferences have.

For example, UVA is a BCS school, but right now it probably sits least 5th behind George Mason, ODU, VCU, and Richmond as far as basketball supremecy in the state of Virginia...and maybe 6th with the Hokies in the mix. But UVA's coach won't go to any of those schools. I think that given the opportunity, some of those coaches would go to UVA. (Mason's coach turned down Providence and Seton Hall after its final four run).

[Coach McGuirk]

The mountain West has never been considered a "mid major" in basketball. It might be a "mid major" in the future without BYU and Utah. When discussing conferences and teams on ESPN CBS etc the pundits typically say The Big Six and the MWC.

and just another reason I hate Utah. Once again, and I know I said this before, but this conference was on the verge of greatness. Positive press from every direction. One step away from Big 7 and I believe that would have come when the MWC deal with it's current tv partners ended, and they went with ESPN.

Stupid Utes.

[Coach McGuirk]

I think the argument could be made (especially this year) for several of the listed conferences being better than the big 6...and RPI states that to be a fact. I'm speaking strictly from that BCS - NON-BCS or Mid Major label that all of those conferences have.

For example, UVA is a BCS school, but right now it probably sits least 5th behind George Mason, ODU, VCU, and Richmond as far as basketball supremecy in the state of Virginia...and maybe 6th with the Hokies in the mix. But UVA's coach won't go to any of those schools. I think that given the opportunity, some of those coaches would go to UVA. (Mason's coach turned down Providence and Seton Hall after its final four run).

Tieing BCS to basketball is stupid. MWC is not considered mid major. Look at the mid major reports on ESPN, mwc is never there.