it is what it is. I would love it if Utah had a big money booster willing to put up big $$. unfortunately, it is not me.
1 Like
I wonder if Ryan Smith is going to be willing to pay several million dollars in NIL every year at byu. At some point will he lose steam buying players at byu, especially when the Jazz look like they are going to suck in perpetuity?
2 Likes
Going to be interesting to see how happy some of these transfers are when they are on the end of the bench. Catchings wanted out of Purdue because they would not say he would be startingāso they either told him what he wanted to hear or they recruited over earlier recruits who were probably told the same thing. In reality only 8 or 9 will get quality minutes.
But then again for $2M maybe it is OK to be happy only when you go to the bank.
Is NIL $$ paid up front/monthly/ or end of season??
At some schools the payout is quarterly. The collective at Oregon State does it this way so players donāt take the payment and then immediately transfer.
Once the profit sharing salaries start up, everything will look a little different, it seems to me. NIL will still be around, but if everyone on the team is making a good salary, youāll have fewer players who need NIL to support family situations, IMO.
BYU had a NIL player last year who played in one game, then hit the portal for more money to help support some family members back home.
I donāt think that was the intent with NIL. The salaries should help reel in some of this kind of irrationality.
2 Likes
But the correct end of the horse! (The north end of a horse heading north.)
3 Likes
Sadly, no.
3 Likes
Big 12 basketball schedule
Utah
Home-and-away: Baylor, BYU, Cincinnati, Oklahoma State, West Virginia
Home-only: Arizona State, Colorado, Kansas, Kansas State, Texas Tech
Away-only: Arizona, UCF, Houston, Iowa State, TCU
2 Likes
Our first adventure to Allen Fieldhouse as a member of the Big 12 will have to wait.
One more transfer signee, an ex-Oregon forward.
6 Likes
Not really a transfer is he? Seems heās a freshman who never enrolled at Oregon.
1 Like
He supposedly did sign with Oregon. DNās article wasnāt clear.
1 Like
Iāve read elsewhere and Dana Altman alludes to Traore having a lot of potential, but needing development, ie, a longer term project.
The Mali pipeline has worked well for a lot of programs, with Dante at Oregon and Ballo at U of A being the apex of what that pipeline can produce.
No idea what will happen with this kid, but at least weāre back in that pipeline with Keita having gone south. (Iām glad theyāre actually south of us, the literal & figurative often conveniently combine when using that phrase in regard to them 
).
1 Like
Not that your main thesis is incorrect or doesnāt deserve praise, but a star for this last part.
2 Likes
The description of him as very athletic at the rim and a strong rebounder suggests that much like Keba, unless he is dunking the ball or tipping in an offensive rebound, he does not yet have the ability to shoot from beyond 3ā.
The Utes appear to have a roster of big guys. Erickson and Teat are the only players 6ā3ā or smaller. A couple of 6ā4ā guys and several in the 6ā6ā - 6ā10ā range.
With all of the staff turnover and distractions, they have done a good job of building a roster.
I donāt expect this team to finish in the top half of the XII, but what do they need to do for Smith to keep his job? One thing that would help would be signing a couple of highly regarded recruits in the early signing period. I think if the team is in the 8-11 win area in conference he is and probably should be safe.
2 Likes
The reality of college basketball these days, with the new rules, is players will follow coaches and money.
Keita basically said he just followed Burgess. Thats something that wasnāt possible just a few years ago
1 Like
Itās impossible for us to know what potential he has outside the paint, but Iām glad Ezra Ausar is here to help coach him up. That kid looks like a clear upgrade from the loss of Keita.
I agree Smith seems to have done an impressive job this offseason, all things considered. Iām interested to see how this team develops.
Weāre in a weird era where NIL is dominant, but TV revenue sharing hasnāt appeared, yet. Roster turnover seems to be the new reality, but salaries should help level the playing field a bit, better than where we are now.
Giving $1M-$2M of NIL money to a number of players on a team seems like a recipe for āunintended consequencesā.
2 Likes
Idk. I think itās simpler than that. If CS doesnāt get the Utes to the NCAA tourney, I think heās gone.
If he holds serve with BYU this year (remember, we play them H&H this year) that will help him. But if he goes 0-2 against the Y and misses the tournament for the 4th time, I donāt think anything saves him short of having the next Cooper Flagg committed to play for the Utes in '25-26.
I canāt believe making the tournament is the line. If that were the case, they should have fired him already.
3 Likes
I agree with Fountain, if the Utes donāt make the tournament, I think CS will be fired.
2 Likes
Iād say the chances are pretty low that we get in the Big Dance this season.
Are there any coaches yāall are looking at as replacement?