They should have kept last year’s team. It beat BYU. Had success. Now those players are starting at other schools. USC is 9-1 and Auzar is averaging 17 points a game there. Someone explain to me why every player had to leave but one. The team had a nucleus with promise.
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I think last year’s team was gone even if Smith stayed. Even Dawes put his name in the portal.
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Perhaps, but Smith was canned long before the portal opened. It probably depends on who would offer players more money.
I think a couple things worked against keeping other players. 1) money; 2) I don’t understand why you fire a coach with 2 or 3 weeks left in the season if you don’t have a plan that allows for immediate discussion with current players. The players undoubtedly started looking during those 2 or 3 weeks. Some were only in the portal a day or 2 before committing. You can’t tell me they weren’t making those plans before the season ended. 3) Alex’s late arrival and staying with Dallas.
Now, those players may have left anyway.
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Don’t most players from most programs leave after each season these days anyway? It’s not like the U program is the only one afflicted with this thing. Granted, last season’s team was especially egregious with the mass exodus, but this kind of thing is to be expected now. I expect that of the current players, at least half or more will be gone next year. That’s just the way of things now.
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They successfully recruited players who were desired and had options. I’m sure this recruiting class didn’t come cheap. The pleading poverty excuse is overstated. The football team may have just had its best year ever.
But when you turn over the entire team but one guy on you’re going to take more risk and there will be less synergy–a crucial element in college basketball–than if you largely retain a team that was generally competitive.
It’s a whole lot easier to tear something down than re build from scratch.
Looks to me like this was a choice and so far it looks like a big mistake. Couldn resist using the budget to go on a shopping spree for new means of production while what was there could have been elevated and rehabbed.
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An article in the Trib discussing comments made by the Pacific AD after BYU thrashed them indicates that the average NIL budget for BIG12 teams this year is 12 mil. Rumor is that Utahs budget was 2 or 3. I guess we are seeing first hand that if we want Utah basketball to become competitive a significant increase in NIL is needed.
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I don’t accept any rumors about NIL at face value. But if the rumors are true, all the more reason the program shouldn’t have thrown out a competitive team. Fortunately, Randall and Harlan have an innovative plan to fix the problem, and it seems more pragmatic and reliable than relying on donors.
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This also has Troy D’Ambrosio’s (sp?) fingerprints all over it
How so? I don’t disagree, I just have zero clue who he is or what is background is.
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24-21 Utes at the 8 min TO in the first half. The rebounding issue is maddening. EWU has 5 more shots than Utah
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Really stepped it up the last 8 min of the half. Lead 50-32. Neat stat to me is 12 assists on 20 FGs. 74% shooting for the half.
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The competition takes a giant step up, but this game was a good opportunity to clean up some of the bad habits and get a good offensive groove going into the UW game and then conference play. Dawes in particular seems to be building toward much better assertiveness.
When McHenry and S. Traore are hitting their shots and the other parts of the game are OK, I think we have a decent chance to win some XII games. Ibi Traore looked pretty good for a first game back. 6-8 / 230, about the same size as Sanders, we need the help in the front court.
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Not game related, but in the way out last night Devon Dampier and Byrd Ficklin were in front of my grandson and me and they were getting stopped for photos with fans every few steps between the JMHC and So. Campus Dr. it was cool how accommodating they were to people.
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Everyone worried about them being jealous of playing time needs to just watch how good friends they are. You can’t fake that. Some like to think that one or the other would bail at not being named QB1. I just don’t see it based on how they are anywhere you see them together.
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New 6’5" shooting guard from Spain. Will join in the 2nd semester and be immediately available. Used to play for one of the Utes assistants. Interesting.
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Lucas seems to be decently athletic and has some bounce to his game.
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Uno mas. Lucas is #5.
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Huh, it’s like a midseason trade in the NBA. Who did we have to give up?
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Choppa Moore
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