BYU vs. Utah

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by BlueK

Sure, Utah did recruit great the last couple of years. Unfortunately, probably not even one of those guys would have picked BYU no matter how hard we would have tried. We did try with Loveridge and Chapman. Neither had any real interest. Chapman isn't LDS. Loveridge reportedly isn't active LDS. BYU is just a tough sell to college kids who don't want the honor code or don't identify with the culture. It is what it is.

BYU did have a lull in recruiting during the Jimmer years. I think it's been corrected, but the problem is that it's always about 3 or 4 years after any recruiting class before it has an impact because of missions.

Kaufusi is a completely unexpected walkon who grew 4 inches on his mission. He wasn't recruited at all, so having him on the team isn't evidence of bad recruiting. He doesn't have a scholarship. He has some athletic ability and might become a decent contributor, but not as a freshman. Mika as you mentioned was the #3 rated center in the US coming out of HS. Great get there. Payton Dastrup who is on his mission, but would be playing now if he hadn't gone, ultimately chose BYU over Ohio State and Virginia. Both will be on the team at the same time the year after next.

Who is Davis for next year? Somebody mentioned him.

[BlueK]

Kyle Davis -- 6-8 transfer from USU. Will be a JR I think. He is a good post player who played very well against us in the USU game last year.He averaged 10 points and 8 rebounds for USU last year. Has to sit out this year because of transfer rules.

[MikeWaters]

I could see Dastrup changing his mind again before he gets back. After all, he changed his mind at the last minute to come to BYU. That one is not in the bag.

Oh well, it is what it is. Enjoy watching Haws jump shot. Winder's play. And Collinsworth skillset.

Maybe 2nd in the WCC. Maybe 3rd. Maybe the Tourney. Maybe not.

[BlueK]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

I could see Dastrup changing his mind again before he gets back. After all, he changed his mind at the last minute to come to BYU. That one is not in the bag.

Oh well, it is what it is. Enjoy watching Haws jump shot. Winder's play. And Collinsworth skillset.

Maybe 2nd in the WCC. Maybe 3rd. Maybe the Tourney. Maybe not.

Maybe I should get more worked up over it than I do, but it's just sports and I have no control over it. And I actually do enjoy watching. It just sucks that each of the three losses were winnable games. You can make an argument that each of the three losses were to teams who just have better players. I'm not sure any of them should have been as close as they were. BYU does some things well but struggles to recruit the same level of talent as the good teams from the "p5" leagues.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by BlueK

Maybe I should get more worked up over it than I do, but it's just sports and I have no control over it. And I actually do enjoy watching. It just sucks that each of the three losses were winnable games. You can make an argument that each of the three losses were to teams who just have better players. I'm not sure any of them should have been as close as they were. BYU does some things well but struggles to recruit the same level of talent as the good teams from the "p5" leagues.

I understand BYU will not compete year in and year out. And the Jimmer years were our best chance to make a splash. It just seems so many other colleges get great breaks, like Utah or Bradley. I was out of country when BYU went to the Elite Eight. So, I have never seen any of BYU's elite years. Just once? Is it too much to ask?

[MikeWaters]

I followed BYU very closely during that year that BYU almost made it to #1 in the AP poll. Then they lost to UAB I think.

Michael Smith. Chapman. Haws. Toolson. If I'm remembering the names. That was the last great team before Jimmer's senior year. But they flamed out at the end and didn't make any noise.

Jimmer was one very good player on a team with other very good players. We underestimate how good those role players were. Hartsock. Emery. Abuou. Any of these three might be the best player on BYU's team if he played this season. Heck, Davies appears to have a better NBA future than Jimmer.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

I followed BYU very closely during that year that BYU almost made it to #1 in the AP poll. Then they lost to UAB I think.

Michael Smith. Chapman. Haws. Toolson. If I'm remembering the names. That was the last great team before Jimmer's senior year. But they flamed out at the end and didn't make any noise.

Jimmer was one very good player on a team with other very good players. We underestimate how good those role players were. Hartsock. Emery. Abuou. Any of these three might be the best player on BYU's team if he played this season. Heck, Davies appears to have a better NBA future than Jimmer.

That team, to which you refer, flamed out, because our guards were not athletic enough.

[BlueK]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

I could see Dastrup changing his mind again before he gets back. After all, he changed his mind at the last minute to come to BYU. That one is not in the bag.

Oh well, it is what it is. Enjoy watching Haws jump shot. Winder's play. And Collinsworth skillset.

Maybe 2nd in the WCC. Maybe 3rd. Maybe the Tourney. Maybe not.

I don't know Dastrup obviously, but I've heard him interviewed. I don't believe he'll change his mind again unless something completely crazy happens like an unexpected coaching change or NCAA violations, or something to that effect. From what I've heard him say, he grew up as a big BYU fan and BYU was always the most comfortable choice for him to make. I think he was just temporarily swayed by the prospect of playing for a Big 10 team, but as soon as he made the decision he wasn't comfortable with it and quickly changed his mind back. It just wasn't announced right away, but the BYU coaches knew about it for about a week before signing day. After going on a mission I wouldn't expect he'd suddenly choose against going to a school that has the most LDS girls to date, but who knows.

[BlueK]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

I followed BYU very closely during that year that BYU almost made it to #1 in the AP poll. Then they lost to UAB I think.

Michael Smith. Chapman. Haws. Toolson. If I'm remembering the names. That was the last great team before Jimmer's senior year. But they flamed out at the end and didn't make any noise.

Jimmer was one very good player on a team with other very good players. We underestimate how good those role players were. Hartsock. Emery. Abuou. Any of these three might be the best player on BYU's team if he played this season. Heck, Davies appears to have a better NBA future than Jimmer.

the younger brothers of Emery and Haws are thought by some to be more talented than the older ones. Maybe it's debateable with Jackson and Nick, but not really with TJ and Tyler. TJ is more athletic. Their dad was a state champion sprinter. TJ has reportedly inherited more of that than Tyler. Mika and Dastrup playing together with those guys seems like it would be a solid core of some pretty good teams in the near future.

[BlueK]

Originally Posted by Archaea

That team, to which you refer, flamed out, because our guards were not athletic enough.

Ladell Andersen's teams flamed out at the end of every year. He couldn't win a WAC tournament game to save his life. I'm not talking about like Rose losing to UNLV in the championship year after year. I'm talking about losing on the home floor to last seeded Air Force in the first round one year and constantly to lower seeded teams in the FIRST round. In six years he only got out of the first round of the conference tourney one time. I'm normally pretty supportive of BYU coaches. They have a lot to deal with. But Andersen drove me nuts.