So what does the enemy think of Utah's new coach?

[il Padrino Ute]

Originally Posted by jay santos

How many times were you on national TV last year?

How good of a job is the Utah job? I'm not talking smack now. Somewhere 30-40? Every year at least a few of those top 30-40 jobs come open and they pick from the next tier.

Well, thanks to Comcast, the Utes (and everyone else for that matter) weren't even on local tv.

There was a 4 year window in the 90s when Utah was a terrific job, but ther was no need to fill it because th guy who made it terrific was already on teh hill. After Majerus left, it had gone back to where it was a top 25-30 job and Giacoletti left it in shambles. Right now, it's not that great, but it's ceiling is higher than most so-called mid-majors.

Utah and BYU are about the same kind of job. I'm fine with that. If there were 10 million residents along the Wasatch Front, both schools would be considered a much better job.

[jay santos]

Originally Posted by il Padrino Ute

Well, thanks to Comcast, the Utes (and everyone else for that matter) weren't even on local tv.

There was a 4 year window in the 90s when Utah was a terrific job, but ther was no need to fill it because th guy who made it terrific was already on teh hill. After Majerus left, it had gone back to where it was a top 25-30 job and Giacoletti left it in shambles. Right now, it's not that great, but it's ceiling is higher than most so-called mid-majors.

Utah and BYU are about the same kind of job. I'm fine with that. If there were 10 million residents along the Wasatch Front, both schools would be considered a much better job.

There's a difference between where your rank as a program and where you rank as a job. I think y'all are a bit silly with your #11 stuff, but I don't care to get into it. For the point of this thread, the issue is how good of a job it is. That has to do with finances and exposure and recruiting base. Past winning doesn't always play into that. For example, Texas A&M is a good job. USC is a good job. Minnesota's a good job. etc. At least half the big six conference schools and a handful of mid-majors would be in a position to nab Utah's coach.

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Utah is a small school. My metric is Boylen's payscale.

Actually, it's a question of values. Utah's pay is higher than Michigan's or UCLA's, so I don't know why you keep saying it's so low. If you're program is big enough you don't need to pay seven figures, and if your values are in the correct place you won't do it. Only places like Florida and Kentucky pay NBA salaries because sports is their main value.

[Insensitive PAP]

Originally Posted by ute4ever

Jim Boylen from Michigan State.

I'd prefer not to scroll through Cougarboard to do my own research project; I'd rather have the opinion of those on this site, thanks.

Not great, but as good as you could hope for. He seems like a solid guy, but I'm sure I will find things to hate about him.

Fortunately, I don't see Utah ever being consistently dominant again. That said, you should be better than BYU in the long run, and that's the only thing that really matters.

[Brian]

Originally Posted by Insensitive PAP

Not great, but as good as you could hope for. He seems like a solid guy, but I'm sure I will find things to hate about him.

Like when he restores normalcy to the state and the zoo gets their heads handed to them year in and year out? (c:

Originally Posted by Insensitive PAP

Fortunately, I don't see Utah ever being consistently dominant again. That said, you should be better than BYU in the long run, and that's the only thing that really matters.

I'm curious, why can't you see a return to dominance?

[Insensitive PAP]

3 reasons. One, UNLV is going to be the dominant team. Two, Boylon won't be good enough to be Majerus, who I think was one of the best ever. Three, Utah, as a destination, just seems to be diminishing now that it's been taken out around the barn and been deflowered aggressively.

[myboynoah]

Originally Posted by ute4ever

Jim Boylen from Michigan State.

I'd prefer not to scroll through Cougarboard to do my own research project; I'd rather have the opinion of those on this site, thanks.

Initial impressions:

-- Guy seemed like he has been on the William Thomas Riker career track. We'll see how he does in the captain's chair.

-- Seems solid, comes from a good program, but with all the other jobs out there, it looks like the Utes were the only ones seriously pursuing him. Why?

-- Not from the West, so chances are good that if he becomes the answer to Ute Fan prayers, he will eventually bolt for job openings "back home."

-- Weren't there similar excitement and positive prognostications when Jack-o-Letti was hired?

-- Why is Utah always making "shrewd, diamond-in-the-ruff" hires?

I know Ute Fans love to point out that The Fat Man stuck around for 15 years, but I really don't know how relevant that is. As noted, Coach Rick was an eccentric head case, who didn't see a job opening he wouldn't at least take a sniff at during those 15 years. But he always came back to Utah, a school that readily took his crap and asked few questions as long as he was winning (how Ute Fans ever let him get rid of Juddy--Mr. Ute if there ever was a Mr. Ute--is beyond me). At least Boylen looks like the type of guy that will actually buy a house and not live on Domino's pizza. That's a good sign.

I predict Utah's record improves next year.

[il Padrino Ute]

Originally Posted by Insensitive PAP

3 reasons. One, UNLV is going to be the dominant team. Two, Boylon won't be good enough to be Majerus, who I think was one of the best ever. Three, Utah, as a destination, just seems to be diminishing.now that it's been taken out around the barn and been deflowed aggressively.

Could there be a 4th reason - that you really hope it happens but are a bit concerned that it might not?

[jay santos]

Originally Posted by il Padrino Ute

Could there be a 4th reason - that you really hope it happens but are a bit concerned that it might not?

Utah's ceiling is as high as their coach can take them. For Utah to succeed, you guys need to recruit in California or overseas or wherever. In that regard, you're up against every other program in the west. Your competitive advantage is your coach. Plain and simple. That's it. So if your coach is fantastic, you have a chance to be fantastic. It's extremely low probability for me looking in from the outside that:

1. The coach you hire happens to become one of the greatest game coaches and recruiters in the country.
2. Said coach stays long enough for you to enjoy sustained success.

All the Boise's, UTEP's, Wyomings, Nevadas, New Mexicos, Gonzagas, and Utahs want it. Utah got lucky. Gonzaga's getting lucky. Boise's getting lucky in football. But it's not high probability.

[Goatnapper'96]

The Utah dominance that is often referred existed from about '95-'99. Since the inception of the MWC Utah has been a top tier MWC program but did not dominate in my opinion. I would go so far as to say that Utah was the top dog in the MWC. I find Utah's situation in the MWC from '00-'05 similar to BYU in football after Ty Detmer until about '99. Top program arguably and without question a top tier program, but not dominating.

Things change. It appears that UNLV is going to make an effort to be a major player again, we shall see. I think that if UNLV wants to be really good at hoops they can be better than Utah. I also think that BYU is not going to tank like they did during the latter half of the 90's when the Ute dynasty existed.

So basically I believe that Utah is going to face stiffer competition from the Rebels and the Cougars, perhaps even the Lobos and while Coach Boylen might be a good coach, which I think he will be, I think Utah returning to dominate is about as likely as BYU football returning to dominate.