I’m not going to lie

[ProudUte]

I am disappointed that our new coach has not been able to keep most of the old players.  I have no idea what has happened behind the scenes and it could be by design if he wants to start fresh.  Nonetheless, we had some talent that would have been nice to keep.

 

[Anfernee]

Back in 2019 over 900 players entered their names into the transfer portal. In 2020 the market exceeded over 1,000 players for the first time. And not in halfway through 2021 we currently sit with well over 1300 players in the portal. Craig Smith hasn’t even been here two months. In this era of hit like instant gratification, let’s give it some time. Geez Louise. 

[AZUTE]

Let me guess you wanted to give Larry more time??

Stop being an apologist for everything Utah Basketball.

Two months is more then enough time to recruit quality pac12 level players out of the portal.

Smith is not a good recruiter that’s why he hired Slocum and Morris to do the work he can’t

In 30 days you’ll be saying it’s only been 3 months give him time

By the way Pelle Larsson is transferring to Arizona Tom Lloyd and he only been on the job a month.

So what is Smiths’ excuse

[Sanders]

With everything being equal that’s a good argument but Utah basketball isn’t AZ basketball. Gonzaga and Duke’s recruits won’t be coming our way but that’s not on coach Smith’s shortcomings.

By the way Pelle’s daddy isn’t on Arizona’s coaching staff.

[ProudUte]

IMO – he needed to recruit these kids and hopefully a few would have decided to stay.  

For the record:

1. I was happy to see Larry let go.

2. I am not throwing Smith under the bus.  I am just disappointed that we weren’t able to keep 2-3 of these guys.

Go Utes!!!!

 

[pedro]

how do you know he didn’t.  With this year being essentially a give away year for the players, many more are tempted to test other waters.  It would’ve been an uphill battle for Larry as well.  Don’t forget he lost 4 or so players every year.  

[Ute Dub]

And you’re confident that these players would not be in the transfer portal if the old coaching staff have remained?

[CincyUte]

Um. I think it’s pretty obvious to anyone with half a brain that the entire team would not have transferred if Larry had stayed.  

Last year we had just one contributor leave (Both Gach).  We had just one contributor transfer away the year before that too (Donnie Tillman . . . two, if you count Vante Hendrix and his 17.8 mpg).  The fact that so many on this board seem to think the entire team was prepared to transfer away if LK stayed simply reflects their personal resentment for LK.  Nothing else.

[Ute Dub]

um. Please explain which ones stay. Please share with us what your full brain looks like in detail. Jantunen was gone regardless, the commitment to Larry was 2 years then he’d go pro again. If it weren’t for COVID, Plummer would be graduated but he wasn’t that great except for a few on fire nights a year, Rylan is worse than the guys who came in (and his dad was a coach), so you’re down to Pelle and Timmy and who else, Ian and his dad? Pelle and Timmy are looking at Utah’s long time non appearance in the tourney and wanting to win. I can only speculate what kind of deal(s) Ian and his daddy is are wanting. So you have a good argument for Ian and Rylan staying because their daddy’s are coaches but you have no argument for Plummer or Jantunen. Pelle and Timmy are the big losses. 

[Sanders]

Regardless of sport, a coach is in desperation mode when parents are hired to influence recruits. Several of the players that jumped asap obviously didn’t enjoy their teammates and had their own agenda at seasons end. Smith isn’t coach K’s repairman. He’s building his own, new program and it won’t take long for him to develop something worth cheering for.

[PlainsUte]

Agree.  As a fan, I’ll give Coach Smith a “honeymoon” pass.  However, the transfer portal, when filled with well over 1000 players, does allow a coach to sign some experienced and “more known quantity” players, so I kind of expect the “new coach reset” will only take a year or two.

[dystopiamembrane]

My two cents, Harlan did not acquire a college basketball name that most players have heard of. Given the opportunity to enter the portal and land a position on a team that does have such a name, it makes sense that people would give it a shot. 

[D T]

Steffon Mitchell has narrowed it down to us/Minnesota/SDSU….He’d be a great boost to our front-court, particularly defensively, & indicates our coaching staff is in fact continuing to work the portal….In time, Coach CS & Co. will produce a winner.

[D T]

From a CBB analyst—

“There are still plenty of players left in the NCAA Basketball transfer portal but not many of them have a four-year history of starting at a power conference school. That’s the case of Steffon Mitchell, a player that has always flown under the radar at Boston College, while the guards got most of the limelight.

Mitchell is a 6’8 power forward that has a grand total of 98 starts in four seasons with the Eagles. He’s never been a major offensive force, with a career-high of 9.1 ppg from this past season. However, Mitchell is really good at everything else, averaging around 8.0 rpg in all four seasons, and has been named an All-ACC defender as well. He can pass, guard multiple positions, and is as good of a ‘glue guy’ as a team can ask for.”

[JB]

I would agree if all the guys that left got Utah to the tournament.  They weren’t good enough otherwise we wouldn’t have a new coach.  Is Coach Smith wins by being a system coach then he needs to bring the guys in that will fit.  

[bopahull]

Smith may be the greatest coach in Utahs storied history. I don’t khow how it will eventually turn out,all I can say so far is he hasn’t impressed me with his recruiting. There have been several decent players he has offered and so far they have all gone elsewhere.