Johnnie Bryant

[mesovanhorny]

would kick ass on so many levels.  he’s been my #1 from the beginning, but in Harlan we all trust, even if it’s not Johnnie!

[PlainsUte]

Good to hear you weigh in MSVH, wonder what Keith Van Horn thinks about the coaching search?

[EagleMountainUte]

Well my number one choice is gone I better hope it is Bryant. I don’t have much confidence in Harlan if it isn’t an exciting hire. He is playing with fire blowing this hire.

[UrbanLiar]

“Blowing this hire”, huh? From my perspective Harlan needs to make the correct hire but he hasn’t “blown this hire” yet and I never thought Jensen would take it. Jensen is being groomed to take over an NBA team someday soon after playing for Majerus then getting seasoned with successful growth in a Quin Snyder/Greg Popovich coaching tree. He’s the top assistant on the team with the best winning record in the NBA right now. I love Alex and remember him playing all the way back in Davis County in the mid 1990s. But he’s not going to set aside that professional pedigree to become a college coach, even his alma mater that he still loves dearly.

[EagleMountainUte]

One would assume if you are willing to pay for Larry’s contract and at the same time hire a new staff you would have a replacement. That is what most people in the “Fire Coach” camp were saying. They wanted him gone but knew the money wasn’t there. Also factor in the new recruiting costs to get players it isn’t very smart.
I will admit that I had high hopes for Alex Jensen but it just felt like it was going to happen. My expectations admittedly could be dead wrong and that is influencing my view point exclusively.

Also I am not saying Harlan has Failed. It sure seems like he is failing though.

The other possibility I was never able to confirm. Did Coach K take a reduced buyout because he was burned out? That could change the reasons for Harlan perhaps not being ready to make a move. I always felt one more reluctant year was the best move with the finances being what they are.

[GameForAnyFuss]

I’ve had people I’ve tried to hire fall through for timing-related reasons. I’m glad my boss never told me I “blew that hire”. What an odd comment.

[EagleMountainUte]

Didn’t say that he blew the hire.

[GameForAnyFuss]

He is…blowing this hire.

[EagleMountainUte]

Yes that is almost a direct quote. You put “blew that hire” in quotations as a direct quote. Blew is past tense. Something that isn’t possible considering a hire hasn’t taken place. It was my assumption that Harlan had a plan based on the buyout. A better way to write that sentence to convey the meaning I intended would have been:
Harlan is playing with fire IF he fails with this hire.

[Ute Dub]

Why is Bryant the #1 choice? Has he coached a defense or coached as a HC since leaving Utah as a player?

[Ute2]

I think johnnie Bryant is pretty dang bonafied.

[Anonymous]

I agree. Less then 20 percent of all head basketball coaches in P5 conferences are Black. I’d love to see Bryant at our school.

[Utesbyfive]

So being black is his top qualification? Just asking. Could there be other black coaches with better bonafides?

[gonzoute]

Damon Stoudamire?

[mesovanhorny]

Being black isn’t “his top qualification.”  Hardly.  But seeing a little diversity on the hill would be a welcome change.  But he’s got the credentials and the coaching skills.  Donovan Mitchell credits much of what he’s become to Johnnie Bryant.  Now that says something!  I think Johnnie has the goods and being able to recruit skilled diverse players to Utah would be great.  We do very well with slow white tall timbers and returned missionaries.  I’d love to see some big RM’s under the hoop to rebound, and some athletes to run the show, drive the ball, and make the Utes run again.

The big unknown here would be his ability to recruit.  But he’s got the pedigree.  And if he surrounds himself with real recruiting pros as his assistants, I wouldn’t worry for one minute.

[Utesbyfive]

I sure hope that Harlan hires the best man for the job, regardless of skin color. If that person is black, that’s great, but merit still rules IMHO. I’m still sad that we didn’t hire Donnie Daniels instead of Giac. I think he would certainly have been better.