Utes continue basketball search, no new names emerge

by JazzyUte on Mar 30, 2011 12:22 AM MDT in Basketball

As reported yesterday, New Jersey assistant and former Montana head coach Larry Krystkowiak has emerged as a candidate for the head coaching position. Avery Johnson, the current head coach of the Nets, granted Utah permission to talk with Krystkowiak, though it's unclear if there has been an interview.

There has been some indication Krystkowiak is the front-runner for the job, however, I continue to be told that, outside a surprise hire like Lon Kruger, former Alabama head coach Mark Gottfried remains the top option for Chris Hill.

Of course, there is a lot noise out there and it's hard to get a grasp of what is true, what is speculation and what is solely wishful thinking.

Hopefully today will bring about some definitive answers. I'm getting tired of all this speculation.

So if it came down to Gottfried or Krystkowiak, who would you rather Utah choose?

I've been pretty straightforward with my feelings toward Krystkowiak. I think the hire would prove too risky and while it could ultimately work out, I would hate to bet on such an unknown. Gottfried has issues himself, but stacked up along side Krystkowiak, I can't help but think he's a better option for the Utes.

He has 14 years of head coaching experience at the college level to Krystkowiak's two.

He has 22 years of overall college coaching to Krystkowiak's five.

He built Alabama into a strong SEC program. Krystkowiak won in the Big Sky.

He was an assistant for nearly a decade at UCLA. Krystkowiak was an assistant for two years at Montana.

He's only had one losing season in his career. Krystkowiak has zero - but he only coached two years.

To be fair, Krystkowiak does have some advantages. He did win at Montana. His two-year record there was pretty impressive. He also has NBA experience as both an assistant and as a head coach - though after Boylen, I'm skeptical of pro-experience.

Montana fans are also more impressed by him than Alabama fans are of Gottfried.

But in terms of overall success, Gottfried certainly has a stronger and deeper resume.

That's just how I see it, anyway.

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Comments

Jazzy

I heard another possiblity was one of coach K’s top assistants. Was there any concrete evidence on that?

by PanchoUte on Mar 30, 2011 1:17 AM MDT via mobile reply actions

You're thinking of Steve Wojciechowski...

And his name has been tossed around, but nothing solid. I think Hill is going to avoid the assistant route unless he has no choice.

The problem with Wojciechowski is that not many Duke assistants have panned out as head coaches and he’s got zero coaching ties to the west.

If Utah’s going to hire an assistant, I’d rather they go after Bob Cantu of USC.

by JazzyUte on Mar 30, 2011 1:22 AM MDT up reply actions

Wojciechowski's wife is from Utah, iirc

which seems to be why he’s been mentioned.

Y’all might also look at some of Romar’s current/recent staff; Ken Bone did well at Portland and has done a good job so far at WSU (unfortunately for the Huskies, this year), and Cameron Dollar’s showing good results to this point at Seattle U.

by The Ancient Mariner on Mar 30, 2011 6:19 AM MDT up reply actions

I definitely want Utah to hire Gottfried.

Nothing against Larry Krystowiak, but Mark would be the better hire. The two are nearly the same age as well (both born in 1964), so they both are potential long term hires at just 47 (Mark) and 46 (Larry) years old, respectively. However, Mark has consistently won throughout his career as a head coach (all at the college level), while Larry has not. Of course, Larry’s unsuccessful years as a head coach came in the NBA, where winning is really based more upon the quality of your players versus the quality of your coach. You can be the best coach in the world and still lose in the NBA if you don’t have top-level players. However, I still like Mark better. Larry has been away from college recruiting for five years. Mark spent 10 years at UCLA as an assistant, so he has clear ties to the West Coast recruiting game.

by pappyman on Mar 30, 2011 1:49 AM MDT reply actions

Just my thoughts

Appreciate all of the good info on this topic from blocku over the last few weeks. Since I am a football guy I haven’t paid that much attention to the Runnin UTES in recent years. However knowing how big of a decision this is (and lack of football articles) I am really hoping we get this right so utah does not become a one trick pony!

by uteusmc on Mar 30, 2011 7:50 AM MDT reply actions

Gottfried

If it’s between those two, I go with Gottfried based on his longer tenure in the college game, HC in a power conference, and PAC10 experience as an assistant at UCLA.

With that said, from a distance, they seem like the same hire.

by fountainofute on Mar 30, 2011 9:00 AM MDT reply actions

I just don't know...........

I am not terribly happy about either. I tweeted to Jazzy last night that I am not sure Lon Kruger would be a great hire either. But I don’t know. No one really gets me excited. Ill be there to support my Utes through thick and thin, but I want to see some changes..

Formerly SportsInUtah
Follow me on twitter: @BigBenSportsGuy

by BigBenSportsGuy on Mar 30, 2011 9:30 AM MDT reply actions

hmmmmmm

Obviously Gottfried has more head coaching experience, some West Coast ties and is supposedly a great recruiter. He has coached for 14 years and seven of his teams made the NCAA tournament.

But only three of his teams made it to the 2nd round and just one made it any further. I don’t think the Utah faithful will be satisfied going to the Sweet Sixteen once every 14 years. Hell, Giac did it once in four years.

Larry just doesn’t have a ton of head coaching experience, but both of his teams made it to March Madness, and one even pulled of an upset, making it to the 2nd round as a 12 seed.

I don’t think either are bad, but I’m also not terribly excited about either. From watching the tournament, college basketball is largely about having great players more than great coaching. The new coach needs to be a recruiter more than an Xs and Os guy, it would seem.

by UteinBrooklyn on Mar 30, 2011 10:36 AM MDT reply actions

I read somewhere...

Over the past week that Gottfried is not that much and X & O guy. But there have been so many rumors and names flying around that I may have him confused with one of the other candidates.

"It's a damn poor mind that can only think of one way to spell a word" - Andrew Jackson

by uteowl on Mar 30, 2011 12:40 PM MDT up reply actions

I remain solidly in the Gottfried Camp

Anyone who’s read these threads knows my position which are mirrored in Jazzy’s synopsis.

"It's a damn poor mind that can only think of one way to spell a word" - Andrew Jackson

by uteowl on Mar 30, 2011 11:25 AM MDT reply actions

Kyrsto might be the Urban Meyer of basketball, but we are not in a place to go after an Urban Meyer right now. We can’t afford to gamble on an unknown or an up and comer like Krysto. We need a Ron McBride some who can come in and make us a regular competitive team in the PAC-12. To lay the foundation for future success. He may not even be the guy who takes us the Final Four but sets us up as a consistent winner.

Gottfried was consistent and could be the guy to rebuild the Ute basketball name.

by H2O_UTE on Mar 30, 2011 11:49 AM MDT reply actions

+1

"It's a damn poor mind that can only think of one way to spell a word" - Andrew Jackson

by uteowl on Mar 30, 2011 12:39 PM MDT up reply actions

I agree...

I’ve maintained Krystkowiak could turn out to be a great hire. But he can also fizzle badly here. We’re not in the place where we can risk another bad hire.

You’re right. We need a McBride. I think if it isn’t Kruger, someone like Gottfried could come in, return us to respectability, win enough games to make us somewhat of a national discussion again and then, if necessary, change coaches ten or so years from now.

That’s not to say Krystkowiak can’t come in, win right away, make us forget about Jim Boylen (similar to Majerus) and leave me kicking myself for ever doubting the hire. But how realistic is that? I fear he’d come in, be mediocre at best and, three or four years from now, we’re all ready to go after another head coach.

by JazzyUte on Mar 30, 2011 1:35 PM MDT up reply actions

nobody wants the job? that is how far we have fallen.

The University of Utah is off to the Pac-12 Conference and will be in the South Division. Hopefully we will get to the first ever Pac-12 Championship Game. Jon " Bones " Jones new light heavyweight champion. Even if Jones got struck flush in the face he would recover and defeat whoever is in front of him. I told everyone the fight would be easy. Almost felt sorry for Rua. Anderson Silva would never fight "Bones". The Cult of Personality is here.

by wolfmanshowlforever on Mar 30, 2011 12:06 PM MDT reply actions