This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
I've been getting some interesting responses from BYU fans — negative and positive — regarding my piece in Wednesday's Tribune that asks the question whether this is as good as it gets for the BYU basketball program. You know the picture: no conference tournament titles since 2001, eight trips to the NCAA Tournament (but just trip to the Sweet 16) in coach Dave Rose's 10-year tenure.
Several readers say I glossed over the fact that Rose has signed some very strong recruiting classes the past few years, and that the future is ultra-bright.
Here's what Rose said when I asked him about the talent he has coming in the next few years:
"I'm absolutely excited about it. We've got not only really talented players, but talented players that fit together. The core of the group is really diverse. It is not made up of the same kind of guys, in the same position. We've got diverse players at all positions. I think that our experience, and our youth, and our talent, over the next few years are going to integrate really well. At least, that's what I hope."
Be sure to check out the end of the story in which Rose talks about why the Cougars haven't signed any foreign players the last few years. And BYU hasn't been in the market for any transfers this offseason. That may change with news earlier this week that Frank Bartley IV and Isaac Neilson are transferring. Rose has a scholarship available now, assuming that it won't go to Nate Austin (everything I've been told by insiders is that it won't) or to a walk-on such as Jordan Ellis or Cooper Ainge.
I asked Rose the other day whether it gets frustrating when he sees that WCC rival Gonzaga is in the running for several big-name transfers this season, again.
"Every program, they kind of find their niche, and the way they do business, and I think that that's something that works really well for some teams, and doesn't work so well for others," Rose said. "I think the NCAA is looking into how they should handle some of those situations a little bit, at least the graduating transfer deal. That is still an option right now, where they are immediately eligible. But I think they are going to maybe address that this year. We will see how that goes.
For me, I kinda keep my eyes buried, and we do our thing, and make sure what we get fits for us, and then in late summer, early fall, you start looking at everyone else's roster and start preparing for what's next."
Reporters had one-on-one interviews with Rose before he met with his players for exit interviews last week, so things have obviously changed. But here's what Rose said when I asked him a week ago Monday whether he expects everybody back:
"Yeah, I do. Like I said, we have had brief conversations with guys. Every guy has, I think in their own mind, they have sacrificed so much for the team, and it has all been about the team. And what we need to do is have conversations about their individual roles and how they fit, and what we see happening. And then sometimes in those discussions, things change a little bit. We will see."
Obviously, something changed with Isaac Neilson — although I've been told by two sources close to the program that Neilson shouldn't have been "shocked" by what Rose told him in their interview. Check my previous blog post for Neilson's side of that conversation. My sources said Neilson received warnings several times from the coaching staff during the season that his progress wasn't satisfactory. They said Rose won't refute what Neilson said publicly because doesn't want to get in a you-know-what match (rhymes with hissing) with a player and prefers to take the high road in such matters, regardless of the heat he has to take for it.
Here's what Rose said when I asked him what those player-interviews are like:
"Those discussions you have with the guys are good," Rose said. "The one thing I feel really comfortable about is I am really honest with every guy. I am very honest about what I feel they need to do to help our team, what they need to do to improve their game. And sometimes, when you have those conversations, you don't see eye-to-eye, and that changes the curve. So we will see."
Finally, I mentioned in the ceiling story that I spoke to, or corresponded with, several former players to get their perspectives on the state of the program, and whether it can soar higher or not. I quoted Jonathan Tavernari and Kenneth Roberts in the article.
Tavernari has posted his entire response on Twitter, but for those who didn't see it, I've posted it below. I've also posted Roberts' entire response, which came to me via email. Due to space limitations, I wasn't able to get all their thoughts in the newspaper article.
Wrote Tavernari:
"i believe the next step for BYU, right now at least, is try to beat Gonzaga and claim a WCC title, not in the conference tournament only, but mainly in the regular season. Because that will mean the team is consistent and can stay focused, balanced and locked in for two straight months. The same happened back in the WAC days with Danny Ainge and the 80s guys, with us in the MWC up to Jimmer's senior year and I know that if Trent [Plaisted] had come back for his senior year in 2008-09 we would have had a chance to make a deep run in March.
So now with a fresh batch of high profile guys coming around, like KC, Fisch, Nick, Mika, Toolson, Chatman, Corbin, I think that the program is in the right direction.
The thing people need to understand is that going to the Sweet 16 is REALLY hard. It takes a lot of variables to play in your favor. Look at Utah. They had not had a strong NCAA season since Luke Neville was there. That's over five years! So if they can sustain their success the next 2-3 years, that's great. But to be considered elite, like Kentucky, Duke, Carolina, that's extremely difficult.
But to be realistic, I believe BYU can and should aim to be at Gonzaga's level. Because they are the alpha dogs in the conference and in the West now and with the right batch of players and a few breaks in our favor, BYU can continue its NCAA Tournament presence and Top 25 yearly rankings and hopefully conference and tournament championships.
To finish, I will you something that I've been saying since I heard people hint at Ty's lack of team success: It takes WAY more than one stud to win championships.
I played with Jimmer, Lee Cummard, Trent Plaisted, Keena Young, Jackson Emery, Noah Hartsock, Brandon Davies and guys that were winners like Sam Burgess, Mike Rose, Ben Murdock, Jimmy Balderson, Chris Miles. Statistically, I played with 5-10 of BYU's top 25-30 players. So when you have that much talent around you, your play improves. It definitely helps growing in the program like Jimmer, Lee, Jackson and I did. You learn the system, the schedule, get in a routine that worlds and builds confidence. That's why I am excited for the future with Nick Emery, Corbin Kaufusi, Toolson, Nixon, Chatman and Mika. There you go. Sorry it was too long."
Wrote Roberts:
"I do not believe BYU has hit the ceiling. They can and do compete with some very good teams from around the country. Although, at times, they do have a tendency to play below their abilities. They seem to lose focus on what they want and how they are going to get the win. Being able to go into Spokane and beat Gonzaga on their home floor says a lot about what kind of athletes and team they can be.
I have been to a couple of practices and these guys work hard. They go all out and give everything they have. It shows in games as well, they are playing with a full out effort. The effort is there, the coaches expect that from them.
Where I think they can improve is being stingy in giving up easy buckets. Teams get past the first line of defenders and to the rim at too consistent of a rate. Having a team dunk on you is a personal thing, it hurts, being in the right place to prevent an easy bucket should be a high priority. (Typical big man comment, sorry).
Coach Rose gives his team a high level of confidence. They play without fear. It is fun to watch. Teams that make it into the final rounds of their conference tournaments and deep into March Madness are teams that can play shut down defense. If a team doesn't score going down the stretch it is hard for teams to win. That is where I see BYU making the most improvement and making the most impact, on the defensive side. "