Did BYU Get Craig Smith FIRED from Utah Basketball? NIL, Ryan Smith Play Role | BYU Cougars Podcast

Did BYU Get Craig Smith FIRED from Utah Basketball? NIL, Ryan Smith Play Role | BYU Cougars Podcast

that is J catch of locked on cougars and oddly enough why not bring him on to talk a little bit about Utah they have fired their basketball coach Craig Smith and the first thing I pointed to in this is BYU is the reason why BYU is the reason why because there is an arms race between those two schools to me outside source that is more aggressive than ever of mine is bigger I I can do it better and if you start losing to BYU or if you fall behind as an athletic department the way football did last year now more than maybe ever that they’re in the same conference you must win you must win not just against one another but in general from a revenue standpoint otherwise you are fired if you cannot do what BYU is doing as a Utah youth or you’re fired if you cannot do what the youths are doing as a coach at BYU I think and maybe it’s toxic it feels like BYU has a hand in now every decision that Utah makes when it comes to its staff well and you’re you’re dead on with that here’s the deal Drake uh Craig Smith if the if the reports are to be believed he essentially was let go because his relations with the nil donor base at Utah which already is in question as to how lucrative and how deep a pool it is had soured and when you when essentially the people that are funding your program with those nil checks that relationship goes south well there goes the coach and we got to start over there you’re right BYU and they had a booster tell myON medca from ESPN that we quote we will not be out bid unquote I never in a million years Drake having covered BYU as long as I have would have ever expected a booster from BYU be so bold to say that on the record to a national reporter but guess what they have laid out what they’re going to do and BYU’s Got Deep pocketed boosters who are stepping to the Forefront and Ryan Smith obviously takes a lot of the notoriety being the owner of the Utah Jazz Utah Hockey Club and a few other Pro franchises here but he is not the only one they have got dozens upon dozens of other Tech Executives they work in multiple Fields who have got hundreds of millions of dollars in reserve apparently that are willing to invest it into beu and so long as that happens University of Utah is saying okay we got to be able to match that in some form or fashion and you’re right what BYU does is gonna affect Utah and vice versa anything that Utah succeeds with and BYU fails at guess what it’s gonna have an impact on both of these two programs Jake let’s talk about Ryan Smith who owns the Utah Jazz Utah Hockey Club the the soccer team he owns pretty much every major sports entity out there there are Utah fans that are very upset that a guy who is so involved in the public sphere who is so involved in different sports teams that do take taxpayer money for stadiums or venues or different things like this is a guy who’s he he directly has ownership of Utah fans favorite teams favorite pro teams and he won’t give a dime to the like he won’t divvy out help out become somebody who can be a trusted Utah donor as well I see that on message boards all the time on Twitter all the time why isn’t Ryan Smith giving to Utah because what the state of Utah gives to him why is that you know is there a leg to stand on if you’re a Utah fan for Ryan Smith being all in on the BYU Cougars here’s the deal Ryan Smith has made it very clear the BYU supported his father and his family during a time of uh Health crisis in that family’s uh in a period of life before Ryan became ultra wealthy and his dad did and his brother did they were all in on this qual tricks deal when it when it really blew up before that be whyu supported that family through a really trying time in that family’s uh in that Family Circle and that has endeared BYU into the hearts and minds of the Smith family in particular Ryan Smith Utah fans can whine all they want but they have some really deep pocketed uh individuals up there I think of the Huntsman family I think of the Eckles family uh the Garf family in the Auto industry you’ve got to get those people motivated and start having those people donate because they are the people that will make the tangible difference here and hopefully counter what Ryan Smith and other boosters at BYU are doing Ryan’s not the biggest donor to BYU’s nil fund I hate to break it to anybody out there I’m sure Utah fans will love to bash me in my comments for making that statement but I have it on very good authority that he is not the biggest nil donor for BYU he is contributing to nil absolutely but Ryan grew up a BYU guy he’s a BYU fan and the way that BYU supported his family during a time of need well guess what that has engendered some love and respect on both sides and BYU is benefiting from it Utah it sounds as though from the outside looking in is struggling in the in the nil category more than BYU despite those reports last week that um BYU’s nil Collective director spoke to the team and said you’re all greedy Little Pigs and I’m not giving you any money why why would the guy who works at mcdonal like the the the manager of McDonald’s walk in and say I hate all of you back to work you know like that it didn’t happen right well here’s the thing that I okay the conversation Min Kim who they quoted who’s the CEO of Neutra cost who’s actually one of the bigger donors to be Way’s nil fund that meeting absolutely did ex did happen Drake I can report that because I have it on multiple uh fronts that meeting did occur and he essentially said what he said in that circumstance the issue was at the time BYU got a major boost on the nil front when they joined the Big 12 Conference a lot of boosters were excited we’re in the power five we finally living the dream that BYU wanted to do and you go out and suffer a five and seven a losing season in in college football guess what people don’t want to pay for losers and that’s what Min Kim said I want to pay for winners guess what everybody wants to pay for a winner that’s that’s the simple fact of the matter so guess what when some boosters started pulling away and pulling back some of the money they had originally allotted to nil all of a sudden you got to go and find new boosters they got reinvigorated with an 11-2 season this past year in football and that’s a credit to the players the coaches the administrators everybody involved with BYU football suddenly the money’s flowing once again into that program I wouldn’t be surprised if another report probably won’t come from the Salt Lake Tribune comes out that says hey BYU has restored a bunch of the money that they may have pulled back from some of these players because there’s more money in the nil fund there’s more money from the collective Etc but the simple fact of the matter is everybody and I mean not just BYU across the board when you’re contributing hundreds of thousands millions of dollars when you’re what you perceive to be your Roi your return on investment doesn’t match up with what you expect well guess what you’re going to be more reticent to contribute money to that fund and that was the result of what happened with the 5- seven season well they go 11- two the next year and suddenly that spigot is wide open again yeah so interesting the entire story that came out with that with BYU but after doing research it seems like Utah is reeling their fan base the very least is not excited about where nil is their coaching staff is not on the basketball side at the very least and for BYU nil is better now than it really has ever been the commitment is better now than it has been how I mean what is the limit right right what is we talk about you know for BYU in the next few years what’s the ceiling with the money that seemingly rolling in it feels like BYU who was the sleeping giant when they joined the Big 12 is finally waking up you’re right and that’s the thing about this is BYU is finally realizing hey we can be a force at this level and obviously it requires millions of dollars it’s just money speaks and BYU has got a booster group that is ultra motivated to help BYU as as much as they possibly can to elevate them to top tier status in the Big 12 Conference this is a program Drake that when they were in the whack in the Mountain West they were one of if not the preeminent program in both of those leagues during long stretches of their history in both of those leagues they went independent for well over a decade with the whole goal of living the dream they’re living now and now that they’re living it guess what the money is starting to flow in and as we’ have seen in college sports across the board the more you invest in programs there’s a direct correlation to success in whatever sport you’re investing get in in this case football and basketball and BYU they’re going to be a force in this conference for years to come if they continue doing what they’re doing Jake I am continually made fun of and bered on Twitter and YouTube for being such a big BYU Homer but I’ve had JT Wier still on this show three times since the last time you joined so I just want to make it very clear here that I have no favorites in this league though BYU has always been kind to me working more folks find your work uh yeah if you want all things BYU and podcast form check out locked on cougars wherever you get your podcast also on YouTube if you want my thoughts on all things Sports you can check out two different places locked on cougars on Facebook Instagram or Twitter or my personal uh Twitter feed Jacob C hatch love to interact with anybody who wants to reach out any time that’s J catch this has been a crossover of locked on BYU and locked on thanks for making it your locked on cougars and locked on thanks for making it your first listen every single day dose Grande

This episode delves into the interconnected narratives of BYU and Utah basketball, exploring how BYU’s recent surge in on-court performance, recruiting prowess, and NIL success likely played a significant role in the University of Utah’s decision to part ways with head coach Craig Smith.

We’ll analyze the stark contrast between the two programs’ trajectories. BYU, under the leadership of Kevin Young, has experienced a rapid ascent, securing impressive victories, attracting top-tier recruits, and establishing a robust NIL infrastructure. This success has undeniably raised the bar for basketball in the state of Utah.

We’ll examine how Utah’s struggles to keep pace with BYU’s momentum likely contributed to the pressure on Craig Smith. We’ll discuss the challenges of competing in the same conference as a resurgent rival, and the expectations that come with representing a major university in a competitive landscape.

This episode will also explore the broader implications of this dynamic for the future of the BYU-Utah rivalry. We’ll discuss how the successes and failures of each program will continue to impact the other, creating a constant cycle of pressure and motivation.

We’ll analyze the importance of recruiting battles, conference success, and national perception in shaping the narrative of this rivalry. We’ll discuss how each program’s ability to adapt to the changing landscape of college basketball, including NIL and the transfer portal, will determine their long-term success.

We’ll also examine the potential candidates that Utah might consider to replace Craig Smith, and how their ability to compete with BYU will be a crucial factor in their selection. We’ll discuss the importance of finding a coach who can not only build a winning program but also reignite the passion of the Utah fanbase.

Join us as we explore the intertwined fates of BYU and Utah basketball, and discuss how their rivalry will continue to shape the landscape of college basketball in the state.

#UtahBasketball #Rivalry #KevinYoung #CraigSmith #NIL #Recruiting #CollegeBasketball #BYUfootball #BYUCougars #BYU #BYUhoops #BYUbasketball #Big12Conference #Big12 #GoCougars #GoCougs #LockedOnCougars #LOC #BrighamYoungUniversity

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Jake Hatch brings you daily coverage of the BYU Cougars with the Locked On Cougars Podcast. Locked On Cougars brings BYU fans the latest news and comprehensive coverage when it comes to the BYU football and basketball programs as well as a look at the other teams in the BYU athletic department. Jake gives you his unique insights and insider information about the Cougs as they continue “on the trail to fame and glory” every weekday, along with interviews with players, coaches, experts, and alumni that you will not find anywhere else.

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