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Two Utes
01-09-2015, 10:12 AM
Wonder if Tommy Connor will be a candidate to replace him.

LA Ute
01-09-2015, 10:19 AM
Wonder if Tommy Connor will be a candidate to replace him.

I've always seen Tommy as an obvious Krysko successor candidate. Does that possibility go away if he coaches at USU?

SoCalPat
01-09-2015, 10:31 AM
Am I missing something here? USU's last two hires (Eustachy, Morrill) were immensely more qualified than Tommy. USU views itself as a top 4 job in the MWC, and will get feelers from coaches far more qualified than Tommy. I would be surprised if he gets an interview.

LA Ute
01-09-2015, 10:33 AM
Am I missing something here? USU's last two hires (Eustachy, Morrill) were immensely more qualified than Tommy. USU views itself as a top 4 job in the MWC, and will get feelers from coaches far more qualified than Tommy. I would be surprised if he gets an interview.

Two Utes was just wondering if Tommy would be a candidate. Probably not, based on what you've noted.

SoCalPat
01-09-2015, 10:40 AM
Wasn't singling out Two Utes. I've seen people elsewhere suggesting USU should be interested in Tommy. One person with a sizable following on Twitter in the U. athletics community suggested we give assistants raises and extensions in light of this news. Maybe he was being TIC -- I'm not always good at recognizing sarcasm.

UtahsMrSports
01-09-2015, 10:41 AM
I've always seen Tommy as an obvious Krysko successor candidate. Does that possibility go away if he coaches at USU?


I dont think so. If Tommy is hired up there, I think hed come back in a heartbeat if the need came up.

LA Ute
01-09-2015, 10:43 AM
Wasn't singling out Two Utes. I've seen people elsewhere suggesting USU should be interested in Tommy. One person with a sizable following on Twitter in the U. athletics community suggested we give assistants raises and extensions in light of this news. Maybe he was being TIC -- I'm not always good at recognizing sarcasm.

The events of the past two weeks would cause anyone to doubt his sarcasm meter.

LA Ute
01-09-2015, 10:45 AM
Am I missing something here? USU's last two hires (Eustachy, Morrill) were immensely more qualified than Tommy. USU views itself as a top 4 job in the MWC, and will get feelers from coaches far more qualified than Tommy. I would be surprised if he gets an interview.

Would Tommy even be a candidate to succeed Krysko, when that day comes (far in the future, I hope)? If the program's upward trajectory continues I don't know that we'll want to see a coach with no D1 HC experience taking over.

UBlender
01-09-2015, 10:55 AM
Wasn't singling out Two Utes. I've seen people elsewhere suggesting USU should be interested in Tommy. One person with a sizable following on Twitter in the U. athletics community suggested we give assistants raises and extensions in light of this news. Maybe he was being TIC -- I'm not always good at recognizing sarcasm.

Good ol' Swinney. He's all about trying to stir up fear and panic amongst Ute fans and he knows that assistant coach contracts are a sore spot right now.

No head coach should ever try to prevent an assistant from taking a head job at a credible program if that is the assistant's goal. The idea that Utah should scramble to block Connor from taking a head coaching position is silly.

I don't know if he'll be a candidate and I hope he sticks around but if his goal is to be a head coach and he gets that opportunity we should wish him well (and bring Chris Jones back to replace him as the token local guy on the staff).

SoCalPat
01-09-2015, 10:56 AM
Would Tommy even be a candidate to succeed Krysko, when that day comes (far in the future, I hope)? If the program's upward trajectory continues I don't know that we'll want to see a coach with no D1 HC experience taking over.

It would be an unprecedented move in the program's history. The only assistant we've had that was promoted to HC was Pimm, and he was passed over once after Gardner retired for Bill Foster. I'm gonna say no, or at least not as long as he remains at Utah. He'll have to first spread his wings elsewhere.

SoCalPat
01-09-2015, 10:59 AM
Good ol' Swinney. He's all about trying to stir up fear and panic amongst Ute fans and he knows that assistant coach contracts are a sore spot right now.

No head coach should ever try to prevent an assistant from taking a head job at a credible program if that is the assistant's goal. The idea that Utah should scramble to block Connor from taking a head coaching position is silly.

I don't know if he'll be a candidate and I hope he sticks around but if his goal is to be a head coach and he gets that opportunity we should wish him well (and bring Chris Jones back to replace him as the token local guy on the staff).

Couldn't agree more with this post, emphasis added where appropriate.

LA Ute
01-09-2015, 11:01 AM
It would be an unprecedented move in the program's history. The only assistant we've had that was promoted to HC was Pimm, and he was passed over once after Gardner retired for Bill Foster. I'm gonna say no, or at least not as long as he remains at Utah. He'll have to first spread his wings elsewhere.

You mustn't forget Lynn Archibald, one of the greatest combinations of a really good guy with a really mediocre head coach ever to hold the position.

EDIT: I just remembered that Lynn had been a HC at Idaho (State?) prior to coming to Utah. Never mind.

Two Utes
01-09-2015, 11:26 AM
Couldn't agree more with this post, emphasis added where appropriate.

I am very familiar with Jones and hope he has a chance to stay at Utah State

UtahsMrSports
01-09-2015, 11:29 AM
Good ol' Swinney. He's all about trying to stir up fear and panic amongst Ute fans and he knows that assistant coach contracts are a sore spot right now.

No head coach should ever try to prevent an assistant from taking a head job at a credible program if that is the assistant's goal. The idea that Utah should scramble to block Connor from taking a head coaching position is silly.

I don't know if he'll be a candidate and I hope he sticks around but if his goal is to be a head coach and he gets that opportunity we should wish him well (and bring Chris Jones back to replace him as the token local guy on the staff).

I agree with all of this.

I have been off of twitter since late April............People are still following Swinney? He is probably the one guy that BYU and Utah fans can agree is a hack and not worth taking seriously.

SoCalPat
01-09-2015, 12:15 PM
I am very familiar with Jones and hope he has a chance to stay at Utah State

Well, you're biased. Which is understandable.

Diehard Ute
01-09-2015, 01:21 PM
Not sure Tommy would be interested. From people who know him he seems to care less about being a big time coach than most. I know he didn't really entertain the idea when approached in the past.

Applejack
01-09-2015, 01:23 PM
Tommy might get the opportunity sooner rather than later (I have no idea whether he'd be interested). Sure he doesn't have D-1 experience, but he has been a head coach and he did pretty well during his stint at Westminny. It's not the same, I know, but it's better than nothing.

Jarid in Cedar
01-09-2015, 02:01 PM
Wasn't singling out Two Utes. I've seen people elsewhere suggesting USU should be interested in Tommy. One person with a sizable following on Twitter in the U. athletics community suggested we give assistants raises and extensions in light of this news. Maybe he was being TIC -- I'm not always good at recognizing sarcasm.

He wasn't being sarcastic. His entire empire is built on the "woe is me", "the sky is falling", and "NOW IS A PERFECT TIME TO PANIC!" crowd. It is almost unreadable.

311ute
01-09-2015, 02:05 PM
I might be a bit bias since I played for Tommy and know his family well. But IMO, Tommy will be an excellent D1 coach some day. And I really hope it's with the Utes and not USU or WSU.

To say he did "pretty well" during his time at Westminster is an understatement... he came in as the school was just reinstating the basketball program, so he had to build it from nothing. During his tenure there (he also served as AD) he built a winning tradition, basically dominating the Frontier Conference. He has a brilliant basketball mind and is an excellent teacher of the game.

Now I don't know what Tommy's career aspirations are, and I don't know if USU will look his way. But I do know we gave him the title of "Associate HC" this off-season for a reason. We knew programs could come calling, and we want to hold on to him. That being said, as has been discussed here, Larry and Chris Hill definitely wouldn't hold him back if he gets a good offer and wants to be a HC somewhere else to further his career. I would doubt if he gets offered the Utah St job he would turn it down. The Weber job, however, is a different story. If USU hires Rahe I could see Weber come after Tommy. I could see Tommy turn that down to stay here.

I am almost certain Tommy is seen as "coach-in-waiting" if Larry were to bolt in the next few years. I could be wrong there, but that's definitely the sense I get.


Also... I second the notion that if Tommy were to leave, Jones-y would be the logical replacement. He's a great coach.

FountainOfUte
01-09-2015, 02:07 PM
Tommy might get the opportunity sooner rather than later (I have no idea whether he'd be interested). Sure he doesn't have D-1 experience, but he has been a head coach and he did pretty well during his stint at Westminny. It's not the same, I know, but it's better than nothing.

USU could do a LOT worse than Tommy. Sure, no D1 HC experience, but he has been a HC, has played and coached under Majerus, coached under Krystko, recruited Utah/the west. IMO, only a self-inflated sense of importance on USU's part would keep Tommy from being a top 3 candidate for them. D1 HC experience is about the only thing he's lacking, but it doesn't take long to see that he has the stuff to do the Aggie job. If he wants that job, I hope he gets it. But for Utah's sake, I hope we don't lose him to USU. He'd kill it there.

Scorcho
03-23-2015, 03:21 PM
rumor is that Tommy Connor will be the head guy in Logan next year.

NorthwestUteFan
03-23-2015, 05:59 PM
rumor is that Tommy Connor will be the head guy in Logan next year.

Hold it there, he needs to figure out how to beat Duke's defense first...

UtahsMrSports
03-24-2015, 10:41 AM
rumor is that Tommy Connor will be the head guy in Logan next year.

It is funny to me that (hopefully in two weeks!) when our offseason starts, our worries will be more focused on our coaching staff being raided than on the annual "who will transfer?" game. Unfamiliar territory, for sure. Ill be interested to see what interest/offers come the way of all of our coaches, Larry included. I am not worried about transfers one iota.

Old Standing ute
03-25-2015, 03:53 PM
Nevada hired their coach.

No word from Logan.

SoCalPat
03-25-2015, 08:03 PM
Nevada hired their coach.

No word from Logan.

Musselman is a great hire for UNR. Knows NoCal from his time with the Warriors and Kings. NBA background a huge plus. Kinda ups the ante on USU to hire someone the fanbase can get excited over.

NorthwestUteFan
03-25-2015, 08:33 PM
Does that diminish the likelihood that usu hires a first-time HC? (D-1)

Diehard Ute
03-25-2015, 08:47 PM
Nevada hired their coach.

No word from Logan.

Per the Trib TC had interviewed along with others, no job offers have been extended.

NorthwestUteFan
03-25-2015, 08:52 PM
Per the Trib TC had interviewed along with others, no job offers have been extended.

That is good. Hold any kind of drama until after next weekend please.

Conversely I hope ASU announces that they have hired Duke's top assistant. Announce it tomorrow, please. :)

concerned
03-25-2015, 09:31 PM
Per the Trib TC had interviewed along with others, no job offers have been extended.

Suggests the Aggies are waiting for somebody's season to end. What are the odds they make an announcement a day or two after the Utes lose (or win it all).