BYU, Utah: Season to Taste

Utah basketball coach Jim Boylen’s remarks following the Utes’ MWC semifinal win over Wyoming, Friday, were typical.

He was fired up, emotional and grateful.

Asked about the possibility of winning a tournament title, he said, “It would be great. It would be huge for us. We have a terrific place. We have a lot of very good coaches at our school. Gymnastics is terrific. Volleyball is terrific. Our women’s team is awesome. So we’ve got a lot to be thankful for at Utah. We’ve got a great place. I’m proud to be the coach there.”

Gimme a U…

Boylen’s unabashed cheerleading annoys opposing fans – especially BYU’s. Some might say it’s contrived. If so, he’s consistent. Boylen has been shedding tears and gushing praise ever since landing the job at Utah.

And while that sort of approach may get old if the Utes start losing, he seems a nice fit for Utah. Former coach Ray Giacoletti was a good guy, a quality person, but he was more laid back on the sidelines than Boylen. Utah players and fans needed an infusion of emotion, and got it.

Apparently it’s working, as Utah tied for the conference regular season title in just his second year. (On the other had, Giacoletti got a conference title in his first year, thanks largely to Andrew Bogut).

At the same time, Dave Rose is, in my mind, was a great choice for BYU. Under the semi-laid-back Steve Cleveland, the Cougars had some good years, but it was harder to tell he was involved.

Rose is clearly stoked in the games. But what makes him effective for the Cougars is he knows where to draw the line. He has the emotion without the loss of control. Reduce heat to medium and simmer.

It’s no coincidence both Utah and BYU finished at the top of the league this season.