Utah

Mailbag: Utah’s post-Whittingham plan, Big Ten kickoffs, USC’s valuation, Colorado’s outlook, BYU’s win total and more

Published

2 months ago

May 3, 2024

Mailbag: Utah’s post-Whittingham plan, Big Ten kickoffs, USC’s valuation, Colorado’s outlook, BYU’s win total and more

The Hotline mailbag publishes weekly. Send questions to pac12hotline@bayareanewsgroup.com and include ‘mailbag’ in the subject line. Or hit me on Twitter/X: @WilnerHotline.

Please note: Some questions have been edited for clarity and brevity.

Assuming that Utah coach Kyle Whittingham steps away in the not-too-distant future, defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley probably will take over. When other programs have replaced a legend with a key existing staff member, what are some best and worst comparisons? And which might be closest to Utah’s case? — @mattkreuter

We agree that the 64-year-old Whittingham will retire in the next few years and Scalley, the longtime defensive assistant and coordinator, will take over the program.

At one point, Scalley was the official coach-in-waiting, but that designation was revoked after he used a racial slur in a text message. Our sense is that enough time has passed without further incident (or additional revelations) that the Utes could promote Scalley to the throne without significant political fallout.

The comparison that comes immediately to mind — because it happened just a few years ago, not because Utah is destined for the same fate — is Washington promoting Jimmy Lake to replace Chris Petersen in Dec. 2019. That ended poorly, with Lake dismissed after two seasons.

There’s a rough comparison available down the road from Salt Lake City, as well: In 2001, Brigham Young replaced legendary coach LaVell Edwards with Gary Crowton. Although Crowton wasn’t on Edwards’ staff at the time of the transition, he was a BYU alum. Crowton had a stellar first season, then fizzled.

If we expand the scope in both time and terrain, more comparisons come into focus.

Oklahoma replaced Barry Switzer with defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs in 1989. Gibbs cleaned up the mess left behind and lasted six seasons but did not win at the required level.

In 1993, Washington defensive coordinator Jim Lambright was promoted to head coach after UW legend Don James resigned in August amid an NCAA scandal. Lambright lasted six years, never cracking the top 10 in the final AP poll.

In 1998, longtime Nebraska assistant Frank Solich took over for Tom Osborne and averaged 10 wins over four seasons. But success faded in Year Five and Solich was gone soon after.

So there are myriad situations similar to a Scalley-for-Whittingham exchange. In many cases the replacement experienced early success, then lost traction.

And the timelines are shorter these days. In the 1990s, it was common to give coaches five or six seasons. Now, judgement comes after Year Three, if not sooner.

In our view, Oregon offers the best model for Utah. Somehow, the Ducks made internal promotions work twice:

— Offensive coordinator Mike Bellotti replaced Rich Brooks in 1995 and lifted the program to unprecedented heights over the course of his 14 seasons.

— Bellotti then stepped aside before the 2009 season and handed the keys to his playcaller, Chip Kelly, who led the Ducks to 46 wins in four years (and transformed the sport in the process).

None of the aforementioned situations is exactly like Utah’s presumed transition, and the sport is changing dramatically, with economics (e.g., NIL) playing an increasingly large role in roster composition.

Our advice to Utah fans wondering about the post-Whittingham existence: Take comfort in Utah’s previous success.

After all, Whittingham himself was an internal promotion after Urban Meyer left for Ohio State in 2004, and that transition worked out pretty darn well.

Do you predict the eight most valuable football schools form an alliance in the coming years in order to leverage the highest media rights payouts? If such an alliance forms, will USC be included among the eight? — @TerryTerry79

The Trojans would probably make the cut for a Great Eight, although it’s close. Notre Dame, Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Texas, Oklahoma, Georgia, Alabama and LSU would be in the discussion, as well.

But we don’t see any indication of an eight-school alliance.

How would that function on a practical level? You need more than eight to create a super league. And how would those eight leverage their media valuation separately given that they are currently under contract (for varying lengths) with their conferences.

The super league concept currently making the rounds is deeply flawed and features 80 schools. That isn’t realistic: Fox and ESPN would not agree to pay premium valuations for Minnesota vs. South Carolina or TCU vs. Arizona.

If massive consolidation materializes, the super league that emerges will have fewer than 80 schools … but far more than eight.

Have Fox and the Big Ten identified the 2024 football games that will be moved to Friday? It’s difficult to make travel plans to attend away games when there is a risk that the game will be moved to a different day. — @Jalex0077

The Friday games have added a layer of complication for fans, and the situation is only getting worse with the increased travel (time and cost) required in bicoastal conferences.

The 2024 Big Ten schedule, released in November, included the following note:

“Selected Saturday games in the 2024 season may be adjusted to select Fridays and other special dates, including Labor Day Sunday and Black Friday.”

Look for the conference to announce a slew of Friday matchups at the end of May, along with the kickoff times for its early-season (non-conference) games.

Our hunch: A significant amount of the Friday dates, if not the majority, will involve West Coast schools.

Are the former Pac-12 teams still going to participate in the bowl games tied to the former conference as speculated several months ago? — @tobsandmags

As we see it, there is no viable alternative. The new homes for the outbound schools (ACC, Big Ten and Big 12) have bowl contracts based on current membership.

Granted, tweaks will be needed to avoid rematches. For instance, the Alamo Bowl pairs the No. 2 team in the Pac-12 with an opponent from the Big 12. Nobody wants Utah playing Iowa State in San Antonio one month after the teams collide in Salt Lake City.

Also, the bowl partnerships are based largely on geography.

Keeping the outbound Pac-12 teams aligned with Pac-12 bowls in the Pacific Time Zone — unless those teams make the cut for the playoff — creates the most cost-effective experience for fans.

With the House lawsuit against the NCAA, shouldn’t more blame and cost be on Arizona State since that’s the institution House swam for? — @bdgiddens6

I cannot help but chuckle and wonder if the author of this question is an Arizona fan, seeking a way to denigrate the Sun Devils.

For those unfamiliar, Grant House is a former ASU swimmer and the named plaintiff in a lawsuit that is transforming college sports by forcing the schools into a revenue-sharing agreement with athletes.

House v NCAA is scheduled for trial next winter but could be settled in the next few months, with a steep price tag.

ESPN and Yahoo have reported the NCAA could owe former athletes almost $3 billion in compensation from the pre-NIL era.

Additionally, schools are preparing to spend about $20 million annually in revenue sharing with current athletes and another $10 million in additional scholarships.

The totality of the cost could force some schools to eliminate Olympic sports or decide they don’t want to compete at the highest level of major college football.

But Grant House’s choice of colleges should not require ASU to carry a larger financial burden. The Sun Devils didn’t subject him to different economic conditions than existed for Olympic sports athletes across the country.

What’s your pick for Colorado’s opener against North Dakota State? And what happens in Boulder when the Bisons beat the Buffaloes? — @PDX_JonathanW

NDSU is one of the top programs in the FCS and, over the years, has defeated a slew of major college teams.

That said, we’re picking the Buffaloes. They should be marginally better than they were last season with improved play on the lines of scrimmage.

But a loss to NDSU would create an exceedingly difficult path into the postseason for second-year coach Deion Sanders.

CU’s conference schedule is daunting with Arizona, Utah and both Kansas schools, while the non-conference lineup again includes Nebraska and Colorado State in September.

How much longer does “Coach Prime” last at Colorado? — @CyclingUte22

We have considered Sanders a short-timer in Boulder since the moment he accepted the job in Dec. 2022. Either he wins this year or next and leaves for a better job, or he flops and resigns.

His recent comments about not following his sons into the NFL are immaterial, in our view.

Even if Sanders wants no part of coaching on Sundays, he would surely entertain offers from his alma mater, Florida State, or an elite college program in the SEC.

Put another way: We would be mildly surprised if he’s coaching the Buffaloes in their 2026 season opener.

Will Brigham Young’s victory total be over or under four in the upcoming season? I’m going with the under. — @utez1568052

Given that FanDuel set BYU’s win total at 4.5, your lean seems reasonable.

The Hotline pegged the Cougars for 13th place in the Big 12 race next season because of the quarterback uncertainty and a wobbly run defense.

But the schedule cannot be ignored, either.

Winning on the road is always difficult. When the home lineup is daunting, as well, the overall margin for error shrivels.

And BYU has one of the toughest home schedules in the Big 12 with Kansas, Kansas State, Arizona and Oklahoma State visiting Provo.

I’m not sure about your projection of fewer than four victories, but we certainly would take under FanDuel’s total of 4.5.

Any developing news on the fate of the Pac-12 Network? — @rEd315

That depends on what you already know.

The Pac-12 Networks will cease to exist as a media distribution company on July 1. However, the infrastructure will remain in place to produce live events for Washington State and Oregon State in 2024-25.

The schools have numerous teams competing as affiliate members of the West Coast Conference and are thereby subject to the WCC’s media requirements. Those include making dozens of competitions available for broadcast on ESPN’s digital platform.

The Pac-12 Networks’ equipment and production staff will carry the load for WSU and OSU, at least for the upcoming year.

After that? The conference has a multi-year lease on the San Ramon office space. But like so much else, that issue is unresolved.

*** Send suggestions, comments and tips (confidentiality guaranteed) to pac12hotline@bayareanewsgroup.com or call 408-920-5716

*** Follow me on Twitter/X: @WilnerHotline

*** Pac-12 Hotline is not endorsed or sponsored by the Pac-12 Conference, and the views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the Conference.

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Utah

What to expect for the Nov. 5 general election in Utah

Published

5 hours ago

June 26, 2024

Press Room

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Polls closed for Utah’s primary elections on June 25 and preliminary results began coming in, setting the stage for the upcoming general election on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

While official voter canvassing results were not scheduled to be available until July 22, the Associated Press projected winners for several races by June 25.

Here’s what to expect for the voting process for the general election in November.

Who is running in Utah?

The June 25 primaries narrowed down the list of candidates running for office in Utah.

Gov. Spencer Cox was the projected winner for the gubernatorial race, according to the AP.

Rep. John Curtis was expected to clinch the Republican nomination to replace Sen. Mitt Romney, and would face off against Democratic challenger Caroline Gleich and Independent challengers Carlton E. Bown and Robert Newcomb in the 2024 General Election in November.

For a full list of Utah’s candidates, click here.

When are the registration and voting deadlines?

Depending on how Utahns register to vote, the deadlines for registration may vary.

Deadlines for registration (and how to register)

Voters in Utah can register online, in person, or by mail.

Online voter registration is available at vote.utah.gov, and it must be completed by Oct. 25, 2024. The deadline for registering by mail is also Oct. 25.

If registering to vote in person, the deadline is Nov. 5, 2024 (meaning you can register on Election Day if you have the proper forms of identification).

Deadlines for voting

Early in-person voting at the Government Center begins Oct. 22, 2024, and ends Nov. 1, 2024. Early in-person voting at satellite locations begins Oct. 29, 2024, and ends Nov. 1, 2024.

If returning a ballot by mail, the ballot must be postmarked by Nov. 4, 2024. Ballots should be sent to voters by Oct. 15, and the last day to request a mail ballot is Oct. 29.

On Election Day — Tuesday, Nov. 5 — Utahns can vote at polling locations from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.

To find the closest polling location to you, visit votesearch.utah.gov and enter your address.

How do you check registration status in Utah?

If you want to vote but are unsure if you have already registered, you can check your status online at votesearch.utah.gov. To check your registration status, you need to provide your name, date of birth, and address.

That website can also display tracking information for mail ballots or provisional ballots, but not if you voted at a voting machine or in person.

Once you register to vote in Utah, you don’t need to re-register unless your registration status changes.

“If you have moved outside of the state and returned, or your name has changed, or your registration has lapsed by not voting in the last two presidential elections you will need to re-register,” according to the Salt Lake County Clerk’s Office.

Registering on Election Day

Did you know that if you are not yet registered to vote you can do so on Election Day?

“A poll worker will assist you in registering to vote and casting a provisional ballot on an electronic voting machine,” the Salt Lake County Clerk’s Office said.

To register on Election Day, you must bring a valid photo ID and proof of Utah residency to an Election Day vote center during polling hours. To see the full list of approved forms of identification, click here.

Who can vote in Utah?

There are three criteria for voters in the Beehive State.

First, you must be a resident of the United States in order to be eligible to vote in Utah. Second, you must reside in Utah for at least 30 days prior to the next election.

Third, you must be at least 18 years old on or before the general election. If you are 17 years old at the time of the primary election, you may still vote if you are 18 years old on or before the date of the general election.

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Utah

Utah Jazz NBA Draft Preview: 2024

Published

13 hours ago

June 25, 2024

Press Room

The Utah Jazz have an exciting night tomorrow because they have the 10th, 29th, and 32nd pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. the Jazz have been in several rumors regarding the draft. Some rumors suggest the Jazz will trade up for higher than pick number 10. Some rumors suggest the Jazz will package picks 29 and 32 for a higher second pick in the first round. The honest observation at this point is that the Jazz might do just about anything for the draft. Tune in tomorrow night from home or from the Delta Center to find out what the Jazz do in round one! To watch the draft, tune in to ABC or ESPN.

Round One Draft: 6 PM MST, June 26th

Round Two Draft: 2 PM MST, June 27th

Below are projections on who the Jazz could select with their 3 picks. The projections are based on the Jazz’s rumored interest and generally where players are projected to be picked.

10th Pick Projections:

Photo by David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images

Ron Holland

Nikola Topic

Rob Dillingham

Cody Williams

Zach Edey

Dalton Knecht

29th Pick Projections:

Kyshawn George

Ryan Dunn

Baylor Scheierman

AJ Johnson

Justin Edwards

Cam Christie

Tyler smith

Johnny Furphy

Pick 32 Projections:

Picks 29 and 32 are close so these projections mainly overlap.

Harrison Ingram

Kyle Flipowski

Trentyn Flowers

Jonathan Mogbo

Jaylon Tyson

Tyler Kolek

Bronny James

Bobi Klintman

Final Prediction

This projection could be way off because this draft has a lot of parity and the Jazz could very well trade some of their picks. With that said, I predict that the Jazz select Nikola Topic with the 10th pick. For the 29th pick, The Jazz go for Ryan Dunn. For the 32nd pick, I predict that the Jazz select Jaylon Tyson. I think the Jazz will almost make a trade or two tomorrow but don’t quite pull the trigger.

What do you think the Jazz will do tomorrow night? Comment below!

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Utah

4 Utah Jazz rumors to watch before the NBA Draft

Published

20 hours ago

June 25, 2024

Press Room

4 Utah Jazz rumors to watch before the NBA Draft

The Tribune’s Andy Larsen breaks down the latest reports.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Brooklyn Nets forward Mikal Bridges (1) tries to evade the block attempt by Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (24) during NBA basketball in Salt Lake City Monday, Dec. 18, 2023.

| June 25, 2024, 1:50 p.m.

The NBA Draft starts Wednesday, and the rumor mill is heating up around the Utah Jazz. Here’s the latest news, along with my reaction to the possibilities.

Trading for Mikal Bridges?

Rumor: Yahoo’s Jake Fischer reported that the Jazz are one of the teams interested in trading for Brooklyn wing Mikal Bridges, along with Houston and New York. Bridges is one of “Utah’s most aggressive aspirations,” Fischer wrote.

Reaction: The Nets have repeatedly declined to trade Bridges despite it probably making sense for the franchise to do so. Instead, they’ve been asking for more than three first-round picks in return for the 27-year-old.

Bridges would make the Jazz significantly better; he’s developed himself into a 20-point-per-game scorer while also being a solid defender. He’s the two-way player with size that these most recent playoffs have shown are extremely valuable. (Though we should note here that he was a far better player before the All-Star break than after it last year.)

The problem is that it’s not immediately clear that the Jazz would be a playoff team even with Bridges — he was an eight-win player last season, and the Jazz finished 15 wins short of the No. 10 seed. For an acquisition of Bridges to make sense, Utah would probably need to acquire other good players around him and Lauri Markkanen to get up in that 45-win range required to make the playoffs in the West. Still, it could be an exciting first step.

Trading for Zach LaVine?

Rumor: The Bulls “remain active” on trade negotiations sending out Zach LaVine involving the Jazz and the Philadelphia 76ers, according to NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson. However, reporter Marc Stein disagreed with the report, saying he had been “advised to dismiss Utah’s interest.”

Reaction: Johnson’s a quality veteran reporter, but I agree with Stein. While I haven’t heard recent updates, Jazz personnel earlier this year indicated that LaVine wasn’t a logical option in the pre-trade deadline market given the Jazz’s place in the standings, LaVine’s poor record of availability, and especially his high contract that pays him a combined $138 million over the next three years.

Chicago Bulls’ Zach LaVine (8) scores past Toronto Raptors’ Gary Trent Jr. (33) during the first half of an NBA basketball In-Season Tournament game Friday, Nov. 24, 2023, in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

I don’t suspect circumstances have changed enough since to make a LaVine trade make sense now, at least not a trade in which the Jazz are giving up assets. If anything, it might require Chicago to send out assets to push the Jazz to take on LaVine’s deal.

Signing Tobias Harris?

Rumor: The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that the Jazz and the Detroit Pistons “are expected to be the strongest suitors for Tobias Harris,” who is a free agent this summer after his 5-year, $180 million albatross of a deal ended with the 76ers.

Reaction: The Jazz will likely have about $40 million in cap space this summer. Some of that room the franchise anticipates using on Markkanen’s renegotiation and extension as the Finnish star enters the final year of his current contract.

Boston Celtics’ Al Horford (42) defends against Philadelphia 76ers’ Tobias Harris (12) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Dec. 1, 2023, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Harris is theoretically someone who could help the Jazz. At this point in his career, he’s statistically pretty average across the board — his shooting, rebounding, passing, steals, and block rates are just around the 50th percentile, maybe a bit higher. Even average, though, would make Harris the Jazz’s best wing by a lot.

He turns 32 this summer, so Harris doesn’t make sense for the Jazz’s long-term future, and signing him would also mean fewer minutes for last year’s No. 9 pick, Taylor Hendricks. But if they could get him on a short-term deal for a discount, he could also be a tradable piece in a move later while helping the Jazz improve now.

Looking to move up?

Rumor: Multiple reporters indicated that the Jazz are looking to move up in the draft using the No. 29 pick and the No. 32 pick. First, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony reported Monday morning that the Jazz are looking to trade the two picks for a “pick in the late teens.” Arizona sports radio host John Gambadoro reported that he believed that the Suns had had discussions with the Jazz, sending the No. 22 pick to Utah for No. 29 and No. 32. Fischer, meanwhile, floated the idea of the Jazz acquiring No. 17 from the Lakers in exchange for the two picks.

Reaction: Jazz general manager Justin Zanik acknowledged that the club has reservations about having six first- or second-year players on the roster next season, the logical outcome if the team makes all three selections on Wednesday. So the Jazz consolidating these picks in this fashion follows that line of thinking, especially if they are targeting a player they believe is significantly better than what’s available around the turn of the draft.

My only concern is that, in general, teams trading up in drafts get a little less value than those trading down when you study the issue analytically. The NBA Draft Pick Trade Simulator at nbasense.com is a good tool for looking at this — trading No. 29 and No. 32 for No. 17 is a pretty fair deal, but trading those picks for No. 22 would be analytically a bad idea. That’s especially true in a “flat” draft, where players’ values are considered pretty close throughout the first round.

If the Jazz are going to defy the analytics, they should be really sure that the player they’re acquiring with the higher pick is worth giving up two chances to place bets further down in the draft.

Editor’s note • This story is available to Salt Lake Tribune subscribers only. Thank you for supporting local journalism.

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