The University of Utah has announced the departure of men’s basketball coach Craig Smith after nearly four seasons with the program. Assistant coach Josh Eilert will take over as the interim coach. Smith, who previously coached at South Dakota and Utah State, failed to lead the Utes to an NCAA Tournament appearance during his tenure.
In the 2024-25 season, the team struggled with only 36% of its scoring returning from the previous year, prompting Smith to recruit heavily from the transfer portal. Despite adding eight transfers and three freshmen, the team is currently ranked 10th in the Big 12 with a 15-12 overall record. Smith was considered a hot-seat candidate despite recent wins over Kansas and Kansas State.
Utah Athletic Director Mark Harlan made the decision to part ways with Smith in hopes of reviving a program that has not made the NCAA Tournament since 2016. Rival BYU has seen success in recruiting top-tier talent, putting pressure on Utah to find a coach who can bring the program back into national relevance.
There is speculation that Utah may follow BYU’s lead in hiring coaches with NBA connections to attract top talent and secure NIL funding. The university will need to prioritize fundraising and boosting booster support to compete in recruitment and on the court. The search for a new head coach is underway, with potential candidates already in consideration.
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