Time to weigh in on the Judkins issue.

If Juddy leaves it won't affect Utah's recruiting of Mormom athletes, at least not directly. There may be a few cases in the next few couple of seasons, but most of the LDS kids coming to Utah didn't come because of Jeff... Many have expressed this and I agree.

But... Many players, LDS and non-LDS have stayed at Utah because of Juddy. Not because he's a great coach... but because he's a buffer between them and Majerus. No one will slam Majerus as a teacher and technician... but the way he gets it across has driven many to the verge of leaving.

So far I've said nothing others haven't stated. But here's the problem... The coaching staff as it currently stands without Juddy does not have a "buffer." Hunsaker and Strohm are Majerus types. Donny Daniels has only proven effective with the black athletes.

Last week, UtahRick took some heat for saying Kapono and Burgess coming to Utah could break down team chemistry and cause a mess of transfers. I say, the break down will occur if Majerus doesn't have the insight to put a "good cop" on his staff.

Majerus' tactics are too Bobby Knight to be laid on college kids without a buffer.

Yes, I'm pro Judkins. So I want Juddy to do what's best for Juddy. If that's leaving Utah, so be it. But I'm also pro-Utah and the Utes need someone to fill Juddy's role.. not as LDS recruiter but as buffer.

If this doesn't happen, Majerus becomes the Bobby Knight out West... great coach, but so brutal on players that they go elsewhere.

Just my opinion...
'biquitous

sI look at Juddy more as a buffer to Majerus as well. I don't think it's being fair to the young LDS recruits to think they're so narrow minded that they wouldn't come here because there wasn't an LDS coach(or at least one they liked). LDS students usually take institute classes and have plenty of interaction with other members of the church. I think it boils down to the fact that ALL players like Juddy, not just the LDS players and he can relate to these kids because he too is the target of many of Majerus' tirades. He is very important to the kids on the team, especially from a psychological point of view.

MalamUTE

I've been at numerous Utah practices, as well as a decent number of team meetings, and believe me, there is no comparison between Majerus' methods and Bob Knight's. The two men share a common belief about defense, discipline and academics, but their individual coaching methods are strikingly different. Yes, Rick will use some coarse language, just as Knight does. But Majerus would never lay a finger on a player, nor have I ever seen him have anything resembling a Knight-like meltdown -- public or private. If anything, I think Rick takes the best of Knight, and leaves the rest. Players leave for lots of different reasons (usually associated with playing time). If players can bolt Duke and Coach K, they can bolt anybody, including Rick.

As for buffers, every staff has one. Rick says in his book that he isn't there to be a player's friend. He'll offer support, off-the-court advice, etc., but he's there to coach and fulfill a promise he makes to all parents and players: that he'll make academics his no. 1 priority. you want a friend? go buy a pooch.

Strohm is a great guy and now that his duties have expanded, look for him to take a greater role as a buffer sort. he's the youngest of the assistants and has a very low key, comforting way about him. I'm not a utah grad, only an admirer of what majerus has built. all i know, is that i'd like my son to play for him.

Players are adults( maybe not chronologically) and they should get used to being just that. Are the Mormon players so different that they need to cry on someone's shoulder. I do not think so!

I agree with much of what you said. However contrary to some of the belief here, these players are not kids. They do not need any buffers. They need people to dialog with man to man. Hunsaker, Daniels and yes Majerus may have tyranical moments but these are coaching moments not life moments. If someone lays the law down to these players in practice, 99.9999% of this is not personal. Something players have to get used to. Even in highschool these players or others on their teams experience this all the time.

If these guys need religious afinity let them go to their chrches. If they want to grow as basketball players let them learn to deal with the praise and criticism the coaches dish out. Majerus at his worst is no different than any great coach. At his best he is extremely compassionate. I wish everyone would not think of the players (Mormon and not) as babies. If they need a buffer from their own staff of coaches then they should go somewhere else.

Most of these 18 and 19 year olds are still kids when they arrive. to understand the buffer theory you would have to had attended one of Ricks practice sessions. when he gets into a player he does it like no other coach I know. sure most of them swear, but rick takes this to a new level. rick will call these players anything that comes to mind, including parts of anatomy( both sexes). mormon or not this is very offensive to most players.I coach high school and know alot of high school coaches and nothing done at this level could prepare you for rick. he is a great coach and teacher of the game but these players, (no matter if you term them adults or kids) need someone to convince them that although his methods maybe strange he is simply trying to get them to be a better player and person. there are some players that have thrived under this method, there are some that couldn't take it, the rest of them have survived with a buffer.

While I agree that I've heard of assistant coaches being the ones to put the pieces back together after the HC breaks them up (on a lot of teams besides Utah), I remembered something that might help us put this into context.

I seem to remember Majerus talking about Doleac taking over as the "team leader". That in the process, Doleac was the guy that players would go to when Majerus would upset them. I remember hearing the same thing about Keith.

It seems that the team leaders have a big role in this as well and we shouldn't just point at one assistant coach or another and label them "the buffer".

Anyone else remember any of this?

Matt Smith

Doleac and Drew, when they were captains, went to Rick, while on a roda trip, and told him that he was being too hard on them. They discused it all through and Majerus agreed, and backed off.

Rick expects his captains and upperclassmen to be leaders. And they have been, Matt is right, alot of the "buffer" role does go to players.

Something to note, Rick says in his book that you can't be the player's friends. Greg Marsden was interviewed for an article a few weeks ago talking about coaching female athletes as a male. One of the points he made was that all of his athletes always wanted him to be their best friend, but that coaches can't do that. They're not there to be the best friend, they're there to coach... something to think about.

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