Speculation about successor begins

Love him or hate him, there is no question Rick Majerus raised the bar for the Ute basketball program during the past 15 years. Ten regular season conference championships in the past 13 years and a 17-10 record in the NCAA Tournament speaks volumes for the success Majerus brought to Utah.

And now someone will have to replace him.

"It's going to be a tough gig to follow with all the success he's had," said Westminster College coach and former Majerus assistant Tommy Connor. "He's built a top-25 program. Whoever takes over will face huge expectations. It could almost be like career suicide."

Then again, it is a top-25 program with good, young players on the roster — and it pays well. There certainly won't be a shortage of candidates for the job.

Utah athletic director Chris Hill, understandably, wasn't talking about the future of the program beyond this season on Tuesday. He was concerned about this year's club, which will be led by assistant Kerry Rupp in Majerus' absence. Finding a permanent replacement for Majerus "will be for another day," Hill said.

Still, it should be an interesting search — and the speculation has already begun.

Hill has a strong track record for finding successful coaches. From Ron McBride to Majerus to Urban Meyer, Hill has brought in men who have helped their respective programs take a step up. Whoever gets the job will be highly compensated. Majerus was reportedly making $1 million per year with his shoe, basketball camps, TV and radio contracts figured in with his salary.

In any event, here are some of the possible replacements that come up immediately — in three categories: locals, up-and-comers and big-names needing work.

THE LOCAL GUYS

Stew Morrill, Utah State — Aggie fans cringe at the suggestion since they'd hate to see him go. The 51-year-old has done remarkable things in Logan, going 118-30 in the past 4 1/2 years. The 15-1 Aggies' only blemish this season came in the Huntsman Center, but he's had good success over the years against Utah. He seems comfortable in Logan. Does he really want the pressure at Utah when he has things so good at USU?

Jeff Judkins, BYU women — A fan favorite, he spent 10 years as a loyal assistant to Majerus after his professional playing days were over. The Salt Lake City native and ex-Ute star had a great relationship with the U. players and fans. He has already said he would be interested in being interviewed for the job. His being associated with BYU the past four years and his lack of head coaching experience with men's teams may hurt.