Upheaval in Jim Boylen's program nothing new for Utes

Hello (... hello ... hello ... hello ...). Anybody in there (... in there ... in there ... in there ...)?

If it seems there's an echo in the Huntsman Center, that's because there's hardly anyone left. (Is that a tumbleweed blowing across the court?) The place got that much emptier this week when four Ute basketball players left the program.

First, reserves Jordan Cyphers and Matt Read requested and received releases last Thursday. Then came Monday's news that top scorer Carlon Brown and reserve guard freshman Chris Hines were bolting, too.

Lop off seniors Luka Drca and Kim Tillie and that makes half a team that won't be around next year. Maybe that's a good thing, considering the Utes went 13-17, their worst showing since Ray (Hit the Road) Giacoletti coached them to an 11-19 record in 2006-07.

Now, just a year after current coach Jim Boylen signed a five-year contract, he's the one taking heat.

As they say in the commercials, life comes at you fast. After Boylen led the Utes to a first-place tie and a No. 5 seeding in the NCAA Tournament last season, this year's team didn't even break even.

Last year, athletics director Chris Hill rewarded Boylen with a contract that could keep him here until 2014. It seemed reasonable at the time, considering Arizona was seriously looking at hiring him. But this year, his team not only finished tied for fifth, but lost twice to BYU.

In fairness, Boylen exceeded last year's expectations. Picked to finish fourth in the Mountain West, his 2009 team turned out feisty and smart. Equally important, he brought out toughness in center Luke Nevill that few expected.

Nothing similar occurred this year. Drca and Brown were no better — probably worse — than the previous year. The Utes had little on-court leadership and not much offense, either. Though they did beat Michigan, Illinois and Louisiana State, they lost to Idaho and Seattle and were never in the race for the MWC championship.

Whose fault that is should play out next season.

While it's fine to allow Boylen space for one bad season, he's on an eerily parallel track to Giacoletti. The former Utah coach went 54-40 (.574) in three seasons; Boylen is 56-42 (.571). Giacoletti was 29-21 in conference (.580); Boylen is 26-22 (.565).

Both had one good year, primarily using their predecessor's players. Giacoletti had Andrew Bogut in 2004-05, while Boylen had Luke Nevill to spearhead 2008-09.