Comments about ‘Utah Utes basketball: Alex Jensen finalist for final assistant job’

Make it happen!

Cue Peaches & Herb - Reunited and it feels so good.

Go Utes!

They might want to remind Coach K Jr. that Alex was a returned missionary. Evidently, Coach K doesn't like missionaries after cutting scholarships to two LDS missionary kids.

He's a perfect fit for the U!

Special K better get his staff finalized quickly because the Utes are going to have to recruit a whole new team.

Will Clyburn - exploring other options
J.J. O'Brien - exploring other options
Antonio DiMaria - exploring other options
Preston Guiot - returning to SW Baptist to play for his father

It's like rats leaving a sinking ship, nobody wants to coach or play for the Utes.

This is more good news. I didn't realize he had more spots to fill, but getting Alex Jensen back into the program will be great! Two former players with solid ties to the community and great raport with the fans will really help get the program back on track.

Kupets is next to go. He would fit in nicely with a 1A or 2A high school program.

Awesome! Another great hire if it gets done. Bringing him back home so we can get the recruiting back locally. He was a hard nosed, hard working kid too. Love it.

I remember he would park his old, beat up truck by the HC as he was going to class. Very unpretentious and easy to talk to.

Good luck Alex, I hope you get the job.

Re: Swoop

We can replace DiMaria and Guiot with just about anyone and be just as well off, if not better. These guys leaving doesn't hurt us one bit. They weren't D1 guys anyway.

"Also, the U. sports information department confirmed that junior forward Antonio DiMaria will not return to the program next year."

This should have been the headline, "Ute Coaches To Out-Number Players in 2011-2012 Hoops!"

This group is coming together very nicely. I have confidence these coaches can make a middle of the PAC 12 team next year and within 3 years be fighting for the top of the PAC 12.

@ USAlover:

Your attempt to paint Krysko as anti-Missionary is way off base. He was very upfront and honest with both these players. He let them know that their scholarships, which are renewed on a yearly basis anyway, would not be held for them. They were told that they could walk-on upon returning home from their missions if they choose to do so. He stated in his press conference that he was very open to recruiting LDS players and working around the Missionary program. He could have sent them on their way and lied to them, but he didn't. Check your facts next time.

Swoop, this is all just normal churning of waters when a coach changes. Things will be fine on the Hill. The U is not the first school that's had a down and need to rebuild, and they won't be the last.

What Utah has in place already is a history and expectation to win. Very few schools have that to point back to. Ute fans' expectations are high for hoops, but it's not without reason.

I'm confident the Utes will be back on the scene kicking tail.

This would be a huge win in recruiting local talent. Coach K needs to get this done. Good luck, Alex.

@ USALOVER

Maybe you should get your facts straight before you start spouting off about things which you know nothing about.... The 2 missionaries were walkons WITHOUT scholarships when they left on missions. All he said was they were welcome to walkon again and try to get scholarships!

Alex would make an excellent addition to the Utah Staff.

Go Utes!

A huge win in recruiting local talent? Don't Ute fans realize you're in the PAC 12 now? How much local talent do you think can play at that level. 1, maybe 2 players at the most in each class with most of them being Utah Valley, aka BYU commits.

Holy cow! Another player is leaving?

Who is going to play for the team next year?

And people are claiming a middle of the pac12 team?

Wow.

Bad move cutting scholarships of LDS missionaries. That just about completely wipes out any chance with local players. Not that coach K had much of a chance anyway.

Great choice, Dr. Hill...before coach K is done, there will only be 1200 students at the U and recruiting will be limited to south Baja...wow and I thought it couldn't get any worse...the U has proved me wrong again!!!

The new conference will be known as the PAC 11 and Utah...

Back when Jensen was a starting Forward on the Utah basketball team, Majerus used to describe him as not as talented as Van Horn, Miller, Doleac, or Mottola, but one of the smartest players he's ever coached. He also lauded his work ethic as unrivaled.

Coincidentally, that was how Rick Majerus' coach at Marquette used to describe Rick during his collegiate playing days.

***

Dear Coach Krystkoviak,

GET THIS GUY!

-Naval Vet