Deseret News | Utah State basketball: Morrill talks with Washington State

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Utah State basketball: Morrill talks with Washington State

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CougarKeith | 10:01 p.m. April 5, 2009

USU has one sport going VERY STRONG!!! They better do whatever it takes to keep him where he belongs, at USU!!!

Stew is the man! | 10:49 p.m. April 5, 2009

I can't blame Stew for listening to what a Pac 10 school had to offer, but hopefully he'll remain an Aggie.

Hopefully | 10:55 p.m. April 5, 2009

...this is Stew's way to get the University to make him a committment to building a new indoor practice facility for the basketball program. Memo to USU A.D.'s office: do whatever it takes to keep this man in Logan - in my 35 years as an Aggie sports fan, Stew Morrill is hands down the best thing to ever happen to us!

Comments continue below

Anonymous | 11:29 p.m. April 5, 2009

I agree, the outdoor practice facility is terrible

Jazzfan | 11:35 p.m. April 5, 2009

You can't blame a man going to another school to coach if he can make double the money still doing what he loves. I do agree that this man needs to stay at USU and would hate to see him leave. Looks like the athletic fee increase just may go to Coach Morrill :) Stew....knowing you probably read these; we want you here at USU and this basketball program relies on a good coaching staff.

Stew Fan | 12:34 a.m. April 6, 2009

Stay or go I wish Stew the very best. He has lifted our hoops program to levels it hasn't experienced before. Yes the post season record lacks punch but he does win conference championships and get to the post season with regularity.

Stew is an outstanding person as well, good for him looking at some offers. He certainly can coach at a higher level. Not to say USU can't take him there but there is an increase you get being a PAC-10 school coach vs. a WAC school coach.

Hope he stays but I do wish him the best either way. Good luck Stew.

Don't take the Stress Stew! | 12:49 a.m. April 6, 2009

Coming from the commercial banking sector, trust me that it is worth taking a bit of a pay cut to have a LOT LESS STRESS! This is the same reason Stew has turned down countless offers from bigger schools.

He has a lifetime job at USU in a nice community and a steady program and conference that he knows well and dominates in. For that money, WSU and others will expect him to dominate or at least finish near the top in their conferences and that is really hard to do! Major Stress and then his job will not be nearly as secure unless he consistantly achieves those unrealistic expectations!
I am not saying it is not tempting, just telling you how I see it and I wish him the best either way!

woody | 2:04 a.m. April 6, 2009

Follow the money

Dr. C | 5:57 a.m. April 6, 2009

USU must keep this guy. He is a major star in the hoops coaching world. I believe Morrill wanted very much to coach the Cougars -- and that he would have been the best BYU coach in history.

That did not happen . . . and perhaps coaching in Pullman will give Stew the chance to "finally coach the Cougars."

The PAC-10 is such a rugged hoops conference. Pullman is a dreary little town -- much, much smaller than Logan and very little quality of life.

I earned my PhD there -- and thought Pullman was "a great place for a monastery." I hope the Aggies will give Morrill half a million reasons (per year) to continue to coach in Logan.

Dallas Aggie | 6:50 a.m. April 6, 2009

Wow...Lets all hope that Stew makes the best Long Term decision and stays with USU. The banker from above is right...He would be trading in a secure job for a higher pay higher risk position. Stew - All Aggie faithful want you here in Logan. We all know you will be a winner no matter where you coach, but we would rather that be in Logan. Go Aggies!

Ernest T. Bass | 7:13 a.m. April 6, 2009

"Big Time" Stew can't win a tourney game.

Re Dr. C | 7:58 a.m. April 6, 2009

I doubt Stew would want to coach the Y Cougars. He has been in Logan for a while. Logan and USU have been great to him and the relationship is mutual. If I was a betting man my money would be on Stew staying where he is at. Hope I'm right!!!

Re:Dr. C | 8:06 a.m. April 6, 2009

Morrill is inactive LDS and his wife isn't LDS. Believe what you want, but he doesn't now, and never has, wanted to coach BYU. If Stew isn't happy in Logan, and thinks he can do better at Washington State, he should take the job if offered. Randy Rahe would make a fine USU head coach.

Nice Life | 8:26 a.m. April 6, 2009

It is hard to imagine a better life than doing what you love, in Cache Valley, for close to half a million a year. I disagree with a previous poster about Pullman. The Pullman-Moscow area is beautiful and you could have a very nice life at 1 million per year. But as was also stated, the stress factor would be kicked up a great deal as well. I say get a nice little bump, eventually retire in one of the coolest towns (Logan) in the country, and keep pumping out those WAC Championships! I'm a Cougar fan but also love seeing USU and Utah do well. And IMO, Logan is a much, much better place to live in than the bubble of Provo.

Pullan/Moscow born | 8:42 a.m. April 6, 2009

Actually, Pullman is a fun city, much livelier than Logan. WSU has got a great athletic tradition and plays in a wonderful conference. Take the job, stew. You deserve it. And he could still catch the USU football games up at WSU stadium where the Ags and Idaho Vandals play every other year.

Get out of Logan while you still can.

Oh Please | 8:43 a.m. April 6, 2009

While academics at USU are taking a furlough and pay cut, we're paying this guy a half a million to play games? And now he wants a multi-million dollar facility so his half dozen guys can play their games in luxury, or he'll take his ball and leave? I say go and good riddance!

UTE ALUM /USU ALUM | 8:46 a.m. April 6, 2009

Who in their right mind would ever want to live in Provo? The place is full of sanctimonious Mormons, you know the ones that monitor your shopping cart for beer or don't want your kid to play with their kids because you go to a different church.
Stay at USU unless of course you want to come down to the U and we can send our coach over to the bowling team.

MIke | 8:49 a.m. April 6, 2009

How come there are no articles/comments yet about Boylen at Arizona. It's being reported in the Arizona papers, but nothing here in Utah.

TOP coaches in Utah | 8:49 a.m. April 6, 2009

Dave Rose...BYU
Roger Reid...SUU
Boylin....Utah
UVSC coach
Judkins at Dixie St
Norm Parrish SLCC...maybe even the 2nd best!

.....
....
Stew Morill... Aggie, never past the first round. Doesn't play anybody in pre season, and the WAC is worst than SLCC junior college league. The WAC is TERRIBLE,anybody could win 30 games in that league if you were half decent! NO chance he goes to Washington St, hes probably the 3rd or 4th option and is to scared to coach in the PAC 10, a real conference. A UTE!

Stew Morill Arena | 9:01 a.m. April 6, 2009

That would last for a hundred years.

Stew Morill at WSU would last 2-3 years and then a possible firing.

Anonymous | 9:11 a.m. April 6, 2009

Hey Mt. Top Coaches in Utah, must be another Y-ner since you have Dave Rose and Roger Reid at the top! You Zoobies are just a bunch of poor sports! Can't except that the Utes kicked your trash in football, won the Regular Season title and won the MWC Conference title, "OUTRIGHT"! Get over yourselves! USU is the best basketball in the state over the last 10 years, HANDS DOWN! Get your facts straight Y-ner!

Anonymous | 9:14 a.m. April 6, 2009

Hey Mr. Top Coaches in Utah, you must be another Y-ner since you have Dave Rose and Roger Reid at the top of your list! You Zoobs are just a bunch of poor sports! Can't except that the Utes kicked your trash in football this year, won the Regular Season title and won the MWC Conference title, "OUTRIGHT"! Get over yourselves! USU is the best basketball in the state over the last 10 years, HANDS DOWN! Stew Morrill is a great coach, and beat your Cougars when he was at Colorado State! We have no pity for you BYU fans that cry all the time! Get your facts straight Y-ner!

Prediction | 9:24 a.m. April 6, 2009

If Stew leaaves, USU's next coach will be Dave Rice. Mark it down.

If he leaves.... | 9:32 a.m. April 6, 2009

USU ought to do the unexpected. Lure Parrish from SLCC. Just an idea...

Ernest T. Bass | 9:37 a.m. April 6, 2009

If Stew leaves, maybe Dave Rose would want to take his position. Dave Rose would have a much better chance to win a Tournament Game with USU.

to Prediction | 9:39 a.m. April 6, 2009

Nah, Randy Rahe.

Not leaving | 9:45 a.m. April 6, 2009

USU just put out a statement on their website that Stew Morrill is no longer a candidate for the position of head coach at WSU. Bring it people. He's not leaving which means bad days are ahead for everyone coming to Logan (if they dare to ... yes, I mean all you zoobies). Make it three straight years without losing at home.
Go Aggies!!!

Stew!!! | 9:47 a.m. April 6, 2009

Don't go!!! Take it from me- I moved from Logan to S.L. a year ago and I've regretted it ever since. I'm only concerned with getting back to Logan. Stay Stew! USU loves you!

Over! | 9:51 a.m. April 6, 2009

Ok it's over, Stew in not going anywhere. Now you can all stop with the goofy and uneducated comments.

Maybe | 9:53 a.m. April 6, 2009

Stew just went up there to see if they'd come play in Logan!! Stew loves USU!!

Ha Ha | 9:56 a.m. April 6, 2009

Don't worrie Aggies. If Stew goes you've still got football to fall back on. At least in that sport you don't always cry "come play us in Logan if you dare" The Logan High School varsity Aggies will keep you all from calling the suicide hotline. Ha Ha Ha

Re Ha Ha | 10:06 a.m. April 6, 2009

Stew is not going, so we still have basketball to fall back on. And football will be there soon too. And we're not crying about people not coming, just simply stating facts.
HAHAHAHAHA

Comments | 10:12 a.m. April 6, 2009

I believe that way back when Steve Cleveland was hired by BYU, Stew actively sought the BYU job. So it may be incorrect to say he never would coach at BYU. But, perhaps he best can answer that.

One thing I do know is that the State of Utah has some very good coaches at all levels.

re: Don't take the Stress Stew | 10:19 a.m. April 6, 2009

I'm a high school coach who makes about $2,400 per year to coach basketball. Let me tell you something: there is stress involved at all coaching levels and I'm sure Stew has his share of stress even in Logan. Size of salary and stress do not have a correlation, especially in coaching.

Fan in the Stands | 10:26 a.m. April 6, 2009

If you do leave Stew, which true Aggie fans don't want you to, please take Jared Eborn with you.

USU fan | 10:27 a.m. April 6, 2009

I wish people wouldn't talk trash about Stew. He is a good guy and a great coach. He wins home games and is competitive in the WAC every year. We are not North Carolina and Duke. We will not win a national title but who cares, he gives the fans there money worth and Cache Valley loves him. Good luck Stew in whatever you do. I hope you stay and you get the indoor practice facility.

Think he'll stay | 10:32 a.m. April 6, 2009

I don't think Stew Morrill is leaving. Washington State has never been a consistent winner in basketball and never will be. Support for the program there has always been mediocre. If you are a great high school player, do you want to advance your college career at a UCLA or a Washington State?

RE: Top coaches in Utah | 10:36 a.m. April 6, 2009

LOL. Yeah, right.

And the MWC is a real conference? Hah. All season long MWC fans talked about how STRONG they we're and that they should be considered as the ACC in the West. But what happened to the MWC conference teams? Oh, yeah the lost to lower seeded opponents by double digits

You couldn't be more wrong about Stew. He is clearly a contender to be considered the best coach in the state. He does so much more with a whole lot less. Your also wrong about him not being able to get passed the 1st round. He did so in 2000. Making him the only active coach in the state of Utah to do so.

bluegrouse | 10:38 a.m. April 6, 2009

To Ernest: Dave Rose would win a tournament game at USU?!!! Based on what record? He is 0-fer and has looked bad doing it and with alot better seeds than Utah State has had under Morrill. Stew has at least won one and his team looked pretty good this year as opposed to Rose's team who was never even in it. Maybe you ought to get your facts straight before you post so you don't look like a complete idiot.

2001 NCAA | 10:42 a.m. April 6, 2009

Several here have claimed that Stew Morrill has never got past the first round of the NCAA Tourney. Look up the 2001 tournament:

5-Ohio State 68
12- Utah State 77

Looks like a win for Stewie to me.

Fact is....... | 10:48 a.m. April 6, 2009

Stew was one of 10 finalists for the NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR which would clearly indicate that he is the best coach in Utah. Utah and ybu fans would take him in a heartbeat IF he would go. Boylen is a good coach and will continue to get better while rosey is just not that good.

Aggie Fans relax!! | 10:54 a.m. April 6, 2009

I heard there were not enough buffets in Pullman, Stewolean Dynamite is staying.

BEST COACH??? | 10:55 a.m. April 6, 2009

Please. 1 post season win in 22 years.

COME PLAY US IN LOGAN. That is soooo tired. LOL

2001 | 10:57 a.m. April 6, 2009

2001 NCAA | 10:42 a.m. April 6, 2009

Ohio St had to forfeit all of their games, so he would have got the win there anyway. CONGRATS, one win in 23 years as a head coach.

Let him go, bring in some Ute assistant.

To Fact is........ | 11:04 a.m. April 6, 2009

Didn't rosey beat Stew this year?

Funny | 11:23 a.m. April 6, 2009

How an article about USU's head coach turns into a bash fest from jealous U and Y fans! Eat your hearts out- no Aggie fan would trade Stew for either of your pathetic coaches! Your love fest for Stew is evident in your constant need to bash him and falsly reiterate your dilusional content with your underachieving coaches.

BYU or Utah | 11:26 a.m. April 6, 2009

BYU or Utah would be happy to have Stew and so would a lot of schools. So he only won one NCAA tourney in his head coaching career. So What? What do you expect, he doesn't exactly coach a major team from a major conference. Nor does he ever have NBA bound talent to work with. What Stew does is take lightly recruited and JC transfers and molds them into team that wins a lot. Will they pick up a lot of post season games. Absolutely not. I guarantee you that if Stew were in a better conference, such as the PAC-10, you'd more post season wins.

Striker | 3:54 p.m. April 6, 2009

Stew, take the PAC-10 job. You'll get great recruits there and they'll actually be able to compete vs. great competition on a consistent basis. You'd have to be crazy to not take the WSU job.

It's a very pretty state and environment. Hey, you'd actually have a rival there and wouldn't have to make rivals with schools who don't want to be your rival. Take the better life and leave. It's for the best!

WHAT? | 4:28 p.m. April 6, 2009

BYU or Utah | 11:26 a.m. April 6, 2009

I admit Stew does a LOT with not as much talent. Kind of like Calapari in a smaller scale. He needed to prove how he would do in a BCS conference. I think Stew is a nice fit in the WAC and in Logan. I can't stand USU, but hope he stays. They will always be competitive in the WAC with him there.

He had 7 years in the MWC and only had 3 winning seasons in conference. He also only had 2 20 win seasons. He would even have a harder time in the PAC 10. He would HAVE to recruit and play good teams on the road. He gets several diamonds in the rough from Utah and surrounding states, and has an easy schedule every year. That is fine for USU, but WSU, although not the same expectations as UCLA, USC or AZ, it will still be a pressure cooker compared to Logan.

Anonymous | 2:21 a.m. April 7, 2009

He may have had 7 years in the MWC (or WAC at the time actually) at Colorado State and didn't do a whole lot, but have you seen CSU lately? They're terrible! They haven't done anything with anybody, seems to me the problem must not have been Stew, judging by what he did at Montana and especially at USU.

Also, as for getting diamonds in the rough, I'm one who believes that Stew helps make them that. I don't think that some of those players would have ended up being as good as they were without his system and coaching.

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