The University of Utah announced that Craig Smith will no longer serve as head coach, effective immediately. Smith’s departure marks the ninth consecutive season without an NCAA tournament appearance for the Runnin’ Utes. Josh Eilert, a former West Virginia assistant, has taken over as interim coach until the end of the year.
Several names are being considered to replace Smith, including Alex Jensen, Andre Miller, Johnnie Bryant, Richard Pitino, Bryce Drew, Cody Fueger, Chris Burgess, and Porter Moser. Here’s a brief rundown on each candidate:
* Alex Jensen: A former Utah Utes center and accomplished assistant coach with ties to the program.
* Andre Miller: A 17-year NBA player who led the team to a national championship in 1998 and has experience as G League head coach.
* Johnnie Bryant: A former Ute who has spent years coaching at the NCAA level, including an associate head coaching role with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
* Richard Pitino: The current New Mexico Lobos head coach with recent NCAA tournament appearances under his belt.
* Bryce Drew: Grand Canyon Lopes head coach with three consecutive NCAA tournament appearances and a proven track record of development.
As Utah explores its options for a new head coach, fans are eager to see who will lead the team back to the NCAA tournament. With several strong candidates in the mix, it’s anyone’s guess who will ultimately be chosen.
Source: https://www.deseret.com/sports/2025/02/24/utah-basketball-head-coaching-search-possible-candidates-replace-craig-smith