Malcolm will not be back - transferring

This is unfortunate. I'd love to have Malcolm back for his defense and leadership alone. Two things this team sorely lacked last season.

The good news is that this frees up a scholarship. I hope Tinkle has something good up his sleeve.

Good...

Nothing to do with Malcolm the person. Go be successful young man. But, he has no "leadership" connection with most of the current team. And, any of that was lost in his absence.

But, we need the scholly way more than a one year player... a year plus away from the game... average/below average Pac12 player/guard... and another perimeter player.

ZR is a questionable D1/Pac12 recruit as is. He'll most likely have little input for a season or two. Having this scholly open allows WT to "try" and land an experienced contributor.

I wish MD the best. But, we need PLAYERS and the leadership we really need must come from the bench!

So just to summarize: he sits out in a year we DESPARATELY needed him while still on scholarship. Then he graduates so he can go play for someone ELSE?

Something good would have been to keep him on board. Maybe some chemistry issues? Without strong guard play, I don't see Tinkle surviving next season and I don't see us getting a chance to see our 2018 recruits.   

Not at all ludicrous if he wins 5 games again and we lose our "recruits"... which is basically one key guy in 2018, and right now he is getting noticed by much better programs!! There is a new AD in town... he will want to give WT some leeway, but the current culture is that you can't afford to fall too far behind, and we are way behind the eight ball in talent and our play. And, this "Utah St culture" seems to want to bring in "their own"?!? So, I'm guessing WT is on a short leash, in which a lot depends on which coach is available and shows interest if next year doesn't show some drastic growth.

So... did you forsee 5-27? No one did, not even with injuries did anyone expect the inept level of ball being played this year. I would have agreed with you except for that fact. If we were undermanned, but had played stellar team ball... offensively or defensively... you could make a case it was JUST talent. But, it was far from that.

As far as comparing coaches... now that is ludicrous. Comparing records and eras is a farcical argument... who had the most heralded recruits? who had players play above their talent level? who played in a tougher league? who faced key injuries or circumstances (Like NCAA clearinghouse issues, etc)?From most all the experts on this site and nationally CR had little of the comparative "national" talent that WT has had in his first two years.

CR took a program that was 6-25/0-18 and went 18-18... and broke an almost 2 year league losing streak. His final year he was 16-16 and 8-10 was only good for 10th in a very tough conference. At 93-104 (.469) / 39-69 (.362) he outpaces WT even with his stellar start 41-54 (.432) / 18-36 (.333). CR never won less than 10 games... WT has a 5 win season to his credit. Neither has had a winning record in conference play and WT has a 1 win season on his resume.

I was not in favor of hiring CR nor in favor of firing for what I saw as a lateral move at best. Both men are outstanding gentlemen and seem to stand for the qualities needed to develop young men into quality citizens. However, the bottom line, neither has shown the "chops" to be average to above average D1/P5 basketball coach. Especially in an elite conference that recruits so well.

But, worse... trying to build up WT by tearing down another coach is again... laughable. Was CR ready to become a Pac10 coach? I say no. He had two years as a HC at Brown with one winning season and 30-28 overall. But, his mistakes were a man learning on the job. The debacle we witnessed last year was from a far more experienced coach and staff. 

Any "snark" was truly unintentional and if so interpreted comes from my lack of patience with the entire comparative analysis of coaches... football being the catalyst. Unfortunately on this site, any counter to a comparative post seems to mean you are disparaging/supporting one over the other which may or may not be the case.

There was so much non-coaching going on last year,it was flashback to all the other non-coaching OSU has had since Ralph left. BB players are not buying in, they are not harmonious, they are not on the same page, they are all looking for a way to jump ship. At let's face it the recruiting has been OK, and when you take out family it has been terrible. CR could recruit; just could not coach.