BYU basketball: What we learned from Dave Rose’s media roundtable

BYU basketball head coach Dave Rose met with members of the media today. Here’s what we learned from the meeting.

After a disappointing season, BYU basketball head coach Dave Rose spoke with local media members to discuss a number of topics.

Returned missionaries, roster changes, coaching shake ups, Eric Mika’s future and much more.

Overall it seemed to provide an interesting look into what may be a tumultuous BYU basketball offseason.

Here’s what Rose had to say:

• Steven Beo, who played in 31 games as a freshman, is transferring from the BYU basketball program. A scholarship had opened up for Beo prior to last season, but that likely won’t be the case going forward. Beo averaged 2.2 points per game on 38 percent shooting.
• Jamal Aytes and Davin Guinn are also leaving the program. Aytes wanted a larger role on the team moving forward, which Rose couldn’t guarantee. Guinn is going to law school. Rose told Jay Drew of the Salt Lake Tribune that “law school and basketball don’t go together.”
• Also on the roster front, Zac Seljaas, Dalton Nixon, Ryan Andrus and Luke Worthington will all be on the roster next season. Seljaas has been back in Provo for awhile, Andrus returned home this week and Worthington and Nixon return in the spring.
• Terry Nashif got a job in Salt Lake City within a week after leaving BYU basketball.
• Corbin Kaufusi will be focusing on football. But, the big man hasn’t ruled out a possible return. It’s just unlikely.
• Connor Harding has returned from his LDS mission, but won’t join the Cougars until 2019-20.
• Elijah Bryant has been working out, but the knee rehab is going slowly. Bryant/Rose haven’t ruled out surgery.
• The Cougar coach believes it is “fair to say” the young players on the Cougars’ roster are driving away recruits.
• Rose told Jay Drew that “Defensively there are changes we need to make to be competitive on that end of the floor.”
• Rose is looking for an assistant coach that’s a good recruiter, according to the Deseret News’ Jeff Call.

Some thoughts on Rose’s comments

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Well, it’s disappointing to see Beo, Guinn and Aytes leave. Just looking at statistics, it doesn’t appear that the Cougars are losing much, but at the very least they’re losing valuable depth. For Rose to not be able to promise a larger role for Aytes seems weird, too. BYU needs a capable defender – and Aytes could certainly do that.

It’s obviously exciting to get Seljaas back. No one can be too sure what Andrus, Nixon and Worthington will provide.

Congrats to Terry Nashif on the new job.

Kaufusi focusing on football seems very much like the right move. I’m sure Kalani Sitake is appreciative.

If you’re a BYU basketball fan, you have to hope Bryant can get himself fixed up. If that means going under the knife, it means going under the knife. Bryant will be a key part of the Cougar offense next year.

Now, I’m not entirely sure, but if I had to venture a guess, I’d say recruits not wanting to come to Provo has more to do with: coaching, recruiting and projected success than it has to do with young players on the roster. I certainly see why an 18-year-old kid wouldn’t want to come and play backup for three seasons – but if your team is winning the conference and playing in March, I don’t think recruits mind.

“Changes.” Yeah, I would imagine so. It’s not like the Cougars’ defense was the worst in the nation, but BYU routinely got exposed by athletes. If anyone was even remotely athletic, they seemed to get into the lane with ease. Of course, it’d be nice to have some quality 3-point defense, too.

Yes, I’m all in on getting a good recruiter in Provo. BYU needs it. Provo is a tough sell, but it isn’t impossible to get quality players (just look at what Sitake is doing on the gridiron). Curious to see how this hire plays out.