BYU basketball simply didn't have the depth to handle the Big 12 Conference schedule, and were especially shallow and unbalanced when pitted against their first-round matchup, the 11-seed Texas Longhorns from the SEC.
It was an embarrassing loss for the team coming off a Sweet 16 run from the same position a year ago, and doubly so considering this year's team was headlined by AJ Dybantsa, the best player in college basketball and likely number-one pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.
So yeah, this year has to be different from a team-building perspective if the Cougars hope to have a figher's chance at a deep run in March Madness.
Fortunately, the early returns of the transfer portal are already vastly improved from a year ago in one significant metric, and it proves Kevin Young has learned from the fundamental team-building mistakes of the year prior.
100% of BYU's transfers are from other power conference programs.
Collin Chandler: Kentucky (SEC)
Tyler Betsey: Syracuse (ACC)
Jake Wahlin: Clemson (ACC)
These are the power conference transfers from last season, with an uneven return between the two (Wright great all season, Diomande a late bloomer).
Rob Wright III: Baylor (Big 12)
Dominique Diomande: Washington (Big Ten)
When compared to the yield from a season ago, the most underperforming arrivals came from lower levels of D1 basketball.
Kennard Davis Jr: Southern Illinois (Missouri Valley)
Tyler Mrus: Idaho (Big Sky)
I don't want to loop Nate Pickens (UC Riverside) into that group, simply because he was out for the year with an injury. It's worth noting that I believe he'll have a strong year in Provo if he can stay healthy, though BYU's virtual departure from mid-major recruits altogether is interesting.
Both Davis and Mrus arrived as three-point weapons in Kevin Young's arsenal. Both underperformed as shooters, even with increased minutes thanks to the injury-riddled roster. Davis' defense kept him in the starting lineup, and his 32% clip looks much better than it felt in action. Mrus piled up DNP's as he struggled to find a rhythm, finishing the season below 30% from distance.
I don't bring this to light to suggest that mid-major transfers are doomed to struggle at higher levels -- this is repeatedly proven to not necessarily be the case across college basketball -- but the jump from the Missouri Valley or Big Sky Conference is tangible. Some make the leap with more grace than others.
Simply making an observation, Kevin Young has only successfully recruited players through the portal from other power conferences. Players with experience at that level aren't guaranteed to shine in the Big 12, but are proven producers. When it comes to building depth, that's been more of a priority this year.
Did BYU fail to recruit a well-balanced roster last season? The disappointment of 10th place in the Big 12 standings and a first-round exit from March will forever stain what should have been one of the greatest seasons in program history. That disappointment stems directly from a shallow roster and a lack of help for the best player to ever wear a BYU uniform.
No matter the results of this season, Kevin Young's recruiting pattern proves one thing: he's making adjustments based on what he's learned over the last year.
Ranked 12th in the 247 transfer portal rankings at the time of publishing, with just three new additions, the experts would agree that BYU is pursuing quality to support its stars.
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