Following BYU's early exit to Texas in the NCAA Tournament, it was head coach Kevin Young who was lifted before the mob, before being publicly scorned for what many believe to be the most disappointing season in the history of BYU hoops.
Seeing Young's name dragged through the mud, I felt compelled to make a statement in his defense. "It's not Kevin Young's fault that 6 players were out for the season with injury." I pleaded with the detractors. "Kevin Young is the best thing that has ever happened to BYU basketball."
It's not Kevin Young's fault that six players were out for the season with injury.
— Lawless Republic (@LawlessRepublic) March 20, 2026
Kevin Young is the best thing that has ever happened to BYU basketball.
I meant it. Understanding that many legends have passed through the concourses of the Marriott Center, I look at the revolution sparked by Young's arrival as the most influential point in the history of the basketball program. Attempting to swim upstream against a raging and boiling current, I should have seen the backlash coming.
"He has a long way to go to earn that honor", said one. A wave of disagreement and emotional outrage followed.
And I get it. Sports are emotional. They ignite passion. They motivate supporters to believe in something greater. But put down your torches and pitchforks, put away your defensive analysis and team-building gripes, and take a moment to consider what you're jeering.
Six players were listed as out for the season once First-Team All-Big 12 teamer Richie Saunders went down with an ACL tear, including other key rotational players like Nate Pickens, Dawson Baker, and Brody Kozlowski, still waiting to make his on-court debut.
Was this BYU team unbalanced in their absence? Absolutely. Is it fair to blame a coach when the 8th, 9th, and 10th players on the depth chart are forced to play rotational minutes? I wouldn't say so.
Kevin Young's impact goes far beyond the early success on the scoreboard; in many ways, overachieving in year one by reaching the Sweet 16 has magnified his scrutiny. He set such a high benchmark in year one, that when consensus All-American and projected number one NBA Draft pick AJ Dybantsa walked through the doors, national championship expectations flooded the royal blue bloodstreams of Cougar Nation.
But one or two players stand little chance against a healthy, uninhibited power conference roster like Texas. Even without Saunders, this team managed to take down top-10 Iowa State and Texas Tech, while winning two games in the Big 12 Tournament.
A first-round upset stings. Seeing AJ Dybantsa leave the program on this note hurts double. But as a recruiting tool and program-builder, his endorsement of Kevin Young's program post-mortem speaks volumes.
"I love this place. I'm happy I chose [BYU]," Dybantsa shared after the loss to Texas. "I definitely made the right decision. I knew coming in, I made the right decision [...] everything about this place, I'm just happy."
An incompetent coach wouldn't receive such a glowing endorsement after a soul-crushing defeat. Kevin Young's developmental program checked every box and kept every promise made to Dybantsa. It's no coincidence that another top recruit, Bruce Branch III, is joining the program next season.
I don't believe players of this level would ever consider BYU basketball if it weren't for Kevin Young. So yes, I stand by what I said following the early loss: Kevin Young is the best thing that has ever happened to BYU basketball.
Though the season was a failure by most accounts, give Kevin Young a break. He's earned that much.