Courtesy BYU Photo

Daily Herald sports writers Darnell Dickson and Jared Lloyd give their opinions on the hot BYU sports topics this week:

1. The college basketball coaching carousel is spinning and the Kentucky job is open. Do you think BYU’s Mark Pope would be a good fit in Lexington?

DICKSON: Pope should be in the top five Kentucky is considering, for a couple of reasons.

When Pope was at Utah Valley, I traveled with the team on their “Toughest 24” swing to Kentucky and Duke. The fans in Lexington showed up for UVU’s practice and had the former Wildcat captain signing old Sports Illustrated magazines with his picture on it. He’s very beloved by the Kentucky faithful.

The other big factor is that the duties of a college basketball coach are changing. Pope said he spends probably 60% of his time trying to raise NIL funds. The fact that Pope hasn’t won an NCAA Tournament game is probably less of importance as is his ability to gladhand boosters and raise money. The fact is, Kentucky would have a ton of dough for NIL and Pope would be right at home there. The Wildcats can throw a life-changing salary at him as well.

That being said, I think he’s building something pretty cool here in Provo and really wants to coach some of his own recruits like Collin Chandler and Isaac Davis. The pull from Kentucky would be pretty tempting, though.

Courtesy BYU Photo

LLOYD: Mark Pope is one of the most personable people to be around that you’ll find, particularly in college sports. I’ve enjoyed the many opportunities, both in formal and informal settings, that I’ve had to talk to him about a variety of topics during his time at BYU and UVU.

And in this modern era of college basketball with NIL money and transferring becoming so commonplace, having a likeable guy leading the storied basketball program has to have an appeal for Kentucky. That along with his being a Wildcat alum certainly tells me he should be considered.

But there is the glaring reality that he has yet to achieve true elite success. Kentucky is a place where missing the Elite 8 is considered a failure. At BYU, that would be an all-time achievement. Those are very different expectations.

Does Pope want that added pressure? Does his family want to be in a more high-profile position in Lexington? Are the rewards worth the costs? And does the university think Pope is the best for the job?

I think all of those things have to be answered yes for Pope to return to Kentucky and I’m not sure they will be.

2. BYU’s Lauren Gustin put up a double-double (naturally) in a college all-star game this weekend with 15 points and 15 rebounds. What are her chances of playing at the pro level?

Courtesy BYU Photo

LLOYD: I certainly believe that Gustin 100% has earned the chance to take her game to the WNBA. Every team needs a player who will do the little things like rebound, be able to score around the rim and never back down on defense. I see her as a player like Dennis Rodman was in the NBA 30 years ago … but without the wild behavior.

That said, Gustin’s lack of consistent shooting ability might make teams hesitate to give her an opportunity. The modern women’s basketball game has come to value spreading the floor and making 3-pointers, neither of which are things the Cougar star brings to the table at this point.

I’ve seen her work ethic, so I think those could be developed to a much greater degree. But how it affects her pro prospects right now is unclear.

DICKSON: One idea that came to mind is that at the next level Gustin won’t be the focal point of every single defense she faces like she was in college. That would free her up to do the thing she does best, which is rebound and run the floor. Both of her BYU coaches (Jeff Judkins and Amber Whiting) said she was the best conditioned athlete in the gym and that would be a big plus for her in pro ball.

On the other hand, Gustin is a little bit undersized at 6-foot-1. Her game outside of the paint (jumpers and free throw shooting) was a problem most of her career in Provo. Still, she can do one thing really, really well (rebounding) so maybe somebody gives her a chance.

3. Who will BYU men’s basketball miss the most next season: Jaxson Robinson or Spencer Johnson?

Jaren Wilkey, BYU Photo

DICKSON: Since I came up with the question, I get to answer first, OK, Jared?

Robinson has shooting range for days and plenty of bounce in his step. Coming off the bench, he was still the Cougars’ leading scorer.

But I would definitely make a case for Johnson as BYU’s MVP. He averaged 10.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game this season and pulled down 16 boards (!!!) in the NCAA first round tournament game against Duquesne. But those stats don’t begin to define what he meant to the Cougars on defense. At 6-5, he was a versatile and willing defender on the perimeter. I think he was BYU’s best defensive player in a league that was defined by outstanding guard play.

The Cougars will miss Johnson’s defensive ability much more than most fans realize. Johnson’s 3-point percentage dipped below 30% this year but I think some of that was because he was having to spend a tremendous amount of energy on the defensive end. I really think that as BYU peers into the transfer portal, they should give at least an equal amount (if not more) attention to a player’s defensive ability as to their scoring average. That’s how much Johnson meant to the Cougars.

LLOYD: I can’t argue with Darnell about the value of Johnson because to me he was one of those quintessential team players that will try to do anything they can to give their team a greater chance of winning. He played defense as hard as he could, he’d rebound, he’d go after loose balls, he’d set up teammates, he’d work to be in the right spots and he encouraged everyone around him, which makes him my choice as the one BYU will miss most.

Courtesy BYU Photo

But that in no wise will diminish the void Robinson’s departure will leave. He was the best Cougar player at creating his own shot and his range made him difficult to guard. Basketball is an offensive game and the Cougars needed Robinson to score.

I also think his understanding of the value of being the sixth man is somewhat underappreciated. Big egos can have a tough time with that type of role but he saw the benefits and often made the most of them.

Both players will be missed when they leave and will leave big shoes to fill.

4. What area of the BYU football team concerns you the most heading into the off-season?

LLOYD: While the natural inclination with questions like this is to point to position groups, I think my biggest area of concern is broader: Execution.

Look, every rational Cougar fan knows that BYU will often not have the most talent on the field. There are just too many reasons that elite players don’t want to play in Provo.

To win games against good competition, the Cougars have to execute better than the other side on both sides of the ball. That certainly didn’t happen in the most embarrassing blowout losses in 2023.

So has BYU done enough to execute consistently? I’m not sure.

Having QBs with limited experience are part of that concern but it goes deeper. I think everyone on the team has to improve and I haven’t seen that at the level I think it needs to be at. It has to happen in fall or the Cougars will end up around .500 once again.

DICKSON: It’s too easy to say “offensive line.” I mean, who’s going to disagree with me? I’ll take a different tact.

I think the Cougars have to get a lot more wins on first down on both sides of the ball.

On offense, BYU faced a ton of second or third and long situations because the running game was a mess, especially early on. The Cougars need more second or third and shorts to move the ball effectively this year. I guess that goes back to the offensive line but also its on the running backs, which struggled to find holes early in 2023.

On defense, BYU has bolstered its line with some massive dudes like Danny Saili (360 pounds) because it has to slow down some of the powerful running games in the Big 12. Forcing more second or third and longs will also allow some of the athletic additions to the defensive end spots to pressure the quarterback. Those three-step drop, quick out passes by opponents are really difficult to stop. Put them in third-and-10, though, and suddenly you become a much better pass rushing defense.

5. Utah Valley had a groundbreaking on Tuesday for a $20 million soccer stadium. Getting new venues built at BYU is a long, drawn-out process, but if you got to choose, what sports would be your pick for getting a new venue?

DICKSON: I’ll put in a plug for creating a new volleyball venue. Both the men’s and women’s team regularly draw 4000+ to the ancient Smith Fieldhouse and over the years its become a huge home court advantage.

But building a new 6-7,000-seat arena for volleyball would be awesome for both the fans and the team. I was working in Nebraska when the Huskers moved from a 4,000-seat arena (NU Coliseum, 4,000-seat capacity) to a revamped Devaney Center (8,000-seat capacity) and still sold out every match. Grow the game, right? That’s how BYU can grow volleyball.

LLOYD: I love South Field. It’s one of the best places to play or watch college soccer and BYU has worked hard to create that atmosphere. But considering how successful the Cougars have been in the sport over the years, I think it certainly could use a big upgrade.

Part of that is the selfish part of me that would love to have a more established press area, but I think the players deserve more permanent locker rooms and even a few luxury boxes would be nice.

More importantly, if BYU does improve the field, do the Cougars have to wait for Jennifer Rockwood to retire before naming the facility after her or can they just go ahead and do it? Because I don’t think there is anyone in BYU athletics who has done more to earn it.

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