Utah Basketball: 5 candidates to replace Larry Krystkowiak as head coach

Leon Rice

It’s not the most attractive of the Pac-12 jobs, but the Utah job will attract a few intrigued names. This is the kind of job where you’ll see some of the up-and-coming mid-major head coaches pop up; especially those who coach on the west coast. There will be a number of Mountain West coaches considered for this opening, but let’s turn our attention towards Rice.

A native of Washington and an alum of Washington State, Rice has made his mark as a collegiate coach on the west coast. His career began with brief stints at Oregon and Northern Colorado, but things really got started for him during a long stint on the Gonzaga staff. After working with Adam Morrison and a number of successful Gonzaga squads, he took the Boise State head coaching job in 2010 and remains there. He’s averaging just under 20 wins a season and has led the Broncos to a pair of NCAA Tournaments, with this year’s team falling just short on the bubble.

Boise State isn’t exactly a powerhouse, but this football school has been a much better basketball program under Rice’s leadership. Rice has worked in the Pac-12 before and has proven he’s ready for a new challenge after eleven years with the Broncos. He may not be the first choice among the mid-major coaches out there, but he wouldn’t be a bad option at all. He won plenty of games at one football school; certainly it can be done again at Utah.