Of all the jobs Craig could leave us for, the U is the second worst. But let's be honest about something: Craig isn't, and never was an Aggie. He was a vigorous Aggie advocate, a tremendous Aggie coach, and a well-paid USU employee. We loved hearing him talk about how special USU is, how great the Spectrum and the Hurd are, how he'd always shout Go Aggies at the end of every interview. We loved him because he said what we wanted to hear, because we feel that way. It was part of his job, and he was great at it.

But coaching is at least 10% acting, and he's a good actor -- had his lines down pat, delivered them with conviction, maybe even a little method acting, what with the Logan Canyon off-roading and the love of Green Canyon High. Growing up in Stephen, MN, he didn't dream of coaching at Utah State, where his parents didn't meet and his uncle wasn't a legend. He left a good job to come here for a better one, because that's what professionals do. And if he's successful at the U, he'll leave them for a better job (there are dozens of them) too.

I don't say this with any disrespect at all. His three years here were three of the best we've ever had, and after the gloom of the Duryea era (and truth to tell, the last three years of Stew), Aggie hoops is fun again. Much of that had to do with Sam and Neemi, but Duryea had two years of Sam and didn't know what to do with him, while Neemi was gifted but raw when Craig got him to come to Logan. It would have been interesting to see what Craig would do next year without an NBA talent.

It's just realistic. There isn't a coach anywhere on earth that loves USU as much as we do, who can also coach at this level, and whose only professional desire is to coach here for the rest of his career. If I'm wrong, tell me, and cc: John Hartwell. So by definition everyone who comes here comes for himself, not for us, and will leave for himself. You don't have to like it, but you have to acknowledge it.

I wish Craig well. I loved his tenure here (although watching his first presser I thought he was a gasbag who couldn't string together two coherent sentences. He grew on me), and I seriously hope he does well at the U (I've grown old enough to know that their success or failure doesn't affect me at all. Still working on BYU...). Because that will mean that he will leave them for the Michigan or Wisconsin jobs when they come open again, and the Utes will again be faced with the reality that they are not a destination job either, just one stepping stone further up the path than USU.

To add on, if Anderson wins 2-3 conference championships in his first three years and goes to bowl games all three years, does anyone have any expectation that he won't be hired away. We need to get good with the fact that USU a coaching stepping stone and we are a long, long ways financially from that ever changing.

jpswensen wrote: ↑

March 27th, 2021, 9:20 am

To add on, if Anderson wins 2-3 conference championships in his first three years and goes to bowl games all three years, does anyone have any expectation that he won't be hired away. We need to get good with the fact that USU a coaching stepping stone and we are a long, long ways financially from that ever changing.

It's not the leaving that hurts here it's the destination. I was prepared at the end of the season for him to move on...to anywhere but Utah. They are an institution that wouldn't even pick up the phone or give him the time of day when he called and now he's joining them.

It's not even the destination. It's how unprofessional he was as he handled this.

Yeah not going to wish the enemy well. You can do what you want, but Craig Smith is now enemy #1. While emotionally I hate byu more, Utah has been worse to USU the last decade. Wishing Smith well would be like wishing David Collette well. There is nobody in college basketball I wish will fail more right now than Craig Smith.

Very mature, thoughtful post. It has been a fun three years, and the trophies will stay in the cases at USU.

Smith is a good coach, but I have enough concerns about him that I am not devastated about him leaving. Mostly, I had doubts about his ability to recruit in a way conducive to building a team capable of winning in March, so I am okay with a fresh start.

I don’t really wish him success or failure, and I honestly won’t follow his career very closely from here on out.

As you said he made Aggie Basketball fun again. His energy is what the program needed.

I don't mind that he's leaving, I was prepared for that. In fact, I expected it would likely even be this offseason.

I don't love that he's going to Utah, but I understand it. It's disappointing for Aggie fans, but he owes USU nothing and that's a great job.

What rubs me the wrong way and honestly makes me lose a lot of respect for him is that I know for an absolute fact that he doubled down with his players and staff that he's sticking around. An unbelievable career opportunity didn't just pop up after he told them that (a la Gary Andersen and Wisconsin), that job has been around. Imagine being a player waking up this morning to your phone blowing up with that news. That leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

stang wrote: ↑

March 27th, 2021, 9:33 am

I don't mind that he's leaving, I was prepared for that. In fact, I expected it would likely even be this offseason.

I don't love that he's going to Utah, but I understand it. It's disappointing for Aggie fans, but he owes USU nothing and that's a great job.

What rubs me the wrong way and honestly makes me lose a lot of respect for him is that I know for an absolute fact that he doubled down with his players and staff that he's sticking around. An unbelievable career opportunity didn't just pop up after he told them that (a la Gary Andersen and Wisconsin), that job has been around. Imagine being a player waking up this morning to your phone blowing up with that news. That leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

For me knowing this makes it easy as a Sunday morning to let him go.

some of you guys are being a little dramatic, wish Craig well and just realize what USU is. Utah is no longer a rival and the sooner you realize that the better off you'll be. We can't compete with the money they have and never will. USU alum just don't care for the most part and neither do most people in the valley. If they did they would support the programs more, it is what it is. It was hard for me to come to this realization but I finally came to terms with it a few years ago. I love USU but I'm not a billionaire who can bank roll our programs. We can have quality programs most years if we hire the right up and coming coaches, but for the most part were a feeder program for THE P5. this will include players in the future with the way the NCAA is changing the transfer rules. So everyone needs to get used to these type of situations.