The Utes have one of the best histories of any D-1 program and though they have had their ups and down over the years last season they were back on top.  That glorious history of course includes the famous ‘Whiz Kids’ of the War era who grabbed destiny by the throat and won arguably the most unlikely National Championship of all time.  This team proved resilient after actually losing in the first round of the prestigious NIT got a big break (and some say divine intervention) when Arkansas had to withdraw from the national tourney after a few of their players got hit by a car while changing a flat tire on the road to Kansas City (and an assistant actually got killed) allowing the Utes to become a late replacement.  They were actually traveling by train back from the Big Apple and were the most ready to play.  The Kids grabbed their fortuitous opportunity by the horns and ran through three teams (yes, the tourney was not exactly 68 teams back then) for the huge upset and their dance to glory.  Since then the program has had success especially recruiting some big time players of color to arguably the whitest place in the country.  But it has also as recently as last season did not qualify for the Big Dance (the NIT called though) and were looking to regain their proud traditions of being the best program in Utah. There are even rumors that long time coach Vadal Peterson’s job was in jeopardy and the Utes have reached outside of their reign of control and brought in a top notch assistant from the Midwest.  Rick Majerus is coming west and unless Peterson’s troops bounce back with at least a Big Dance appearance (and some say a sweet 16) then Majerus will be taking over next season. To be honest, the team from the Mormon capitol of the world are much closer to being there than you might think!

When Majerus is stepping into is a group of upperclassmen that have been very successful doing things the old-fashioned way.  Coachl Peterson has led the Utes to unequaled success in the WAC and has made brief appearance on the national scene including that unexpected but wonderful ride four years ago.  Peterson is a marvelous tactician who changed the culture and direction of Ute basketball but finished far below expectations last season. Majerus is a man who defines the term basketball junkie in every which way possible.  This dynamic duo figures the way to move forward is to play a style of basketball that would help him recruit more athletic players that could compete with the Kentucky’s (their long-time nemesis when they do get on the national stage) and the UCLA’s (the prototype for building a national contender especially on the West Coast).  And this style does not mean just scoring 90 points a night but playing real defense especially in the transition and on the perimeter.  The three-point shot did not even exist when these Utes won their title and though Peterson has brought in some great athletes to Salt Lake most of them have been interior players and the outside game has been lacking especially athletically.  Majerus does not want to offend the players who have worked so hard and achieved so much but this team has got to not only shoot the three better but guard the three a whole lot better. The surprise, according to the media friendly new assistant, is how willing most of these players were to the changes. There has not been this much change in Salt Lake since a dude named Joe Smith (and not that cat for the Terrapins) was running the place.  It is not going to be easy especially in the most conservative place in America.  It does not help when you got a complete outsider from the Midwest for God’s sake (the Mormons I do recall had some issues back there and is why they matriculated West) who just happens to be an outspoken Catholic, yes, Catholic coaching a team right next to the Holy Temple!  Majerus’s wonderful self-deprecating humor and his ability to take on all the naysayers plus keep the attention away from his players will help but this rotund young coach is in for a shock if he doesn’t think there is going to be blowback from those oh so slow changing fans. But we will get to that later.  For now the third (or 4th if you ask some people) reincarnation of the Utah Utes is taking place and the whole city of Salt Lake is all in for this one because after all nobody really cares about the Pros until at least April not even with these rabid fans.   

 When you talk about Utah basketball it begins with the legend that is Arnie Ferrin.  Ferrin is the unquestioned man in Salt Lake City as he led the Utes to their biggest national recognition in their trip to the final four when he was only a freshman.  That was quite some time ago as he left on a hiatus after his sophomore season while he was serving in the military.  He came back last year after two seasons away and of course Peterson was not going to give away his job.  Ferrin came back for his last two years in SLC though the Pros were knocking on his door.  His ‘Junior’ season did not turn out as the blonde bomber (or anyone else in SLC) expected for their leader.  Don’t get me wrong Ferrin is one terrific basketball player and the glue that holds this program together and he could still play just fine after returning from his duties.  At six foot two he is more of a small forward than a big guard but the game has changed and he was asked to play the two guard and defend much quicker players.  Ferrin does not back away from a challenge and his reputation as a leader is well deserved but Peterson knows if this team is going to win games he would have to do the hardest thing he would ever have to do as a coach. Replace the legend. This will not be an easy transition as Ferrin is ever bit as popular in SLC as Thompson is in Raleigh or Maravich is in Baton Rouge. Really! The fans love Ferrin with his matinee idol looks and the demeanor of a politician.  After all, Ferrin knows how to play this game, that is undebatable, and sure he might not have the size, speed or athleticism of some of the guys who might replace him but Arnie has that one thing you can’t replace.  Arnie Ferrin is a winner! 

Ferrin is not the only Senior that might get sent out to pasture this season as this program moves forward.  Big men Vern Gardner and Art Bunte were not big enough at six five and six four respectively and barely got on the court last year.  They will be deep on the bench their senior years as Majerus has brought in even more big men to battle for minutes in SLC. Waterbug Wat Misaka is a five eight point guard and defensive specialist.  Of Japanese descent, Misaka only got into 23 games last season but his career is legendary as he was on the team with Ferrin that put this program on the national map with a trip to the Big Apple.  It was actually during the war and Misaka’s family lived in the slums of Ogden and somehow were avoided the dishonor of having to live in internment camps and came to the Utes after first playing at Weber College.  He had a huge impact on his teammates and was instrumental in the team’s success.   Misaka is the first Japanese player to play this game at this level and was a true pioneer and game changer for that community and this country when he was needed most! He like Ferrin served in the US military and came back to finish out his career and will be on the roster and with the lack of guard play might have a shot at playing this year again.  

The remainder of the upperclassmen back court members will also be in the mix for playing time at least until Majerus’s new recruits take over.  Senior Merv Jackson joined with juniors Luther ‘Ticky’ Burden, Mike Newlin and Jeff Judkins to give the team scoring threats at all times from the perimeter.  The only thing these guys did not like is that they had to guard somebody.  All of these guys on lesser teams would be unbelievable offensive weapons probably leading their teams in scoring.  It is a compliment to Peterson’s coaching that these guys accepted their platoon roles.    Burden’s incredible athletic ability separates him from most of his competitor in this group.  This six two self-taught scoring machine grew up in Albany, New York playing street ball and realized early on he could get to the hole with his dribbling but would have to be able to fly to hang down low.  He definitely has learned that as he is a true Skywalker with a 42 inch vertical that put him above the big trees in the paint.  But that was only part of Burden’s offensive game as this kid also learned to be able to use that jumping to elevate and fire off one of the best jump shots in the country.  As a matter of fact, the reason he has that nickname Ticky is because it is the sound his jumper makes when it goes through the nets.  The offensive talent of Ticky has never been in question but he has a propensity to get himself into trouble both on and off the court.  He missed too many games due to a variance of reasons (a knee injury started the downward spiral) that included Peterson actually benching him for not playing defense for almost a month.     Newlin, on the other hand, is much more conservative (or so they thought) and by mid-season overtook Burden as the starter.  He is a consistent shooter who likes the three-point line and is also a gamer who has a reputation for mixing it up and makes up for any lack of talent with his effort and desire.  Newlin beats to his own drum as he started the season with a crew cut that befits his hard-nosed playing style and his loner mentality.  By the end of the year, however, he had long hair and a funky looking beard with wolf-like sideburns and is built more like a football player (or boxer) than a basketball player.  Newlin is smart as a whip (magna cum laude) but is also a complete loner.  Growing up in Portland his first love was baseball but when his Dad’s job moved his family to Pasadena he started concentrating on basketball because that is something he could work at all by himself.  He spent hours shooting hoops and developing skills and when he got to High School at an all-boys parochial school the work paid off.  When it came time to choose a college Newlin loved the mountains and serenity of Salt Lake on the first visit primarily because it is so different that the Metropolis that is LA.  Newlin is the undisputed king of one on one on the Utes and that includes Burden who grew up playing for ‘bread’ on the streets of NYC.  As gifted as he is one on one however Newlin’s basketball sense and his team play show with his great passing and all-out hustle on defense.  He has a bit of Pete Rose in him as he is the designated diver on the floor and is not afraid to get a floor burn or two and most definitely does not mixing it up with anyone on the court no matter how big.  At six four and a solid 200 pounds he can match up with anyone at the two guard and gives Majerus the kind of toughness the Utes sometimes lack.  Newlin might not be All-World talent but he is solid and though he got overshadowed by the going ons around him with Ferrin and Burden, it did not hurt his game.

Jackson never got his due and for some reason got stuck behind that animal Burden and Newlin and of course Ferrin.   This kid knows about being patient as he came from an integrated school system down in Georgia where he led Beach High School to back to back state titles.  The ‘Magician’ as he was known down there is a quiet kid who can do everything well.   A six three swing guard who is just as adept setting up teammates as he is at scoring, Jackson does not mind being in the background as long as he contributes and his team is winning.  A knee injury had him on the shelf to begin last year but he worked his way back into contention and when Burden was benched he quietly stepped in and became a huge part of the team’s rotation down the stretch.  His versatile play enabled Peterson to shorten his bench and Jackson stepped up with his best play of his career the last month and a half.  Too bad he was caught behind so many others here because the Magician can flat play and should be the starting point guard to being the year this season. Judkins did not get to play much early one (except on JV where he led the team in scoring) with so much depth at the wings but he does bring something to the table.  A six foot six scorer who understands the game is a tremendous all-around athlete. A three sport star at Highland High in Salt Lake, Judkins might not have got on the court much last year until Burden was gone.  He, like Jackson, came on strong down the stretch and can really shoot the rock. He undoubtedly will get his opportunity to shine in front of his home town this season.  Sophomore Pace Mannion is another wing who will push for time though he was stuck on the JV all of last season.  He is more of defender and distributor than Judkins but is a gamer who the fans love not only here but everywhere he goes due to his constant motor that reminds you kind of that bunny on those battery commercials! 

Going into last season even with Ferrin on the team the star of the Utes was Senior Billy ‘The Hill’ McGill.  This LA native was one of the most highly recruited players in West Coast history.  He had developed this nifty little hook shot while playing ball with the likes of Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain in pickup games at the Denker playgrounds in the inner city of LA when he was a ninth grader.  As the legend goes after the Stilt cut him off as he was going to the hoop the young kid stopped and shielded the giant one with his body perpendicularly and then went up and threw a hook shot over Wilt’s head that floated through the air and went down through the basket as the Big Dipper attempted (but failed) to swat it away.  The whole game stopped until Russell, who had taken the young McGill on his team, let out a cackle that could be heard throughout the basketball world and a new shot was born.  This new unblockable shot soon became his calling card and an offensive weapon almost as lethal as the ‘Sky’ version that some kid from New York would perfect a few years later.   After leading Jefferson High to back to back state titles and being a four time All-City performer (and two time player of the year) in the words of David Lee Roth ‘everybody wanted some’ of Billy McGill.  Cal Coach Pete Newell was enamored with him but he didn’t have the grades for Berkeley and when he first saw Salt Lake it was ‘overwhelming and beautiful’ and he knew he had to come here.  Jack Gardner, the assistant coach at the time, would later say ‘I had to have Billy’ and indeed his coming to Salt Lake forever changed the direction of this program.  The first black athlete to ever play for the Utes he immediately became the ‘star’ of the program and his scoring accomplishments were truly out of this world.  Last season he averaged over 20 points a game and was third team All-American.   The Hill is also the name of the arena the Utes play in so McGill is obviously popular in Salt Lake.  Then again at six nine and a frail 225 pounds he is not exactly a Chamberlain or even a Mel Daniels physically. He does have a tendency to get out muscled underneath by bigger, stronger post players. Defense has also never been a part of his vocabulary. But then again how many others guys developed a shot that is so unstoppable that not only did you beat Wilt.  

Two players with ironically the same surname are well-suited for the up tempo style of the Runnin’ Utes . Senior Jerry and Sophomore Tom Chambers both play the same positions (swing forward) but are entirely different players. These Chambers Brothers are not much on singing (and only one of them has the same kind of funk) but man can they get up and down the court!  Jerry was one of the first JC kids ever brought to SLC and it took him a minute to get his feet wet in this town. Peterson liked everything about Jerry’s game except for the fact he was only six five and played forward.  He likes his guys much bigger even at the three which was Jerry’s natural position.  He was solid off the bench the second half but took off in the WAC tourney where he averaged an incredible 32 a game and was named MVP even though the Utes did not win that championship.  He will begin this year as he ended last year, as the sixth man. This DC native has had to adjust to being instant offense off the bench.  Jerry is rail thin and loves running the court and had a great mid-range game and is well suited for the up-tempo style ball the Utes are known for playing.  If this team did not have so much depth and ability, Jerry could have been a 20 points a night guy.  Still he was a major offensive weapon for the Utes off the bench  but like everyone on this roster needs to get better defensively. Tom is the unique big man who can run the court like a guard.  Adept at finishing plays with one of his patented finger rolls or jams, Chambers also has a nice pullup shot that makes him very difficult to guard.  A Colorado native Chambers broke his wrist in high school in his senior year after springing up to six eight after being a guard most of his career.  He has guard like skills especially running the court and handling the ball but has the size of a power forward or even a center.   He is after all now 6 foot 10 and 230 pounds and looks like a Norse God when he is coming in off the wing to finish a play at the rim.  Last season he was just trying to get in games and concentrated on getting stronger (he still needs to do this) and defense playing next to the scoring machine that is Billy the Hill. 

Jackson as we stated above should be the point guard again. He supplanted junior Jeff Jonas as starter and never looked back. Jonas took his demotion well those this tough kid will fight for every chance he gets.  An even better passer than Jackson, Jonas is not a great defender either and brings almost nothing to the scoring column and thus other teams play off him and wait for the pass.  Jonas, coincidentally is from a high school named Marquette in Milwaukee which Majerus might just love, and is a solid backup. He often gave the team a lift and will almost assuredly continue in that role for two more years in SLC.  He unlike most of his teammates is not a pro caliber player but he is a favorite around here and if you need somebody to set up your brothers Jonas is your man!  BTW the two JJ juniors are best friends and have shown they are a great combo when they are on the court together. 

This will be a season of transition for the Utes of Utah.  Always successful, Coach Vadal Peterson decided (or was convinced) to change the style of play to a more defensive minded mentality.  They have even brought in a disciple of the great Al McGuire to teach this defense and recruit nationwide.  Utah has been a dominant program for years but you might not know it for where they play.  The rabid fans hope last year was a blip as they attempt to get back to dancing in Salt Lake.  Contrary to popular belief and that silly movie, dancing is not outlawed in Utah, though it is not exactly promoted either. The Running Utes are here to stay in the city by the lake that tastes kind of salty and has the most beautiful mountain views you will ever see.  Heck, maybe they should bring the Olympics here someday!  Maybe that rich kid from Massachusetts, whos grandfather Dick was the first All-American here, can help with that?