The University of Utah on Wednesday announced the immediate termination of Craig Smith as head coach of the men’s basketball program. This decision came after a 76-72 loss to Central Florida pushed the team’s overall record to 15-12 and 7-9 in Big 12 Conference play. Assistant coach Josh Eilert was appointed interim head coach for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.
Performance and Decision Factors
In parts of four years at Utah, Smith compiled a 65-62 record but never reached the NCAA Tournament. While he had some signature victories over ranked opponents like Kansas and Kansas State this season, Smith’s inconsistent play by his squad ultimately led the university to search for another leader. University Athletic Director Mark Harlan pointedly cited the program’s complacency, remarking, “We have higher expectations for our men’s basketball program in the Big 12 Conference and nationally, and our hope is to consistently compete in the NCAA Tournament.”
Immediate Changes and Future Plans
With four games left to play in the regular season, Utes will wrap up this season under Eilert, and the university is launching a national search for a permanent head coach to return prominence to the program. Harlan sounded optimistic about the future, saying, “I am confident that our national search, which has already begun, will lead us to the right coach to. .”
Smith’s Background and Tenure
He was appointed at Utah in March 2021, having enjoyed a fruitful career with Utah State, where he collected a 74-24 mark and advanced several times to the NCAA Tournament. However, this success did not translate to the Utes, who had no impact on the strong Big 12 Conference. That the Utes parted ways with Smith signals that the school is serious about aiming for higher levels of success and consistency in men’s basketball.
Investments and Expectations
Utah is making a major investment into its men’s basketball program, including personnel upgrades, higher salaries, and augmented NIL opportunities for its student-athletes to attract the best talent. The plan is to make this program competitive. The upcoming coaching search will center around finding a leader who can utilize these varied resources to bring consistent success and restore the Utes to the upper echelon of programs nationwide.
