BYU will reportedly interview men's basketball coaching candidates this week


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PROVO — BYU is making moves during its turn on the annual college basketball coaching carousel.

The Cougars will reportedly begin interviewing candidates for the next men's basketball coach Tuesday and Wednesday, according to CBS Sports' Matt Norlander, a day after former coach Mark Pope was introduced to a standing room-only crowd at Kentucky.

There is some sense of urgency for athletic director Tom Holmoe and deputy AD Brian Santiago, who oversees men's and women's basketball among his 10 sports, to make a hire as swiftly as possible. That's already a change in approach from five years ago when the Cougars hired Pope, a search that lasted around two weeks.

But BYU's process is different than most universities, with candidates also running through the school's board of trustees that includes members of the First Presidency and Quorum of Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Still, time is the biggest factor as the Cougars prepare to move into Year 2 of the Big 12, where Texas and Oklahoma will leave for the SEC and the soon-to-be 16-team conference will balloon to including Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah.

Complicating matters is the transfer portal, which has already seen starting point guard Dallin Hall, center Aly Khalifa and reserve guard Richie Saunders enter the portal. Hall has heard from Creighton, Clemson, Cincinnati, Florida, Washington, Utah and Utah State, and the four-star transfer from Fremont High is also considering a return to BYU, as first reported by 247Sports.

Khalifa is considering following Pope to Kentucky, transferring to Louisville, or returning to BYU, according to On3 Sports. Saunders publicly cited "the uncertainty of the coaching situation" at BYU when he announced he was entering the portal.

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On that note, the long-reported top candidate for the position seems to be University of Utah assistant Chris Burgess, who spent time as an assistant under Pope at both BYU and Utah Valley. The interest in the position is mutual, multiple sources tell KSL.com.

But former Portland State head coach and UNLV assistant Barret Peery, a Payson High alum and fellow church member, will also get a good look, according to Norlander. He went 63-57 in four seasons with the Vikings, and has been a candidate for multiple job openings in his home state after spending time as an assistant at Utah, Utah Valley and his alma mater Southern Utah.

Former BYU assistant Cody Fueger will also get an interview, per Norlander. He's been thought to follow Pope to Kentucky since reports percolated around the 1996 national champion's hire in Lexington, but, obviously, that could change if he is offered the BYU job.

NBA assistants Kevin Young (Phoenix Suns) and Alex Jensen (Dallas Mavericks) are also in consideration. Both are Salt Lake-area natives, but both have also primarily worked in professional basketball.

New assistant coach Chris Burgess yells out instructions as the University of Utah Men’s Basketball team opened camp with practice in the Jon M. and Karen Huntsman Basketball Facility in Salt Lake City on Monday, Sept. 26, 2022.
New assistant coach Chris Burgess yells out instructions as the University of Utah Men’s Basketball team opened camp with practice in the Jon M. and Karen Huntsman Basketball Facility in Salt Lake City on Monday, Sept. 26, 2022. (Photo: Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)

Young — who was the head coach of the Utah Flash and Iowa Energy in what is now known as the NBA G League — is a finalist to be the next head coach of the Brooklyn Nets, according to The Athletic.

Former BYU assistant Quincy Lewis, who just won his state-record ninth state championship with his son, Cooper, at Lehi High, is also a candidate. Norlander says he is "98% certain BYU's next coach will be" from the list above.

"BYU needs to nail the hire to avoid slipping to the lowest rung of the new-look, 16-team Big 12," Norlander wrote.

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