BYU's Rose recaps season, looks to future


Save Story
Leer en español

Estimated read time: 14-15 minutes

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

Reflecting on a 2013-14 campaign that saw BYU recover from an 8-7 start to earn a 10 seed in the NCAA tournament, Cougar head coach Dave Rose on Monday called it a "terrific" season.

In a one-on-one interview Rose annually holds with media members who cover his team, the coach told me that entering the season, "we were a little bit nervous about the roster, with only 10 scholarship guys eligible to play. As a staff, that was our biggest concern: could we make it through the season with a limited group of guys?

"For the most part, we stayed healthy, and they gave us all that they had. We ended up with a trip to the NCAA tournament, which is your first goal every year. We want to advance, and that didn't happen this year, and that's obviously disappointing, but we learned a lot about the future of our program during this season.

"I think we have a pretty good idea, moving forward, what we need to do and how we need to do it, and hopefully we can be successful doing it."

Playing a non-conference schedule that ranked among the five toughest nationally, and sitting only a game above .500 at the new year, BYU bounced back to win 13 of its final 16 conference games, secure the 2 seed in the West Coast Conference tournament, and then receive a better-than-expected seed in the Cougars' seventh NCAA tournament appearance of Rose's nine-season tenure.

"It's very disappointing that we got to 8-7," said Rose, "but when you realize that on Jan. 1, that's what we were … I am very, very pleased, and I think that the guys — they deserve all the credit.

"From that standpoint, this team will for me personally always be a real special group because of how they responded to some real adversity as far as just how the season was going — the path we were on, and where we ended up."

*******

With BYU's 23-12 season now in the rear-view mirror, attention turns to the 2014-15 season, which will return almost every player from the previous team, plus five newcomers to the active roster, creating a potential scholarship crunch, with 14 projected roster spots for only 13 available scholarships.

Losing Eric Mika to an LDS Church mission, BYU will add transfers Chase Fischer and Jamal Aytes to the active roster (Aytes will become eligible in December), along with incoming freshmen Isaac Neilson (returned from a mission, practicing with the team since January), recently returned missionary Jordan Chatman and American Fork High School product Ryan Andrus. With nine scholarship players retaining eligibility, Rose's roster is one player heavy, as of today.

"We won't really address that until we get to the end of the academic term," Rose said on Monday. "There are a lot of things that have to happen before we get to that point, but if we get to a crunch, that will be a tough decision we have to make as a staff.

"I'm pretty honest and straightforward with the guys about what I think they need to do to improve and what they need to do to change their situation, if they want it to be different for next year. A lot of times, their mindset changes from those pretty frank and open discussions. By the first of May, we'll have a pretty good idea of how that part of this (personnel) equation works."

Rose plans to meet with each player individually on Tuesday of this week, before he and his staff depart for the Final Four in Arlington, Texas.

*******

The coach is hopeful that junior-to-be Kyle Collinsworth recovers fully from knee surgery in time for the start of the coming season. Collinsworth underwent an operation to repair his ACL and meniscus on March 18; Rose said the anticipated recovery time should have his starting point guard on pace to lead the team in the fall.

"The surgery went very well, and the doctor is extremely optimistic — so are Kyle and his family," Rose relayed. "He is very positive in all aspects of his whole approach. He's excited to get to the next point, where he starts to rehab and use his personal work ethic to get through that. That's how he's developed as a player, and that's how he faces this challenge."

Asked if he is giving any consideration to a possible redshirt season to allow more time for rehabilitation and conditioning, Rose said "not at this point; no, not at all. He's 100 percent committed to the healing process, which we hope is similar to what the doctor believes it is going to be … to get ready for the start of fall practice.

"(The recovery time frame) is somewhere between six and eight months, and in Kyle's mind, he's leaning way more towards six than eight, but you just have to get through the process and see how it starts to develop. It's a time frame where we won't have to try to speed him up. We can go into the end of October, first of November if we have to — or we might have him at the end of August; we'll see.

"(Doctors) believe that he'll be able to get in the gym with the ball here a lot sooner than six to eight months — on his own, at his own pace, his own speed. That's a part of the healing process that he'll really enjoy — just being in the gym, shooting shots and shoot free throws."

*******

Presuming a full recovery for Collinsworth, BYU will go from a team with depth challenges in 2013-14, to a squad with around a half-dozen seniors and a full complement of scholarship players. The fact that BYU overcame personnel issues and took a roster with no seniors all the way to the NCAA tournament has Rose optimistic about the coming campaign.

"As difficult as that locker room was after the (season-ending) Oregon game," Rose says, "when we got on the bus and were driving back to the hotel, I just felt like starting right now that we have a better team.

"A lot of times, you feel like 'whoa, we just have so much work to do to try to stay where we are or move ahead,' but we have a stronger program for next year. With all of the things that we still have to do and have to accomplish, we're moving in the right direction.

"You just don't want guys to get hurt. You want guys to be able to be healthy and strong, and if they all are going into the start of the season, we'll have as good a team on paper as far as depth is concerned that we've had for years."

Rose said he will continue to expect to see BYU's name pop up in the Big Dance bracket on Selection Sunday, something to which he and his players have grown accustomed over his head coaching tenure in Provo.

"What I didn't want to have happen here when I took the job nine years ago was say 'all right, these two years, we'll just get our guys ready, then this will be the big year,' or then 'that will be the big year.'

"I just feel like these guys every year should have the expectation that we need to get to that tournament and we need to advance in that tournament. I hope that's the personality that this (2014-15) group takes, that this is what we're supposed to do, and once we get there, we need to perform really well."

*******

Rose touched on a variety of topics in Monday's interview; what follow are his comments on:

BYU's 2014-15 schedule, which will feature 18 WCC games, road games at Weber State and Utah State, three games at the Maui Invitational, and home games with Utah, UMass and Stanford, along with an opponent assigned by the Maui tournament, leaving four games remaining to be announced:

"We want to play teams from all over the country; that has been what we've wanted to do for the last two or three years. I think some (of the remaining games) will be home-and-home series, but some will also be hopefully where we can get some (teams) to come in here and play us without a return.

"It seems like in March, April and May, what we really want to do with scheduling doesn't happen for us … you've got to get into June and July because everyone's got their idea of what they want to have happen, and it doesn't really include us right now. Hopefully later on (it will).

"I think we've got a pretty good base with the Maui Invitational and non-conference games that we already have scheduled; we might be able to be a little more patient (in scheduling) this year.

The value of 2013-14's non-conference schedule:

"I think it was an eye-opener for everyone. That really helped us this year; there's no question about that."

What he might expect from the WCC schedule:

"It seems like the tougher teams in the league will be later in our conference schedule; what we have to do as a program is make sure that we don't get tricked by that, that we think 'oh the first three or four weeks of league is going to be easier than the last three or four weeks.' They're all really important."

Potential redshirt plans, with all 13 scholarships filled in 2014-15:

"I don't have any plans to redshirt any of these guys."

Setting the BYU single-season record for free throws attempted and made, while setting a Rose-era low for 3-pointers attempted and made:

"We need to be a better 3-point shooting team, and we need to be a better free-throw shooting team, so those are things you can really measure as you spend time working on them in the summer. I don't want to go to the point where we give up our ability to get fouled and get to the free-throw line and just start shooting more threes. I hope we can grow into both of those areas as real strengths for us.

Tyler Haws:

"Ty's consistency has been taken for granted — not only by fans but also by the (coaching) staff and his teammates. He is just really, really good at what he does and he continues to get better at it, too. I believe he'll have a great offseason and terrific senior year.

"People ask me why Ty doesn't get the same national attention that Jimmer got, but Jimmer didn't really get his national attention until a couple of months into his senior year — that's when 'Jimmermania' really took off. If we're good and we have the success early that we had with (Jimmer) that year, I could see that happening with Ty."

Kyle Collinsworth:

"(He brings) versatility and leadership … we're all so excited to see where that can take us the next two years."

Anson Winder:

"His defensive presence is really solid for us on the guard line; his offensive improvement has been just tremendous. Hopefully he can continue that confidence on the offensive side of it — his ability to score and attack and get fouled, hit threes. You saw a glimpse of him late in the year that he could really be a solid contributor for us."

Nate Austin:

"I'm so proud of Nate. He's a guy who always kind of gets nicked up and gets hurt, and he was that way this year, but he fought through it all and was ready for every game (Note: Austin was the only BYU player to start all 35 games).

"Nate's value will never ever be able to be appreciated because his numbers don't warrant attention. But my goodness, his effort and leadership and consistency with his ability to just make plays and give us extra possessions … hopefully he continues to grow. And hopefully he really works on his game coming into this season so that he can progress from there. I think that's what he wants, and he's capable of doing that. His most uncomfortable spot on the floor is in that low post with his back to the basket. We'll try to help him feel more comfortable there but also use his natural skills (as a power forward)."

Matt Carlino:

"Matt had a terrific season in a role that I don't think he really projected, and neither did we — he was so good in it, and I think his numbers were great, but besides his numbers, it was his effect on winning and losing. He had so many big games where he was such an impact player coming off the bench. Hopefully he can find himself really confident and comfortable in that role.

"A lot of (his 2014-15 role) will depend on Isaac and Jamal coming in and Ryan Andrus and how (the inside game) fits; sometimes that has an effect on what you expect out of your guard line."

Skyler Halford:

"What Skyler will always give you is 100 percent effort, and I love how he practices, I love the energy that he brings … whether it's a film session, a walk-through, a regular practice. He's 100 percent full-bore all the time, and that rubs off — it's a good thing."

Frank Bartley:

"His combination of strength and athleticism is huge. We played Frank out of position almost all year (at power forward), and we'll get him back out on the guard line, where he can use his natural skills. Hopefully we can get him in a lead guard position somewhere in that 1-2 spot, where not only he can have a real defensive effect on the game, but what he does really well is get past people and draw help and then be able to make good decisions.

"(His freshman year) was an adjustment, but as a staff, we're really high on Frank, think he's got a great future."

Luke Worthington:

"Luke kind of as the year went on just felt way more comfortable in the system itself, in learning our game plan and being able to execute the game plan, being able to develop into a pick and roll player, where he was really comfortable and confident. Luke's strength this year was just his physical presence, and I think he really wants to grow his game into where he becomes a physical defensive presence and also a skilled offensive player who can really help us in the low post."

Josh Sharp:

"I think that Josh will have great minutes. You can always depend on Josh. If he's had maybe two or three games where he hasn't played very much, then you put him in, he's the ultimate team guy. I think that his minutes had a real effect on our ability to win games. A lot of times his minutes are dependent on how other guys are playing, or maybe even foul trouble, but you can always count on him. He's a great teammate."

Chase Fischer:

"Chase will give us another real scoring threat from the perimeter, which this past year's team could have really used at times. I feel that his adjustment time should be short because of the fact that he has been a year with us in the program."

Jamal Aytes:

"Jamal will be a great low-post scorer; a real physical presence down low. He's a real physical guy. He's not real tall, but he just has a real knack to get an advantage either at the offensive or defensive end. I think we'll be able to throw the ball to him in the post and get positive plays … I think he'll demand a double-team in the post eventually. We can play him in the '4' position kind of like we did with Keena (Young) and run a lot of low-post stuff for him and then he's really good in the mid- and high-post, too."

Isaac Neilson:

"We'll play him a little differently in that true '5' position, with him trailing and his ability to shoot from up there. I think that the core of post guys really intrigues me. You've got Josh and Luke and Ryan Andrus and Jamal and Isaac, it's a group that is untested but a group that is really talented."

Ryan Andrus:

"His size, his ability to run the floor and his feel for the game will fit right in with the group that we have."

Jordan Chatman:

"Right now, I think he'll come in as a combo guard, to get minutes at both positions. He's got great size, he's got really good skill level, a really good shooter, good feel for the game; we'll just see how he progresses. If he has the same progression that Tyler and Kyle had coming off a mission, we're going to have another perimeter guy who's going to really give us depth at that position."

Most recent Sports stories

Related topics

SportsBYU Cougars
Greg Wrubell

    ARE YOU GAME?

    From first downs to buzzer beaters, get KSL.com’s top sports stories delivered to your inbox weekly.
    By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to KSL.com's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

    KSL Weather Forecast