NCDS: Jeff Smith, Asst. Coach - Utah ("Leadership versus Likership")

By: Jeff Smith, Asst. Coach - Utah

The second round of conference play brought with it excitement and anticipation for our program.  We finally had our team at full-strength after suffering a series of injuries, and we could see that our younger players were continuing to improve.  The one area of concern which Coach Boylen continued to address with our team was the development of leadership.  He wanted a stronger voice, and a stronger sense of togetherness.  Since arriving at Utah, Coach has emphasized the desire to have a player-coached team, and this year we had not seen that during the first few months of our season.  The break in the schedule allowed Coach Boylen to address this issue, and our guys have really begun to understand and embrace it.

Coach Boylen talks constantly to our team about "Leadership vs. Likership", and the explanation for this is simple - do what needs to be done whether or not people will like you.  Success will happen when the leaders of the group worry more about winning than they do about being liked by their teammates.  All of the emphasis that Coach has put on this issue is starting to take hold, and the results have been drastic.  We have won on the road at TCU, lost a hard-fought overtime game against New Mexico, and our team recently beat UNLV for the second time.  This is a direct reflection on the fact that our players are communicating more, taking more ownership in winning and losing, and continuing to understand and embrace the system. 

We now face a series of difficult games, starting with a tough road contest at San Diego State, but the most important thing for our team is to continue to improve in all areas of play.  We are among the top of the league in all defensive categories, and our offense is beginning to take shape.  The most important area, however, is the continuing development of our leadership.  Which voices will be the strongest in our locker room?  Which players will raise their level of intensity and urgency to an all-time high?  How will we handle adversity down the stretch?  These are all great questions which, when answered, make this time of year fun.  Those who win in March have discipline, toughness, and leadership, and that is what Coach Boylen works to improve within our team each and every day!

The final few weeks of the season will continue to be challenging, but it will be fun to watch this group continue to develop, work, learn, and most importantly, lead!  Hopefully, we can continue to stay healthy, and it will be exciting to watch the improvement of this young group of guys!!

Go Utes!!

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