Ranking the All-Time Runnin’ Utes Coaches
With the sports world at a standstill, Ute Nation is kicking off conversations on who the greatest Utes of all time were, at certain positions. Some articles will be a list—like today’s—others will be debates.
The University of Utah has a storied basketball program, and before Urban Meyer stepped on campus and Rick Majerus exited, basketball was king over football. In fact, it wasn’t even close. Therefore, no surprise here, but other than the big man in the sweater, many people reading this article won’t recall the other two on this list.
Additionally, others may also want to argue with me for leaving Vadal Peterson, the program’s all-time wins leader off of the list, but we’ll just agree to disagree as basketball was much different in those days.
In my opinion, here are the top three Runnin’ Utes coaches of all-time:
3. Jerry Pimm | 1975-1983
This one can be up for debate, as Pimm’s predecessor, Bill Foster, came and left like Meyer to a lesser extent. Foster took over for Jack Gardner in 1971 who had decided to retire, after a storied coaching career. While his Utah wins pale in comparison to Jerry Pimm, who also had longevity, Foster coached the last Utah team that turned down the NCAA Tournament in order to play in the once more popular and prestigious NIT. That 1973-74 team finished as the runner-up, led by eventual Top 10 NBA pick, Mike Sojourner.
However, I’m going to go with Jerry Pimm, in a change-of-heart literally as I’m writing this. Pimm delivered four Sweet Sixteen appearances in his nine seasons which is quite the accomplishment, but that’s also where he plateaued as a coach. He coached the likes of Tom Chambers—someone fix the rules and get his jersey in the rafters—and Danny Vranes.
Additionally during his tenure, the Utes won three WAC titles and only had one losing season. Where some could argue for Foster over Pimm, Foster left for Duke where he began to build the foundation in which Mike Krzyzewski took to a whole new stratosphere. Pimm left Utah in a dispute with the athletics department and packed his bags for the University of California at Santa Barbara.
Again, maybe I’m nuts for not having Foster or even Peterson third on this list. That’s okay though, I’ll stick with Pimm, here.
2. Jack Gardner | 1954-1971
A member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Gardner had a 339-154 record. Over those 18 years, Gardner had only two losing seasons. He also coached two of the greatest players in Utah history, Bill “The Hil” McGill and Jerry Chambers. The majority of his success came within his first seven years with seven straight NCAA or NIT Tournament appearances. He also led them to the Final Four in 1965-66, arguably the most historic Final Four of all-time as they lost to Texas Western (UTEP) who eventually won the title. Pimm was a part of the Gardner coaching tree, as he was an assistant for that team.
Aside from his Utah coaching career, Gardner is credited for discovering John Stockton while working as a consultant with the Utah Jazz.
1. Rick Majerus | 1990-2004
Was there really even a question here? Look, mythical figures have flaws, and reminiscing about the past hasn’t always been kind to Majerus. Without a doubt, his coaching style would not work into today’s game, but I also think that he would adjust and still have just as big of an impact on the sport.
Having tragically passed away from heart complications in 2012, Majerus and Ute fans never got to have that warm reconciliation and celebration that Bobby Knight recently had with Indiana. That’s a shame for everyone.
Say what you will about his temperament and tough love, the man won a lot, created masterful game plans, and when he stepped off the court there wasn’t a thing he wouldn’t do for his players.
While he may not have the most wins in program history, Majerus has the highest winning percentage at 77.3%. In 15 seasons he missed postseason play only four times. Of those tournament appearances, all were to the “Big Dance” except for one NIT third-place finish. He lead the Utes to four Sweet Sixteen appearances, two Elite Eights, one Final Four, and a NCAA Championship Game runner-up—a game in which they were up by 10 at halftime.
Year after year, it seemed as though he butted heads with Utah athletic director Chris Hill, but he continuously produced results that the rest of the country was envious of. Majerus was the coach to two of the greatest basketball players in Utes history, as both Andre Miller and Keith Van Horn’s jerseys hang from the rafters. He discovered no. 1 draft pick Andrew Bogut, but left the team part way through Bogut’s freshman year.
Majerus’s coaching tree extends far and wide, not just with former players or coaches that he once led, but also the numerous coaches that he would collaborate and strategize with. Currently the Utes have three coaches who learned under Majerus: Tommy Connor, Chris Jones, and Donny Daniels. His former player, Alex Jensen, is considered one of the brightest young minds in the NBA and it’s only a matter of time before he’s a NBA head coach.
50 years could pass and Majerus will still be brought up in the conversation for the most brilliant basketball minds of all-time. A 2019 inductee of the College Basketball Hall of Fame, Majerus was a larger-than-life figure that will be hard to unseat as the greatest coach in Runnin’ Utes history, quite frankly, ever.