With the departure of two veteran assistants, University of Utah Basketball head coach Craig Smith has a tall task in front of him during a crucial offseason. The Utes need a proven recruiter, a recruiter with local ties, someone who can help ignite NIL for the program, and someone who excels in player development and coaching strategy.

Again, it’s a tall task, but here is the UteNation assistant coaching hot board, as Smith dives deep into his interviews;

Barret Peeery

One name to keep an eye on is former Portland State head coach Barret Peery. The current UNLV assistant grew up in Utah County and played at Snow College and Southern Utah.

Peery has had several stops in his coaching career, including stints as an assistant coach at Arizona State, Santa Clara, Texas Tech, and Utah back in the 2008-2011 seasons.

Peery also has head coaching experience at the junior college level with both College of Southern Idaho and Indian Hills Community College. In a three year span at IHCC, 15 of Peery’s players ended up receiving scholarships at the D-1 level.

This past season, he helped the Rebels to a 21-13 finish, their best finish in over a decade, including a postseason run to the NIT Quarterfinals.

Peery makes a lot of sense, plus him and Smith have the same agent.