"We love Utah State. This was the first of several coaching roles under Tim Miles. Craig Smith was named the 16th head coach of the Runnin Utes mens basketball program on Saturday, March 27, 2021, and begins his second season at the helm in 2022-23. "We have, I think, a great nucleus here that we can build upon. [3], In 2001, Smith reunited with Miles at then-NCAA Division II North Dakota State, where he was an assistant coach and director of operations for three seasons. SALT LAKE CITY Just over a week ago, Craig Smith took his team to the NCAA Tournament for third time in three seasons with Utah State. Overall, Smith guided nine players who totaled 11 all-conference accolades including Matt Mooney, a two-time first-team all-conference honoree and two-time NABC All-District 12 recipient. Smith, 48, compiled a 74-24 record at USU, including a 42-13 mark in the Mountain West Conference. Taking the Utah job and leaving a successful one in Logan behind was just the right time for myself and my family professionally, he said, expressing thanks to USU players, fans and administrators for his time in Logan. Craig Smith Killed, 3 Passengers Injured in Accident on 10th Street Thats the oft-expressed opinion of those who know the dynamic father of four from the tiny town of Stephen, Minnesota, who energized the Aggies foundering program after Tim Duryea was fired in March of 2018. And, boy, does this gentleman have all those qualities and more.". Traffic had been reduced to 3 lanes. He was part of a crash in the season-opening Daytona 500. Asked about staffing and whether he will keep some current Utah assistants on The Hill, Smith said no final decisions have been made and he will certainly talk to all of them, along with his former assistants at USU. Krystkowiak, however, saw the program slip to mediocrity since guiding it to a Sweet 16 berth in 2015 and a Round of 32 berth in 2016. The veteran head coach takes the helm of his third Division I program after leading both South Dakota and Utah State to multiple postseason tournament appearances. Before this accident, the number of motorcycle accidents was already higher than in previous years. @UtahMBB #GoUtes It takes courage, it takes a strong backbone, it takes an incredible amount of belief in your coaches and yourself and your teammates to do that. He is not quite BYU coach Mark Pope when it comes to spewing out hyperbole, but hes close. It's easy to see that Smith brings a culture of winning wherever he goes. It is very easy for a motorcycle to slip into a drivers blind spot while the driver is unaware. Smith is a Stephen, Minn., native and a 1996 graduate of the University of North Dakota, where he earned his bachelors degree in secondary education. "This has been a phenomenal place to live and experience," Smith said. But for Smith, it's about making sure his players that are committed to the program are locked in and surrounded by a culture of winning. "I think the best teams know how to win in any way. "If you had told me 11 months ago that we'd still be where we are now it's probably better I didn't know that. A proud graduate of Syracuse University, Sean Walker has covered BYU for KSL.com since 2015, while also mixing in prep sports, education, and anything else his editors assign him to do. archived form does not constitute a republication of the story. The amendment, which was signed Dec. 22, 2020, and goes into effect immediately, would add $25,000 in base compensation over the remaining years up to $900,000 beginning in the final year, between April 1, 2025 and March 30, 2026. Yes, well if peter had done a better job of providing, perhaps patti would not have been working so hard and not been at that place that morning. Smith and his wife, Darcy, have three sons: Landon, Brady and Carson, and a daughter, Lauren. In a season unlike any other, Smith led the Aggies to their 22nd NCAA Tournament appearance in 2020-21 with an at-large berth after finishing second in the MWC with a 20-9 overall record which earned it the 11 seed. Conference tournament champion, Beginnings as assistant coach (19962004), Assistant coach at Colorado State and Nebraska (20072014), Last edited on 26 February 2023, at 04:53, "Miles, Smith hope to turn around another team", "CSU Adds Three to Men's Basketball Staff", "Confident Craig Smith takes hoops helm for USD", "South Dakota's Craig Smith named men's basketball coach at Utah State", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Craig_Smith_(basketball,_born_1972)&oldid=1141661473, This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 04:53. [3] Returning to North Dakota, Smith was an assistant coach at Minot State from 1998 to 2001. The victims identity has not yet been released. But at Utah State, Smith has found another level of success. Berry is a two-time winner in the Xfinity series at Las Vegas and is the defending Xfinity winner. Utes ink deal with Utah State's Craig Smith to make him next men - KSL 4 ranking, Utah women's basketball making history, Police say man killed by Farmington officers had gun; victim's mom filed suit over other traffic stop, Asteroid-bashing spacecraft was out of this world, 'phenomenally successful', Suspect in Dylan Rounds disappearance charged with murder, Utah father investigated for child abuse weeks before murder-suicide, 14-year-old uses social media to track down man accused of robbing him. Man struck, killed by FrontRunner in Clearfield, West Jordan High teacher arrested, accused of sexual conduct with student, 15-year-old boy dies after being found in crashed car with gunshot wounds, Trapped fox 'severely' injures dog in Draper, prompts warning from city. On March 26, 2018, Smith was announced as Utah State's new head coach after the firing of Tim Duryea. In his final season at USD, Smith led the Coyotes to a 26-9 record and CBI appearance. It also marked the first time any mens basketball team from North Dakota had ever played for a national title. Bangerter said the area where the crash occurred is not particularly accident-prone, though the circumstances of the incident are all-too common. Smith, who was driving a 2009 Chevrolet pickup, subsequently collided with . The victim is 59-year-old Bradley L. Goertzen, of Midvale, Utah and he was pronounced dead on the scene by police. Division regular season and conference tournament champion No question about it, the Utes, 8-7 overall and 1-4 in Pac-12 play, are not in a good spot right now, even as they got back to full strength with the return of 6-foot-10 backup center Dusan Mahorcic on Thursday night.. Smith's club takes a three-game losing streak into Saturday afternoon's contest with . Patrick Kinahan: Speculation continues to swirl around Pac-12 future, Runnin' Utes face dilemma without Rollie Worster, Gabe Madsen against LA schools, With program-high No. A native of Stephen, Minn., a small town in the northern part of the state encompassing less than a full square mile, Smith is a 1996 graduate of the University of North Dakota. He was honored by the University of North Dakota with the Tom Clifford Award, which recognizes UND alumni who serve as athletic coaches on the high school or college level and have been notably successful in their sport the preceding year on Oct. 1, 2021. Soietyalert learned about the about the death of Craig Smith who has died in a motorcycle accident via a social meida post made by TJ Menlove "Feeling heavy hearted and sad today with the loss of an amazing man . In his free time, youll find him watching the Utah Jazz or playing a board game with his wife, hiking in the great outdoors, or sprawled someplace comfortable reading a fantasy novel. It's been an amazing place for our family and a great move for our family. - Wed 3/1 9:00 pm. That particular Final Four included late, legendary head coach Rick Majerus and the University of Utah. Other incentives, such as $100,000 for a national championship, $25,000 for a conference title or tournament championship, and $5,000 for each rivalry win over BYU and Utah, remain in the contract. Top 3 Results for Craig Smith in UT. "It's hard not to see the unbelievable success that has gone on in Logan, Utah, over these last few years. Can he walk the walk? And I like to say it's the winning style," Smith said. Prior to taking over the Utah State program, Smith spent four seasons (2015-18) at South Dakota and led the Coyotes to a 79-55 (.590) overall mark including a 38-26 (.594) record in Summit League action. From Aggie blue to crimson red, Smith was the sought-after candidate to fill the head coaching seat left vacant for only 11 days after Larry Krystkowiak was let go following a decade with the program. Smith was named the NABC District 12 Coach of the Year for his efforts after leading USD to just its second Division I conference championship. Utahs climate is determined by its distance from the equator; its elevation above sea level; the location of the state with respect to the average storm paths over the Intermountain Region; and its distance from the principal moisture sources of the area, which are the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Incentives in Smith's contract include $100,000 for winning a national championship, $50,000 for a Final Four appearance, and $25,000 for each conference tournament or regular-season title (of which Smith has three, including back-to-back Mountain West tournament titles in his first two seasons). With a love of the wilderness and a passion for writing, hes dreamt of becoming a reporter since his elementary school days. Utah State (14-5, 11-2 MW) is coming off three-straight postponed games with Fresno State and Wyoming when it opens against Boise State (16-4, 12-3 MW) in a battle of the top teams in the league at 7 p.m. MT Wednesday. The 26-9 overall mark was the second-most wins in school history and best record in the programs 10-year existence at the Division I level. According to New York State police, 66-year-old Gary H. Twiss, of Plattsburgh, was driving a 2014 Ford van east on NY-3 when he entered the intersection with Hammond Lane. Anyone who takes to the road in a car needs to be aware of motorcyclists around them. According to a news article featured on KSL's website, another two motorcycle riders were killed in accidents on Sunday. On Sunday evening around 7:15 p.m., a local man riding a 2004 Harley Davidson collided with the passenger side of a 2004 Chevrolet Classic as it turned left across his lane on South Green Springs Drive. It'll take players and coaches dialed in and ready to win basketball games in any way they possibly can, he said. One is dead and several others are injured after a stolen pickup truck hit two pedestrians and caused a four-car crash at an intersection at 4100 S Redwood Rd. Police: K-9 helps locate 38 pounds of meth hidden in car on I-15 near Cedar City, Updated: Identity of 19-year-old who died in Littlefield motocross crash released, Pedestrian on kick scooter hit by SUV on Sunset Boulevard, Paid summer internships available across Utah's public lands, Gabby Petito's family files amended lawsuit against Moab police, 3 agencies combine to help rapeller who fell in mountains above Snow Canyon. Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2021, all rights reserved. Platitudes, after all, have little bearing on whether a coach is successful or not following his introduction, but it's safe to say Smith said exactly what he needed to engage a recently apathetic fan base. He met with Utahs players Saturday morning, and began the process of re-recruiting some to the program. Man struck, killed by FrontRunner in Clearfield, West Jordan High teacher arrested, accused of sexual conduct with student, 15-year-old boy dies after being found in crashed car with gunshot wounds, Trapped fox 'severely' injures dog in Draper, prompts warning from city. Ketia Daniel, founder of BHM Cleaning Co., is BestReviews cleaning expert. A story about Saturday's funeral for members of a San Jose family who died in a December plane crash in the mountains of Idaho incorrectly reported when the bodies were found. Smith was 0-3 against BYU, losing to the instate rival in Provo, Salt Lake City and Logan. Merrill also went on to collect two First-Team All-MWC selections and a 2019 AP All-America Honorable Mention nod. [3], On April 25, 2012, Smith followed Miles to Nebraska after Miles took the head coaching job there. The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) annually offers its members the opportunity to purchase Final Four tickets, so in 1998, Smith, then a 26-year-old graduate assistant at Northern State, was fortunate enough to be in San Antonio to attend his second Final Four. ST. GEORGE On Sunday evening around 7:15 p.m., a local man riding a 2004 Harley Davidson collided with the passenger side of a 2004 Chevrolet Classic as it turned left across his lane on South Green Springs Drive. He was then transported to a nearby hospital in serious condition. That 2017-18 team did not lose back-to-back games in the regular-season. South Dakota has been a Division I program since 2009. According to UHP, two men, a father and son, were inside a Toyota Tundra traveling southbound on I-15 when their truck drifted off the left side of the road. In short, Smith wants as many Quad 1 games as the team can possibly handle while still being competitive and winning games. That may include coaches from Krystkowiak's staff or those from Utah State (or outside the two). The former South Dakota coach's .771 winning percentage against Mountain West competition ranks second in league history behind only BYU's Dave Rose (.781) and just ahead of Nevada's Eric Musselman (.741), San Diego State's Brian Dutcher (.726) and Utah's Rick Majerus (.698). Pac-12 WBB tournament picks: Will Stanford and Utah meet again in final? The event, which tips off in the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, will be held without fans and other spectators due to virus protocols. For the time being, everyone interested in the Utah basketball program will have to take Smith at his word, which hasn't been a bad option so far. "We're not going to settle for anything less than that. The buyout would begin at $775,000 by March 31, 2021 and tier up incrementally to the maximum price by the end of the sixth season. Smith said he is 100 percent committed to building an aggressive, top-notch non-conference schedule, which is music to the ears of Utah fans unimpressed with the non-league schedules that Krystkowiak put together. Information in the story may be outdated The deal also sets aside a salary pool of $565,000 for Smith's coaching staff, currently divided between Austin Hansen, David Ragland and top assistant Eric Peterson. ", He added that he wants to recruit "winners" or the guys he calls "gym rats," the athletes that want nothing more than basketball in their life. Over the six years, it is worth $5.025 million. He immediately dampened those hopes of Utah fans, saying, No, thats not something we are going to do. Utah States Craig Smith hired as Utah Utes mens basketball coach. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. Smith stayed within the Big Sky footprint and was as an assistant at Minot State from 1999-2001 before serving as an assistant coach under Tim Miles at North Dakota State (2002-04) with whom he would later work at Colorado State and Nebraska. Seeing them in the tournament these last three years has been an incredible achievement by coach and everybody up there. [3][10] In 201617, Smith won Summit League Coach of the Year honors after South Dakota won the Summit League regular season title and qualified for the 2017 NIT. The new contract begins with a base salary of $775,000 for this season. "Then we would talk about ball that was really the whole process for me. Reading or replaying the story in its We are going to recruit nationally and internationally, he said. What happened during the 2023 Utah Legislature? [7] Miles promoted Smith to a full assistant coach in 2008. SALT LAKE CITY Craig Smith signed a contract with the University of Utah on Saturday to become the new head coach of the men's basketball program, locking in the former Utah State coach. The motorcyclist was wearing a helmet, but was unconscious and not breathing on scene.. - Sat 3/4 7:00 pm, BSU Multiple vehicles were stopped when the driver of the motorcycle clipped the right rear corner of an Ford F150. The Chevrolet, driven by a man in his early 20s with a female passenger (also in her early 20s), was heading to turn into the parking lot containing several restaurants and boutique stores, said Sgt. minutes. He began his coaching career at Mayville State his first year out of college in 1997 before taking a graduate assistant position at Northern State the year after, and helped the Wolves advance to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division II Tournament. Enter your email below to start! He didnt go that far Saturday morning, but he said all the things that the Utah fanbase which had grown tired of Krystkowiaks years of mediocrity desperately wanted to hear.