And the minute momentum is regained, Arizona goes after and gains commitments from a couple players who most likely will not help them get back to a championship level and jeopardizes getting players who can. I'm not sure how Lute's going to survive some of these recruiting blunders, no matter what happens this football season he's going to have an AD next April that won't be impressed with what he has done over the past 24 months.
All ribbing aside, I would think Lute would have to drop a black banana cagadota in the president's pool to be shown the door. Lute is the program. I think last year made that fairly clear. Lute will be the program even with the next coach, because it will have to be someone he annoints.
Also, one thing I've learned not to do is underestimate his ability to coax great play from average bigs. I know some players just don't have it in them to reach another level, but if they do, Lute and his staff always seem to be able to find it. They never really need them to do much more than rebound and play defense, anyway, because UA has seen over 20 years of premium guard play.
I guess I've always found it disgraceful the way college coaches like Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden never taken the hint to bow out when their passion to do the hard stuff every day dissipates, but I get the impression Lute's still full of piss and vinegar and capable of doing a masterful job. I don't think he's like them. Besides, as much as the Pac-10's improved the past five years, it's still UCLA, UA, and Stanford's league to push around until they do something to blow what they have going.
