When recruiting for the 2009-2010 season, Runnin’ Utes head coach Jim Boylen and his assistants wanted to find winning players from winning programs. On Nov. 13, they got what they were looking for.
The Utes completed their recruiting class Thursday by signing five players from around the country. Each player fills a different spot on the floor. Three coming out of high school, while the other two are junior college transfers.
“The credit to this class really should go to my assistant coaches,” Boylen said. “I have a very strong staff. I have three guys that I think are head coach quality and I think it showed in our recruiting.”
When looking for recruits, Boylen looks for very specific things. He wants to build the program to be deep so he can have solid players come off the bench. Length, shooting and toughness were key characteristics. One thing he really stressed was how his recruits did academically8212;if they get good grades they will be top recruits in his mind.
“March 26 of ’07, I was asked to build a program,” Boylen said. “That’s what we set out to do. Everything we’ve done has been set out to bring this program back to what it should be.”
Shawn Glover (6-foot-7-inch point guard)
Glover hails from Cedar Hill High School in Cedar Hill, Texas, as a point guard, but will play the wing position for the Utes. He is the epitome of what Boylen was looking for in a player. He can post up, shoot from long range or play at the rim.
“(Glover) is as big a piece to this program since I’ve been here,” Boylen said. “Maybe one of the better players in the last 10 years to come here. I’m very excited about him.”
He is one of the most versatile players to come through the Utes’ system in years. Glover averaged 18 points and three rebounds as a junior. He was a first team All-District selection the same year and has a 3.5 GPA.
Marshall Henderson (6-foot-2 guard)
Henderson is a guard out of LD Bell High School in Hurst, Texas. He is an all-around type player and will bring toughness to the program. In his junior year he averaged 24 points, five rebounds, four assists and four steals per game. He was named District MVP his freshman and junior year and offensive MVP his sophomore year. Henderson has been an honor roll student throughout high school.
“The thing I like about (Henderson) is he’s got a competitive spirit,” Boylen said. “The bigger the play, the bigger the game, the tougher the competition8212;he thrives in that atmosphere.”
Jeremy Olsen (6-foot-11 forward)
Olsen comes from Collins High School in Lawrenceville, Ga. He averaged a double-double last season with 15 points and 10 rebounds per game. He holds the school record in rebounds and blocked shots and is on pace to break the scoring record.
“The combination of 3-point shooting and blocking shots is very hard to find. Jeremy Olsen has that combination,” Boylen said.
Olsen is a two year All-Region 7 selection and a Street and Smith All-American honorable mention choice. He is outstanding academically with a 4.0 GPA and is a National Honor Society Member.
Matt Read (6-foot-9 forward)
Read is a “4-2-4” transfer8212;four-year school, to two-year and back to four8212;from Collins County Community College and will bring size to the floor for the Utes, at 220 lbs. He attended the Jerry Mullens juco camp this summer for the top 120 junior college players in the country, and came out of the camp ranked No. 2. Boylen said he is a bigger Shaun Green who can play inside.
“He’s not your typical junior college player,” Boylen said. “He chose to go to junior college for a year to keep playing.”
Jay Watkins (6-foot-7 forward)
Watkins is also a 4-2-4 guy coming out of former No. 1 ranked College of Southern Idaho, the school former head coach turned assistant Barret Peery left to come to Utah. He leads the Golden Eagles in scoring at 22 points per game and is third in rebounding with seven per game. Before moving to Idaho, he was a starter at the University of San Francisco as a freshman and was named to the West Coast All-Freshman team. In high school he started all four years in Memphis, Tenn., and led his team to an undefeated season his senior year.
“This is the guy that will be hard to guard at the (wing) position, but can also guard that position,” Boylen said. “The thing I like about Jay is that he’s still a developing player, what he does now will impact our team.”
Tyler CobbJim Boylen was able to snag the Utes five recruits that will help at each position. Boylen gives a lot of credit to his assistants for the incoming class as well.