SALT LAKE CITY – The University of Utah has announced a significant shift in the leadership of its men’s basketball team, ending the tenure of head coach Craig Smith. Assistant coach Josh Eilert will take over as the interim head coach for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.

“I would like to express my gratitude to Craig for his dedication and contributions since joining our program here in Salt Lake City. Under his guidance, we experienced many memorable moments and victories, and he has invested his heart into nurturing our current team. Nonetheless, we set our sights higher for the future of our men’s basketball program, both within the Big 12 Conference and on a national scale, with the aim to consistently compete in the NCAA Tournament. After thorough consideration of our program’s direction under Craig, it has become clear that a change is necessary to achieve our goals. Now is the time to initiate that transition, and we are committed to providing support to our student-athletes, Coach Eilert, and the coaching staff as they progress through the season.

We have continually invested in our men’s basketball program by expanding our staff, enhancing compensation structures, and significantly improving NIL opportunities for our student-athletes through our partnerships. Our commitment to these investments will only strengthen in the future. I am optimistic that our national search for a new head coach, which is already underway, will lead us to the ideal candidate to restore our esteemed program to national prominence.

We wish Craig and his family all the best in their future endeavors.”