At times, kids leave and come back but, what we’ll have is a group of guys who have all returned and will play together. And we can add guys here and there in years to come based on one individual need, and that is exciting to us. – Dave Rose
Dave Rose expects the next four years to feature the most stable roster he’s had in his tenure as BYU basketball coach.
Part of that is the return of what many label The Lone Peak Three, which actually becomes the LP4 with news that 6-3 guard Zach Frampton has accepted an offer to walk on this fall. Frampton was a key member of that school’s state and national title-winning team two years ago.
Having returning starter Nick Emery; previous starter at center Eric Mika, just off an LDS church mission to Rome; and former Utah Mr. Basketball TJ Haws back from his religious service to Germany the same time as Mika this spring is creating both interest and high expectations.
“I think they themselves expect every bit as much success as the rest of us expect from them,” said Rose. “They understand our expectations, but you just talk about those three guys, two have experience (Emery and Mika) and one (Haws) is first year in.”
Rose said he doesn’t think right out of the chute the trio will be who they were and what they will be.
“Every one of them is in their own individual spot. It will be interesting,” he said.
Rose said he’s learned for players who serve missions week three and week six are critical. “When they first come back, they’re excited, they get up early, work hard with that ethic, have enthusiasm and have friends and family to deal with, then about week three it hits them. Things are hard. They have to battle.”
Asked how Mika and Haws looked, Rose said “Their cheeks are red every time I see them. In a few weeks, they might even have tans.”
Rose admitted he is not a very patient guy. “But what I am excited about is the consistency of our roster the next three or four years. Always, the core of our roster is the LDS player, and missions have always fallen in and out.
“At times, kids leave and come back but, what we’ll have is a group of guys who have all returned and will play together. And we can add guys here and there in years to come based on one individual need, and that is exciting to us.”
Former Arizona prep star and Ohio State commit Payton Dastrup also returns from and LDS mission for his freshman campaign. Rose signed and expects Washington freshman Steve Beo and Bingham High signee Yoeli Childs, a forward post player, to join what will be a 15-man roster. Only five players are currently enrolled in school.
“I think for the most part, we are pretty well set," Rose said. "We have another situation that is an option for us with Corbin Kaufusi going to play football (until January), and we are looking how that may fit.”
Rose expects Dalton Nixon, Luke Worthington and Ryan Andrus to come off missions in a year, and he cannot lock up a scholarship that ties things up.
“I love our roster right now. If we can add one guy, that will be good.”
Frampton is currently on a mission and is expected to be available in the fall. “You can call them the Lone Peak Four if you want.”
Rose said if you consider Kaufusi, Frampton and David Guinn adding to the roster without scholarships, he likes how things look on paper.
Rose said he is interesting in seeing how Kaufusi looks after Kalani Sitake and the football program puts about 25 pounds on his frame for chasing quarterbacks or catching passes.
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