Dave Rose: A decade of excellence

With the 2014-15 season in the books, BYU coach Dave Rose has completed 10 seasons as head coach of the Cougars. In his first season, Rose inherited a 9-win team that was picked to finish last in the Mountain West Conference in 2005-06. After leading that team to 20 wins and a second-place league finish, Rose has guided BYU basketball to the most successful decade in program history. Earlier this year in February, Rose signed a new contract through the 2019-20 season.

In honor of his 10 years at the helm, see below for 10 highlights from Rose’s tenure as BYU head coach.

• Rewriting the record book
• Coached BYU’s all-time leading scorer – twice
• Basketball is meant to be fun
• Rose knows the postseason
• Conference players of the year
• Rose’s fight with cancer
• In the classroom
• Jimmermania and the Sweet 16
• Home court dominance
• Ranking among the best, statistically speaking

Rewriting the record books

After winning 20 games in his first season, Rose has won at least 23 games in each of the last nine years, shattering just about every BYU coaching record in the books. See below for a sampling of those records.

• Second to Stan Watts with 257 wins
• BYU’s all-time leader in overall winning percentage (74.5), home winning percentage (90.6) and road winning percentage (62.3)
• Owns BYU records for 20-win seasons (10), 25-win seasons (7) 30-win seasons (2) and consecutive 20-win seasons (10)
• Has coached 10 of the 38 20-win seasons in BYU history and seven of the 11 25-win seasons
• In the modern era (since 1950), 10-straight winning seasons happened only once before Rose

1978-79 to 1987-88: 201-103, .661

2005-06 to 2014-15: 257-88, .745

• Coached three teams ranked in the top 25 at the end of the season (13 total in BYU history)
• Longest streak of teams ranked in the top-25 at some point during the season (5, 2006-07 to 2010-11, previous long streak was 3-straight seasons)
• Three-time conference coach of the year

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Coached BYU’s all-time leading scorer – twice

Rose’s success, combined with his up-tempo style, has allowed several players to make their mark on BYU’s record book, including the top two scorers in program history, Tyler Haws and Jimmer Fredette.

Danny Ainge was BYU’s all-time scoring leader for 30 years with 2,467 career points. Michael Smith (2,319) and Devin Durrant (2,285) came within shouting distance of Ainge but no one seriously threatened the record during the three decades after Ainge.

In 2007, Fredette came to Provo as a freshman and averaged 7.0 points. After averaging 16.2 and 22.1 points per game his sophomore and junior seasons, the record was within reach but breaking it would require a monster senior season. Fredette more than delivered, averaging a BYU-record 28.9 points per game to finish his career with 2,599 career points, 132 ahead of the former king.

When a record that stood for 30 years is broken, it’s reasonable to assume it will stand for at least another decade. Tyler Haws had other ideas. Upon returning from a two-year LDS mission to the Philippines in 2012, he began his assault on the scoring record with metronome-like consistency. He averaged 21.7 points per game as a sophomore, 23.2 as a junior and 22.2 as a senior. Haws became the first Cougar and 25th player in NCAA history to finish among the nation’s top 10 in scoring in three different seasons, scored 2,720 career points and set numerous records, including most 20-point games (74) and most games in double figures (122).

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Basketball is meant to be fun

Rose’s style is one of the most exciting brands of basketball in the game today and lends itself to record book-rewriting.

Rose has coached nine of the top 11 seasons in BYU history in made 3-pointers. In 2014-15, the Cougars set the BYU record for 3s per game (8.6) and made the second most in a season (300). In 2010-11, the Cougars set the program record for 3-point field goals with 312.

Rose’s teams own the top seven seasons in BYU history in total steals and steals per game. His teams also own three of the top four and six of the top 10 spots in scoring margin.

Despite the national trend of slower-paced basketball, Rose’s teams have managed to average 80-plus points four times – all in the last six years. In 2014-15, BYU finished second in the nation in scoring.

In addition to the team records and the individual scoring accomplishments mentioned above, Rose's style and coaching have allowed Kyle Collinsworth to flourish as he set an NCAA single-season record and tied the career record with six triple-doubles in 2014-15.

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Rose knows the postseason

Reaching the postseason is a BYU staple during the Rose era. It began with the 2005-06 season – Rose’s first – when the Cougars were coming off a nine-win campaign and were picked to finish last in the MWC. The Cougars used that as motivation and won 20 games and received a bid to the NIT. From 2007 to 2012, BYU strung together six-straight NCAA tournament bids. In 2013, the Cougars went to NIT semifinals in Madison Square Garden, and in 2014 and 2015, BYU returned to the NCAA tournament.

While the Cougars have a solid history of going to the postseason, no other era compares to the last 10 years. To put what Rose and BYU have done over the last decade into context, the program’s previous longest stretch of postseason invitations was six, set from 1989-90 to 1994-95 (five NCAA tournament appearances and one NIT).

Rose’s run of 10-straight postseasons also fairs well nationally. In the Pac-12, only Arizona has gone to the NCAA tournament eight times during the same 10-year stretch. In fact, only 10 schools out of 351 have received nine or 10 bids during the last 10 years. BYU’s eight bids in the last 10 years are more than 218 NCAA Division I schools have since beginning their programs.

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Conference players of the year

Rose gets the most out of his players and allows his best to shine. He has coached four conference players of the year in his 10 years at the helm (BYU has 11 conference players of the year in its history).

Keena Young (2006-07): After serving as a part-time starter and solid role player during his first two years at BYU, Young burst onto the scene as a senior, averaging 17.4 points and 6.6 rebounds while shooting 54.3 percent from the field and 80.3 percent from the free throw line. He led the Cougars to a 25-9 record, an MWC regular season title and the programs first NCAA tournament bid in three years.

Lee Cummard (2007-08): Cummard put together one of the most well-rounded seasons in BYU history in 2007-08, averaging 15.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.0 blocks. He led the Cougars to a second-straight MWC title, a second-straight NCAA tournament bid and a 27-8 record.

Jimmer Fredette (2010-11): Fredette’s senior season is well documented. Two of his best games came against league rival San Diego State. He scored 43 points in a home win over the No. 4 Aztecs on Jan. 26 to hand San Diego State its first loss of the season. On Feb. 26 in front of a national audience on CBS, Fredette totaled 25 points and nine assists as the Cougars gave the No. 6 Aztecs their second loss of the year.

Tyler Haws (2013-14): Haws was a scoring machine in 2013-14 as he averaged 23.2 points per game to rank sixth in the country in scoring. He had seven 30-point games and 21 20-point games while leading BYU to a 23-12 record and a return trip to the NCAA tournament after a one-year absence.

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Rose’s fight with cancer

Rose has always been a proponent in the fight against cancer as he was the first Utah coach to join the Coaches vs. Cancer movement. When he became head coach in 2005, he continued the program’s tradition of helping with the Children with Cancer Christmas Foundation (now Mac’s Gift). In April 2008, the National Association of Basketball Coaches honored Rose with its Game Pillar Award for Service.

In the summer of 2009, the fight against cancer became more personal as he was diagnosed with a pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor. After an emergency surgery that June, Rose has enjoyed good health (he had one more surgery in 2013 following a routine scan) and not missed a game.

Since his own diagnosis, Rose has continued in helping others fight cancer as well, lobbying before Congress for more funding for cancer research in September 2010 and being named to the National Coaches vs. Cancer Council in 2012. Rose and his wife Cheryl are currently helping secure funding for the Hope Lodge, a facility in Salt Lake City that will provide housing for families of cancer patients.

In 2010, the United States Basketball Writers Association recognized Rose for his efforts with its Most Courageous Award.

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In the classroom

Not only has Rose emphasized winning during his 10 years at the helm, he has also stressed success in the classroom. Since taking over the program in 2005, Rose has graduated nearly every player who has suited up for the Cougars. When the NCAA Graduation Success Rate was released in 2014, BYU came in at 82 percent, eight points higher than the average of 74 percent across Division I men’s basketball.

From 2006 to 2012, BYU was one of only eight programs – the others being Belmont, Brown, Columbia, Davidson, Holy Cross, Princeton and Navy – to receive public recognition from the NCAA for its Academic Progress Rate score. From 2007 to 2012, BYU was the only NCAA Division I institution to receive APR recognition and reach the NCAA tournament each year.

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Jimmermania and the Sweet 16

While Rose has enjoyed several successful seasons, the 2010-11 campaign was his finest. Under his guidance, the Cougars set program records of 32 wins and an 86.5 winning percentage, reached the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament for the first time in 30 years, were ranked for a program record 19 consecutive weeks and tied a team record with a No. 3 ranking.

That team included several notable players, including BYU’s all-time steals leader Jackson Emery, 1,000-point scorers Noah Hartsock and Brandon Davies and NCAA triple-double king Kyle Collinsworth. But it was Jimmer Fredette, also known as ‘The Jimmer,’ who led the way.

While Jimmermania was picking up steam from the day the 2010-11 season tipped off, it swept the nation with his 47-point performance at Utah on Jan. 11. At the half, he hit the ‘shot heard-round college basketball,’ a 40-footer that gave him 32 points in the first half. That shot was replayed hundreds of times that night and soon, Jimmer was a household name.

That game and several other incredible scoring displays led to numerous appearances on SportsCenter, an interview on ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption, Rome is Burning, back-to-back Sports Illustrated covers, features in Sports Illustrated and USA Today, features on CBS and ESPN and appearing as a guest on the CBS Final Four Pregame Show

As his name became a noun, a verb and an adjective, he Jimmered the BYU record book. The wild ride included setting BYU single-season records of 1,068 points and 28.9 points per game and leading the NCAA in scoring. The star from Glens Falls, New York, totaled 16 30-point games, four 40-point games and set a BYU record with 52 points against New Mexico in the Mountain West Conference Tournament.

Fredette was the consensus National Player of the Year after sweeping the major awards: John R. Wooden Award, Naismith Trophy, AP National Player of the Year, NABC National Player of the Year and Oscar Robertson Trophy. He also earned numerous other player of the year awards, including the Adolph Rupp Trophy, Sporting News, Basketball Times, CBSSports.com and SI.com. He was also named the Male College Athlete of the Year at the 2011 ESPY’s.

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Home court dominance

The Marriott Center has always been a difficult place to play for opposing teams as the Cougars have won 79.9 percent of its home games since it opened in 1971. Under Rose, BYU has one of the best home court advantages in the nation. The Cougars have a home record of 144-15 (90.6 percent), have won at least 13 games each year, have gone undefeated twice and finished with just one home loss four times with Rose at the helm.

After dropping his first home game as head coach, Rose led the Cougars on a 53-game home winning streak, setting a new BYU record. Since the 2007-08 season, BYU has finished among the top 25 in attendance each year, including No. 6 in 2011 and top 15 in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

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Ranking among the best, statistically speaking

Rose’s style of play has allowed BYU to put up big numbers over the last decade. See which categories BYU has finish among the top 25 over the last 10 years.

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