BYU Basketball: The Jimmer and Jackson Show is Over; What's Next For BYU?

For the last three years, BYU basketball fans have been fortunate to be apart of the Jimmer n' Jackson show. Jimmer Fredette and Jackson Emery were among the top backcourt tandems in the entire country and led the Cougars to an outstanding 87-19 record during the three years they played together.

It's been fun and exciting watching these two play together. BYU fans were able to witness the first All-American at BYU since Danny Ainge. Fredette, named to the AP All-American team today, is the all-time leading scorer at BYU. Emery is the school's all-time steals leader.

Unfortunately, it is time for Cougar fans to face the facts that nobody has been looking forward to: Jimmer Fredette and Jackson Emery are both gone.

What's next for BYU?

As everyone knows, this was BYU's final season in the Mountain West Conference. (Feel free to pause from reading the rest of the article long enough to express your excitement that BYU will never be limited to The Mtn. TV again.)

When BYU takes the court in the West Coast Conference, it will be very apparent that BYU basketball is not what fans are accustomed to. Gyms will be smaller, the rivalries will be different and Fredette and Emery won't be there.

If you believe the rumors, then Dave Rose might not be on the sideline for BYU next season.

Even though he was on the bench with the team after his suspension, there is no guarantee that Brandon Davies will be able to return to the team next season.

Kyle Collinsworth will not be with the team, as he is to leave on an LDS mission to Russia.

On paper, the future looks bleak for the BYU basketball program.

However, there is reason for hope for Cougar fans.

The Cougars will be welcoming freshman DeMarcus Harrison to the program. The 6'5" guard has deep range and is explosive when he goes to the basket. Harrison was also considering Florida State, Marquette and Wisconsin, among other schools. If Harrison is good enough for those schools, then he should shine at BYU.

The Cougars also will welcome Nate Austin, a 6'9" big man that will be returning from his LDS mission. Austin has a lot of upside, but will need to put some meat on his frame if he is to have any impact next season.

If Davies is allowed back on the team next year and Collinsworth recovers well from the knee injury that he suffered earlier this season, then the Cougars will have a very talented frontcourt.

Another big part of the Cougars' future success is the play of UCLA transfer Matt Carlino. He will be eligible to play at the end of December, just in time for the conference season. Carlino is a very talented guard. He won't be Jimmer Fredette Jr., but he will be a very good player.

The biggest part for BYU's success in the future, especially next year, is Dave Rose. Before the days of Fredette and Emery, BYU still managed to win basketball games. That credit goes to Rose.

Simply put, Rose is a great coach. If Rose returns to BYU, then fans can rest assured that BYU will continue to win games.

I have to believe that Rose will return. He's showed no signs of wanting to leave. But the lucrative deals that bigger programs can offer him and the prestige that comes from coaching in a power conference are both things that BYU can't offer to Rose.

As long as coach Rose decides to stay, BYU fans don't need to worry. BYU probably won't win 32 games again next year, but a respectable season and a NCAA tournament bid are not out of the realm of possibility.