Speculating on Loyd's split with BYU

The manner in which Michael Loyd Jr.’s departure from the BYU basketball program was announced on Thursday certainly leaves the door open for a lot of speculation. The school’s press release contained no details on the reasons why Loyd and BYU are parting ways. Coach Dave Rose is unavailable for further comment and Loyd has decided to remain silent. I made several attempts to contact him on Thursday, through various channels, and he didn’t respond to any of them.
I, as did many others, assumed initially that Loyd is leaving to find more playing time and an opportunity to start. He certainly proved he is worthy of that chance by the way he performed late last season with monster games against Utah, New Mexico and Florida. But it’s understandable that his chances to start ahead of Jimmer Fredette and Jackson Emery next season were pretty slim.
Considering the “mutually decided” part of BYU’s statement on Loyd’s departure, however, I think Loyd is leaving because he and Rose differ on some issues that they just can’t reach a middle ground on. Were there issues related to playing time? Perhaps. Were there issues related to expectations and Loyd’s role on the team? Possibly. Were there issues related to Loyd’s tendency to push the limits of BYU’s dress and grooming standards? It kind of looks like that could be the case. Mohawk haircuts and pierced tongues are certainly not the images that BYU aims to project. Was Loyd, a non-LDS black athlete with a flashy personality, simply struggling to fit in at BYU and Provo? That’s understandable. We might not know for a while, if ever, the specific reasons why Loyd and BYU are splitting.
But I don’t think Loyd went into Rose’s office and demanded “either I start and play more or I’m going somewhere else” and Rose responded by saying “don’t let the door hit you on the way out.” However, that could be the case. But, if that was the case, there’s no reason for Loyd not to say that or for BYU not to clarify that.
I strongly believe, that under the right conditions, that BYU and Rose did not want to lose Loyd. They recognize his skills and value to the team. I also believe, because of his silence on the matter, that Loyd wanted to finish his college career playing for the Cougars. Leaving, and having to sit out a year to play one more at another Division I school, just doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t appear to be a better option than playing 25 minutes for the Cougars this coming season and then having the inside path for the starting point guard job the following season.
I believe there were just some issues that Rose and Loyd could not see eye-to-eye on. After failing to resolve the differences in a way that would allow both to move on in a unified way, it was decided that Loyd and the Cougars were just not a good fit any more. Perhaps the Cougars wanted some concessions from Loyd and Loyd wanted some concessions from BYU. Maybe there were some demands, obligations and conditions not being met. But just as BYU’s statement says, Rose and Loyd met several times and eventually “mutually decided” to part ways. From the way I read BYU’s statement, I think BYU is letting Loyd go just as much as Loyd is leaving. Rose and his staff might have seen this coming a few weeks ago, based on how they jumped into the Stephen Rogers sweepstakes so late. Actually, again because of Loyd’s silence, I think he might even be harboring some bitter feelings. We might learn more about that in coming days, after Loyd has landed somewhere else and feels more willing to talk. Maybe the mystery around Loyd’s departure will be answered then. Maybe not. But I do expect Rose and BYU, as stated in the school’s press release, to help Loyd find a good place where he can finish his college education and basketball eligibility. Loyd will be a great addition to whichever basketball program gets him.
University officials assured me that Loyd had no honor code issues and that his departure had nothing to do with academics. He was in “good standing.”