Of course, there's a flipside to the theory about starting freshman center David Foster over sophomore Luke Nevill when the Utes play the nationally ranked Air Force Falcons at the Huntsman Center on Tuesday night - or beyond.

Foster is leaving.

Not right away, mind you.

But he's still planning to serve a two-year LDS Church mission after this season, meaning that cultivating his talents now at the expense of Nevill probably won't serve the Utes very well next season, when they will be under serious pressure to perform without the mitigating circumstances of youth, inexperience and NCAA sanctions.

True, they have nothing to lose at the moment, since they're 5-12 and showing no signs of pulling out of their historic slump. But nor are they likely to somehow turnaround the season, no matter who plays center - while they're going to need Nevill to get better down the line, and might not want to risk alienating him or impeding his improvement.

In other words?

Short-term pain for a long-term gain, probably, and hope Nevill regains the look that had him averaging impressive double-doubles earlier in the season.