Utah men's basketball coach Craig Smith was fired Monday with four games remaining in his fourth season at the school

The University of Utah fired men's basketball coach Craig Smith on Monday, a day after a 76-72 loss at Central Florida that dropped the Utes to 15-12 this season. Smith was in his fourth season in charge of the program.

The mud flows downhill. And so does the money. Utah athletics now has muddled through handing over nearly $7 million in leftover cash to former coach Larry Krystkowiak and now more than $4 million to the freshly-fired Smith, plus all the additional perks, on account of the fact that Smith had two-plus years remaining on his deal.