We had a win on Saturday and it was good for us to get under the lights. We were a different team than the previous Sat. I think guys were so high on adrenaline they got exhausted early. That's why you play those exhibitions and it gets you under the lights and live game with fans there and all that good stuff. We need to play way better on Friday night versus Tennessee Tech if we want a W. We did some good things, but there are a lot of things we have to get better at. Do we get better from the first game to the last game and do we make the right progression. We have to keep getting better and improving.
ON STARTING LINEUP
At Memphis, I set a record for starting lineup changes. I'll change a lot and sometimes I'll keep it the same. I think this year it may be based on production. Against Miss State, we did it against rebounding. I was gonna do it on 50/50s but Josh Heath and AD couldn't play so I had to change it. Including Shorter there is no opponent we can just overtake. We have to play perfect night in and night out. Our margin of error is close to none or maybe none. We are a game by game team.
ON NOT BEING PICKED LAST IN THE ACC
It is a major rebuild job and people have said we won't win a game in ACC play, people have said if I win an ACC game I should get coach of the year. They are going to give everything they have, we will kick, claw and scrap, the margin of error is none versus Shorter or Duke.
ON EXCITING START
I was at Memphis with coach Cal and he won 90% of his games, I was the last man standing 15-20 people got raises and I knew what I was stepping into. There was a helicopter circling Cal's house when he was thinking about UK, not a hostage situation. At Memphis, I was talked about, micromanaged for seven straight years and because I was following something at the highest level. I won 70% of my games and set records for wins, usually you are talked about building a statue, it was game by game people wanted me fired maybe possession by possession. That was seven years of that. When GT opened up, starting from the bottom and they haven't had the success people want, just one tournament win in 10 years, I can say internally if I get it done, I've done both it at a high level, most wins in a 2-year period to building from ground zero, to say you've done it both ways and put your own building blocks made it so exciting.
ON 3 POINT SHOOTING
In our two games 3-28, 0-14 last week and 3-14 the week before, we got to the free throw line quite a bit and got layups. I like open 3s, but love layups. Our threes have to come from set threes and from scrambles. If we shoot contested threes that is no good. We have to make some threes, shooting cures a lot of weaknesses and when you can make shots and open threes and that makes a difference. We have to do that in recruiting to get guys who can put the ball in the basket. If you shoot 33% from 3 to hit 50% from 2, it is a difference maker in the game, less talented team can beat teams with good threes. When the lower seed beat a higher seed, they hit threes. That is why Shorter got there.
ON NUMBER ONE LESSON FROM MEMPHIS
The biggest thing I took, I was debated and dissected whether I stood up enough or got enough Ts or whatever. I learned about alignment, everyone has to be aligned to the head coach and my vision and that will throw you off kilt. I have to have guys internally driven to be great, gym rats that you don't have to coddle and have a distaste for losing and will do anything within the rules to win.
ON GIVING FRESHMEN ENOUGH TIME VERSUS WINNING
I want to play in the NCAAT, there are 10-11 ACC spots this year, I've never been picked last or second to last, never lost 3 games in a row, never as an assistant or player. I don't know, I want to try and win every game and if we are not winning alot, I have to stay positive and keep moving forward and there will be highs and lows. That was told to me in the interview process, I was asked if I have the temperament to handle it, have to be really positive and I can handle it, by nature I'm upbeat and my teams have been good at bouncing back and we've been positive and time will tell if we have a rough patch.
ON RECRUITING
We got in late in '17, we have better relationships in '18 and '19, we've covered a lot of ground, we are not signing anyone who cannot help us, we want them to help us or can be developed into an All-ACC player, we are not stockpiling guys, we won't necessarily have 13 on ship next year. I like to play 6-7 and one or two sitting out, maybe a redshirt.
ON JUSTIN MOORE AND OKOGIE
Justin was very good against Miss State and not as good against Shorter, had six assists and five turnovers, plays with great pace, his best basketball is ahead of him. With Josh Heath out, he is a great young man, I'd feel better if he was playing in these games and he has played well, but it will help Justin improve, he will be better than he played on Saturday.
Okogie had 16 and seven, he can be a double-double, I'm a big believer, but he can't play in spurts has to be an every play guy.
ON WHAT HE DOES TO LEARN TO BE ZEN WITH LOSING
I think I can handle it to this point, but we are 0-0, I haven't gone through it, if we go with the projections people have or what I was told when I was hired, I do the best I can to have balance, I haven't gone through it, it could be a year and I look back and it test me and tries me and my patience. I've told my staff to remind me it is a journey and long term, it is the big picture, if you have tough stretches I can't be focused on our record and winning percentage and I've told everyone else, but I have to internally realize that. I tell people to keep reminding me to look at the big picture and how different things will be in 2 years and that reward will be better than anything else.
ON EARLY SIGNING PERIOD
I just hope we get a couple, we've had great official visits and covered a lot of ground. We need one or two to pull the trigger. You have to get talent and a guy or two who people think they are better than they think they are. We have to get lucky, we sign someone not as highly ranked and is just as good as a 5-star. We've worked as hard as any staff in mankind, we may end up with just a few guys. Even in the ACC, HOF coaches when they were on the survival line and someone picks them and it gets the program moving in the right direction.
ON TENNESSEE TECH
We don't have an exchange of tape, we are going in blind and so are they. We don't have a lot of tape on them, we have to guard the three point shot and studied stats and film from last year. We have to guard the three, we can't have 20 turnovers, I love that we made more free throws than the opponent shot, but we have to shot better than 61% and we have to limit those turnovers.
ON THE LONG TERM PICTURE
I'm a visionary and I see what the program was like under Cremins, it was a hot ticket and the place was rocking and it becomes a well-oiled machine. My vision is us being a championship program in 3-4 years and competing for NCAAT wins and the ACCT. We will work harder than any team in the country. We have to get a ball to bounce our way and that has to happen in recruiting. One or two guys can change the complexion of the program in one year. We could win 10 games this year and sign two guys and win 25 the next with the right pieces. Justin Moore, Tadric, Ben Lammers, Okogie and Matthews, AD, Vest is a freshmen, we have good pieces that will get time and experience with a chance to grow. Those kids with the who we sign could make things move ahead.
ON STARTING LINEUP
At Memphis, I set a record for starting lineup changes. I'll change a lot and sometimes I'll keep it the same. I think this year it may be based on production. Against Miss State, we did it against rebounding. I was gonna do it on 50/50s but Josh Heath and AD couldn't play so I had to change it. Including Shorter there is no opponent we can just overtake. We have to play perfect night in and night out. Our margin of error is close to none or maybe none. We are a game by game team.
ON NOT BEING PICKED LAST IN THE ACC
It is a major rebuild job and people have said we won't win a game in ACC play, people have said if I win an ACC game I should get coach of the year. They are going to give everything they have, we will kick, claw and scrap, the margin of error is none versus Shorter or Duke.
ON EXCITING START
I was at Memphis with coach Cal and he won 90% of his games, I was the last man standing 15-20 people got raises and I knew what I was stepping into. There was a helicopter circling Cal's house when he was thinking about UK, not a hostage situation. At Memphis, I was talked about, micromanaged for seven straight years and because I was following something at the highest level. I won 70% of my games and set records for wins, usually you are talked about building a statue, it was game by game people wanted me fired maybe possession by possession. That was seven years of that. When GT opened up, starting from the bottom and they haven't had the success people want, just one tournament win in 10 years, I can say internally if I get it done, I've done both it at a high level, most wins in a 2-year period to building from ground zero, to say you've done it both ways and put your own building blocks made it so exciting.
ON 3 POINT SHOOTING
In our two games 3-28, 0-14 last week and 3-14 the week before, we got to the free throw line quite a bit and got layups. I like open 3s, but love layups. Our threes have to come from set threes and from scrambles. If we shoot contested threes that is no good. We have to make some threes, shooting cures a lot of weaknesses and when you can make shots and open threes and that makes a difference. We have to do that in recruiting to get guys who can put the ball in the basket. If you shoot 33% from 3 to hit 50% from 2, it is a difference maker in the game, less talented team can beat teams with good threes. When the lower seed beat a higher seed, they hit threes. That is why Shorter got there.
ON NUMBER ONE LESSON FROM MEMPHIS
The biggest thing I took, I was debated and dissected whether I stood up enough or got enough Ts or whatever. I learned about alignment, everyone has to be aligned to the head coach and my vision and that will throw you off kilt. I have to have guys internally driven to be great, gym rats that you don't have to coddle and have a distaste for losing and will do anything within the rules to win.
ON GIVING FRESHMEN ENOUGH TIME VERSUS WINNING
I want to play in the NCAAT, there are 10-11 ACC spots this year, I've never been picked last or second to last, never lost 3 games in a row, never as an assistant or player. I don't know, I want to try and win every game and if we are not winning alot, I have to stay positive and keep moving forward and there will be highs and lows. That was told to me in the interview process, I was asked if I have the temperament to handle it, have to be really positive and I can handle it, by nature I'm upbeat and my teams have been good at bouncing back and we've been positive and time will tell if we have a rough patch.
ON RECRUITING
We got in late in '17, we have better relationships in '18 and '19, we've covered a lot of ground, we are not signing anyone who cannot help us, we want them to help us or can be developed into an All-ACC player, we are not stockpiling guys, we won't necessarily have 13 on ship next year. I like to play 6-7 and one or two sitting out, maybe a redshirt.
ON JUSTIN MOORE AND OKOGIE
Justin was very good against Miss State and not as good against Shorter, had six assists and five turnovers, plays with great pace, his best basketball is ahead of him. With Josh Heath out, he is a great young man, I'd feel better if he was playing in these games and he has played well, but it will help Justin improve, he will be better than he played on Saturday.
Okogie had 16 and seven, he can be a double-double, I'm a big believer, but he can't play in spurts has to be an every play guy.
ON WHAT HE DOES TO LEARN TO BE ZEN WITH LOSING
I think I can handle it to this point, but we are 0-0, I haven't gone through it, if we go with the projections people have or what I was told when I was hired, I do the best I can to have balance, I haven't gone through it, it could be a year and I look back and it test me and tries me and my patience. I've told my staff to remind me it is a journey and long term, it is the big picture, if you have tough stretches I can't be focused on our record and winning percentage and I've told everyone else, but I have to internally realize that. I tell people to keep reminding me to look at the big picture and how different things will be in 2 years and that reward will be better than anything else.
ON EARLY SIGNING PERIOD
I just hope we get a couple, we've had great official visits and covered a lot of ground. We need one or two to pull the trigger. You have to get talent and a guy or two who people think they are better than they think they are. We have to get lucky, we sign someone not as highly ranked and is just as good as a 5-star. We've worked as hard as any staff in mankind, we may end up with just a few guys. Even in the ACC, HOF coaches when they were on the survival line and someone picks them and it gets the program moving in the right direction.
ON TENNESSEE TECH
We don't have an exchange of tape, we are going in blind and so are they. We don't have a lot of tape on them, we have to guard the three point shot and studied stats and film from last year. We have to guard the three, we can't have 20 turnovers, I love that we made more free throws than the opponent shot, but we have to shot better than 61% and we have to limit those turnovers.
ON THE LONG TERM PICTURE
I'm a visionary and I see what the program was like under Cremins, it was a hot ticket and the place was rocking and it becomes a well-oiled machine. My vision is us being a championship program in 3-4 years and competing for NCAAT wins and the ACCT. We will work harder than any team in the country. We have to get a ball to bounce our way and that has to happen in recruiting. One or two guys can change the complexion of the program in one year. We could win 10 games this year and sign two guys and win 25 the next with the right pieces. Justin Moore, Tadric, Ben Lammers, Okogie and Matthews, AD, Vest is a freshmen, we have good pieces that will get time and experience with a chance to grow. Those kids with the who we sign could make things move ahead.
