Tough day all the way around and days you don't look forward to especially when they are very good people. It is not something we look forward to and his staff and want to start with that and not something we came to lightly, in large part because of the type of person he is. I expect nothing less, I know it was hard and hard news to deliver.
WHEN DID YOU COME TO THE DECISION
Something been thinking about every minute of every day, at the tipping point at 13-12 (2-9) in ACC, made me think hard about where we are going as a program and do we have the pieces in place to see beyond. The end of the season is very strong, we could have come unglued and to everyone's credit we finished in a positive fashion and those were great moments we hope to enjoy more of in the future. End of the day, evaluation of the program and the clear path forward to higher levels of success. I didn't see.
ON ROSTER LEANING ON SENIORS
Without a doubt the fact 80% of our production of last five or six weeks in those five seniors have played great. To see Marcus have success after three years toiling in the fields was great to see. No one should say poorly of it, but we were clearly reliant on.
ON TALKING TO HIS FORMER COACHES
I will rely on those folks and spent a significant time at a school that is all basketball and do some personal relationship.
ON NEXT COACH
Personal character side, if I could have all Brian brought, I'd have him again, first class and high integrity and ourselves and our program, first class. I don't want to give up that. Beyond that, I'm looking for someone to articulate a vision for high level success, great arena and practice facility in a great area for college basketball and leveraging it.
ON MONEY
Every organization, I can't tell you it is unlimited, but we are not going to be constrained and look for the best person and a mutual interest, be as aggressive as we can.
ON GREGORY
We are better today than where we were when he got here, he got overcome by the circumstances and couldn't take it to the next level. I rooting for Brian wherever he may land now or down the road.
ON GT's TRADITION STILL BEING RELAVANT
That is part of what you look for and get us on the radar of the young men that will take us where we go, Brian tried, but sometimes the message doesn't resonate.
ON THE 2017 CLASS BEING
Didn't enter our thinking, we are looking for a handful and we want to be strong in Atlanta and be effective and be in the with best, but wasn't a reasoning for doing this for a maybe.
ON TIMETABLE
As quickly as I can, be quick but don't hurry, don't want it to linger, but want to do due diligence. We begin that later tonight, when I can excuse myself.
Probably will use a search firm to help with logistics and confident. I know the field fairly well and I know our prospects, but making the search happen.
ON TALKING TO PLAYERS
Met with players, extended staff and staff, 8 or 9 in locker room, only one not there was Marcus Georges-Hunt, hopefully get him another way, so we've done all that, was able to reach one of our signees and hopefully reach the others.
ON HAVING CANDIDATES IN MIND
Hopefully having them in mind, will help.
ON ATTENDANCE VS MONEY COMING IN TO MAKE A CHANGE
We won't plan on a sold out, next year will be a transition year and with a different coaching staff, plan would be bring someone that will excite the fan base. I love our fans and they are loyal and when we had some exciting games, they are dying for success. When we start to do good things, you can see the pent up desire for the program to do well. It won't happen over night.
ON PREFERENCE
Would prefer a head coach, but you never know who is truly a prospect or a fit, the best possible person.
ON THE DIFFICULTY OF THE ACC BEING PLUS OR MINUS
I think it is tough for all 15 schools and that is what you want as a competitor and you want them to do big things and that will be a positive for us as we speak to them.
ON RELEASING SIGNEES
Only conversation I had at this point, I asked them not to do anything rash until they talk to the new head coach, to rush to an emotional reaction, I would encourage to wait a week or 10 days to play out.
ON RELYING ON TRANSFERS SO HEAVILY
You are forced every year to deliver new and appropriate levels of talent every day. May have a chance to bring a highly skilled player back to Atlanta, but that is not something you can do every year, I don't know if we would have added a Adam Smith or James White every year particularly at GT. Academics are important and it not something you can bring in reasonably successful guys.
ON WHAT WOULD HAVE SAVED BG
If you are in the NCAAT and that could have changed the thinking, I'm not sure, but that gives you something to think about, would've caused a different thoughts, not to belittle the postseason success, not a lot of a carryover effect from that.
ON MOVING QUICKLY FOR MID-MAJOR JOB HOPS
There was no value in delaying the decision any longer, it was appropriate thing, not the easy thing to do. Assistants will be retained for now, we will continue having them keep our guys.
ON BG MEETING
Was all within the last two hours.
ON HOW DID THE PLAYERS RESPOND
It was tough, they were very close, basketball is very intimate and they are around each other and they have a great appreciation for Brian and all the guys, it was not lightly heard, they handled themselves well and asked good questions.
ON SEARCH
I will have a few people to help, but we will keep it lean, I don't believe large groups of people make good decisions.
ON SEARCH GUYS
I have some guys. I know there will be no short opinions, the best person will get hired, overriding factor.
ON THE SURPLUS MAKING IT EASIER
Yes, it does. Other than social security, no one worries more about our finances, it is the damndest thing.
ON MAKING THE DECISION
You have to remove yourself from emotions of the moment, didn't want to make a judgment until the chips were in. I met with the president yesterday and didn't happen until then.
WHEN DID YOU COME TO THE DECISION
Something been thinking about every minute of every day, at the tipping point at 13-12 (2-9) in ACC, made me think hard about where we are going as a program and do we have the pieces in place to see beyond. The end of the season is very strong, we could have come unglued and to everyone's credit we finished in a positive fashion and those were great moments we hope to enjoy more of in the future. End of the day, evaluation of the program and the clear path forward to higher levels of success. I didn't see.
ON ROSTER LEANING ON SENIORS
Without a doubt the fact 80% of our production of last five or six weeks in those five seniors have played great. To see Marcus have success after three years toiling in the fields was great to see. No one should say poorly of it, but we were clearly reliant on.
ON TALKING TO HIS FORMER COACHES
I will rely on those folks and spent a significant time at a school that is all basketball and do some personal relationship.
ON NEXT COACH
Personal character side, if I could have all Brian brought, I'd have him again, first class and high integrity and ourselves and our program, first class. I don't want to give up that. Beyond that, I'm looking for someone to articulate a vision for high level success, great arena and practice facility in a great area for college basketball and leveraging it.
ON MONEY
Every organization, I can't tell you it is unlimited, but we are not going to be constrained and look for the best person and a mutual interest, be as aggressive as we can.
ON GREGORY
We are better today than where we were when he got here, he got overcome by the circumstances and couldn't take it to the next level. I rooting for Brian wherever he may land now or down the road.
ON GT's TRADITION STILL BEING RELAVANT
That is part of what you look for and get us on the radar of the young men that will take us where we go, Brian tried, but sometimes the message doesn't resonate.
ON THE 2017 CLASS BEING
Didn't enter our thinking, we are looking for a handful and we want to be strong in Atlanta and be effective and be in the with best, but wasn't a reasoning for doing this for a maybe.
ON TIMETABLE
As quickly as I can, be quick but don't hurry, don't want it to linger, but want to do due diligence. We begin that later tonight, when I can excuse myself.
Probably will use a search firm to help with logistics and confident. I know the field fairly well and I know our prospects, but making the search happen.
ON TALKING TO PLAYERS
Met with players, extended staff and staff, 8 or 9 in locker room, only one not there was Marcus Georges-Hunt, hopefully get him another way, so we've done all that, was able to reach one of our signees and hopefully reach the others.
ON HAVING CANDIDATES IN MIND
Hopefully having them in mind, will help.
ON ATTENDANCE VS MONEY COMING IN TO MAKE A CHANGE
We won't plan on a sold out, next year will be a transition year and with a different coaching staff, plan would be bring someone that will excite the fan base. I love our fans and they are loyal and when we had some exciting games, they are dying for success. When we start to do good things, you can see the pent up desire for the program to do well. It won't happen over night.
ON PREFERENCE
Would prefer a head coach, but you never know who is truly a prospect or a fit, the best possible person.
ON THE DIFFICULTY OF THE ACC BEING PLUS OR MINUS
I think it is tough for all 15 schools and that is what you want as a competitor and you want them to do big things and that will be a positive for us as we speak to them.
ON RELEASING SIGNEES
Only conversation I had at this point, I asked them not to do anything rash until they talk to the new head coach, to rush to an emotional reaction, I would encourage to wait a week or 10 days to play out.
ON RELYING ON TRANSFERS SO HEAVILY
You are forced every year to deliver new and appropriate levels of talent every day. May have a chance to bring a highly skilled player back to Atlanta, but that is not something you can do every year, I don't know if we would have added a Adam Smith or James White every year particularly at GT. Academics are important and it not something you can bring in reasonably successful guys.
ON WHAT WOULD HAVE SAVED BG
If you are in the NCAAT and that could have changed the thinking, I'm not sure, but that gives you something to think about, would've caused a different thoughts, not to belittle the postseason success, not a lot of a carryover effect from that.
ON MOVING QUICKLY FOR MID-MAJOR JOB HOPS
There was no value in delaying the decision any longer, it was appropriate thing, not the easy thing to do. Assistants will be retained for now, we will continue having them keep our guys.
ON BG MEETING
Was all within the last two hours.
ON HOW DID THE PLAYERS RESPOND
It was tough, they were very close, basketball is very intimate and they are around each other and they have a great appreciation for Brian and all the guys, it was not lightly heard, they handled themselves well and asked good questions.
ON SEARCH
I will have a few people to help, but we will keep it lean, I don't believe large groups of people make good decisions.
ON SEARCH GUYS
I have some guys. I know there will be no short opinions, the best person will get hired, overriding factor.
ON THE SURPLUS MAKING IT EASIER
Yes, it does. Other than social security, no one worries more about our finances, it is the damndest thing.
ON MAKING THE DECISION
You have to remove yourself from emotions of the moment, didn't want to make a judgment until the chips were in. I met with the president yesterday and didn't happen until then.
