10/24/2003
Q. What?s your take on the upcoming season?
A. There?s an air of excitement and energy as we look at the new season. Now, I?ve been coaching for all of my adult life and honestly, the start of most season expectations fire the imagination, but this isn?t a bad thing. The trick is to maintain the excitement and to realize the expectations through hard work. Our challenge this, and every year is to use the anticipation to reach the accomplishment.
Q. In concrete terms, how will the 2003-04 Hoyas differ from the 2002-03 team?
A. We will be faster. We will press more. We will be more perimeter oriented. We?ll have to be. Since Mike Sweetney was drafted in the first round we won?t have his shot blocking, rebounding, or force in the paint. It would be counter productive to keep pounding the ball inside without Mike there to get it. The good news is that, as a college coach, I?ve learned that adaptability is vital. We are always looking at a limited time with the students and a single injury can dictate major changes in strategy. My staff and I are preparing to utilize all the abilities our students bring to the court.
Q. Speaking of staff, what about the changes in your staff?
A. We?ve added a wealth of basketball experience. Jaren Jackson played here and then spent 12 years in the NBA playing for a total of eight teams. He?s the only Hoya with a world championship ring which he got at San Antonio. Just imagine all of the coaching approaches and theories he?s been exposed to. Chuck Driesell played for his legendary father at Maryland and was his assistant coach for 9 years at JMU. He?s been a head coach at Marymount and he?s somebody I?ve known since I was in 7th grade. The easiest way to express my trust and respect for Chuck is to tell you that I?ve sent both my sons to his clinics to be coached by him.
Q. What about the newcomers on the team?
A. As long as nobody loses sight of the fact that freshmen are 17-19 years old, everything will be fine. We have some guards who can come in and make an impact and we have some other athletes who bring the flexibility to fill roles as we need them to. We also have a young man, Amadou Killkenny-Diaw who was a redshirt last season and gained some good experience. I?m pleased with the energy and attitude that the newcomers have shown so far.
Q. And the returning players?
A. The challenge is to capitalize on the strong finish at the end of last season. The returning players won 4 of 5 road games in the post season. That is a remarkable feat and we want to build on that for the new season. We have some strong leadership and good experience with 2 senior captains, Gerald Riley and Courtland Freeman. We also have some basketball talent that will get its chance to shine as I?d like to still play 9 or 10 players every game.
Q. On a different subject, what about the conference changes this summer?
A. As I said at the start, for those of us working with college students, change is a part of life. The BIG EAST shifts this summer focused attention on change and some were alarmed by shifts in the status quo, but I was not disconcerted. I trust my AD, my President and the Commissioner of the conference. All are very smart, dedicated men who have included me in the process of adapting and improving the BIG EAST. Together I believe we are more than a match for the dynamics that are generated by change. We have played basketball at Georgetown since 1906 and we will still be playing long after the BIG EAST?s growing pains are resolved.
Q. Can you talk about your schedule?
A. The BIG EAST ended last season with the National Champions (Syracuse), the NIT Champions (St. John?s) the NIT Finalist (Georgetown), 3 ?Sweet 16? teams (Connecticut, Notre Dame & Pittsburgh), so not only is the BIG EAST tough, but all together we have a dozen games against teams that appeared in post season play. We have a home game with Duke, another ?Sweet 16? team, which means in some polls we will be facing #1 (Connecticut) and #2 (Duke) as well as the defending National Champions (Syracuse). We?ll travel to Temple and Penn State for televison games and I?m also happy to say that Courtland Freeman?s family will have a chance to see him play when we visit the Citadel. Looking ahead, we will play in the Rainbow Classic next year, from December 21-24. The competition will be excellent as USC, UAB, LSU, Long Beach State, Clemson, Indiana State and Hawaii are the other participants.
Q. Speaking of looking ahead, can you talk about your recruiting?
A. I?m happy with our progress in that area this year, but unfortunately NCAA rules prohibit my being specific prior to the National Letter of Intent signing period. Ask me again after November 13.
