Mike Woodson joined Nebraska’s Fred Hoiberg and USC’s Eric Musselman for a panel dialogue at Large Ten Media Day on Thursday in Chicago.
Right here’s a transcript of Woodson, Hoiberg and Musselman needed to say:
THE MODERATOR: Welcome in Fred Hoiberg, Eric Musselman, Mike Woodson, sort sufficient to hitch us. Fred, you made it public final week that you’re going via what you referred to as a minor process. Clearly I do know you properly sufficient to know you are taking all the pieces humbly, particularly when it’s about you. Of us do need to know the way you’re doing? You look nice.
FRED HOIBERG: Thanks, Rick. Nice socks, by the best way. I really feel actually good. It was a process on Friday to interchange my pacemaker. I went in there, and it was a couple of 30-minute process. Largest factor proper now could be simply being cautious. I’m teaching lots on the sidelines making an attempt to not get hit. I simply can’t get hit within the space the place they did the process, however feeling nice.
THE MODERATOR: A number of years in the past we performed golf collectively at Olympia Fields. He was teaching the Bulls, working late. Trunk slammer; straight from his trunk to the primary tee. Goes birdie, par, birdie, and tried to persuade everyone that he was simply fortunate.
FRED HOIBERG: I used to be. I used to be very fortunate. Hasn’t occurred since.
THE MODERATOR: We received an opportunity to satisfy for the primary time, Eric, out at Terranea in Might. Don’t attempt to work out subsequent to this man within the health club since you received’t look good. You shared a narrative then that you just ended up in virtually the identical location, a stone’s throw from the place you had been once you received your very first job out of school.
ERIC MUSSELMAN: Yeah, first job out of school was promoting tickets for the L.A. clippers, and I lived on forty fourth and Highland in Manhattan Seaside, and now we’re on Sixth Avenue in Manhattan Seaside. Sort of full circle. Tremendous cool for myself and our household.
THE MODERATOR: Mike, you will have been clearly very busy, you and your workers within the offseason with the switch portal. It’s at all times essential to get time to recharge the batteries. You understand about conserving the tempo being on this enterprise for so long as you will have. I perceive you had been capable of recharge these batteries not distant in California as properly somewhat bit this summer season.
MIKE WOODSON: Out in Desert Island coping with the warmth. It was all wonderful. I’m speaking about averaging round 110 a day. However my spouse likes it on the market lots, so we spent about three weeks on the market this summer season.
THE MODERATOR: You clearly did spend a while within the portal. Discuss a few of the superb transfers you will have coming in Oumar Ballo, Carlyle is on that checklist. Myles Rice, so many on different guys. How had been you ready to do this? What’s that course of like now when it’s so essential to get into the portal and get gamers that may match instantly into your program?
MIKE WOODSON: Nicely, we had no selection. I imply, I misplaced three gamers to the portal. I misplaced two seniors in Kel’el Ware, who was drafted to the Warmth as a fifteenth choose within the draft.
I needed to exit together with my workers and begin, you realize, actually working to attempt to construct our workforce again. We had been capable of come West and get Large Ballo, as you talked about, and Myles Rice and Kanaan Carlyle.
Then we had been lucky sufficient to get Goode to return again house, which he’s a Bloomington child. Then we received a freshman in Bryson Tucker, who type of fell in our laps late. I had checked out him a few years in the past when he was at IMG. We had been capable of get him on board.
I imply, we’ve constructed mainly via the portal with one freshman, but it surely’s been a piece in progress. Our summer season program I believed went extraordinarily properly, after which we gave them a month off. Now we’re again at official working towards.
It’s been a very good run to this point. We simply received to place all of it collectively and see the place it leads us.
THE MODERATOR: Eric, nobody was busier than you and your workers within the portal, out of necessity, clearly. Give us a way of the blokes that got here in and in addition how troublesome it may be and what the problem is when you find yourself making an attempt to construct chemistry with so many guys who haven’t performed collectively earlier than.
ERIC MUSSELMAN: I believe from a chemistry standpoint it’s about what you are able to do within the eight-week offseason program. Each Friday we tried to do a non-basketball-related exercise, whether or not it was wiffle ball on the seaside or boxing collectively as a bunch, or spin class. We tried to do one thing exterior of basketball after which observe that up with a meal of some type.
Then within the switch portal out of necessity definitely with the best way the roster was with one returning participant. We needed to go to the portal. We’re enthusiastic about a whole lot of guys. However a whole lot of guys that have to play with a chip on their shoulder. Clearly no person on any of the Large Ten groups proper now that had been acknowledged with the highest gamers, and we mentioned that. We mentioned the place we had been ranked preseason. So we — I hope that our workforce type of has that chip on their shoulder from day one.
THE MODERATOR: Fred, for you the switch portal story is attention-grabbing as a result of you will have a handful of men who come from different Large Ten colleges who actually know this league. How a lot of a bonus may that be?
FRED HOIBERG: Nicely, I believe it’s essential when you find yourself placing your roster collectively to — final yr we had been the oldest workforce within the league, and we would have liked to interchange a whole lot of actually essential items that we misplaced from a yr in the past, together with Reink Mast who sadly had a knee process, and he shall be out for the season.
So for us to go on the market and attempt to get that have to interchange a Keisei Tominaga, Reink who I simply talked about, Josiah Allick who had been nice leaders and nice gamers on the ground.
We achieved — we did a fairly good job of that. I believe we’ve got eight guys which might be of their fourth yr or extra in faculty basketball.
When you will have that have, it provides you an opportunity. We’ve two freshmen that I actually, actually like, and I believe they’re going to be excellent gamers, however we even have expertise. As you stated, Rick, guys which have performed within the league with Connor Essegian, with Gavin Griffiths, with a few guys that performed within the Pac-12 final yr with Braxton Meah and with Berke. These guys are coming collectively.
I believe Muss hit it on the top so far as these eight weeks how essential they’re to construct the chemistry in the summertime. You understand, again in our day after we had been taking part in, it was October 15. You mainly had two or three weeks, after which impulsively you’re taking part in video games.
So these eight weeks in the summertime, the 5 weeks within the fall, after which you’re already — the blokes are already sick of you on the primary official day of observe, however that’s all essential so far as constructing that essential chemistry.
THE MODERATOR: You do have some terrific returnees again. Bryce, Juwan, and others, guys that received to style the match final yr. It’s at all times onerous to get to the match. Many coaches say it’s more durable to get again for a second yr. How do you type of preserve that momentum going that you just constructed a yr in the past?
FRED HOIBERG: Nicely, it’s such a unique expertise, and being on the large stage and all of the protection that you’ve, and we solely actually had of our energetic roster one man that had performed within the match, and that was Juwan Gary when he performed at Alabama.
Now we’ve got a bunch of men which have been there. We’ve talked about this lots as a bunch. The problem now isn’t solely getting again there, but it surely’s profitable in March. It’s taking this program to the place it’s by no means been earlier than. Our guys have been actually good. I really like the work ethic. I really like the competitiveness.
When you will have a you group of men that play onerous, you’re going to have an opportunity.
THE MODERATOR: Mike, you’ve been there. I do know you wish to get somewhat deeper into March this coming season. While you return to your alma mater, I’m positive you had an concept of the place you wished this system to be at this level. How does that evaluate to the place you’re feeling like this system really is?
MIKE WOODSON: I believe we took a step backwards final yr by not making the match. That was type of disappointing. However once more, we received to maneuver ahead. The primary two years a whole lot of these guys hadn’t been within the match for 5 years. Then they tasted it somewhat bit.
On the finish of the day together with these guys, that is about profitable Large Ten titles and profitable nationwide titles. That’s why I got here again.
I keep in mind the nice days again after I performed and a few of the nice years that Bob Knight had at Indiana that it’s been lacking. To be again and I’m capable of put my stamp on it, you realize, it’s going to be nice for me.
I’m blissful to be again, however we nonetheless received a protracted solution to go as a ball membership.
THE MODERATOR: Eric, your profession has been outlined somewhat bit by change since you’ve coached at so many alternative locations, at so many alternative ranges. How a lot can that aid you in one other yr of change? Not only for you and your program, however for the Large Ten as for the primary time ever we see 18 convention video games, only one two-play due to that. All the pieces is new for everyone together with these groups which have been within the Large Ten for a very long time.
ERIC MUSSELMAN: I believe if you happen to coach within the G League, you’re used to vary. So proper now it’s change of roster. It’s change with gamers receiving identify, picture, and likeness. It’s change in the best way that we’re going to journey.
I believe that together with each coaches, Coach Woodson and Coach Hoiberg, I believe there’s somewhat little bit of the NBA journey can come into play right here with the way you do shoot-arounds, once you journey West Coast to East Coast. We’ve had a whole lot of discussions with our workers what we did when Golden State performed in, say, Orlando on the primary spherical of a journey day and when do you really do shoot-around? Do you not do shoot-around?
I believe that a few of the NBA classes with journey may help. At the least it’s the hope.
We’ve additionally talked and met with the L.A. Rams a few weeks in the past about how they journey once they go west to east. What do they do on that first evening that they land and the way do they deal with the morning earlier than, like, a 1:00 kickoff? It is going to be a studying course of for all of us, although, for positive with the journey half.
THE MODERATOR: When coaches say we’re solely trying on the subsequent sport, and this situation you’re looking at this as an entire to determine one of the simplest ways to cope with all of the various things that method you this season?
ERIC MUSSELMAN: Yeah, I believe you need to. I believe that the best way you handle your workforce in November and December can have an have an effect on on the way you play in March, and clearly the aim for all of us is to have our groups taking part in their finest basketball in March. A number of that has to do with psychological fatigue, bodily fatigue, after which the place you’re along with your our bodies and minds come the top of the season.
So definitely the best way that you just plan in November can have an have an effect on.
THE MODERATOR: I do know we really need to get there, however since Eric stated finish of the season, what do you assume it’s going to really feel like on the finish of the common season to have gone via this league this season?
FRED HOIBERG: It’s going to be a grind. You add 4 unbelievable packages with nice coaches, and it’s going to be — the journey, to Muss’s level, goes to be one thing that none of us have ever skilled at this stage. The three of us I believe have been lucky to both have performed or coached within the NBA and what a few of that journey is like.
I believe we’re arrange in a fairly great spot in Nebraska. The West Coast grind I don’t assume shall be fairly as a lot as it’s for the East Coast colleges, however on the similar time you actually do have to organize for it.
One factor that I believe we do a very good job of is we’ve got a sports activities scientist that displays each observe, and we’ve got a load development that we actually need to observe to attempt to be recent when it issues most.
Within the final couple of years we’ve had very profitable February and March file. So simply to actually attempt to preserve your guys going the place you’re taking part in your finest basketball on the proper time of the yr.
THE MODERATOR: Mike, it definitely helps when you will have guys which have been via that grind earlier than, like Trey, like Malik, Mackenzie skilled it, and now expects some development this yr. What do you want from these guys particularly and people veterans which have been on this workforce to attempt too meld in all of the newcomers?
MIKE WOODSON: We’d like them to guide and make one other leap. I believed Malik made a hell of a leap from his freshman yr, and Mackenzie, large leap. Trey Galloway is who he’s. He’s been a frontrunner since I’ve had him. Sadly, he had the knee surgical procedure this previous season, and he’s labored his butt off this summer season to get again.
He’s not absolutely recovered, however he’s getting there, so I’m going to wish all three of these guys to guide. We received some seniors, however we even have a bunch of younger guys as properly too that hadn’t actually skilled the Large Ten like Myles Rice and Kanaan Carlyle and Tucker.
So we’re going to wish these veteran guys to step up and lead our ball membership.
THE MODERATOR: Let’s end right here, guys. In your campuses clearly there’s a whole lot of momentum along with your soccer packages as properly. Indiana is stunning everyone. Have you ever felt that vibe of your gamers and perhaps have had an opportunity to observe the Hoosier soccer workforce this yr?
MIKE WOODSON: I’m loving it. I believe Coach Cignetti has performed a hell of a job. He’s put an excellent group of men collectively. He’s received working backs. He’s received receivers. He has a hell of a quarterback.
I couldn’t be extra happier for him as a result of it’s been some time to see our packages even within the prime 25. So you need to give him a whole lot of credit score for that. I’m ready for Northwestern this week. We’ve them right here at Northwestern. It needs to be a very good ball sport.
THE MODERATOR: Eric, have you ever had an opportunity to spend a lot time with Lincoln? I do know you and Lindsey have shared ideas.
ERIC MUSSELMAN: Went to a few practices. Truly received some good drills that we’ve type of taken, some quarterback vast receiver drills that he used and have used with a five-shot drill that, that they had a 5 passing drill with their quarterbacks. There’s nothing like USC sideline pregame.
The one factor that’s been troublesome somewhat bit is we preserve having recruits are available on weekends when our soccer workforce is taking part in on the highway, and I preserve eager to go on a highway soccer sport. I’m, like, cease with the recruiting stuff so we will go to a highway soccer sport and expertise Large Ten soccer.
THE MODERATOR: Fred, I do know you and Matt clearly discuss lots about what your respective packages are doing at any given second.
FRED HOIBERG: Coach Rhule is doing an exceptional job. It’s been a lot enjoyable. We had our four-hundredth consecutive sellout, and the final sport has been offered out since 1962. The eagerness and the vitality proper now round Nebraska soccer, it’s been superior to see.
THE MODERATOR: We actually respect the time.
Filed to: Mike Woodson
