Dave Calloway end of season/look ahead interview
Spoke to Dave for about 20 minutes today for a season wrap up....basically it's for a column I am writing for Friday ....However not all of it will make the Press as there was much to cover....as I go through the highlights now I will publish many of the quotes here as I am listening to the tape:
Dave on his responsibility for what happened this year: "A lot of it, of course. You get a lot of credit when you win, you've also got to take responsibility when you lose.
""We were good enough to win this year, good enough to win it all? I don't know, but we were definitely good enough to be better than we were. Therefore I did not do my job this year, there's a lot of factors in that.
""This was a learning experience for me, too. I'm still fairly young, I'm only 38. While we've had more success here than non success we did not have the success I would have liked this year or felt we should have had. So there's some learning process for me here on some adjustments and things that I'll do.''
""You set the tone for the season when the last season ends. So basically we're setting the tone for next year already. Next year has already started in my mind.''
Calloway said in recent years the upperclassmen have shown the younger players the ropes. ""I probably did not realize at the time having the gap of no juniors (this season) was maybe too big of a gap. I probably should have been more hands on in the off season than I was."" Will he be more hands on now? "Oh, yes,'' he said referring in particular to off season conditioning and work outs.. Calloway said in the fall he tends to recruit a lot but this fall hopes to strike more of a balance
between recruiting and being around the team.
On scholarships for next year? MU has two open and already has signed high school players PG James Hett from Staten Island and 6-7 Nick DelTufo from Mendham. ""We are anticipating guys coming in for official visits prior to the final four,'' said Calloway.
On the incoming players Calloway said, "Nick DelTufo is very skilled, reminds me a lot of Russ Anderson. And Hett, as we said, has reminded us a lot of Tyler (Azzarelli).
""We're looking to try to get someone who can replace Marques (Alston) whether he's six-eight or someone like Marques who is under sized who can do some damage inside, at least one more athletic front court type player, at least one more.''
On MU's defensive woes this season "It's all man-to-man principles on defense. You're not guarding the same guy, you have to be ready, rotate, switch, make your adjustments, what we call "bump" and when one guy makes a bump the next guy has got to be ready to rotate. And we were very bad at this this year.
""Part of it this year was youth, Jhamar struggled with it at times, but even Whitney struggled with it, even last night (vs. SFPA). And he's a sophomore that has played a ton of minutes.
""Another thing we were very, very poor at was containing dribble penetration. Part of that was people don't realize how good Tyler (Azzarelli) was at that. We lost Tyler and that was major drop off. But still other guys should have been better at that. I think part of that is getting a little bit older and tougher and getting more physical with it which Tyler was.''
On being an underdog in the NEC next season. ""That might be fun,'' said Calloway who noted pre-season NEC predictions are usually off base.
""I'm more concerned right now with making sure these guys under stand this season and our performance was UNACCEPTABLE. We're working on that right now, and setting the tone next season this spring.''
Callloway on his concern with the front court next year and on who will play in the pivot next season - ""It's definitely a major, major concern - ""Will Adam (Dobriansky), will Rickie (Crews) will DelTufo, Dutch (Gaitley) will anybody else we bring in, be able to give us some sort of inside threat?.'
On next year's starters - "I would right now have to honestly say I don't know who'se going to start at any particular spot . While I would think there's two guys who started this year ( my guess would be Jhamar and Coleman) who have a very good chance at starting next year, it doesn't mean they're going to start at the same position (as this year).
" Maybe we could start three guards and slide Jhamar over to the 3 (small forward) , we could play four guards. Who knows? We'll play the best team that can help us win.''
Calloway said - while Youngblood has the ability to get to the basket - he'd like to see him also involve his teamates more.
""Does Whitney Coleman average 10-12 next year and Jhamar average 16-18, or does Jhamar average 10-12 and Whitney average 16-18, and we're more efficient?'' Calloway said.
'
Dave on his responsibility for what happened this year: "A lot of it, of course. You get a lot of credit when you win, you've also got to take responsibility when you lose.
""We were good enough to win this year, good enough to win it all? I don't know, but we were definitely good enough to be better than we were. Therefore I did not do my job this year, there's a lot of factors in that.
""This was a learning experience for me, too. I'm still fairly young, I'm only 38. While we've had more success here than non success we did not have the success I would have liked this year or felt we should have had. So there's some learning process for me here on some adjustments and things that I'll do.''
""You set the tone for the season when the last season ends. So basically we're setting the tone for next year already. Next year has already started in my mind.''
Calloway said in recent years the upperclassmen have shown the younger players the ropes. ""I probably did not realize at the time having the gap of no juniors (this season) was maybe too big of a gap. I probably should have been more hands on in the off season than I was."" Will he be more hands on now? "Oh, yes,'' he said referring in particular to off season conditioning and work outs.. Calloway said in the fall he tends to recruit a lot but this fall hopes to strike more of a balance
between recruiting and being around the team.
On scholarships for next year? MU has two open and already has signed high school players PG James Hett from Staten Island and 6-7 Nick DelTufo from Mendham. ""We are anticipating guys coming in for official visits prior to the final four,'' said Calloway.
On the incoming players Calloway said, "Nick DelTufo is very skilled, reminds me a lot of Russ Anderson. And Hett, as we said, has reminded us a lot of Tyler (Azzarelli).
""We're looking to try to get someone who can replace Marques (Alston) whether he's six-eight or someone like Marques who is under sized who can do some damage inside, at least one more athletic front court type player, at least one more.''
On MU's defensive woes this season "It's all man-to-man principles on defense. You're not guarding the same guy, you have to be ready, rotate, switch, make your adjustments, what we call "bump" and when one guy makes a bump the next guy has got to be ready to rotate. And we were very bad at this this year.
""Part of it this year was youth, Jhamar struggled with it at times, but even Whitney struggled with it, even last night (vs. SFPA). And he's a sophomore that has played a ton of minutes.
""Another thing we were very, very poor at was containing dribble penetration. Part of that was people don't realize how good Tyler (Azzarelli) was at that. We lost Tyler and that was major drop off. But still other guys should have been better at that. I think part of that is getting a little bit older and tougher and getting more physical with it which Tyler was.''
On being an underdog in the NEC next season. ""That might be fun,'' said Calloway who noted pre-season NEC predictions are usually off base.
""I'm more concerned right now with making sure these guys under stand this season and our performance was UNACCEPTABLE. We're working on that right now, and setting the tone next season this spring.''
Callloway on his concern with the front court next year and on who will play in the pivot next season - ""It's definitely a major, major concern - ""Will Adam (Dobriansky), will Rickie (Crews) will DelTufo, Dutch (Gaitley) will anybody else we bring in, be able to give us some sort of inside threat?.'
On next year's starters - "I would right now have to honestly say I don't know who'se going to start at any particular spot . While I would think there's two guys who started this year ( my guess would be Jhamar and Coleman) who have a very good chance at starting next year, it doesn't mean they're going to start at the same position (as this year).
" Maybe we could start three guards and slide Jhamar over to the 3 (small forward) , we could play four guards. Who knows? We'll play the best team that can help us win.''
Calloway said - while Youngblood has the ability to get to the basket - he'd like to see him also involve his teamates more.
""Does Whitney Coleman average 10-12 next year and Jhamar average 16-18, or does Jhamar average 10-12 and Whitney average 16-18, and we're more efficient?'' Calloway said.
'
posted by Tony Graham at 7:54 PM
10 Comments:
Looks like Calloway read your Blog Tony... Next two or three years MU is in trouble,just in time for the MAC..I hope he finds a few players .... It would be a shame to open the MAC with 800-900 fans...
Tony over the next week or two interview Deki Corey Marques and Bunch.Ask them why they were not a team,what they thought the reasons why they feel short of the NEC Tourny.Ask about their feelings reguarding the Coaches... ask the tough questions please...Lets call it an exit interview like the real world.... don't hold back anything...Just like when you get the pink slip.
To Just the Truth - sorry, don't have time. I gotta go plan my retirement now.
Wow Tony good for you !!! I hope you enjoy retirement we will miss you... Who will take over the Blog and when is your last day? Thanks for the great work over the past 30 years!! your the best good luck and good health.The Blog won't be the same with out you but thanks for starting it...
Your welcome...I will miss our little chats...Oh, Dave said he'd do the blog and can't wait to hear from you. Bye now.
T-Graham are you really retiring? Say it aint so!
Just kidding......just being as sarcastic as J.T. Truth...heck, I'm already looking forward to next season (not to mention MU football).
to sir brick -
The MAC will be full or close to it for opening night ..new arena, new era, all that.
My suggestion has been they open with a team they hope to beat so folks leave with a positive experience because you know they will pack the MAC (a slogan perhaps??? - attn: Cliff Rowley, MU spirit person) when Seton Hall visits as is the plan.
This comment has been removed by the author.
So are all the Dave haters still convinced that he is taking no blame? How silly were you to think he would not take any blame for some of the things that happened this year. I hope they hang up the headlines in the locker room of this past season and use that as motivation. This summer the returning kids better take a long look in the mirror get serious about what they need to do in the off season. Some one better snatch that name "Pack the Mac" I'm sticking with mine.
Post a Comment
<< Home