On how he has seen the team progress…
“Completely different. A lot of brand new guys, brand new staff, brand new players. It's been a lot of fun. We practiced this past weekend. We had a very productive September as far as what we typically do. It was good to be able to be in the gym. All of the guys have done great relative to what we're asking them to do. We practiced Friday, practiced Saturday, had officials yesterday for the first time, I was been watching that this morning. But yeah, it's been exciting. They've been good. We have a long way to go. We have October planned out and hopefully we can kind of stay in a groove like we had in September.”
On if it feels a little bit like season one all over again with how many new guys need to get into the philosophy…
“Yeah, I don't I don't know exactly how I should answer that, but it does feel like a reset. I think some of that, Travis, is probably just my personal thoughts on all that has transpired since the last time we had a press conference where we could actually have one. Just been so much that's transpired. Some of it good, but a lot of it bad. And some of the bad was out of our control. And so, I do feel like it's just a reset. I understand I won't be judged according to the reset and I'm accountable to that, but yeah, I feel the energy of what we're doing is year one esque. More new players. Changing a little bit of what we're trying to do on both sides of the ball relative to our personnel. Even how all of these guys got here, you know, the first time I ever met any of them face to face was when they moved here for summer school.
But all of that is unique and historical and that it's never happened. And so, yeah, I do agree with your question. I think that's our coaching. I think that's how they're responding. I think that's the intensity at which they're working. There is pureness in the energy. Everything is kind of new as far as what we're teaching. What they're doing is new every day. Has that spirit of newness, which has been fun and good.”
On what he is most confident in and the strengths of the team early on…
“I think we're fast. I think we're faster. I think we have a lot of guys that can put the ball on the floor. Hopefully a lot of those guys can get fouled and create rotation. Hopefully we can get the defense in rotation and keep them in rotation. I think we've somewhat simplified what we're trying to do defensively. And I think what they're doing, they understand they just need many reps at it offensively. Most coaches, I think, will always say their offense is behind their defense this early. That's true for us. I think they understand what we're trying to do, but some of the execution of it we're not great at yet. But we have more players, more talented players, faster players. That would be what I saw after a weekend of work, what I would think you would say the major difference is relative to what it was last year.”
On his early thoughts of Name, Image, Likeness…
“I don't know yet. I don't know if the market if that's the appropriate word. I don't know if the market has been set. I think there's probably outliers. And I think the rush of NIL and what maybe we all anticipated it would be versus what it is a hundred days later. I don't know. We studied a lot. We pay attention to all of it. I think we're very aware of it, wanting to do what's right by our guys, wanting to help, but there's a limit to what we can actually do. And so it's strange, I think, as a coach, Brent, because we can't be involved, but yet we need to be aware. And so I think we've done a good job educating our guys. I think compliance here has been very transparent with all of the administrators and coaches, been to a lot of, I guess, educational pieces on it. But like, what is it today? And then I think the real question is, what is it going to be a year from today? And is the market more true then, I guess? I don't know. I don't know what it's going to be, but I think we're prepared whichever direction it goes. But I do think it's monumental, obviously.”
On Texas and Oklahoma joining the SEC…
“I think I was on the road recruiting when that happened. I'm not sure. I can't remember. I was a little delayed in finding out. And then, you know, typical people texting and calling. What do you think? And I'm like, I don't even know what you're talking about. I think whether it's the NIL, whether it's whatever transpires further amidst the changes. I just think that the model of college athletics is going to be dramatically different five years from now than it's ever been. And I think as a coach, it's uncomfortable because so much of it you can't control. And the one thing that I've tried to communicate with our staff is we just need to get to the future first. But we really don't know what the future is. And so I think you feel as though you're trying to be prepared for whatever direction it's going to go. But is there more expansion specific to this league? I don't know. Is there going to be other expansion? Is it is there going to be an NCAA? What is it going to be? Is there going to be a split like this is? Our five with a different name, and this is not Power Five, and they have different rules. I don't think anybody knows. And I think maybe a part of it is who does know. And I think that's probably the biggest challenge. It will be fun (to play Texas at home). Look like the first time I was here, I thought you were supposed to play them. And then, you know, we signed the contract to play them. Maybe the first week that I was here when we played them in Fort Worth. I just don't know, like is every other league going to stay stand pat with those teams from the American going into the Big 12, is it still the Big 12? Who is the American going to pull? Is the Mountain West going to stay? What it is, is the American going to pull from the Sun Belt or Conference USA, or is more Texas A&M-Commerce going to turn Division I and play in the Southland? Like, I think there's still some shifting that's going to take place. That's just my opinion. You probably know more than I do.”
On if the team has better shooters…
“Based on the stats from this weekend, it's arguable. But I'm hoping that part of the stats from this weekend were just the uncertainty of am I supposed to shoot this shot? Is this the time to shoot the shot? We spent more time shooting this summer than ever before. I spent 69 hours and 17 minutes individually with each of our players in the eight weeks that we can work, and it's called Shooting with Buzz. So we've invested the right amount of time, and we do need to be able to shoot the ball better, and I think in time we will. I just think there's still some unsureness of what we're trying to accomplish offensively and through four practices that were statted. I don't know that we have true data on if we're going to be able to shoot the ball better or not, but we need to be able to.”