Final 4 Breakdown & NEW San Francisco HC Chris Gerlufsen on Replacing Todd Golden, Whirlwind Post-Tourney Hiring

store at night. All right, that's upcoming that that's a tease in the business. Reminded. The Doug Gotlib Show is daily three to six Eastern, twelve to three Pacific on the I Heart Radio app on Fox Sports Radio dot com. All right, let me get to this. The final four is set, and I want to make sure that that what's pointed out is, Yes, players are important. Okay, no one's ever done it without players. On the other hand, there's a reason that these four coaches have been so

incredibly successful. Bill selfs won like twenty Big twelve titles in a national championship. You know. Um, in the New Big East Jay Wright has been the Kansas of the New Big East, plus he's won two national championships. Hubert Davis is only his first year, but people laughed at me when I said he would be the next head coach.

I I didn't know what what happens with Hubert is He's such a nice, genuine, thoughtful human being that there is this thought like man that guy can't recruit like to recruit you gotta be kind of you kind of gotta have a little diabolical used car salesman side to it. But I don't know. I think people are seeing what a wonderful human being he is now, thoughtful and generous he is with his commentary, Like I don't know, he's a good dude. It's still Carolina. Why wouldn't you go

that that aside? Then you got Duke and what ever you want to say about Duke and people's love for them or hate for them. You know, the guys won't this many titles and me into that many final fours and one over basketball games because they have good players and he's a really really good coach, and they played really really hard. So I do want to point this out made in look Nova and their culture is remarkable.

I thought what Bill self did and changing the matchups at halftime felt like he used the first half to kind of feel things out, and you put your point guard on Kim mcgusty, and that kind of ends that. Due kind of ended that like he only played uh, you know, he only played his big guy what five minutes of the second half, but they got of the ball, right, that's the difference, Like we're gonna go get Dave McCormick the basketball while he's in the game, and then he

kind of took over and dominated. Um So I thought that that was the best adjustment. I thought the cold true Villa Manova. I mean, even when Justin Moore gets hurt, how they're not celebrating there with him for a long like that. That team, that group, that program is special. Like I don't know how many people get to see

a closed villainval practice like I did. Really this year I talked about in a pod be where they played U cil A. But you just you feel like this is what it's supposed to be, Like, you know, players executing, motivating each other, and there's nothing. I mean, look, they do invert they their guards can post their bigges can shoot their incredibly tough minded defensively, that's not a great that's not a talented team as their national championship teams, but it's still a hell of a team in um.

And then you have what Duke did against Texas Tech, where they didn't miss a shot from the field over the last eight fifty to go. It just feels like kind of meant to beat, didn't it. And then the improvement in North Carolina, the drubbing of St. Peter's, to me, was signified that Hubert had them ready to play, and that because they they had beaten Kentucky, they had beaten Purdue, you had the respect of North Carolina. And then once you that's how that's how they would win games. You

didn't respect him. They stretch you out, they hit some shots, you get behind, you get tight, and they beat you. And they played with toughness and great pois. But they just weren't good enough to be North Carolina. That's it anyway, all right, Let's get to your first job as a head coach. How did you get it? How about on an hour and a half plane ride during which the current head coach told the athletic director he was leaving and then in a speed dating sort of way, you

get hired. Here's why I sit down with the new head coach at the San Francisco Dons, Chris Girlson. Um, okay, let's let's start. Your dad was a coach. What was what was life like in your household growing up? Um, that's a great question. I was kind of indoctrinated into the into the game from before I even remember, you know, I was rolling around the floor in diapers, and um,

I really had no choice, you know. Um, it was just something that from as long as I can remember, I've been in the gym, and um, it was just kind of in my blood. And uh, I never expected or had any desire to do anything else but be involved with basketball and the coach. Um. And I'm super thankful for for kind of what my childhood looked like, um, and for having the experience just to be around the game at such an early age. What what was he like?

What's his like? You know? My dad was, Uh, he was a little bit of an older soul, right even though he's born in nineteen forty, Like, he listened to big band music and then you know, as a basketball coach, he was me he literally played. He was a JV player when Bob Knight was a varsity player, and grew up going as a coach, going to his clinics and taking notes, and I think it's a I mean, that was the that was the guy who was emulated. What

was your dad like? Yeah, no, I mean, first off, before I answer that, I have some great memories of your dad, Um, from when even when I was an assistant at the University of Hartford. Um, your dad was amazing to me in terms of just he was relentless in terms of calling and next thing, you know, you're on the phone with three or four recruits and let me put you on. Let me put you on the phone with something. Hold on, Hold on one second, hold on,

what's the next thing? I know? I'm talking to a kid and his parents, And Um, those are some great memories though. Your dad he was he was an unbelievable guy, and I know he helped so many kids. So I want to just say that, and then, UM, my dad was probably a little bit of the same, you know, I think, Um, you know, it was a different time in terms of how you developed as a coach. Um, I remember going to clinics and Um, you know, driving with my dad and my mom at the time, you know,

across country to five Star. Um, we're going to Notre Dame camp where Digger Phelps was, Um, you know running camp. My dad would take high school kids when he was a high school coach, and just those are the kind of things that I remember, and UM, I think it, you know, just put with the value of just working and kind of grinding it out, you know, to go. My dad started as a high school coach and and and all the way up to a Division one head coach.

So I've kind of seen it from all angles. Um, and I think it's kind of made me in terms of what I am now. I don't think there's any doubt. Um. Okay, So why did you go to Randolph Making. I went to Randolph Making. Um for a couple of different reasons. First one being, you know, I knew that I wanted to coach, and I wanted to be around a guy who you know, have won a lot of games and was respected and could maybe help me, you know, break

into that that realm Um. You know, when I was done playing and and you know I had a chance to play for a guy named how nunnally. Who Um, when you talk about old school and and um doing things a certain way. Um, he was certainly cut out of that mode. And UM, you know, I think there's no no kind of um Joe in terms of why so many people from from his program that had a

chance to play for him went on and or successful coaches. Um, we have a really good kind of network of guys who have gone on to to coach at the Division one level. And UM, you know, I think it's because of the kind of the stuff that that he instilled and how he ran in his program. So it was that.

And then you know, there were just some some guys from the Philadelphia area that I knew that I had played against, um, you know in high school, that were down at the school and they kind of recruited me, and I just felt comfortable, you know, and and you know, I knew I wanted to coach and I want to be around the right type of people people to do that. Um. Okay, So what was your playing career like? Um, I probably was a lot better in my mind than I was

as as a player. Uh. Um, But no, I think I had a chance to be you know, on some some pretty Dawn good Division three teams that you know made the the Division three tournament a few times, and um, I was I was, you know, probably similar to you. Extremely and I still am to this day, like ultraly competitive. And I think that allowed me to probably be and perform um, you know, better than what my actual skill level was or what my talent was. I was just

super super competitive. Uh. And I think I was a you know, a great teammate. I was a point guard, um. And and just loved like being in the fight with with my team and winning, you know, and whatever it took to win, That's what I was willing to do. Uh.

And I just love being around the game. What what what is that like that that's legit school as well, right like and there's no scholarships, Like what what what is that experience like in comparison to now, you know, you're a head coach at a high level Division one school coming up an n c A tournament. What what's that Division three like of going to the n c A tournament. I Mean, I think that people who are involved with basketball at that level are involved with it

for all the right reasons. You know, you play it or you coach it. Because you love it. Um. And as you said, there there is no scholarships, there is no um you know, n I l deals, there's no there's no you know, you know, hanging a carrot over anyone's head. Um in that sense, and I think it's the truest sense of the game because you're you're doing it, as I said, because you love it and you just

you love being around the game. And UM. So in that sense, I think I could take a lot, um, you know, a lot out of my experiences there, and it really teaches you to appreciate and value, um all the things is you kind of move up the ladder so you get done playing and you know, um, well, you had other guys at that level who have said, hey, I had a job on Wall Street, I had this job and that job you decided to go into like a no paying coaching job, right, yep, yeah, I I

mean my first job paid. It wasn't no paying, but it certainly felt like that. I made fifteen hundred dollars I think my first year. UM. And it was at another Division three school called Washington Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland, which is like in the middle of nowhere. UM. And I absolutely loved it. I like lived above an old antique store in this like nasty old house. I worked in a liquor store at night to try to, you know, just so I could survive. Um. And I probably ran

up a lot of credit card debt that first year. Um, but if you worked, you worked, you you worked in a liquor store. I did. I did at night. Um. You know, luckily, you know, the summer before I started Washington College, I kind of worked basketball camps and I

worked in the liquor store at night. Just I was trying to just you know, make as much money as I could, um, so I could just survive, you know, once I got down there, and um, you know, I probably ate not not the best that first year, but I was just so happy and so grateful to be able to say that I was a college basketball coach, you know, as a I was a g a. But um, I really just kind of jumped head first in and got a chance to really experience what it was like.

And I thought I knew a lot and I knew nothing. Um, you know, so I'm just I'm I'm super thoughtful and super grateful just for all the stops that I've had because I think it's really kind of just again allowed me to progress and do it the right way and learn not skip steps. So so what who was the head coach there? His name was Tom Finnegan. Okay, so what did you learn from thinking? What? What was you said that you you thought you new stuff? We all do? Right?

You get done playing? Like my dad was a coach, I played, I know all this ship, right, What would you learn? I think just you know how much actually goes into and this has kind of been at all my stuffs, but just what the details of everything look like in terms of running a program, you know, from top to bottom. Um. You know, probably as a player, you you think that you know, you just show up and you go into gym coaches there for practice and um,

you know they prepare you for the games. But there there's so much more that goes into running a program. And you know, I learned, you know, probably in that first year. You know what it meant to kind of just get out on the road and recruit, uh and just try to turn over as many names as you could, and what it meant to to build relationships with with recruits and players in your own program. Um, and again

I can kind of remember it like it's yesterday. But um, you know again, all these experiences, I'm just super you know, thankful for having you know, gone through. It wasn't easy, but it was it was it was fun. At the same time, Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox sports Radio dot com and within the I Heart Radio app search f s R to listen live. Okay, so you do that for a year and then what uh?

And then a guy who had been an assistant coach Randolph Making while he was there, had gotten a head coaching job at Southwestern University, which is in Georgetown, Texas. And he kind of called me out of the blue and said, Hey, I just got a head coaching job. I know you've only been into a year, but I'd love for you to come out here and be my assistant. Um,

and I'm not lying. I had never stepped foot in the state of Texas, being the East Coast guy, and I loaded up a U haul drove however many hours that was twenty hours um or more. Um, you know, the Austin Texas And I was there for two years in a state that to this day has you know, provided a lot of good players to me no matter where I've been. Um. So just again, it was like one of those experiences that you don't know what it's gonna lead to, but it was. It was great for

me to kind of get out of my comfort zone. Um, okay, what was what was that experience like coaching there? Um, it was great. I mean I think I you know, again, when you're an assistant coach at a Division three school and it's just you and the head coach, You're you're indoctrinated into everything. Um that goes into kind of trying to make a program successful, you know, from a recruiting standpoint to a game prep to just managing the guys

on the team. Um, you know, washing uniforms, sweeping floor, I mean you're doing everything. Uh. So again I think it just kind of taught me and showed me exactly, um that there's no job too small number one, and in uh just kind of what it meant, um, you know, to be in the fight and have a chance to

do a little bit of everything. So um, I thought also for for being in the state of Texas, it established some recruiting ties at you and that I've taken with me no matter where I've been, and it's a it's a hell of a state to recruit, uh, with so much talent um up and down. So again, it was just a really good experience for me. Um, okay, so now we you know you've been at that Southwestern and then he went to the Citadel, which is um military school. Was Ed Conroy there when you're there? Ed

Conroy actually came right after I left. But I'm actually, you know, closer Ed Conroy and have all the respect in the world for him. He did a heck of a job while he was there, but he was there after me. What was what? What's what's the experience like a recruiting to a military school? Yeah, I know you're g a. I know it was really early on, but you're still you're putting together? What what is that like? Yeah?

You know. So funny thing is, you know I went there with with really no expectation other than um, you know, I was trying to break into Division one. UM. I had a chance to work for a guy named Pat Dennis, who had been an assistant under Dick Tarrant at Richmond when they had made a run in the n C double A tournament upset. I think they upset Syracuse, Syracuse, Yes, you know. Um. And so he was a guy who came from like a really good coaching tree, um, and

he had he had one. You know, it's hard to win at a military school, and he had done relatively well there. So I just wanted to break into Division one. I didn't care where it was. And um, you know, I had established a relationship with him, and and you know, he took a chance on me. Um. And so going

to the Citadel it was. I wouldn't change anything about it in terms of what the experience was like because um, you know, I was a g a that first year, but I got thrust into a recruiting role I think in the spring after you know, going there in August,

so it was relatively quick. Um. And and that's the place that I really learned what it meant to from a recruiting standpoint of just what it means is just turnover names and kind of be relentless, uh in your research and you're digging on kids because military school isn't it for everybody, you know? And and I think being there really made me understand what it meant to kind of established meaningful relationships with recruits. UM, because that's a place where if you do not have that, you know,

it's a good chance that kids aren't gonna last. Um. You know. So I think from that standpoint, it really showed me what it meant, uh, from a recruiting standpoint, what you need to do to be successful. Why do you get to Hartford? I went to Hartford because, Um, Dan Liebovitz, who now the Assistant Commissioner of the SEC, had gotten the job. Um, and being a Philly guy, he was putting together his staff, and uh, John Gallagher, who I grew up with, played with, um, you know,

since we've known each other since we were ten years old. Um. You know, he he called me and said, hey, look, I don't know if you're interested, but um, you know, Dan just got the job here at Hartford. UM, we'd love for you to join the staff. And you know, I just looked at it as a chance to get back into the Northeast, um, you know, and be with people who were from Philadelphia and that I trusted in. And again it's just another good move that that really

kind of helped formulate who I am. What was that like, you're there for a long time. And um, and you know, Dan got frustrated, I think with with some of the stuff, which is you know which Gallagh with with Gallagher obviously has seen come to a head even after the turn of an imperious last year. What was that experience like for you? Um, it was just great again being exposed

to something a little bit different, you know. Um through Dan, UM, I got to kind of learn what what the John Cheney way was, you know, in terms of running a program. And um, Dan is one of the best humans in the world. Actually just had dinner with him the other night when he was here for for Arkansas's run um in San Francisco. But um, he's a guy who I learned a lot from just from a human element, you know,

what it means to treat people the right way. UM. But also you know, I mean he should write a book on on and I think he is in the midst of doing that, just on John Cheney. And and you know, learning his one three one what he calls a Rover defense. Those are things that that you know, I'm excited to put a little spin on stuff here. There's some things from him that I'll take, um, So

from from him, I learned a lot. And that was his first, you know, head coaching job, and I think looking back on it, he probably do a few things different. And he talks about that now, UM, but can't say enough about him as a as a person and what he means to me. UM. And then you know I stayed there when when Dan decided to leave, I stayed in. Um. You know, his associate head coach for for Gal and from Gal was kind of completely the opposite. Gal is

is UM super offensive driven. UM. He has a unique way of looking at the game from an offensive standpoint. And UM, you know those are things that that I'm really grateful for because you know, having a chance to run the offense at San Diego, at Hawaii and now here at USF. UM. You know, Gal is a big reason. UM. And I've taken a lot, a lot from him in

terms of what I've learned over the years. Okay, let's let's get to the Hawaii thing, because UM, you became head coach, went Iran took some time away right when he stepped away. What's that? What's what's that like? From a staff? What's that like? Um? Inside those coaches offices where it's one thing to be normally isolated as coaches. Now you're on an island, literally in Oahu, right on an island. Your head coach steps away to get kind

of his health together. What was that like for you to to try and kind of figure out how to how to keep that that ship afloat? Yeah, I mean, um, I mean, I think I had taken the job there in late August early September, and we got to the week before the first game, and I think it was three or four days before the first game, and he goes on medical leave kind of without uh, you know, with no no heads up or anything like that. We had had a few conversations. I didn't know it was

gonna lead to that. Um, so I really had no time to like panic or worry. I just had to kind of dive in and get the team ready to play the first game. And um, you know, was unbelievable experience for just having basically a half of a season, you know, to learn what it really means to to run a program on a on a daily basis, you know, whether it's from a planning standpoint, as you said, managing

a staff, um, you know, dealing with players. Now as a head coach, um, and really just trying to make sure that the program, you know, ran smoothly while around was was on a medical leave and trying to just get healthy. What's that like though, to be a I mean for a period of time you were the head coach? What who would you play your first game? Uh? First game we played Florida A and m okay. So, UM, what do you remember about the whole process? I'll be honest, it's kind of a a blur in terms of the

lead up. The thing I'll say is, you know, Hawaii is in a unique place because of and you know this um, just because of the media presence you know, and and um, you know, there is no pro sports on the island obviously, UM, so they treat their you know, whether it's basketball or football or or UM men's or women's volleyball at the university. I mean that is the

pro sport. UM. So I'm forever like grateful in UM, what an unbelievable experience it was for me in terms of like dealing with the media, UM, you know, and I think that really kind of prepared me and made me feel at ease for this UM. But what I kind of remember to the lead up of the first game was just that kind of dealing with the media, learning how to you know, handle stuff on that end. UM. And then the first game, I'll be honest, I do

not remember a whole lot about it. I know it was, you know, a little bit ugly in the first half. I think we wound up women by like eighteen or twenty UM and it was it was a three game tournament that we were in. I know we played them in the first night. One we played South Dakota who had uh A mood A who transferred to Arkansas in the in the second game, and then we played Pacific out of the w c C and one one a crazy game on on uh kind of a last second

play against Damon Stottemeyer in the third game. That's crazy. UM show you come to stam Fancisco this year. What's Todd like in comparison? What was Todd liking comparison to everybody else you would work for? UM? Well, Number one, Todd, Todd and I had an amazing just connection and our relationship kind of grew from when I was in insisting

at San Diego. UM. And you know, there's always one or two guys in the league that whether it's bouncing ideas off of or you know, talking about recruiting or scheduling. He was always one of those guys that, um, you know, it's just a natural kind of connection. And so we spoke a lot, you know, we we took a few trips to Europe at the same time to recruit UM. And when you're obviously in a in a foreign country, you you kind of grab on and gravitate to two

guys who are from where you're from. UM, So we spent a lot of time in Europe, you know, just talking about the game, talking about philosophies, UM, and uh, just the bomb was kind of built there. So when we started to have conversation about coming here, it was really, um a no brainer for for me because I knew that the way that we viewed the game, I knew with him being super analytically driven, that was something that I was drawn to and and kind of felt the

same way. And um again, and our our philosophies just kind of aligned, and we were at a strong friendship. So I just thought it was something where um, you know, maybe I could provide a different perspective, you know, coming here and and with a team that we thought could be an n c double A tournament team, and UM, he was just he He's amazing to work for. I can't say enough. How so, how so what what specifically

makes um? You know, everybody's different and there's a million different ways to skin a cat, but UM, you know, Todd has a unique ability um to really just let people, um, you know, kind of shine in the role. You know. And and he's not a micromanager. UM. He's just somebody that really allows you to be yourself, um, and to bring what you bring to the table. And um, there's

really no ego with him. UM. You know, I felt like I was coaching the team with him, um, and he was the boss obviously, but um, it just was an unbelievable working relationship. UM, something where I just enjoyed, you know, stepping foot in the office you know, every day and and just being in the fight with them. He's he's as down to earth human as you're gonna find, um, you know in this profession. Um, what's that like preparing for the n c A tournament and knowing that there's

all these job rumors out there. Yeah, that was that was Uh, it was it was interesting, you know, and and um, it was a lot to juggle, you know, obviously a lot of that stuff, some in speculations, some as rumors, some is some of the things that we were hearing obviously turned out to be truth. Um. And I think he did a really good job of trying to kind of kill the noise and and to stay focused on on what we were trying to do. Um. But he had a he had a long week, you know,

leading up to that to that Murray State game. Um, you know, just for the amount of phone calls he had, not only from the media, but with with the job inquiries and and the things that he was doing on that front. So, um, it was a lot. Um. But it obviously that's why you coach, you know, to put yourself in those positions. And I thought, um, you know, he handled it as well as you can handle it being in that situation. So he gets the Florida job. What was the process for you, like getting this the

USF job? Yeah, I mean this is a crazy story, probably one that would be a chapter in a book. Um, But I knew, I knew he was gonna accept the job, had a feeling he was going to accept the job before we played the game. So um, after did he tell you, like, did he tell you hate Florida. Yeah, we had some conversations and which kind of led me to believe that that was gonna happen. UM. And you know, obviously those kind of things stay you know between us, um,

between him and I at the time. But UM, so the next morning, you know, we lose a game, in a unbelievable back and forth game, heartbreaking game to lose the way that we did them re state UM. And we get on the charter early in the morning and it's it's us and our our president, our vice president, our athletic director and some donors and our team. UM. And we're on the plane and Todd comes back and he sits next to me and he says, Hey, I'm

just giving your heads up. I'm I'm about to go sit with the A D and and let her know that I've been offered and accepted the job at Florida. UM. And it was an emotional conversation because of how much I care for him and vice versa, but was extremely happy for him. So this started this musical chairs thing that went on on the plane for about the next

al and a half. So he told the a D. Next thing, you know, I'm going up to sit with the a D. The a D lets me know that she feels really good about trying to keep things in the house and wants to, um, you know, offer me the job to be the next head coach. She then on the plane, so then she we we do. So the rumors and the speculation are already going at this point. So there, how did how did first? How did how

did Todd handle with the players? Um? He one by one made his way back through the plane, and he he didn't plan to do it that way. Um. This literally was the first starter that we had been on all year that had WiFi on the charter. So UM, it made it for a unique experience for sure. I think we thought that we would just touched down and get back to San Francisco and then everything would be out there. UM. But you know, it's kind of unique

that it wasn't. Some of the players were first to see it, then some of the donors, and so it just kind of you know, you know how it does on a plane. It just it was like whisper down the lane. Um. So it was super surreal and unique experience. UM. And then fast forward our our a d made her way to the front of the plane, spoke to the Vice president and the president, and within ten minutes, fifteen minutes, she's coming back telling me to go get up to

the front of the plane. So I sat in the middle of the president and the Vice president for about thirty minutes and we had a really good, really good conversation about just the vision of the program going forward. UM. And you know, they had basically let me know that they had faith and trust in me. And Uh, make my way to back to the plane and I've got my better half who she's crying now, Todd Golden's wife is crying. I didn't know if we're going to a

funeral or a celebration. It was like the most unique claim ride UM that I've ever been on. UM. But by the time we had touchdown back in San Francisco, UM, it was known that I was going to be the next head coach. So what do you do? What's what's your first of course of action? I think, UM, you know, there are a lot of moving parts obviously with with Todd taking the job of you know, who's gonna stay

on staff, who's gonna who's gonna go with him. Um. You know that was kind of the first thing that that popped into my mind was just trying to you know, get that situation. Um. You know, handled as as quickly and as smoothly as we could. Um. But my my first thing was just the players in the program. You know, there there's no one more important. I don't care whether it's a potential staff member or a potential recruit. To me, the most important people are the people who are with

you in the fight in your program. So um, you know, the first thing I did was just spend a lot of time with the guys in the program, um, and just make sure that that they were on solid footing, that they understood kind of what the plan was for them moving forward. Um, and just how much I believed in them. And and you know, one of the have a chance to coach him. How do you get it

to maintain this level? Because this is unique? Right You had Mussalski who did not play in the n c A tourmain that that's that was a game changer for me when you guys played Murray, he had such a good year and he's become such a good player. Uh, you know, Jamari Boullier. Obviously everybody respects him, but you know you have guys like that. Um, you lose a bunch from this team. And you know, I mean, Jamar, you've been there five years, Like you lose every you know,

so much of the culture and the scoring. How do you maintain it at this level? That's a great question. UM. You know, I think the first order of business, and to be as transparent as I can be is is you know, trying to get Khalil Shabaz here for another year. UM. And I feel really good about where that's moving. Um. He's a guy who I think has a chance to be a face of the program, you know, moving for word. UM. And I still think there's a lot of room left for him to grow as a player. UM. But he

he's kind of where I start. UM. There's nobody who I would want to go into battle with more than him. UM. For being five ft nothing, um in a hundred and you know, seventy five pounds or whatever he is, he has the biggest heart of anyone I've been around, uh in college basketball. So UM, I think with guys like him, guys like Julian Rishwaine who played a lot of a lot of minutes, um, and other guys in the program who are gonna return. I think we have a solid nucleus.

You know, it's a matter of, as you said, addressing the needs upfront. Obviously, Missofsky turned into a beast. And it's kind of what I saw when I recruited him at San Diego, you know, was that he could develop into something like that. And he had a hell of a year. Uh. And pat Tepe was kind of sneaky. You know. People forget about him in terms of what

he brought from, especially you from a defensive standpoint. Um. You know, so we're gonna we're living in the portal obviously, drawing on all our you know, ties and and our our relationships that we have to try to stay old and stay experienced. Um. And then got to add, you know, an experienced guy in the backcourt as well. UM, because Jamari where he started and where he got to is remarkable.

You know. Yeah, that's that. That's the thing. I saw some NBA players commenting on how how good, how much they liked him, like, yeah, you didn't see him three years ago. He was a little different, you know. But I think that I think that speaks to in terms of, you know, everybody does want the quick fix. Unfortunately here, Um, the college basketball landscape has changed, and UM, I want to be super you know, calculated in terms of how

we build our team. And I think, you know, peppering in and adding guys like Jamari who uh we're relative the unknown guys, you know, but they had a chance to really grow and prosper in the program over time. Um, you know, I think I'd be stupid not to try to mix a guy or two like that in where you can really cultivate and try to grow their game over the course of their Career's your dad, Sola? He is?

What do you say? Um? I mean he's just super you know, excited for me and um, you know, happy that I have a chance to kind of leave my own program. You know, it's been four years of of I mean the path that I took is kind of crazy, you know, and I think about how how it all got to this point. But again, everybody kind of gets to to their endpoint at a different time, and I wouldn't change anything about it. It's funny, like all these Philly guys, you always think you'll coach around Philly and

then here you end up at at San Francisco. UM. Todd told us about how uh living with so you know, they the living because it's so expensive there. It's always tricky. It's it's trickier obviously with assistance in his head coaches. But you were assistant. Now you're a head coach. Do you move? Does your wife at Jeff to move yet? Um, We're we're in the process of figuring that out. Yeah, it's it's it's definitely a unique city to live in. And and you know, growing up in Philadelphia, I appreciate

and love everything about being in a metropolitan area. I think San Francisco is one of the best cities in the world. Um. But the obviously the costs of living is high. UM. And so we're in the process of figuring out what we're gonna do. UM University has some really nice homes that they owe that they own here, you know, a block or two from campus, and and that's an option. So we're kind of exploring all of it at this point. That's not bad, no, no, no

house payment sounds really really tasty, really really really really easy. UM. When people see your teams play, what do you want them to walk away saying or thinking, yeah, I think hopefully it's a lot of the same things that they walked away saying about this group that we had this year. Um, you know that we're ultra connected, UM, that we're tough, and that we play extremely extremely hard UM. And I would hope that they say that we look like we're

well coached too. You know. The preparation and being detailed is something that you know, I've learned, you know, over the course of these on four years, and it's something that's super important to me, is just making sure that you know, when we step on the floor that we're prepared, you know. And if you're prepared, I think that kind of allows uh, your natural instincts and your ability to kind of take over. Um. And so that that's what

I hope they'll say, UM. And that's gonna be something that that we kind of attack on a on a daily basis, just in terms of how we go about our business. We to be super competitive and ultra connected. Last thing, Um, if you look at these teams that are still playing, obviously Duke has gotten better defensively in the tournament. The rest of them are just outstanding. You know. Caroline has improved as well. Nova is great defensively, super physical. Obviously,

what Kansas did changing some of the matchups unbelievable. The second half you outscore up. Jim lay egote fifth team was crazy and their defense was the catalyst. I asked you this because my day coach under text Winner at Long Beach State, and he used to tell me. I remember he always telling a story that text would leave after the offense, that they do, go through all the warm ups, all fundamentals, then they do offense. He was completely running the show. He ran the triple post, which

is the triangle they wrote defensive drills. He'd leave the building, leave the building. He was done, not what he wanted to do. You guys handle it. How do you as the guy who the offensive guru, the guy with the white board in his hands drawing up the a t O setting up the offense. How do you go from offensive quarter to head coach? How? What? What? How do you handle that challenge of being so focused on one

end of the floor. That's a that's a really good question. Um. You know, although I was obviously the offensive coordinator at the last three schools that I've been at, I think I've been fortunate enough to be be around a lot of good defensive minds, you know, whether it's Dan Leeviovitz at at Hartford, whether it's Lamont Smith who was incredible defensive coach um at the University of San Diego, and now being around Todd Um So as a coach, I think I've kind of put all that into a pot,

you know, and kind of come up with the things that are important to me and um, the competitive nature and myself. Um, you know, I was actually a way better defensive player than I wasn't an offensive player, and it was out of the ball that I was drawn to more than even the offensive side of the ball. So UM, I'm not super worried about that. I feel like, you know, part of that too is hiring the right staff,

you know, guys who compliment you. Um, you know, but believe me, we'll we'll be locked in and dialed in just the same, you know, from a defensive standpoint as we are from a offensive standpoint. Uh, this is gonna drop tomorrow. So and I don't know if you're going to the Final four, but I'm sure you're gonna be hit up how many just for somebody who'll understands you

get your first head coaching job. How many texts, emails, phone messages in terms of guys wanting a job o. Um, text messages within the first probably forty eight hours was well over a thousand. Um. And then from a phone call standpoint, you know, I'm having you know, people come out the woodwork that I didn't even know we're still around. You know, it's kind of it's kind of amazing, UM who you hear from them when you have a job

or when you get a job. Um. And you know, I'm I'm being probably overly anal in terms of trying to get back to everyone, sure, because I know how that felt as an assistant too. You know, when when you you wanted to get involved with something and um all you really wanted At times, you're just there to

be some feedback, whether it's positive or negative. UM. So I'm doing my best to to make sure that I, you know, circle back and touch base with everyone, because I do know what it's like to be in those spots and you know, just to want opportunity. So I'm super thankful for everyone who's reached out, and UM, I am doing my best, but it is certainly um overwhelming in terms of just you know, the amount of people

who have hit me up. I'm living above a liquor store to try to get back to over a thousand text messages. Uh, it's it's it's it's quite the journey. I can't wait. You can't wait to catch up more. I know you gotta get back in the portal and get back to work and putting together, putting the whole thing together. No, I appreciate I do too. I like I love watching your team's play. It's one of the reasons that I was drawn to San Francisco's I Sometimes

I don't like how they play. Love how you guys play. Cannot wait to cover you guys in the w CC next year. Thanks so much for joining me. I appreciate you having me anytime. I would love to come back on. Ye, well, that interesting, I thought so. All right, more pods to come this week? Where it final four week? Remember listen to the Doug gli Show daily three to six Eastern called through Pacific. I'm Doug gotlie Been. This is all ball