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Eye On College Basketball
Greg McDermott shares why he wanted a succession plan in place at Creighton + how to replace Ryan Kalkbrenner
00:16:21
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- [00:04]
A
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- [00:43]
B
It's Creighton coach Greg McDermott joining us here on the ION college basketball podcast. We did this a year ago. You had one of the best players in the history of the league. One of the best defensive players. Yeah. Is it weird not having Ryan Kalk, runner around anymore? Like, honestly, as a person, as a human, just seeing him not in the halls after him being such a staple of the program. What is that like for, for a coach and a coaching staff, was one of the all time greats.
- [01:06]
C
Yeah, it's, it's, it's, it's a heck of a change. I mean, I really miss him practice. I'm going to really miss big games. But to your point, having him around, he was such a positive influence on our program. He brought energy every day and his teammates knew exactly what they were getting from him. And defensively, it was one of one in college basketball last year. So trying to figure out a way to replace that's quite a challenge.
- [01:27]
B
Well, we're going to dive right into that immediately. I know. Listen, this is relatively early in terms of the media day interviews for Greg, so you're going to get this like 17 times in the next two hours. But I don't care. I'm going to ask it anyway for our audience. How do you strategically go about just changing some of what you do because you do not have someone that can come close to replicating or duplicating what Kalkbrenner could do. So at this stage of your career, and I know you're in the winter of it now, how do you reinvent?
- [01:57]
C
Yeah, I mean, we did never use drop coverage until Ryan Kalkbrenner. So the previous 30 years I was coaching before him, we used a lot of different ball screen coverages and different things that you would do when you're guarding the post. And you know, back when we had Christian Bishop, Martin Crumple, you know, you'd start your game prep by how do we guard the post and how do we guard a ball screen? And we didn't have to worry about that the last four years. We knew what we were doing in both so, you know, I think you have to do a lot of different things and, and get relatively good at them. And then we're going to have to be elite offensively because it, it would be crazy to think we could be the same defensive team that we were.
- [02:36]
B
A year ago offensively. And we'll get into some of the players here specifically or you can feel free to name them now if there's a, if you just had to guess, knowing what you've seen from your guys in the past few months, what team, what season, maybe what kind of group is the closest in terms of style from others that you've had there in Omaha?
- [02:54]
C
Yeah, I think, you know, offensively back to the group with, you know, Zigrowski, Ballik, Tyson, Alexander, you know, a lot of guys that can handle it, a lot of guys that can shoot it. You know, we need to get Owen Freeman back and healthy. We, you know, we haven't had him in practice much, so I don't know that we totally know how we're going to look once we get him back because we've played either a freshman there or Jason Green there who's undersized. So. But we're going to shoot a lot of threes. We're going to play fast, very up tempo, and what we do, I think we have guys that can really share it and, and without a doubt, this is the deepest team I've ever had. We'll be able to play 10 or 11 guys without a problem.
- [03:35]
B
All right, so I don't know when our producer Kanata Edwards is going to load these, in what order he's going to load these interviews, but this is the second straight interview now because Cam English just said the same thing. So now I'm wondering if I'm, if I'm going to hit a run here with every coach at Big east media day saying we are the deepest we've ever been. We're going to run 10, 11 guys. Do you like I check, I call you the first week of February, you're going to be, health aside, you're knock on wood, all that stuff. You're going to be going 10 deep like you firmly believe.
- [03:59]
C
I think in February, if we're healthy, it'll be nine or 10 in the rotation without a question. We played 11 guys 10 minutes or more against Iowa State in our scrimmage the other night and it's a challenge. I mean, in the ideal world, if I knew we're going to be healthy, I'd like somebody to redshirt, to take some of that pressure off. But we've got 11 or 12 guys that have played well enough in camp that they deserve to be in the rotation. And trying to figure out how that's all going to work is going to be the challenge of our coaching staff.
- [04:27]
B
I think your fans were quite pleased with what they saw in the scrimmage. I know you said afterward, you know, we scheduled this before we were new. We were playing Iowa State in the players era. I'll see you out there in Las Vegas. But not taking too much and not totally dismissing. I don't know what. What did you see on your home floor there last week that. That gives you some comments?
- [04:46]
C
We've always. TJ and I've always scrimmaged each other in a closed scrimmage setting because they're about as far away from us how we play and vice versa. So it's a great game for both teams. They're playing against spacing and pace and shooting, and we're playing against physicality and trapping and fouling and everything that they do. So it's always good for us. And there was certainly some positives out of that game. Some things we have to get better at as well. But that's why you play those games. It's. It's. In a way, it's a. It's a practice, but you're playing somebody else. So I think that film takes on a little bit different meaning.
- [05:22]
B
Gary Parish and I did a. Did our usual summer series where we, you know, poll 100 or so coaches. I've asked you in the past. Didn't ask you this year. I don't think maybe I did. I can't remember. But anyway, you came in third for, like, best X and O coach in the country. And I think that's reflected in the fact that in the preseason poll, which came out moments before we did this interview. All right, so St. John's is a narrow pick over Yukon, but you're. I mean, your group is firmly third in the league. Going in, Josh Dix, transfer from Iowa. He's a preseason All Big east second team pick. Owen Freeman, who you said you're waiting to see when he can get healthy and good to go. He's a first teamer. And then you still got Nick Graves and Jackson McAndrew. I mean, it does seem like you guys are poised to be NCAA tournament quality again. Um, was your particular coaching when you went into the Portal and got some of these guys? What do you sell mostly on the style play? Do you find that in addition to, like, you know, I know Creighton is, is decently healed when it comes to nil and all that stuff, Greg, but I do you find that players have heard about your style and they're, they're more interested because, okay, this is going to allow me to maybe amplify my game maybe more than some other teams that you might have been competing against in the portal.
- [06:30]
C
Yeah, you know, I, I think as long as the money's close to your point, I don't think we're the highest bidder ever. But I think relationships and style of play still matter. And we've been a program that really, we haven't lost many people that we didn't want to lose. So I think when you're year four or five into the transfer portal and a lot of guys aren't running from your program, that probably speaks to the guys that are in the portal that this place must be okay. And you know, we try to treat the guys that we coach the right way and that I think that rewards spreads. We try to be honest with them in the recruiting process. We try to be honest and open and upfront about their role on the team and what they need to do to change and improve that role. And you know, hopefully that has some teeth when it comes recruiting time. But, you know, we, we wanted, you know, we recruit skill. That's always a big, been a big thing for us and we think we've addressed that in the transfer portal.
- [07:25]
B
Let's just highlight real quick for fans. I know Creighton fans, you are highly engaged, highly intelligent. I know plenty about it. But for those that might be just dipping back into college basketball covers, just let's. I know you could go 10 deep, but let's talk about the guys that actually specifically got some pre season accolades. Freeman, when do you think he'll be able to return?
- [07:44]
C
He's, he's just back doing some things in practice now. I mean, I'm, I'm hopeful that he could be on the floor some for our opener. I don't certainly he's a long ways from being back to where he was. He had surgery in January, early February at Iowa and then towards Meniscus when he got to us and had surgery again in June. So he really hasn't done anything for nine months, so it's going to take some time. But I coached against him. They played at our, at our place when he was a freshman. I remember telling my staff after the game how impressed I was with him. Just can score in a lot of ways. He's Got a great feel around the basket. He can really pass the basketball. So he's going to be a great addition.
- [08:21]
B
Owen Freeman, I mean, excuse me, Joss Dix, what about him?
- [08:24]
C
He's just a model of consistency, you know, defensively he'll guard the other team's best player. He's, he can handle it, he can pass it, he shoots it at a high level. He gets to the mid range. We don't shoot a ton of them, but he will shoot a ton of them because he's really good at it. I'd like to see him be a little bit more vocal and he and I are talking about that all the time, but he's got a bright future in our program.
- [08:44]
B
Nick Graves, he had some really nice moments against Iowa State. What are his most predominant features? What are you expecting from him?
- [08:50]
C
Yeah, I mean we need him, we need him to dictate the pace. You know, he, you know, he played at one of the slowest playing programs in Charlotte last year to now how fast we want to play. So that's been an adjustment. But I think Nick's handled that really well. He shot it at a high level. I was really impressed with how he handled Iowa State's pressure. I don't think until you see that and that you really know how a guy's, how what his poise is going to be like when he gets trapped, when there's a lot of pressure and you know, he handled it like a champ.
- [09:19]
B
And then another 13 preseason honoree Jackson McAndrew, sophomore, 610 big. How does he fit into your scheme?
- [09:27]
C
Yeah, he's, I think Jackson's made a good jump. He's, he's added 15 pounds of muscle. He's added three and a half, four inches to his vertical jump. I think he's moving better. He's doing things in the paint better than he has in the past, which I think can add to that elite three point shooting skill that he has.
- [09:43]
B
I'm super interested to see how your team moves along. I do think you're going to be an unstable tournament team. I've got you in my preseason top three 30, which is not yet published, my preseason rankings as of this interview. But let's look at this schedule here. So you're going to go out to Vegas, you'll play Baylor, you'll play Iowa State again. But so second week of the season at Gonzaga and then you've also got at Nebraska. I love this because I love that. I love when high major coaches are and don't try and like Be like, oh, if I knew what I was doing. No, no, no, no. You're gonna play two non con games in true road environments, which, you know, Greg, I don't know if you'll wind up being a three seed on Selection Sunday or an eight seed or a 10 seed or a six seed, who knows what it is. But I do know that by virtue of scheduling those games and even if you can go one on one in those, it's going to put you in a situation where a lot of other coaches are not going to be and you're going to be able to say that we were willing to go and play two high quality power conference opponents in tough environments in addition to everything else that you have in the non con there. What went into your scheduling philosophy this year and how much of it was frankly like, you know, you've got a few more years here before you hang it up and you're just like, are we just like effort? Like let's just do this like.
- [10:52]
C
No, I think if, I think you look at our scheduling history, the last five or six years we've challenged ourselves and you know we had the, the challenge with the, the Gavit games with the Big Ten and then the Big 12 and that, that's gone away. But in addition to those games, we always played a quality home at home. We just ended with Alabama last year and you know, we're starting one with K State this year as well. That starts at our place. So you know, a lot of coaches have decided to play neutral games. We have a rabid, very rabid fan base and they don't want us to play all the good teams away from our place. So that's why we started the series with Gonzaga. It's a, it's a great series for us and it's no different for us to go there than it is to come to the east coast from a travel perspective and then started the one with K State as well. And then we played Nebraska. So I really think in the NCAA tournament I didn't think it helped us as much this year for some reason. We didn't play as well in the non conference for a lot of reasons. Kalkbrenner's injury, Ashworth's injury, Pop Isaac goes down. But I think we've been seated higher than people think and I think it goes back to our non conference schedule. I think you get credit for challenging your team in November and December and if you have a team you think is good enough, I think you owe it to them to play a Good schedule.
- [12:07]
B
I love to see that.
- [12:08]
C
We'll.
- [12:09]
B
We'll wrap on this. A short question, then a longer one. Am I going to be talking to you a year from now in this building at Big east media Day?
- [12:17]
C
Maybe.
- [12:17]
B
Maybe. Okay. I bring that up. For folks who might not be aware, back in the spring, it was ultimately determined that, you know, this is, as I mentioned before, this is the winter of your career. And we don't know if you have one year, two years, I'm going to say three is not on the table, but one or two years. That. That's just. That's me. You've wanted directly answer it. I'll take that. But Alan Huss is obviously, you know, former assistant now. He's back. He's now the coach in waiting. What brought you to this moment? And this is also, you know, it's. It's not unprecedented, but there's not a lot of coaching situations where it's been determined specifically like this. Like, okay, I'm heading out, but when I do, next guy's in line. And you still got me for at least a couple more seasons.
- [12:56]
C
Yeah, I mean, I had a lot of assistance that have gone on and been successful, and I kind of always hoped that one of my guys would replace me when the time came. And, you know, Drock ends up getting the Indiana job, so he's kind of out. And, you know, I was not surprised with the success that coach us had at High Point. So I, you know, I floated it to him in February and, you know, got my people I work for on board. And then, you know, Al had to decide it was right for him as well. And, you know, I. You see coaches leave, whether they retire or they're fired, and you see programs get decimated and the entire roster leaves. It's a total culture reset. And I think the culture at Creighton, the one I inherited from Coach Altman, is something that we just had to build upon. We didn't have to start over. And my hope is that that culture stays intact with Coach Hus. And, you know, we've had two coaches at Creighton in 32 years. And my hope is that, you know, in 50 years, there'll be three coaches at Creighton. So it's. It's a special place in that regard. And there's some other things I want to do in my life when the time comes, specifically on the golf course.
- [14:05]
B
What's your best ever round, by the way?
- [14:07]
C
I think I shot 69. Oh, my. But that's. That's an outlier. That's a huge outlier. But, you know, I'm excited that Al's back. We work great together and when the time comes, he's going to be a great, great replacement.
- [14:19]
B
Well, I hope we get to do this at least one more time a year from now leading up into a season. But regardless, appreciate your time. Good luck this season and I will see you out at Players there in Vegas.
- [14:27]
C
I appreciate it, man.
- [14:28]
B
All right. Thank you so much.
- [14:30]
D
Anything this time alone. You can be anything this time.
- [15:06]
E
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