1
00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:02,600
Speaker 1: East Coast Subs since e three to sixty of bout

2
00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:06,560
Speaker 1: Cincinnati from Cincinnati spontered in part by Penn Station East

3
00:00:06,600 --> 00:00:11,760
Speaker 1: Coast Subs handcrafted hot grilled subs, fresh cut fries, and lemonade.

4
00:00:11,920 --> 00:00:15,840
Speaker 1: It's all about good taste. Pennstation East Coast Subs order

5
00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:21,280
Speaker 1: online today. This is ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

6
00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:27,360
Speaker 2: Welcome back our number three here on Cincy three sixty.

7
00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:30,040
Speaker 2: Drew and I had Penn Station today for launch. It

8
00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:35,600
Speaker 2: was excellent. But Drew those cookies man, the bomb so good.

9
00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:39,760
Speaker 2: I know everybody's in kind of a bad mood today

10
00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:43,120
Speaker 2: because of everything that happened yesterday. So when I was

11
00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:45,920
Speaker 2: gonna come in for the show, started planning the show,

12
00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:48,640
Speaker 2: I said, I need a centerpiece. I need something to

13
00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:50,879
Speaker 2: bring the people together. I need to rally the troops.

14
00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:54,080
Speaker 2: And I figured I would do that by bringing in

15
00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:58,160
Speaker 2: the head coach of the Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball program,

16
00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:01,920
Speaker 2: Wes Miller. Wes, how's it going, how's the off season?

17
00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:06,280
Speaker 2: And we're almost there? Can you sense that the season

18
00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:07,319
Speaker 2: is right around the corner.

19
00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:11,480
Speaker 3: We finally had some chill in the air today and

20
00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:14,000
Speaker 3: that's usually a sign we're close to basketball season.

21
00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:17,800
Speaker 4: But no, no, it's it's good.

22
00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:19,800
Speaker 3: That it's getting here, Chad, thanks for having me on.

23
00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:23,319
Speaker 3: You know, we go play in an exhibition game next Friday.

24
00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:26,720
Speaker 3: I think that makes it feel a little closer than anything.

25
00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:29,560
Speaker 3: But we do still have quite a bit of time

26
00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:31,679
Speaker 3: before we take the court and a lot of practice

27
00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:35,199
Speaker 3: time left. So yes, it's almost here in some ways,

28
00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:36,920
Speaker 3: but in other ways we got quite a bit.

29
00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:37,319
Speaker 4: Of work to do.

30
00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:40,440
Speaker 2: There's always a point in the preseason and the lead

31
00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:43,160
Speaker 2: up to the season where coaches feel like my team's

32
00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:45,720
Speaker 2: not ready. Not that I hate my team, but we're

33
00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:50,920
Speaker 2: not there yet. Have you gone from excitement to anxiety yet?

34
00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:54,800
Speaker 4: I think after fifteen years.

35
00:01:56,640 --> 00:01:58,720
Speaker 3: You can put it in perspective a little bit that

36
00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:01,600
Speaker 3: there's going to be aspects of practice every day to

37
00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:06,240
Speaker 3: give you excitement where you can see it coming together,

38
00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:09,040
Speaker 3: and then there's going to be aspects of practice that,

39
00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:11,360
Speaker 3: you know, show you how much work you have to

40
00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:14,560
Speaker 3: do and allow you to see the areas you need

41
00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:16,680
Speaker 3: to concentrate on a little more than maybe you thought.

42
00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:18,960
Speaker 4: And I think that's every day.

43
00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:21,359
Speaker 3: Whether it's a good practice, whether it's a practice where

44
00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:23,720
Speaker 3: you didn't quite play as well. I just think it's

45
00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:26,680
Speaker 3: about learning from it, waking up the next day and

46
00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:27,560
Speaker 3: trying to attack it.

47
00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:29,959
Speaker 4: And we've just learned how to stay.

48
00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:32,080
Speaker 3: Pretty level, at least as a coaching staff here over

49
00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:33,040
Speaker 3: a long period of time.

50
00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:38,520
Speaker 2: Yeah, this is a it's almost uncharted territory. In this

51
00:02:38,680 --> 00:02:42,600
Speaker 2: transfer portal era, you have almost an entirely new roster.

52
00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:45,480
Speaker 2: You do get the benefit of now you can work

53
00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:47,840
Speaker 2: with these guys in June and July, you get them

54
00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:52,000
Speaker 2: when school starts for a period leading up to the

55
00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:55,400
Speaker 2: official start of practice. Where do you feel like your

56
00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:56,959
Speaker 2: team is that and how much does it help that

57
00:02:57,360 --> 00:02:59,560
Speaker 2: you do have a bunch of veteran guys, even though

58
00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:02,400
Speaker 2: you know they played somewhere else before they got here.

59
00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:06,519
Speaker 4: Yeah, loaded question.

60
00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:09,800
Speaker 3: Let me see if I can answer parts of it

61
00:03:09,919 --> 00:03:10,240
Speaker 3: for you.

62
00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:14,680
Speaker 4: I think, I think when you have.

63
00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:17,440
Speaker 3: So many new faces, which is kind of the new norm. Ye,

64
00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:20,480
Speaker 3: you know, the summer is really valuable to learn the

65
00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:23,960
Speaker 3: team and even the fall in the in the early

66
00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:26,760
Speaker 3: part of practice, you know, you're trying to not just

67
00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:29,800
Speaker 3: learn the players and obviously we've done our job to

68
00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:33,639
Speaker 3: evaluate them and figure out who we're getting, but kind

69
00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:35,760
Speaker 3: of learn how they function within the things that we

70
00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:39,920
Speaker 3: value how they work together, the best combinations, and so

71
00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:44,560
Speaker 3: you're you're of course you're installing things, installing style of

72
00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:48,120
Speaker 3: play offensively and defensively, especially the nuts and bolts, but

73
00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:50,960
Speaker 3: you're also trying to leave some room for creativity so

74
00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:53,280
Speaker 3: you can learn where we could be the best. And

75
00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:55,920
Speaker 3: that's probably a lot different than it was five six

76
00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:58,880
Speaker 3: years ago, where you know, you may have two new players,

77
00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:02,640
Speaker 3: but the direction of exactly what you're doing is clear

78
00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:05,640
Speaker 3: before you have your first day summer workouts, right because

79
00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:08,280
Speaker 3: that team's been together so long. So it's a very

80
00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:12,400
Speaker 3: different process in terms of where we are in that process.

81
00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:15,040
Speaker 3: I think we're in a good place, like we've we

82
00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:17,400
Speaker 3: we got to a place a week or two ago

83
00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:20,880
Speaker 3: where we're now having a ton of clarity on the

84
00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:23,720
Speaker 3: details that we need to be focused on within our

85
00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:26,160
Speaker 3: style of play. You know, we've talked a lot about

86
00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:29,400
Speaker 3: how this team needs to play really fast. I think

87
00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:31,560
Speaker 3: this will be the fastest team I've ever coached if

88
00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:33,960
Speaker 3: we can be fortunate enough to stay healthy.

89
00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:39,240
Speaker 4: I mean, Kirk Risa, it's just it's infectious the.

90
00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:42,000
Speaker 3: Pace he wants to play with in the back court,

91
00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:46,640
Speaker 3: and it's made guys like Davion Thomas and Cincior Harris

92
00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:50,080
Speaker 3: and Keishan Tillery want to play even faster.

93
00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:51,320
Speaker 4: It's made guys that are.

94
00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:55,400
Speaker 3: Running wings run harder, and then we do have a

95
00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:58,400
Speaker 3: front court that can really run. So this will be

96
00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:01,680
Speaker 3: I think the fastest team I've ever coached and to end.

97
00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:04,920
Speaker 3: So we've been working on that for a long time.

98
00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:08,200
Speaker 3: But the intricacies of that, the things that we focus

99
00:05:08,279 --> 00:05:11,200
Speaker 3: within that, you know, that's become a lot more clear

100
00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:13,400
Speaker 3: here over the last couple of weeks. So we're getting

101
00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:14,800
Speaker 3: to some of the details. And I would say that

102
00:05:14,839 --> 00:05:19,240
Speaker 3: about each aspect of our team offensively and defensively. You know,

103
00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:21,719
Speaker 3: I've had to tell our staff this, We're not ready

104
00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:24,120
Speaker 3: to play a game yet, but we're not supposed to be.

105
00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:27,880
Speaker 3: You know, it's gosh, it's October ninth. I just look down.

106
00:05:28,279 --> 00:05:31,000
Speaker 3: We don't play till November. We got to make sure

107
00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:33,000
Speaker 3: we're ready to play November, and we will.

108
00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:34,760
Speaker 4: Right now.

109
00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:37,040
Speaker 3: We just got to keep doing the right things every

110
00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:39,080
Speaker 3: day to get ready for November. So we have this

111
00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:43,120
Speaker 3: exhibition game against Michigan next Friday. We are nowhere near

112
00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:47,839
Speaker 3: ready to go play a game like that, but that's okay,

113
00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:49,839
Speaker 3: and that'll be a great tool for us to keep

114
00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:53,240
Speaker 3: growing throughout this preseason. So yes, I think we're on

115
00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:56,000
Speaker 3: track for where I want us to be for November.

116
00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:58,200
Speaker 3: Are we on track to play our best basketball next

117
00:05:58,240 --> 00:05:58,880
Speaker 3: Friday Night? Man?

118
00:05:58,960 --> 00:05:59,400
Speaker 2: Our? Hell?

119
00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:01,279
Speaker 4: Though, we got a long way to.

120
00:06:01,279 --> 00:06:04,520
Speaker 3: Go, But that's not The goal of the year is

121
00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:06,400
Speaker 3: to be ready to play in October. It's to be

122
00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:08,919
Speaker 3: ready to play when it counts and to be at

123
00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:11,040
Speaker 3: our best in January February of March.

124
00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:17,320
Speaker 2: The exhibition thing is new. It's been super secret scrimmages

125
00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:21,760
Speaker 2: up until now, but now these exhibition games are open.

126
00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:26,320
Speaker 2: You get to play. You know, your choice of how

127
00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:28,680
Speaker 2: you want to handle this. Your choice has been let's

128
00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:32,479
Speaker 2: go play two teams that are expected to be really,

129
00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:35,400
Speaker 2: really good, including a Michigan team that many think is

130
00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:37,800
Speaker 2: going to be in the top five and might have

131
00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:42,800
Speaker 2: the best player in the country in Jacks Lindenborg. What

132
00:06:42,880 --> 00:06:45,160
Speaker 2: was that philosophy of let's go on the road and

133
00:06:45,279 --> 00:06:49,560
Speaker 2: really really challenge ourselves in these two exhibitions.

134
00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:53,520
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think it's just that there's a lot of

135
00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:55,640
Speaker 3: aspects to it, but it's a great tool for the

136
00:06:55,680 --> 00:06:59,120
Speaker 3: development of our team in the preseason. You know, first off,

137
00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:03,040
Speaker 3: we play against each other every day, and there's only

138
00:07:03,080 --> 00:07:05,760
Speaker 3: so much you can learn about yourself playing against each other.

139
00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:09,440
Speaker 3: So when you see a different jersey, it's just a

140
00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:13,440
Speaker 3: great opportunity to learn new things about your team, to

141
00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:16,680
Speaker 3: learn things that maybe you haven't focused on as much

142
00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:19,840
Speaker 3: that you can go attack. So the earlier we can

143
00:07:19,880 --> 00:07:23,720
Speaker 3: play a game against somebody else, the better it should.

144
00:07:23,760 --> 00:07:26,440
Speaker 3: I've if they ever let me make decisions, Chad, we

145
00:07:26,480 --> 00:07:28,560
Speaker 3: get to play against a different team in the preseason

146
00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:31,760
Speaker 3: every week, and I'd argue that would make the college

147
00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:34,680
Speaker 3: basketball product better when November comes around.

148
00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:36,720
Speaker 4: But you know, we got a long way to go

149
00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:39,640
Speaker 4: for they let me do that. I will.

150
00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:44,239
Speaker 3: I will say that, you know, with with the games

151
00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:47,360
Speaker 3: we're playing at Michigan and Arkansas. I looked at the

152
00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:50,360
Speaker 3: Big Twelve experience the last two years. You know, it's

153
00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:53,320
Speaker 3: the best league in America, and there's there's gonna be

154
00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:55,080
Speaker 3: difficult nights, like there's just.

155
00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:56,120
Speaker 4: No way around that.

156
00:07:57,360 --> 00:08:00,160
Speaker 3: We we got to get more prepared for playing and

157
00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:04,920
Speaker 3: the hardest environments, for having to overcome some adversity. We

158
00:08:05,040 --> 00:08:07,640
Speaker 3: got to prepare our team and our program for that.

159
00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:10,040
Speaker 3: That doesn't mean I schedule them so we can get

160
00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:12,880
Speaker 3: our bus kicked, but if we do, it's a great

161
00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:16,840
Speaker 3: opportunity for us to learn and grow from that, like

162
00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:19,400
Speaker 3: and to get ready for what the You're going to

163
00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:21,000
Speaker 3: have a night like that in the Big twelve.

164
00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:25,160
Speaker 4: That's everybody does the whole league, right, And if we

165
00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:27,160
Speaker 4: play great, it'll give us some confidence.

166
00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:30,160
Speaker 3: But either way, it should be a good experience for

167
00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:32,160
Speaker 3: us and an opportunity and a tool that we can

168
00:08:32,240 --> 00:08:33,960
Speaker 3: use to keep building our team. So yes, it was

169
00:08:34,040 --> 00:08:37,880
Speaker 3: very strategic to go play like I think it's homecoming

170
00:08:37,920 --> 00:08:40,000
Speaker 3: weekend at both Michigan and Arkansas.

171
00:08:40,480 --> 00:08:42,360
Speaker 4: You know, both teams have a lot of type going

172
00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:42,839
Speaker 4: into the year.

173
00:08:42,840 --> 00:08:45,760
Speaker 3: I think Dusty's talked about, you know, their goals national

174
00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:49,920
Speaker 3: championship from day one, and he said that publicly. So like, listen,

175
00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:52,439
Speaker 3: we're gon we're going to go play in very difficult

176
00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:55,280
Speaker 3: environments in October, and whatever happens, I think it's going

177
00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:58,040
Speaker 3: to be really positive for us in January. Like I've

178
00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:01,680
Speaker 3: said this, you know to our team already, Jed, you know,

179
00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:04,680
Speaker 3: if we play terrible and we get our bus kicked,

180
00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:07,240
Speaker 3: all you guys will think we're the worst thing that

181
00:09:07,320 --> 00:09:09,280
Speaker 3: ever happened to basketball.

182
00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:11,520
Speaker 4: And that'll be great. That'll be great because we'll get

183
00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:13,240
Speaker 4: to learn how to manage that.

184
00:09:13,559 --> 00:09:16,640
Speaker 3: And in today's world with the phones, you know, the

185
00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:18,400
Speaker 3: kids got to learn how to manage that. If we

186
00:09:18,520 --> 00:09:21,400
Speaker 3: played great and we win, all you guys will lack

187
00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:24,720
Speaker 3: like we're gonna go undefeated, And that'll be great because

188
00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:26,520
Speaker 3: we're gonna have to learn how to manage that type

189
00:09:26,559 --> 00:09:29,079
Speaker 3: of thing. Because we're gonna have some great success. We

190
00:09:29,200 --> 00:09:31,600
Speaker 3: got to stay steady, and we're gonna have some homes

191
00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:33,320
Speaker 3: that we don't and we got to stay steady. And

192
00:09:33,679 --> 00:09:36,000
Speaker 3: I think these games give us an opportunity to start

193
00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:37,160
Speaker 3: working at that stuff early.

194
00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:39,400
Speaker 2: I don't know if it's homecoming in ann Arbor, but

195
00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:42,080
Speaker 2: I do know they play Washington at noon the next day.

196
00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:45,120
Speaker 2: I was looking at hotels because I'm gonna go up

197
00:09:45,160 --> 00:09:47,640
Speaker 2: and cover the game. I was looking at hotels and

198
00:09:47,679 --> 00:09:49,319
Speaker 2: I think there was a red roof n for three

199
00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:52,520
Speaker 2: hundred and eighty seven dollars a night. So I think

200
00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:53,720
Speaker 2: I'm not staying in ann Arbor.

201
00:09:55,280 --> 00:09:56,920
Speaker 3: You know, Chaed, I always thought you were a guy

202
00:09:56,960 --> 00:09:59,160
Speaker 3: that would do whatever it takes, so I'm disappointed to

203
00:09:59,200 --> 00:09:59,520
Speaker 3: hear that.

204
00:09:59,679 --> 00:10:03,200
Speaker 2: No, I'm stan in Toledo I'm going I'm just not

205
00:10:03,280 --> 00:10:05,680
Speaker 2: staying in ann Arbor because I can't see myself paying

206
00:10:05,720 --> 00:10:07,720
Speaker 2: three hundred and eighty seven dollars for a night at

207
00:10:07,720 --> 00:10:08,320
Speaker 2: the Red Roof.

208
00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:10,880
Speaker 4: In So you're just telling me you're intelligent.

209
00:10:11,160 --> 00:10:13,400
Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm trying. I'm trying. I don't know if you

210
00:10:13,440 --> 00:10:15,960
Speaker 2: believe me or not. You've known me for long enough now.

211
00:10:16,440 --> 00:10:19,120
Speaker 4: Well I believe that for sure. That's just one of

212
00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:20,640
Speaker 4: your many endearing qualities.

213
00:10:20,760 --> 00:10:23,760
Speaker 2: But let's talk about the interior the post. Guys that

214
00:10:23,880 --> 00:10:29,800
Speaker 2: you mentioned earlier, Mustapha Chom Babba Miller, Jalen Haynes. Although

215
00:10:30,920 --> 00:10:35,680
Speaker 2: big Slime doesn't work anymore, coach, is he medium slime now?

216
00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:39,120
Speaker 2: Like he is? He is trimmed out. He is looking good.

217
00:10:40,640 --> 00:10:43,040
Speaker 4: But I'll tell you guys what I what I told

218
00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:44,360
Speaker 4: our team a while back.

219
00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:47,439
Speaker 3: The only way he's going to get me to call

220
00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:49,959
Speaker 3: him Slide is if he gets twenty rebounds in a game.

221
00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:53,720
Speaker 3: I don't use nicknames unless you earn them, and so

222
00:10:53,800 --> 00:10:55,120
Speaker 3: he's Jalen Haynes to me.

223
00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:56,440
Speaker 4: But no, he.

224
00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:01,520
Speaker 3: He. I thought he really came back from our little

225
00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:05,320
Speaker 3: August two week break, and from the time he got back,

226
00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:09,199
Speaker 3: he's been very, very focused about getting physically ready to play,

227
00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:13,320
Speaker 3: which is important because he's an extremely important player for

228
00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:17,280
Speaker 3: our team. He's a little undersized for a front court player,

229
00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:21,200
Speaker 3: even though he does have tremendous length, and so him

230
00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:24,960
Speaker 3: being able to maximize his physical abilities night and night

231
00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:27,880
Speaker 3: out in our league is important. And I've been pleased

232
00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:30,080
Speaker 3: since August with the effort he's put into getting in

233
00:11:30,120 --> 00:11:32,120
Speaker 3: great shape. He's in a lot better shape than you

234
00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:33,760
Speaker 3: he was when he got here back.

235
00:11:33,640 --> 00:11:41,240
Speaker 2: In Jaim Mustafa chem incredibly talented, length, athleticism, size. What

236
00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:44,480
Speaker 2: has surprised you about him? Maybe since he got here anything?

237
00:11:46,520 --> 00:11:50,800
Speaker 3: You know, sometimes you have to with move You have

238
00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:54,719
Speaker 3: to remember that he was supposed to be a high

239
00:11:54,760 --> 00:11:57,840
Speaker 3: school senior last year. Yeah, and you know we played

240
00:11:57,840 --> 00:12:00,640
Speaker 3: against him and I had such great respect for competing

241
00:12:00,679 --> 00:12:04,520
Speaker 3: against him, and then you know, he gets here and

242
00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:08,000
Speaker 3: you're going, hey, man, what it surprises me that, like,

243
00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:12,679
Speaker 3: you don't know everything that Kerkkrisa and Jalen Celestine know.

244
00:12:12,840 --> 00:12:15,120
Speaker 3: And you know, these guys are, you know, thirty five

245
00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:18,079
Speaker 3: years old, right like seniors And I'm being kind of funny, but.

246
00:12:18,040 --> 00:12:19,679
Speaker 4: They're fifty year guys.

247
00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:22,240
Speaker 3: And you talked about that earlier at the beginning of

248
00:12:22,280 --> 00:12:26,120
Speaker 3: the interview here, we do have some older guys Jalen Haynes.

249
00:12:26,520 --> 00:12:28,640
Speaker 3: You know, MoU is not one of those guys, even

250
00:12:28,679 --> 00:12:31,680
Speaker 3: though he has a year of experience. So sometimes you know,

251
00:12:31,720 --> 00:12:34,199
Speaker 3: you've had to realize, man, he's still really new to

252
00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:38,400
Speaker 3: the game, you know, coming over from Senegal, and you

253
00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:40,480
Speaker 3: know he should have been in high school last year.

254
00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:44,320
Speaker 3: So even though he has some great experience in our league, like,

255
00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:46,440
Speaker 3: there's just things that he hasn't quite.

256
00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:47,760
Speaker 4: Figured out or doesn't know yet.

257
00:12:47,880 --> 00:12:52,720
Speaker 3: But what's remarkable is how quickly he's learning, Like it's remarkable.

258
00:12:52,920 --> 00:12:55,320
Speaker 3: I mean, how much better he is today than a

259
00:12:55,360 --> 00:12:58,360
Speaker 3: month ago has been really exciting for all of us

260
00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:01,040
Speaker 3: as a coaching staff. And you know, I think the

261
00:13:01,080 --> 00:13:02,840
Speaker 3: one thing last year he was playing in the dunker

262
00:13:02,880 --> 00:13:06,400
Speaker 3: a lot. They had such tremendous offensive firepower on the

263
00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:10,600
Speaker 3: perimeter at UCF last year. You know Hall and the

264
00:13:10,640 --> 00:13:13,520
Speaker 3: point guard they had, those guys were great players, Hault

265
00:13:13,559 --> 00:13:14,560
Speaker 3: and out at Auburn.

266
00:13:14,960 --> 00:13:15,680
Speaker 4: Keyshawn Hall.

267
00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:18,720
Speaker 3: But he was there and then he kind of float

268
00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:20,920
Speaker 3: around and shoots some threes, which he can really do.

269
00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:25,640
Speaker 3: But we tried to make him run to seal and

270
00:13:25,760 --> 00:13:29,480
Speaker 3: hit in the post. Box to be crazy physical. It's

271
00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:33,080
Speaker 3: not been comfortable for him throughout the summer, but he's

272
00:13:33,120 --> 00:13:34,160
Speaker 3: starting to figure it out.

273
00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:37,360
Speaker 4: And I'm telling you he catches it inside five or sixty.

274
00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:40,160
Speaker 3: He's pretty tank good, you know, and he's getting better

275
00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:42,760
Speaker 3: at carving out position to do that. He's got great touch,

276
00:13:43,520 --> 00:13:46,560
Speaker 3: great hands, great feel, and then he still has that

277
00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:48,160
Speaker 3: ability to step out and shoot threes.

278
00:13:48,160 --> 00:13:50,480
Speaker 4: I just hadn't let him do it yet, but we will.

279
00:13:50,559 --> 00:13:53,800
Speaker 3: But we're trying to establish the interior game with him first,

280
00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:57,880
Speaker 3: and I'm really pleased with his development there. Certainly, you

281
00:13:57,960 --> 00:14:00,000
Speaker 3: guys know this from Chad coming to practice.

282
00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:05,559
Speaker 4: The way he moves defensively at seven two is and

283
00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:06,920
Speaker 4: he can really run the floor.

284
00:14:07,040 --> 00:14:09,000
Speaker 2: Yeah, baby Miller, you had a chance to go over

285
00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:11,120
Speaker 2: and watch him with the national team in Spain. We

286
00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:13,560
Speaker 2: were we able to learn about him maybe that you

287
00:14:13,640 --> 00:14:16,040
Speaker 2: didn't know by by going over and watching him in

288
00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:16,800
Speaker 2: a different setting.

289
00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:21,560
Speaker 3: It was. It was really healthy, like something that I'll

290
00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:25,440
Speaker 3: remember as I moved forward as a coach, that seeing

291
00:14:25,480 --> 00:14:29,160
Speaker 3: guys in different settings really helps you understand them.

292
00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:29,680
Speaker 4: You know.

293
00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:34,920
Speaker 3: I thought our summer practices were very competitive, and you know,

294
00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:38,320
Speaker 3: he had good moments, don't get me wrong, but he

295
00:14:38,440 --> 00:14:41,640
Speaker 3: was great for the Spanish national team. And when we

296
00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:44,200
Speaker 3: talked after those games, the one thing.

297
00:14:44,080 --> 00:14:47,240
Speaker 4: He said was it was easier. And he was playing

298
00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:48,920
Speaker 4: against you know, a.

299
00:14:48,840 --> 00:14:51,840
Speaker 3: Couple of NBA players in those games, you know, you know,

300
00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:55,360
Speaker 3: pros and older guys, and he said he thought it

301
00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:57,360
Speaker 3: was easier than our practices and that gave him a

302
00:14:57,360 --> 00:14:58,120
Speaker 3: lot of confidence.

303
00:14:58,520 --> 00:15:02,280
Speaker 4: So, you know, I that made me, you know, realize.

304
00:15:01,880 --> 00:15:05,040
Speaker 3: Something that sometimes we need to make sure they're in

305
00:15:05,040 --> 00:15:07,840
Speaker 3: some environments where they can see the benefit of practice,

306
00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:11,360
Speaker 3: and maybe in practice we can create those environments a

307
00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:13,640
Speaker 3: little better. It didn't all have to be so difficult

308
00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:16,080
Speaker 3: every single day, even though you know, I like it

309
00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:16,760
Speaker 3: to be difficult.

310
00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:18,320
Speaker 4: I think it's good for our development.

311
00:15:18,400 --> 00:15:21,080
Speaker 3: But no, he was really good off the bounce, he

312
00:15:21,160 --> 00:15:25,200
Speaker 3: was really good around the rim, He rebounded well, and

313
00:15:25,240 --> 00:15:27,680
Speaker 3: he's starting to now do those things in our practices here.

314
00:15:27,720 --> 00:15:29,680
Speaker 3: So that's been good and that was a positive experience.

315
00:15:29,680 --> 00:15:32,920
Speaker 2: As you mentioned, and Jordie Rodriguez, you got to see

316
00:15:32,920 --> 00:15:35,880
Speaker 2: why you were over there as well. I've heard good things.

317
00:15:35,920 --> 00:15:39,080
Speaker 2: I've seen good things from JORDI. Yes, he can shoot,

318
00:15:39,120 --> 00:15:41,120
Speaker 2: but it feels like he's a little bit more than that,

319
00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:44,320
Speaker 2: his effort is good. People tend to label those euro

320
00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:47,200
Speaker 2: guys as soft. I haven't gotten that vibe from Jordi.

321
00:15:48,640 --> 00:15:51,200
Speaker 3: No, he's not soft at all, and we knew that

322
00:15:51,240 --> 00:15:53,800
Speaker 3: recruiting him. I got to see him live in Spain again.

323
00:15:53,880 --> 00:15:57,760
Speaker 3: As you mentioned when I went to watch Baba. Physically,

324
00:15:58,320 --> 00:16:00,480
Speaker 3: Mike Rayfield will be the greatest thing that happened to

325
00:16:00,560 --> 00:16:03,200
Speaker 3: him our strength coach, because he does need to get

326
00:16:03,280 --> 00:16:07,240
Speaker 3: stronger physically, but he has a level of toughness. I

327
00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:11,560
Speaker 3: remember watching him defend when he was playing with the

328
00:16:11,640 --> 00:16:14,440
Speaker 3: national team and I looked to my girlfriend and I said,

329
00:16:14,440 --> 00:16:16,640
Speaker 3: I needed to see that. And he was really chasing

330
00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:20,680
Speaker 3: a great shooter around action for the Czech Republic and

331
00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:23,320
Speaker 3: he blew up a couple of screens and gave great effort,

332
00:16:23,800 --> 00:16:26,560
Speaker 3: and I went, man, he's gonna be fine defending for us.

333
00:16:27,360 --> 00:16:30,280
Speaker 3: And he has I mean, he's really bright, he has

334
00:16:30,320 --> 00:16:32,800
Speaker 3: a great feel for the game. He can tell he's

335
00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:36,160
Speaker 3: played a high level of professional basketball already because he's

336
00:16:36,160 --> 00:16:39,200
Speaker 3: wise beyond his years in some ways, and he does

337
00:16:39,280 --> 00:16:39,720
Speaker 3: need to get a.

338
00:16:39,680 --> 00:16:41,800
Speaker 4: Little physically stronger and he knows that as well.

339
00:16:42,160 --> 00:16:45,520
Speaker 2: And then finally, save the best for last Dayda Thomas,

340
00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:48,880
Speaker 2: a guy that maybe you didn't expect was gonna get

341
00:16:48,920 --> 00:16:52,520
Speaker 2: to spend a third year at Cincinnati, but he's here.

342
00:16:52,960 --> 00:16:55,960
Speaker 2: I've been really impressed with the way he's carrying himself

343
00:16:56,720 --> 00:16:59,400
Speaker 2: this year, the way his teammates are responding to him.

344
00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:04,000
Speaker 2: This looks like a much more confident, calm version of

345
00:17:04,080 --> 00:17:05,400
Speaker 2: Dayda Thomas that we've seen.

346
00:17:07,840 --> 00:17:09,960
Speaker 3: Yeah, you know, you think you might have asked the

347
00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:13,840
Speaker 3: question in a press conference weeks ago about having all

348
00:17:13,840 --> 00:17:15,760
Speaker 3: these new faces and how difficult it has.

349
00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:16,600
Speaker 4: That hold on a second.

350
00:17:16,600 --> 00:17:19,600
Speaker 3: Now we do have Dayda Thomas, and he might be

351
00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:22,920
Speaker 3: worth more than just one returning player because he has

352
00:17:22,960 --> 00:17:26,359
Speaker 3: had that kind of presence within our program this summer

353
00:17:26,560 --> 00:17:27,280
Speaker 3: in this fall.

354
00:17:27,880 --> 00:17:29,760
Speaker 4: I think a couple of things. One, he's just matured

355
00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:30,040
Speaker 4: a lot.

356
00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:33,400
Speaker 3: He's he's been in our program, he's been in Cincinnati,

357
00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:37,080
Speaker 3: so he has a certain level of awareness about what

358
00:17:37,160 --> 00:17:42,080
Speaker 3: this means, what we represent. And then you know he's

359
00:17:42,119 --> 00:17:44,760
Speaker 3: healthy too, Chad, Like you know, he was coming off

360
00:17:44,760 --> 00:17:45,560
Speaker 3: the foot injury.

361
00:17:45,520 --> 00:17:47,960
Speaker 4: Yeah, had the big set. He had the big setback

362
00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:50,879
Speaker 4: in October last year and didn't even play early in

363
00:17:50,880 --> 00:17:52,800
Speaker 4: the year. It took him a long.

364
00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:56,280
Speaker 3: Time to get back to the Dayda Thomas that we

365
00:17:56,359 --> 00:17:59,720
Speaker 3: all have known and loved on the court, and I

366
00:17:59,760 --> 00:18:02,760
Speaker 3: think he looks like that again physically, just looks confident,

367
00:18:02,800 --> 00:18:06,399
Speaker 3: healthy and again way more mature, and he's had a

368
00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:08,960
Speaker 3: presence within the team that's been really positive thus far.

369
00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:13,880
Speaker 2: Coach, much appreciated you taking out some time today and

370
00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:17,439
Speaker 2: calming the masses. Everybody's a little angry about Tony. I

371
00:18:17,480 --> 00:18:20,720
Speaker 2: know you like Tony a lot, but I appreciate you

372
00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:23,639
Speaker 2: coming on and giving us some time today.

373
00:18:24,560 --> 00:18:28,160
Speaker 3: Well to Tony is a Bearcat and an all time

374
00:18:28,200 --> 00:18:32,280
Speaker 3: great Bearcat and somebody I've really enjoyed getting to know,

375
00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:35,960
Speaker 3: seeing him at our games and football games, and you know,

376
00:18:36,040 --> 00:18:40,000
Speaker 3: being a part of the show. So I appreciated your introduction,

377
00:18:40,160 --> 00:18:42,520
Speaker 3: but I cannot fill that void. I feel the same

378
00:18:42,560 --> 00:18:45,040
Speaker 3: way everybody else does, and just wish him nothing but

379
00:18:45,119 --> 00:18:47,199
Speaker 3: the best. But I'm glad I got to come on today,

380
00:18:47,240 --> 00:18:49,480
Speaker 3: and now I'm gonna get away from you guys and

381
00:18:49,520 --> 00:18:51,359
Speaker 3: get back to the stuff that matters, which is getting

382
00:18:51,359 --> 00:18:52,240
Speaker 3: our team ready to play.

383
00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:55,280
Speaker 2: All right, We'll see you eight days in ann Arbor.

384
00:18:55,359 --> 00:18:59,560
Speaker 2: Appreciated Coach, Thank you. Here you go, Cincinnati Bearcat's head

385
00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:03,600
Speaker 2: coach Miller. Great stuff, great stuff, A lot of insight

386
00:19:03,680 --> 00:19:07,119
Speaker 2: there on a lot of guys. Let's take a break.

387
00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:09,320
Speaker 2: I'll talk about I've been to a couple of practices.

388
00:19:09,320 --> 00:19:11,280
Speaker 2: I've seen a little bit Drew. I've seen some things.

389
00:19:11,640 --> 00:19:14,200
Speaker 2: Not as much as that guy, but I've seen some things.

390
00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:17,239
Speaker 2: I'll get some thoughts on the Bearcats as well when

391
00:19:17,280 --> 00:19:20,600
Speaker 2: we come back. This is SINCEY thirty sixty right here

392
00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:22,200
Speaker 2: on Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.

393
00:19:22,800 --> 00:19:24,880
Speaker 4: Now your chance to win a thousand dollars