As the Florida men’s basketball team prepares to open practice on Friday, the team held its annual media day Wednesday afternoon at the basketball practice facility. Below are excerpts from head coach Billy Donovan’s press conference, along with quotes from selected student-athletes.
University of Florida Basketball Media Day
October 13, 2010
Billy Donovan Quotes
Head Coach Billy Donovan
Opening Statement:
“I think for everybody, the start of the season is exciting. The last month has been a difficult month for all coaches because it’s such a big recruiting period. So much of it is on the road and you never really feel that you’re on campus as much as you’d like to be. I did have the chance to work with our guys quite a bit the past six weeks since school has started. I think the one thing that definitely stands out right away is that I think that we’re much more of a physical team. I think we’re a tougher team than we may have been the last couple of years.”
On the team’s toughness:
“I think a lot has to do with Vernon (Macklin), Alex (Tyus) and Chandler (Parsons) being seniors, which helps. I also think Patric Young and Cody Larson, just instinctively, are physical players. I feel like we added some depth in our backcourt with Scottie Wilbekin and Mike Rosario. Having Erving Walker back helps and I think we really added an explosive athlete in Casey Prather. I think this is the first time for me in the last few years that we’ve had some significant depth going into the start of practice. With Mike Rosario sitting out, it gives us another player, along with having Kyle McClanahan as a walk-on. So we feel that from having the bodies to get better and playing how we like to play, we are in a better position to do that. I think we’ve got a lot that we’ve got to get better at; a lot that we’ve got to work on. I do think that these guys are even excited to start as well.”
On the last six weeks:
“The one thing that I can say has happened over the last six weeks since we’ve been allowed to work out is that it’s been highly competitive. I think in a highly-competitive environment, your team has the best opportunity and the best chance to grow and get better. I think one of the things we did lack last year was that I felt Erving Walker and Kenny Boynton certainly logged a lot of minutes, but I never really thought they had the type of competiveness in practice that they needed to really continue to get better. I think with Rosario and Scottie Wilbekin competing here, that’s going to happen. I think Vernon Macklin at certain times during practice last year could get away with things just physically because there was really nobody else that can match with him. I think Patric Young provides for that kind of ability to make Vernon better.”
On a competitive environment:
“I think the biggest thing is that we’ve got are guys at spots that can make each other better. I think that in a competitive environment where you have that situation where someone is competing with someone else, I think your team has the chance to grow, get better and can develop from that.”
On the freshmen:
“Now what kind of impact these freshmen are going to make, I really don’t know. I always thought that there’s a better feel for freshmen after the first three weeks or a month of practice, as fatigue starts to settle, as you start to add things. Unlike any of the years since I’ve been here, we’ve got 13 practices until we have our first exhibition here, so we have a lot that we have to do. In less then a month, we play our first opening game and follow that up with Ohio State, so there’s a lot that we’re going to have to get prepared and get ready for in a short period of time and I know these guys are excited as we are to get started.”
On his familiarity with the team:
“One of the things that I felt like we had caught a couple of years with Alex playing the center spot, Dan Werner having to play the power forward spot and really not a lot of subs where people weren’t logging a lot behind those guys. I feel that Patric Young, Erik Murphy, I forgot to mention him. I think he has really grown and gotten better physically. I think the one thing he’s going to give us that he didn’t give us at all last year is that he’s going to be able to stretch the defense and shoot threes. With Cody Lawson, that’s a position on the floor where we have some depth. That’s going to be helpful but what kind of role these young guys are going to play, I don’t know yet, but I’ll probably find out more once we start practicing. I kind of have an idea where Vernon, Chandler, Alex, Boynton, Walker, all those guys are at, Erik Murphy, because I coached them. All those other guys I really haven’t. I may for a day or two, work them out but when I’m on the road and then back two days later, work them out, but there really hasn’t been that consistency on a regular basis to really get a true feel of how strong we can be with on court depth-wise.”
On perception versus reality:
“I think that people always say perception creates reality and certainly, I think when it comes to the pace of competing, perceptions are never reality. You know the perception is, in today’s environment in basketball, where you have a team that went to the NCAA tournament and returns all five starters, the expectations and the perception is that you’re going to be really, really good. This is a team that needed a 75-foot shot from Chandler Parsons against North Carolina State. That needed a game winning shot by Chandler against South Carolina. That needed a game winning shot by Erving Walker at Alabama to get into the tournament. So the reality is that this group really hasn’t done a lot. This group really hasn’t accomplished a whole lot.”
On the upperclassmen’s progress:
“I was certainly very proud of the stride and progress they made a year ago, but the reality is that we’re a team that got knocked out in the second round of the SEC tournament, first round in the NCAA tournament, and clearly Kentucky and Tennessee on our side with Vanderbilt were clearly the better teams. Kentucky beat us twice and Vanderbilt beat us twice and we split with Tennessee, so there is a lot of excitement with this group because of what’s returning and what’s coming back in, but the reality is that this group has a lot to prove, a lot to accomplish, and a lot to get done. I think that if they’re going to rest their laurels on the fact on what preseason rankings say, then I think we’d be making a mistake. I made the comment in the past when Chandler and Alex, and some of those guys were ranked earlier on in their careers, I don’t think they handled it well and they got too wrapped up in that perception and hopefully we can learn and grow and handle it better.”
On pressing this year:
“I thought last year that we had the opportunity to press some, but as the season started to unfold we just could not really get Nimrod or Ray Shipman, or just enough depth back there to rest those guys. It just got into a situation that there was so much on Boynton and Walker, not just on the offense but on the front of the press.The team wants and then expect to perform like that team, which was hard. I do think that we have a team, athletically, that can get back to playing the right way. But I think in the depth, that we have the numbers now, but we need some of the younger guys to clearly define a role for themselves where we can utilize them with that depth. It’d be great if Scottie can come in and give us really good quality minutes with whatever he can give us. That would be great because it would allow us to continually press and Scottie is a very good defender. It would be great at the perimeter spot if Casey Prather could give us really good quality minutes because that would certainly add some depth to some of our guys. There’s no question being around the freshmen that they’re all going to be very good players, how quickly they can come into a role and be really reliable in the role is going to be really important to our style.”
On Patric Young:
I think Patric’s offense has really gotten better. Clearly, his greatest strength to me is his incredible motive. He has unbelievable passion and plays with great energy and effort. We will make sure we try to keep it simple for him on those things because when he does those things and focuses those things, it totally makes practice and our team better. He’s got to bring that everyday and he’s been pretty consistent with that just in terms of how hard he competes and plays. Physically, he’s ready to come into college and play. Can he absorb the system and figure out what we’re doing, that’s going to take some time. We’re not going to say hey, let’s go slow with him. We want all the freshmen to really formulate a role. I can see us this year, if Patric can progress, that I don’t have any problem playing he and Macklin together some. I think that will be as physical as we’ve been since we had Richard, Noah, and Horford up front. I think we can get that format and he will help. Also Erik is someone who has gotten better, and Cody Lawson still has a long way to go, but they are tough and physical, and when you’ve got that, there’s a lot to be said of that.
On Patric Young’s conditioning:
“I think conditioning-wise, certainly Patric pushes himself through fatigue, and generally what happens to a lot of young guys, when it starts going up and down, up and down, and they’re not conditioned to play like that. Once they start fatiguing, they can’t perform or play under the influence of the team. I think one of the things with Joakim Noah that made him great was that he had as good of a threshold for fatigue as any player I’ve ever coached. I think Patric, in some ways, prides himself on that. He pushes himself through things and battles through things. He really competes in that area and we’re going to need him to do that.”
On Patric Young’s attitude:
“The best line that I can get from Patric to give you an idea of what kind of mentality he has is that he had a terrific spring, being a McDonald’s All-American, which is a great honor. He got invited to play for the USA Team. The reports from the coaches that coached him were very positive--his work ethic, how hard he played and competed. When he came back he missed the beginning of orientation because he was with the USA team and when he came back I kind of congratulated him and he said, yeah coach but that’s over with right now and I haven’t done anything in college. He’s got that mentality that understands that. ‘hey, I’ve got to prove myself,’ and I think sometimes when guys get out of high school with the huge reputation, they lose that element that they have to prove something and they come in with a level of entitlement. I made a comment about it last year that I think Kenny Boynton had his attitude in a very positive way. He came in and earned the trust and respect of his teammates. I think Patric has come in with the same mentality that he has to earn and trust and respect his teammates and wants to work hard and get better.”
On options at guard:
“I think as the season went on that Erving, being a sophomore, I made the comment to him that being a junior that its going to be the most difficult point of his career, because he’s going to have to take a different role and different responsibilities. I think the biggest thing for our team is that Scotty’s going to be able to handle some of that and I think we have a player in Chandler and we were able to use some of that to alleviate the point last year. I feel that we have two good options and I feel that Kenny Boynton, as the year went on, also did a nice job handling the ball as well. We feel like outside of Erving that we have some other options we can use.”
On Chandler Parsons and Vernon Macklin:
“I think Chandler and Vernon are doing a good job so far, but I think when they get on the court their actions have got to back it up. I think they are the two guys who want that particular responsibility. It’s good for both of those guys I think. I know Vernon, back when the season started, that he started to show signs that the reputation he had in high school and Chandler, coming of his sophomore year had something to prove and got through that a little bit, and both of those guys, to me, they are in a little danger zone with me, but know not how to get complacent and comfortable. They’ve really tried to incorporate with the group and make it a team and they’re reaching out and doing some of that stuff.”
On the team:
“We’ve got to be a really (good) defensive team and really have to rebound. Those things are going to be critical. They can have a bad performance in practice but they can’t have a bad effort. Chandler has always been pretty good. What got him into trouble was his perception of what went into winning. As a senior he has to understand what that means and what it takes to go out and win. If he’s an extension of myself reaching out to those guys, not only talking about it but doing it, that’s how he can really help.”
University of Florida Basketball Media Day
October 13, 2010
Player Quotes
Senior forward Chandler Parsons
On being a senior:
“This is it. It flew by. I am excited for it and I am glad I am here and glad I chose to go to the University of Florida. I love playing for Coach Donovan and I think of the last three years, this is by far the best team I will play on. I think our guys are real dedicated and have been working real hard. The chemistry is great and I am excited to get out there Friday.”
On potential of being complacent this year:
“There is no complacency. I have goals individually to go as far as I can with this game. This is my life so I am never going to settle. I am going to be an example for these younger guys everyday, not take a play off, work hard on and off the court and be a role model for these younger guys.”
On growth during career here:
“I would say I am completely different. I came in here about 180 pounds, weak spot up shooter. Now I would consider myself and all-around player. Being 6-9, 6-10 I want to be able to do everything. I want to be able to pass, shoot, score, defend, play the four if I have to or the point if I have to. This summer I just tried to become the most versatile player I could.”
On comparing feel of going into this season as opposed to last year:
“I think it is totally different. I think our goals are a lot higher this year. Not getting to the NCAA tournament my first two years, last year we were just like we have to get there. I think we are just worried about this Friday and getting our chemistry right, getting all the plays down and just coming together and becoming the best team we can.”
Senior center Vernon Macklin
On biggest difference in team between last year and this year:
“Depth. We have a lot of depth this year. There are a lot of young guys and they are eager and ready to play. They have been in the gym working out so they are ready to get rolling and we are ready to play with them.”
On difference between him and Patric Young:
“I think Patrick brings a different style of the game. He is one of those guys that you know you have to box out because he is coming hard every time. He is a different kind of player. He is physical at every possession, even when we have the ball. I think we bring two different styles of the game, I am more offense and he is defense.”
On Young’s strength:
“He is strong. I didn’t know he was that strong until I saw him in the weight room benching everything. We bench together, but when I go I am taking off weight and when he goes he is putting on weight.”
On team having more size helping in practice:
“It is better because when I play against guys in the SEC, it is going to be the same thing as practice. Last year it was me going against Alex (Tyus) or (Erik)Murphy almost everyday. This year there are a lot of different guys that I can go against, a lot of different styles.”
Senior forward Alex Tyus
On what he wants to accomplish this year:
“I’m very excited. I think we all just want to get this thing going and start practicing Friday. We are trying to get our team goals together and get started on achieving them.”
On team’s depth:
“I think it is doing a good job right now as far as getting rest in practice and not wearing out further along in the season when games come. Everybody is just trying to teach each other, especially the freshmen. We are doing a good job of teaching them and helping them learn the ropes. We are just really excited right now to get the season started.”
On being married in college:
“It is great. I wouldn’t say a whole lot has changed, but everything is good.”
On Patric Young:
“He has been great. He rebounds the ball well and plays physical on offense and defense. I think one of the really good things about him being a younger guy is he is coming in with an open mind and really looking to learn and get better.”
On Chandler Parsons’ development as a player:
“He has grown a lot. I think now he is really confident on the court and he is able to show everything he can do from passing, shooting and ball handling. I think with experience he has definitely gotten better, and just learned how good he can be. He is really trying to take that to another level.”
Junior guard Erving Walker
On staying focused for big games and not getting caught up in expectations:
“As a team, we just have to keep working hard and not focus on that. Coach told us there are going to be expectations out there, but as a group we haven’t completed a mission or any of our goals yet so there is no need for us to pay attention to what everyone else is saying. We just have to focus on us.”
On making sure you can have solid wins this season:
“It starts Friday at practice working hard and being mentally together on every possession. Sometimes we had lapses on offense and defense last year and we just have to try to avoid those.”
On biggest difference coming into this season:
“I would say just having more experience. We know what it takes now and understand the process. We have the five young guys but we can be more of a help to them and show them.”
On toughest thing about playing a lot of minutes last season:
“I would say pressing. We can definitely do more of that this season with Scotty and Casey. Speaking for Kenny and I, it was kind of tough up there at times. We are in a lot better shape this year and I think we will be ready to go.”
On impressions of Patric Young:
“A freak. He is real athletic and muscular. He works extremely hard, I haven’t seen anyone work as hard as him. He always gives 110% and I am excited to work with him.”
Sophomore guard Kenny Boynton
On getting shot back:
“I went to LA and worked with a guy on my shot. I spent about two days working with him and he came to Gainesville. When I got back I went to Vegas and was working out with the pre-draft guys and my shot was way more consistent. I was making more shots on a consistent basis.”
On the upcoming season:
“I am very excited. I know after playing with these guys what their strengths and weaknesses are. We have a year of experience with each other and now the freshmen have come in and they are working hard so we are excited to see what we can do and putting the pieces together in a game.”
On his shot:
“Basically, I am releasing it more in front of my head where as last year I never knew when it was going to go in, I was just shooting it. Now I know when it is optimal and how long it is going. I think it is a better shot now.”
On other parts of game that have improved:
“I worked a lot on my mid-range and finishing. In workouts I have been knocking down my mid-range shot a lot and that is something that I definitely wanted to work on.”
