Colorado University Athletics
Tad Boyle Season Wrap Up Press Conference Quotes
March 29, 2016 | Men's Basketball
Colorado Head Coach Tad Boyle
On Reviewing the Season
“That situation in Des Moines was very hard for this year's team to accept. We went to the NCAA Tournament expecting to advance and we didn't. So it has taken some time to adjust. Right now we are in the process of having year-end meetings. I had a couple yesterday; I will have a couple more today and throughout the week with our players; both the outgoing seniors as well as the players that are returning. This is the time of year where you do reflect back on the season but now it's about each individual player, what they need to get better at, what they need to work on as we go into next year, along with how I can help our seniors as they go out. Having those frank, honest discussions with every member of our team in terms of where they stand as we go forward. From a team stand point, when the season ends it ends abruptly and it does that for everybody, but as I look at next year's team I am excited. We lose four good seniors, two guys that played a lot —obviously our leading scorer and leading rebounder Josh Scott — but we had two really good seniors sitting out, Xavier Johnson and Derrick White. So, I think we're going to be able to replace our production that our senior class gave us with those two guys as well as Bryce Peters and Deleon Brown, and whoever we end up signing late. What I don't know and what the unknown is; is how we are going to replace that leadership? As we look to last year's team and this year's team and even next year's team, you guys all know how important leadership is. So that's going to be the challenge I have with next year's five seniors.”
On Derrick White
“Well, I wish we had him for more than one year, let's put it that way. He's a special player; he is going to be able to affect the game in a lot of different ways. He can score, he can shoot, he can distribute the ball, he can rebound the ball, he can block shots for a guy that's 6'5”; he is a terrific defender. Derrick White is going to have a great year next year; there is no question in my mind. My only wish is that we had him for more than one year. But we are going take the year and get the most out of it with him, as well as the rest of our guys. He is going to be a terrific addition to this team. Buff fans are really going to enjoy watching him play next year.”
On Xavier Johnson
“XJ and I talked yesterday and had a great conversation. I think he's excited about next year and he has both feet in. He is going to be a big part in next year's team. We know that he is a proven guy at the Pac-12 level. We know he can score and rebound. He's still in the process of rounding back into shape. He's not 100 percent yet with that Achilles. I asked him yesterday when we talked and he said that he feels like he is 85 percent. He obviously has to drop some weight and get back into playing shape and he's in the process of doing that. Hopefully in the month of April, that's our goal with XJ, to get him to hopefully 100 percent and ready to go as we go into the off season.”
On Wesley Gordon
“Wes is one of the players that I have yet to sit down and speak with. But as Wes goes into his fifth year, the challenge that I am going to give him is, obviously Josh [Scott] is gone, and he going to have to bring a little bit more to the table. I really want him to step up in his leadership role now that Josh and Xavier [Talton] are gone. He is a fifth year senior, he's been here. I thought Wes really showed strides with his consistency this year for the first time game in and game out. I thought he was a guy we could really count on. I think it's not about taking possessions off, being a consistent performer, but now getting out of yourself and out of just 'Hey how is Wesley Gordon playing?' 'How is Wesley Gordon helping this team?,' and looking at it as a leader in terms of how are these other guys going to help us be successful as a team. So Wesley Gordon needs to become more of an outside of himself type player and this is a great opportunity for him to do that.”
On Foundation of the Team Moving Forward
“Our staff has been here for six years, and our biggest challenge, if you remember six years ago when I was introduced as the coach at Colorado, I said our goal is to build sustained success here. Six years later we have been to post season play every single year. We have been to four NCAA Tournaments; we have been to the final four of the NIT. We're on the brink of that sustained success; and we have lost some really good players since the time we have been here. We lost Alec Burks and Cory Higgins our first year. We lost Carlon Brown, Austin Dufault, Nate Tomlinson; Spencer Dinwiddie to the NBA, and Andre Roberson to the NBA. We have lost some really good players and now we are losing Josh Scott and we have been able to continue on. And that's why I say, 'it's not about replacing the production' because Josh Scott's rebounds and Josh Scott's points we will be able to replace those. It may not be by just one guy but it will be by a combination of guys stepping their game up and that's the challenge to our players, 'what are you guys going to do to get better and to produce more next year than you did this year.' Whether it's George King, Wesley Gordon or Dominque Collier, you name the guy. But we all have to step up. Obviously having a guy like Xavier Johnson sitting out, who's a proven player, Derrick White who's a very talented guy; the production we will replace, the leadership that Josh Scott gave his team this year is the biggest concern I have as we move forward. How are we going to replace that? Who are the guys that are going to step into that role? We are going to figure that out in the next six to seven months. That's the answer we have to have. I think we have sustained success, we want to continue to sustain success and we want to move forward and not only get into the NCAA Tournament bid, we want to get to the point where we are playing for an NCAA Tournament seed. I look at this year's team and I look at the Utah game at home, the Utah game on the road, the USC game on the road — all of those missed opportunities. If we take care of business, instead of being an eight seed, maybe we're a six seed, maybe we are a five seed and then maybe we are playing into the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament and maybe beyond. That's where this program, in terms of my vision, is going forward and I think next years' team as all of the ingredients to be pretty special.”
On Dominique Collier
“Dominique, I think, certainly showed strides this year in terms of getting better. You look at the way he shot the ball, especially from the three-point range relative to his freshman year; made great strides there. He made some good plays for us at critical times, made big shots for us at critical times. Dominique, I think going back, is a lot like Wesley [Gordon] was at the same point in his career. Now it has to be about consistent production not just spot production. Especially at that point guard position and role, he has got to be able to learn how to finish games, how to take control of the team. One of our challenges this year was finishing games in the second half. Look we came back from a lot of deficits, especially early in the year and even at times in Pac-12 play. We came back from deficits and won games but we also had some situations where we had leads and we weren't able to protect them and finish games, and that really falls on guys like Dominique, Thomas [Akyazili], George [King], perimeter players that have the ball in their hands at those ends of games. We have to finish games better than we did next year. To me that's where Dominique making strides for next year he has to make some improvements. But I thought he had a good sophomore year. As I look back I kind of wish we would have redshirted him as a freshman but we didn't. So now is the time for him to make major strides and he is capable of doing it, there's no question.
On Incoming Guards Bryce Peters and Deleon Brown
“As I look at our point guard position, you have Dominique Collier and Thomas Akyazili, both guys that are capable. But we also have Deleon Brown and Bryce Peters coming in that are both capable guys that can run the point. They are not necessarily true point guards. I would categorize them as combo guys, they can play the point but they can also get off ball because they can shoot the ball well enough. Both have good size and length for that position. So again, it might be a situation that there is some competition for that spot. Dom will be pushed, there is no question, those guys are capable of coming in and pushing him. What I would say with those two guys, with Deleon and Bryce coming in, where they have an opportunity to make an impact is defensively. As I have said this during the season, I said this after the season and I will say it now, this team never had a perimeter defensive stopper all year long, it never emerged. So can it emerge between now and when we take the floor next year, that's the question. If I'm Deleon Brown or Bryce Peters, I am coming in and saying, 'I am going to guard and I am going to guard anybody and everybody I can,' because if they do that they will have a chance to bypass some players in our program in terms of playing time. So, that's the challenge. If you look at the UConn game; UConn's three leading scorers were there ones, twos, and threes. We couldn't stop their guard play when we had to stop their guard play, and we weren't able to do that all year long. Our interior defense was not an issue; our perimeter defense was an issue all year long. As we go forward, I am going to throw that challenge out to every one of our players.
On Team's Mental Toughness
“I don't think we're a mentally weak team. You can use the adjective of toughness and the antithesis of that is softness. I don't think we're a soft team; I don't think we're a necessarily a mentally tough team and as tough as we need to be to advance. That is done by challenging our guys and watching film. They've got to get their skill-set to a point where they can handle pressure and perform under pressure. That's going to be a challenge as we move forward. Some of that comes with maturation – going from a freshman to a sophomore and going from a sophomore to a junior. You have that natural progression of developing that as you go. Some of it comes from the freshmen coming in and pushing and competing. It happens in practice and happens in our pickup games or it doesn't happen. That's the challenge – every one of our players, especially our perimeter players, when it comes to holding those leads, taking care of the basketball, making good decisions with the basketball. That's where our strides need to come. Mental toughness is a part of that.”
On This Year's Final Four Teams
“They're all playing their best basketball at the right time. You look at a team like Syracuse who's a 10-seed: they lost five of their last six games leading into the tournament. Their RPI was in the 70's. There's a lot of people that could argue that they didn't deserve to be in the tournament. Obviously they do, because they've advanced. It reminds me of the George Mason team from a few years ago that barely got in the tournament. They get hot and they're playing their best basketball at the right time. North Carolina is clicking on all cylinders right now. Oklahoma has been good all year. You have to be playing your best basketball. You have to get a little bit lucky; the ball's got to bounce your way. They all didn't get there by steamrolling their way to the Final Four. They've had some bounces go their way. They're all playing their best basketball in the month of March and that's what you want to be able to do.”
On Violations By Other Teams
“There's frustration. I don't know what goes on at other programs, but I have an idea of who's doing things the right way and who's not. There is some frustration; I'd be lying if I said there wasn't. I think if you're not running your program the right way – I'm not casting stones on anybody – but if you get into issues with the NCAA and compliance – there are a lot of people who argue against this – but taking postseason play away is the sucker punch that the NCAA has, to send a message that that's not acceptable. Suspending a coach is not effective. I'm not talking about any program in particular, but there are programs that do it the right way and there are programs who operate the gray area, and there are programs who cheat. That's why we have compliance officers at every institution; that's why we have NCAA enforcement staff. I think they do a good job. There's a lot of moving targets when it comes to that. I know how we operate this program and I'm very proud of that. When you see other programs that maybe live in the gray area it is frustrating, but that's life.”
On Possibility Of Attrition
“There very well could be. That's why the discussions I'm having with our players are frank, honest, and I'm not holding back any punches. Every decision that I make as a head coach, especially starting in September and October through March, is strictly with our team's best interests at heart. Sometimes our players have to make sacrifices during those months and I ask them to; to be team players and do what's right for the program. Now that the season's over with and I'm having these individual meetings it's about what is best for that young man. They all came here, because they felt like this is a place for them to further their education and play college basketball. When it comes to playing time and where they fit in the program, I'm honest with them. Where they are today isn't necessarily where they'll be tomorrow. They're aware of the players around them; they're smart kids. They have to make the decisions that are best for them. I'm going to support them in those decisions and I'm going to help them with those decisions. The ultimate decision will be with the young man. If a player ever leaves Colorado, he's going to leave on his terms not on my terms. It's very important that everybody knows that. Last year we lost Jaron Hopkins and Dustin Thomas. Those decisions those kids made to leave were their decisions. If we have attrition this year it's because those players made those decisions not the coach making the decision for them. This time of year, you see it with every college team, men's players or women's players.”
On Plans For Players During The Summer
“They're going to be around here in June. I'm very thankful to our administration – Ceal Barry, Rick George, Phil DiStefano. They're wonderful people to work for as a coach, because they trust us. When we ask for something, they will do everything they can do to deliver on their part. This year, we're going back to our traditional schedule. The players may or may not be here for May for Maymester; most of them probably not, because they need a break at the end of the semester. They'll all be here in June. We'll be running our basketball camps, they'll be in summer school, and lifting. June's a very important month. July is up to them. If somebody needs to take a summer class and stick around Boulder, they can but they don't have to. A lot of them will go home in July and come back in August ready to go. We'll figure that out for summer school and how they finish up academically this spring plays a part in that. The plan is to be here in June and do what they need to do in July and come back in August.”
On Development Of George King
“Obviously everybody knows that he belongs, he knows he belongs, he did have a break out year – I'm really proud of him. The exciting thing about George is the ceiling is much higher than where he is right now. The conversations I have with George will be about assist-to-turnover ratio is something that he's got to concentrate on and get better at. He can make plays for himself and now he's got to be able to make plays for his teammates. That's the next step for him – to be a facilitator as well as a scorer. He can really shoot the ball. Getting better off the dribble, finishing at the rim, finishing with contact, and finishing in the lane will be key as well. He's got to become a better rebounder. He's got great size, length, and strength. There's no reason that he can't be a double-double guy in my mind. Defensively, continue to get better in that area. George has a lot of areas that he can get better at. The one thing we know about George about his redshirt year is that he's got great work ethic. He's going to take any challenges we give him and he's going to work on them. That's the exciting part about not only redshirting kids, but having them go through your program over a multitude of years and see that improvement. He's got some things to work on and get better at. He knows that and he's eager to do it. One thing we know about George is he's going to put the time in the gym to do it.”
On Filling Roster Based On Need Versus Best Player Available
“You recruit based on need. There's sometimes things happen when a player becomes available that's so good – Derrick White's a good example – you better get him. He's a difference-maker. As I look at our roster, we do have one scholarship on paper that's going to be filled with a big. If another one comes open, we'll fill it with a big. After that, you take the best player depending on what attrition we have. We need to add big guys to this roster. The game of college basketball is changing much like the game in the NBA is changing in that a lot of teams that used to play with two bigs are playing with four guards and one big. As Xavier Johnson comes back to our program, one of the things I talked to him was we're going to play four perimeter players at times and he's going to have to help us rebound and guard four-men and maybe point guards and anybody in-between. He's not the only one. Guards are going to have to guard big guys. The way the game is going is more towards four guards and a big versus three perimeter players and two bigs. I think we'll have a hybrid kind of team in terms of playing both ways.”
On If The Style Of Game, Changes The Team's Strategy
“It's not going to change our philosophy and emphasis on defense and rebounding, but it's going to change that your personnel might be a bit different in terms of getting that done. You have to recruit guys who are going to understand that and that are willing to do what you're asking them to do. That means your wings are going to have to become better rebounders. We lose Josh Scott, so George King has going to have to become a better rebounder. We lose Josh Scott, so Tre'Shaun Fletcher has to become a better rebounder. We lose Josh Scott, so Wesley Gordon's got to get a few more extra rebounds a game. Our philosophy's not going to change, but our players, in terms of what they bring to the table, has to change a little bit. We're always going to recruit the best players we can get. I'm not going to sign a big guy just because he's big. If we've got a guy who's seven feet that can't play and if you got a guy who's 6-7 who can play, I'm going to take the 6-7 guy that can play and we're going to figure it out. With that being said, the big guys are harder to get. It's a supply-demand situation. Sometimes you have to take a chance on a big guy and sometimes that works out and sometimes that doesn't work out. I always say with recruiting, 'It's not a matter of who you want, but who can you get.' That's the thing that's challenging.”
On Giving Josh Scott Advice
“Every player's different. Some guys ask for more. Josh is in the process of hiring an agent. He's asked for my input and asked my advice and I'm giving it to him. The decision's going to be his and it's a decision for him and his family. Spencer [Dinwiddie] asked for a lot of input and guidance; [Andre] not so much; Alec [Burks] a little bit. Every player is different when it comes to that, but I'm here for them. My job as their coach doesn't stop when their playing days are over. Hopefully, I can be a guy who can help Josh for the rest of his life as long as I'm around. Same with any other player who's played for us. Josh and I have a great relationship. He values my thoughts and opinions. I certainly valued his while he was here and I still do. I'll give him any kind of help he needs as he goes through the transition of being a college player to being a pro. He'll be a great pro, because he's a pretty mature guy.”
On Impressions Of New Women's Basketball Coach JR Payne
“I did get a chance to visit with her briefly. I'm excited for her. Anytime there's a coaching change, as a fellow coach it's bitter-sweet. I've got a lot of respect for Linda [Lappe] and her staff. You hate to see things not work out. As I look at JR, I think Rick George said it best. What I really respect is that she's taken over two programs that have been down. Some people talk about their record and that may be a negative thing, but I don't look at it that way. I look at JR taking over Southern Utah when it's down and a losing program and building it into a winner. I look at her taking over Santa Clara, being down and turning it into a winner. I look at that as a positive thing and not necessarily a negative thing. Now that has the opportunity to be at a Pac-12 school and have all of the resources that a place like the University of Colorado can give her and her staff. I'm excited for her. They deserve success and I think she's a great hire.”
On Progression Of Tory Miller
“The biggest improvement usually in college basketball comes from the summer between your freshman and sophomore year. I look at Josh Scott and what he did. I look at George King – I know he redshirted – but the improvement he made. Tory Miller's improvement from his freshman year to his sophomore year was terrific. He became a guy down the stretch that we wanted give him the ball in the low-post. His freshman year when it went down there it was like, 'I hope he doesn't turn it over. Let's play inside-out and kick it back out.' I wasn't too confident in Tory in operations in the low-post. As his sophomore year progressed, he was a guy that we wanted to get the ball and get him touches. He delivered. If Tory can continue on that progression of improvement, now he can improve on his perimeter jump shot. That's something he needs to look at as he goes forward. Tory Miller has great work ethic. You look at what he did to his body; he went from 255 to 238. He became more explosive, ran the floor better, and became a better defender. He made great strides and great progress. That's one of the things we pride ourselves at this program is development of players. It starts with the player. What do the players do to transform their bodies and transform their games in the off-season? That's the challenge every one of our players has. If Tory continues the path he's on, he's going to be a much better player as a junior than he was as a sophomore. That's exciting, because he brings as much energy and enthusiasm to the table as any player we have. I love the kid. You talk about my affinity for Josh Scott. I've got the same kind of affinity for a lot of our players, but Tory is certainly one of them because he works so hard and wants to do well. He's going to be a terrific player and we're going to need him to be. With Josh leaving, we know what Wes [Gordon] can bring. Tory is going to be asked to do more in terms of rebounding and scoring the ball and hopefully making some jump shots for us.”
