Tubby Smith has been on the job as Gopher basketball coach since late March. Listening to Smith and others with knowledge of the program leaves an observer with early impressions.
Smith is optimistic about his three returning starting seniors, forward Dan Coleman, center Spencer Tollackson and guard Lawrence McKenzie. A change in coaching and the desire to improve could result in this trio being one of the more productive threesomes in the Big Ten Conference. Last season the group scored 1,179 of the team’s 1,880 points. The 63% total would have been higher except Tollackson missed eight of the team’s 31 games. (The three players also had 410 of the Gophers’ 984 rebounds).
Coleman’s off-season play has reportedly been impressive. Duly noted is the added aggressiveness in his game. Long and quick, the 6-foot-9 Coleman has been encouraged to be more assertive and consistent in the past. He’s the team’s most talented player and capable of a superb senior season including an increase in his 14.2 points per game scoring average of last season.
It’s puzzling to figure out where the help will come from to assist Coleman, Tollackson and McKenzie. Former coach Jim Molinari said last year that freshman Bryce Webster was the most highly recruited Gopher coming out of high school. The 6-foot-9 Webster, who averaged just 9.3 minutes and 1.2 points per game, appears passionate about the coming season. His improvement could add much needed low post scoring, plus shot blocking and rebounding.
McKenzie’s skills at shooting threes and occasionally slashing to the basket are better packaged as a shooting guard than a playmaker. The Gophers need a point guard worse than the NBA finals longed for TV viewers. Incoming freshman Blake Hoffarber is impressive with his decision making this spring, has a reputation for exceptional court sense and although known as a shooter could try out as the team’s point guard.
Basketball sources are consistent in messaging that Smith is an exceptional practice and game coach. He will produce more from his talent than many of his coaching peers. Along the way he will push his players hard but will be fair.
Personnel must obviously be improved in coming seasons for the Gophers to move way beyond the record of last season, 9-22 overall and 3-14 in Big Ten games, including a season ending nine game losing streak (includes the final loss in the conference post-season tournament).
For now there are questions about upgrading the personnel. How good are Smith and his assistants at recruiting? Will they approach recruiting more nationally than regionally? Certainly the Gophers will be more effective in keeping the state’s best players here, and Smith’s reputation as a former national championship coach opens opportunities to recruit here and elsewhere.
Recruiting glitz is much more visible than in the past. A high school senior next season, 7-foot Ralph Sampson, Jr. of Duluth, Georgia has shown interest in the Gophers. The son of former NBA great Ralph Sampson, Junior’s strengths include his outside shooting.
Smith has frequently been out of town either recruiting or fulfilling commitments made prior to being hired at Minnesota. While it’s been said Smith hasn’t been visible enough with the media and public, he has made friends and impressed locals with his personality and personal values.
Paul Presthus and other members of the Golden Dunkers executive group met with Smith for the first time a few days ago. Presthus was a Golden Dunkers founder and said that over 35 years the booster organization has provided about $3 million to Gopher basketball. Recent support has included video equipment and locker room renovation.
Presthus, a former Gopher captain, said people are even more excited about having Smith as coach after they meet him. “What he brings is such credibility in the community and in the basketball world,” Presthus said. “Now the opportunity is to build on that and I am confident it will happen.”