Indiana University Athletics
Miller Previews Exhibition Game Against Marian
10/27/2017 4:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BLOOMINGTON, Indiana - On Friday afternoon, Indiana head coach Archie Miller along with De'Ron Davis and Freddie McSwain Jr. met with members of the media to preview Saturday's first exhibition game against Marian University (8 p.m., BTN Plus). Below is video of the press conferences along with a full transcript of Coach Miller's press conference..
Opening Statement:
MILLER: "This will be our first opportunity against somebody other than ourselves. It'll be the first time this group has to figure out a rotation and see how it goes. But we are definitely really excited about the opportunity to play. And we've had really good work this week. Yesterday was one of our best practices. We could see some guys are starting to pick up on some things and just trying to improve every day. The guys have continued to have really good attitudes so we'll see. We have one work day today. We will have our first game day shoot around tomorrow and then at eight o'clock we'll be able to see where we're at."
On balancing playing time for everyone and looking at rotations:
MILLER: "Yeah that a good question. I think a lot of the times you into the deal with a scripted first half rotation and giving guys either big windows or even an opportunity to get small windows. The second half comes and you sort of want to get the feel of the game I think that's always been our philosophy. As we go into tomorrow, it's a little bit uncharted water for me as the coach and for our staff because we haven't coached these guys in a game so you don't know what to expect. I think everyone that's available to play in the game will get an opportunity at some point in time to see what they can do. For me, I'm really looking forward to putting a group out there that can play well. And whoever is playing well is going to play. And we're going to try to win the game."
Where do you see yourself offensively and defensively?
Miller: "From an offensive standpoint, we're right in line where my teams have been heading into the first expedition. It's probably about 75-80 percent. Defensively, probably about the same. Right where we're headed into this opportunity to play tomorrow is pretty much where our teams have been at this same stature, in years past. The big thing for tomorrow is it's the first time for this group to have five guys on the court. You got some guys sitting on the bench for the first time so this is a realization 'Wow', minutes and all that stuff get divvied out. What you're doing in practice every day is going to be, so to speak, what you've earned. But I would say were right in line, 75-80 percent. We have got some ways to go offensively. Defensively I think our base is in, we have to learn to be a little bit more complex, playing against different styles. Obviously, that's going to happen with scouting and what not. We're right where we should be."
Any update on injuries?
Miller: "Yeah you know, last Friday we had three guys that were held out as a precaution and I think as we head in to the Marian game tomorrow, unless something changes significantly, I think that Al Durham and Collin Hartman will both be held out of the game. Again, precautionary stuff. Collin has an ankle that's coming back off of a really good sprain so there is no reason to do anything with him right now other then get him full strength. Al has dealt with the hamstring issue. Unfortunately for him, this is his second time it's been tweaked so we really don't want this to linger for him. I could see where those two guys would be out. Josh (Newkirk) was a full go in practice yesterday. Barring something today, we'll probably head in to the game tomorrow with those two guys not playing."
On how the team is improving defensively:
MILLER: "We are working hard at it. One thing about defense is that it's just the same as offense, you can watch guys develop. When you watch guys develop, most people will watch a guy on the offensive end. And what no one really understands is that if you play a certain defense every single day of practice and you get older as a sophomore and junior, you are developing and you are knowing what you are doing.
"One thing that's unique here, and we haven't had to do this in a long time, we are teaching the seniors the same as what we are teaching the freshmen. So it's a group of people having to learn at the same time with no evidence of someone saying 'This is how you do it' or 'Watch this junior or senior on film in practice'. Everybody is learning the same. As I have watched our practices, I think our effort level is good. I think our technique is pretty good. But our positioning, our connectedness, our communication, those types of things, we are at a low level. You can only get so good in practice. Eventually, you have to see yourself against another team on film and video. And I think that really increases and speeds up the learning curve. But it is a challenge. These guys are learning everything new.
"I know what is going to happen is everything that we talk about every day in practice is there and then once you get into the game, and fatigue starts to set in and we get tired and have subs coming in, you will watch us struggle on defense at times. I know that will be a fact. But we are right where we should be in terms of this group. I think they understand how important it is. They understand what we do every day in practice. They are starting to get accustomed to how we practice. It's a much different style of practice than what they have been used to in the past. The physicality of what we are doing – I think guys are starting to absorb that as well. I like where we are at. I like their buy-in. It's not going away, it's just an everyday process."
On establishing a gameday routine:
MILLER: "Yeah, you get so entrenched with your own personal gameday routine and with your staff and your team knows what to expect on gameday. This will be the first time, tomorrow, that we go through what a normal gameday routine will be. And our staff is going through it for the first time. I think it is good to play a Saturday night game, where they are not in class. I would have preferred to have one exhibition game during the week so they have to adjust during the classes during the day. It's definitely a change for everybody, learning how everything works around here and then if you like it or don't like it and how do you change it. It will be different than what they are accustomed to but they will get used to it quick because we play a lot of games."
On new guys playing in front of Assembly crowd
MILLER: "I think it's always a great opportunity to play in front of crowds. I think Hoosier Hysteria the other night being able to play in front of that type of crowd is probably a good thing. Those guys being there and understand what it feels like. When it counts for real, when there is a winner and a loser, obviously you want to see who can not shy away from the moment and who's doing what you are asking them to do rather than focusing in on what they are worried about. I think they will get used to it and they've got to get broke in. They have to get out there and play and make mistakes. They have to find ways to get better. I think all of our guys will be ready to play."
On Marian challenges
MILLER: "It's a brand-new regime there with Coach Heady coming in. I think they have six or seven new faces that they are adding to the mix. They are probably a lot like us where they are getting ready to get started. I'm not as concerned about the scouting element of things in this first one it's more going to be what we are trying to accomplish and executing our system on the fly against somebody else. Having to make some adjustments during the game and seeing who can execute regardless of how we are playing. So, we will be more in that mode but I think it's going to be a good to be out there against somebody doing something they haven't seen."
Opening Statement:
MILLER: "This will be our first opportunity against somebody other than ourselves. It'll be the first time this group has to figure out a rotation and see how it goes. But we are definitely really excited about the opportunity to play. And we've had really good work this week. Yesterday was one of our best practices. We could see some guys are starting to pick up on some things and just trying to improve every day. The guys have continued to have really good attitudes so we'll see. We have one work day today. We will have our first game day shoot around tomorrow and then at eight o'clock we'll be able to see where we're at."
On balancing playing time for everyone and looking at rotations:
MILLER: "Yeah that a good question. I think a lot of the times you into the deal with a scripted first half rotation and giving guys either big windows or even an opportunity to get small windows. The second half comes and you sort of want to get the feel of the game I think that's always been our philosophy. As we go into tomorrow, it's a little bit uncharted water for me as the coach and for our staff because we haven't coached these guys in a game so you don't know what to expect. I think everyone that's available to play in the game will get an opportunity at some point in time to see what they can do. For me, I'm really looking forward to putting a group out there that can play well. And whoever is playing well is going to play. And we're going to try to win the game."
Where do you see yourself offensively and defensively?
Miller: "From an offensive standpoint, we're right in line where my teams have been heading into the first expedition. It's probably about 75-80 percent. Defensively, probably about the same. Right where we're headed into this opportunity to play tomorrow is pretty much where our teams have been at this same stature, in years past. The big thing for tomorrow is it's the first time for this group to have five guys on the court. You got some guys sitting on the bench for the first time so this is a realization 'Wow', minutes and all that stuff get divvied out. What you're doing in practice every day is going to be, so to speak, what you've earned. But I would say were right in line, 75-80 percent. We have got some ways to go offensively. Defensively I think our base is in, we have to learn to be a little bit more complex, playing against different styles. Obviously, that's going to happen with scouting and what not. We're right where we should be."
Any update on injuries?
Miller: "Yeah you know, last Friday we had three guys that were held out as a precaution and I think as we head in to the Marian game tomorrow, unless something changes significantly, I think that Al Durham and Collin Hartman will both be held out of the game. Again, precautionary stuff. Collin has an ankle that's coming back off of a really good sprain so there is no reason to do anything with him right now other then get him full strength. Al has dealt with the hamstring issue. Unfortunately for him, this is his second time it's been tweaked so we really don't want this to linger for him. I could see where those two guys would be out. Josh (Newkirk) was a full go in practice yesterday. Barring something today, we'll probably head in to the game tomorrow with those two guys not playing."
On how the team is improving defensively:
MILLER: "We are working hard at it. One thing about defense is that it's just the same as offense, you can watch guys develop. When you watch guys develop, most people will watch a guy on the offensive end. And what no one really understands is that if you play a certain defense every single day of practice and you get older as a sophomore and junior, you are developing and you are knowing what you are doing.
"One thing that's unique here, and we haven't had to do this in a long time, we are teaching the seniors the same as what we are teaching the freshmen. So it's a group of people having to learn at the same time with no evidence of someone saying 'This is how you do it' or 'Watch this junior or senior on film in practice'. Everybody is learning the same. As I have watched our practices, I think our effort level is good. I think our technique is pretty good. But our positioning, our connectedness, our communication, those types of things, we are at a low level. You can only get so good in practice. Eventually, you have to see yourself against another team on film and video. And I think that really increases and speeds up the learning curve. But it is a challenge. These guys are learning everything new.
"I know what is going to happen is everything that we talk about every day in practice is there and then once you get into the game, and fatigue starts to set in and we get tired and have subs coming in, you will watch us struggle on defense at times. I know that will be a fact. But we are right where we should be in terms of this group. I think they understand how important it is. They understand what we do every day in practice. They are starting to get accustomed to how we practice. It's a much different style of practice than what they have been used to in the past. The physicality of what we are doing – I think guys are starting to absorb that as well. I like where we are at. I like their buy-in. It's not going away, it's just an everyday process."
On establishing a gameday routine:
MILLER: "Yeah, you get so entrenched with your own personal gameday routine and with your staff and your team knows what to expect on gameday. This will be the first time, tomorrow, that we go through what a normal gameday routine will be. And our staff is going through it for the first time. I think it is good to play a Saturday night game, where they are not in class. I would have preferred to have one exhibition game during the week so they have to adjust during the classes during the day. It's definitely a change for everybody, learning how everything works around here and then if you like it or don't like it and how do you change it. It will be different than what they are accustomed to but they will get used to it quick because we play a lot of games."
On new guys playing in front of Assembly crowd
MILLER: "I think it's always a great opportunity to play in front of crowds. I think Hoosier Hysteria the other night being able to play in front of that type of crowd is probably a good thing. Those guys being there and understand what it feels like. When it counts for real, when there is a winner and a loser, obviously you want to see who can not shy away from the moment and who's doing what you are asking them to do rather than focusing in on what they are worried about. I think they will get used to it and they've got to get broke in. They have to get out there and play and make mistakes. They have to find ways to get better. I think all of our guys will be ready to play."
On Marian challenges
MILLER: "It's a brand-new regime there with Coach Heady coming in. I think they have six or seven new faces that they are adding to the mix. They are probably a lot like us where they are getting ready to get started. I'm not as concerned about the scouting element of things in this first one it's more going to be what we are trying to accomplish and executing our system on the fly against somebody else. Having to make some adjustments during the game and seeing who can execute regardless of how we are playing. So, we will be more in that mode but I think it's going to be a good to be out there against somebody doing something they haven't seen."
Players Mentioned
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