Johnson discusses how the Hokies are looking
James Johnson met with the media Monday to talk about how his team is looking with two scrimmages and many practices under its belt, and with the season opening next week. Here is what he said.
On how the team is looking: “Offensively we’re picking up what we’re trying to do. We’re running. We’re getting out and running. I’d like to run on makes a little bit more, get the basketball out quick and run a little bit more on makes. But I think we’re making progress, definitely offensively. Defensively, we’ve got some things we’ve got to work on. We’re trying to determine how we’re going to guard ball screens.”
On what the scrimmages have told you about how much you will be able to run: “We’re going to be able to run offensively. I think that the guys are buying into it. It’s fun, but I think they’re kind of figuring out exactly what it takes and how much energy and what type of condition you need to be in to run.”
On why he’s running this year instead of waiting till next year when you have more bodies: “I’ve got to try to implement the program I want piece by piece. Because I only have one senior, I don’t want it to be a complete new rebuilding thing or new teaching thimg next year. I want to kind of implement a lot of the things we’re going to try to do in the program in the future. Offensively right now, it fits our personnel also. I want to try to get that in and try to get up and down the floor and try to get some easy baskets too, where we don’t have to grind it out five on five … and the defense is kind of zoning in on Erick Green the whole time.”
On whether the team has a second scorer: “We’ve got some guys out there I think will be able to put the basketball in the hole for us. Robert Brown, Jarell Eddie, Cadarian Raines. … We’ve got some guys that will be able to help take the load off of Erick where it’s not just going to have to be him every night. He’s going to be a primary scorer for us, but we’ve got some other guys.
“Brown can get his own (shot), and Jarell Eddie with the way we’re going to play, that’s going to fit right into him getting out, running, spotting up and he’s getting better at putting the ball on the floor, getting his own shot. I’m going to do some things with him as far as maybe post him up a little bit, run him off some screens into the post to help create some baskets for him. But he’s getting better at putting the ball on the floor, one or two dribbles and getting a pull-up shot.”
On Brown’s return from foot surgery in the offseason: “A little bit of rust … His timing is just off a little bit with getting up and down the floor.”
On the big guys in the offense: “I’m really pleased with the way those big guys are running the floor. I want our guards to look at them and try to get them the ball a little more.”
On the walk-ons who are most impressive: “Johnston, because of our lack of depth in the backcourt. might be a guy that can come in and give us some minutes. He can really shoot. … Beyer, 6-7 athletic guy that can shoot.”
On the starting forward jobs: “Right now Jarell Eddie is looking sold at the 3 and CJ Barksdale is looking solid at the 4.”
On Raines: “The biggest difference is mentally. We’re going to him. We have a couple plays, isolation plays just for him. He knows they’re his plays.”
On Marshall Wood: “He comes to work every day. He brings his lunchpail … He works hard. .. He’s got very good instincts around the glass. He knows where the ball is. That’s been a big surprise.”
On whether this can be a better rebounding team than last year: “I don’t know if it will be a better rebounding team. We can be as good. We don’t have a dominant rebounder. We need all guys to rebound. I’m counting on Jarell Eddie to rebound a lot from the 3 spot. I’m counting on CJ Barksdale. I’m counting on Cadarian Raines, Joey.”
But don’t you need to be better at rebounding than you were last season? “We’ve got to be better. You’ve got to rebound the basketball. We can’t allow second shots. To play the way we want to play, to run, you’ve got to get stops and rebound and get an outlet (pass). You don’t want to have to take the ball out every single time and try to grind it up the floor.”
On the defense: “I want to get to where we’re extending the defense, we’re pressing and trapping fullcourt. I think right now that’s going to have to be a situational thing this year with the lack of depth.”
October 30, 2012 - 1:53 AM
Johnson knows he’s got at least a couple of free pass years from Weaver, where the team can be really bad and he’s still not on the hot seat. Trying to implement his system now makes more sense, for the reasons he explained. It will guarantee some horrible losses to elite teams, though. But then, Johnson gets the free pass, so only fan pride and team reputation will be affected. It does sound like the one facet he’s not pushing as hard is on defense, which is interesting, since that is supposed to be his specialty.
The real place where he needs to excel immediately is in recruiting. Getting mid-major talent players or worse will not cut it. His coaching staff need to step up big time right away there.
Securing four commitments within 5 months on the job? Two decent big men, two decent shooting guards. One of which is a top 100 recruit? In my opinion, seems like JJ has done a more than adequate with his recruiting so far. Looking forward to watching this team play this year.
crooked, I’m not so sure Johnson has any free pass time. You have to remember, these couple of years of “free pass” you talk about, those are Weaver’s last years as AD. He might be replaced by somebody that wants to come in and take a short-term look at where things are, and make some moves.
It will all depend on who occupies the AD seat. If it is an internal elevation, yeah, he might have some free time, but if it is somebody from outside, he may need to hit the ground running.
ward, on the recruiting, 1 of 4 being top 100 recruits is not going to cut it. To compete in the ACC, it needs to be 3 of 4. Tech has landed a lot of top 100′s lately, and is still on the outside looking in.
RH, I am starting to get the impression that Jim Weaver is going to pull a Frank Beamer in that he’s already trying to maneuver his replacement into place from within the current athletic department employees. If that happens, it will be very unfortunate, to be blunt. Just as is Frank maneuvers Shane into replacing himself, it will be very unfortunate.
The one component the VTAD needs desperately is not more ‘family’, it needs more oxygen, fresh air & fresh perspectives from outside.
As to the rationalization above about the current recruiting crop – it seems somebody is forgetting we play in the ACC in basketball, which is the premiere conference, and in the top three in a bad season. Having 3 of 4 recruits not being ranked in the top 100, and 2 of those 3 not even being ranked in the top 250 is NOT ‘above average’ for a team supposedly intent on making the NCAA tourney from a BCS conference. When the most complimentary you can be of a recruit is that they’re ‘decent’, well… excuse me for laughing…
Our next AD is going to be Beamer once he retires in a couple of years and he’s going to hire shane as the next head coach and it all goes down hill from their!
No one who is reasonable can expect Johnson to cone out and say anything meaningful yet, if at all. This is all coach platitude stuff. If we are anything better than dreadful I will be surprised. Happily. CR wrote the other day saying he thinks this hoops season will make us fond for football.
Drew,
I have great admiration for and appreciate Frank Beamer’s many accomplishments I do not see being the next AD as his next step. Having held executive oversight responsibilities with an AD reporting to me at a national power and national championship small college program at Georgetown College, Ky, for 5 year while no VT, the management skill set at that level is significant.We need a strategic visionary who is enlightened to modern day intercollegiate athletics. Here in Sou Cal, at USC, they were very strategic and open minded in naming Pat Haden, a highly successful business person, former great QB, for the Trojans as the new AD, is doing a wonderful job. Virginia Tech can name their person, we do not think big enough!! Tech in numerous appointments across the university is far too inbred!! Regarding Coach Johnson, he will exceed expectations..we must support him, And the Hokie Nation needs to get off its fanny and strongly support the Basketball Program….I played there many years ago, I get the impression its become a low interest program, Yes I’m very prejudiced to my sport,,and to ALL SPORTS AT TECH AND WANT TO SEE OUR KIDS GET THAT DEGREE. Please explain what you will say in your meeting with Bud Foster when he is advised Shane is the new Football Coach?? GO HOKIES IN THE GOOD AND THE NOT SO GOOD TIMES!! The athletic program has become somewhat stale! MAJOR STRATEGIC VISIONARY DIRECTIONS AND CHANGE ARE ESSENTIAL.
DrHMP, you were & remain a great representative of Hokie Nation. A legend to those who open the record books. You make the most solid point about the next AD for VaTech. That person needs to have business experience, hopefully in the sports world, and not look at the job as a step towards retirement, like was done back in the day several decades ago.
Your last statement also touches on another factor I think will be critical – bringing in outside personnel. The VTAD desperately needs a breath of fresh air, some people from outside. yes, ‘family’ is nice, but family becomes inbred after a while. There are other successful athletic departments across the nation, and we could use perspective that comes from outside the Hokie bubble. As you said, visionary direction. That often requires change, which seems to frighten far too many.