Scott Dolson Hires DARIAN DEVRIES as Indiana's Next Head Coach [343]

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IU's month-long search has come to an end, as Scott Dolson officially named former Drake and WVU coach Darian DeVries as IU's 31st head coach on Tuesday afternoon.
Do we like the hire? What should DeVries' roster-building strategy look like? With the portal opening Monday, what should his top priorities be from day one? How high should expectations be for DeVries in year one and the rest of his tenure?
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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
All right, who's your fans? Indiana has their guy? Are?
What month long wait is over? At about a month?
A lot of speculation, a lot of misinformation swirling around,
and then, in classic Scott Dolson fashion, once the season ends,

(00:28):
he gets to work. After Tom Allen got fired, he
hired Kurt Signetti within a couple of days, maybe a
few days, give or take, and on Tuesday, less than
a week after the season ended, less than forty eight
hours after selection Sunday, Scott Dolson as his guy Darren Devrees,

(00:49):
Darren Devrees. I know it's d A R I N.
But it's Darren Devrees from West Virginia. He spent one
season with the Mountaineers, but really Devrees is an Iowa
boy through and through, went grew up there, went to
high school there, went to college there. He was an
assistant at Creighton for many many years, went back to Drake,

(01:10):
back across the border to Drake, where he was a
head coach for six seasons between before one year at
West Virginia. West Virginia, of course got scammed out of
the NCAA tournament because they put North Carolina's Brandon there instead.
Go Aztecs. Darren Devreese's new men's basketball coach at Indiana University.
We're going to discuss so much about that here on

(01:32):
episode three forty three of The Hoosier Sound, where we're
the official podcast of Indiana HQ, recording this edition on Tuesday,
March eighteenth, twenty twenty five, where I'm your snithy Christian.
Here with me is also my host, Matt Lukens. Matt,
you're in China. It's it is Wednesday there.

Speaker 2 (01:54):
It is Wednesday.

Speaker 1 (01:55):
It is Wednesday there. But the news reverberated all the
way to your residence, Darren Derees. The floor is yours.
I like it. How do you feel?

Speaker 2 (02:08):
You know, he wasn't my top candidate for the job.
And if I'm gonna be honest, you know, the the
rumors around IU came down to what three candidates. It
was a mystery candidate according to Jeff Goodman, but we
all know that it was probably somebody, some big wig somewhere. Yeah, yeah,

(02:30):
he did. He might have heard it. Devrees and then McCollum.
And if I'm being honest, I kind of wanted McCollum
more than Devrees. But that being said, I like Devrees.
I like the higher. I think the floor with Devrees
is high. And what I mean by that is like,

(02:52):
I don't think there's a way that he doesn't just
make the ncidum Lade tournament every year or maybe you
know three out of every years. Yeah, yeah, four out
of five. He makes the tournament like almost every year,
like clockwork. And if we're being honest with the state

(03:14):
of the program and where it's been at recently over
the last ten years, right, I U needs to get
back to competing not just for national titles, but for
just big ten titles in general. You know, you've only
really competed for a big ten title in the last
ten years, what twice? Right, and uh, you know you've

(03:38):
only won it once. I think in the last ten years.
That's unacceptable for a program with the uh, you know,
the utilities and the services and other resources and the
pedigree that IU has. You know, you put together a
roster last year on five million dollars in nil Worth

(04:02):
and you barely missed the tournament, which is completely unacceptable, right.
And I think when when we both talked about the
season going going into this year, we said, given the roster,
the floor is making the n CCA a tournament. Well,
Mike Woodson didn't achieve that. I think Darien or Darren

(04:23):
sorry Darren. Darren would absolutely have gotten this team into
the tournament. And what he did at West Virginia's year
was quite remarkable TVH because look, that was a team
that won the previous season nine games, right, that was
the whole uh you know, their coach gets fired. Huggy

(04:45):
gets fired right right for the season starts or right
like in yeah, rightfully, So he gets fired. The whole
roster just completely implodes. And so they go get their
guy and and Darren comes in obviously brings us on
over Tucker, and brings in a guy in Javon Small,
who both.

Speaker 1 (05:04):
He's not gonna go out of eligibility I believe.

Speaker 2 (05:07):
No, I know he's not coming to IU. But but
brought in a guy that just in Javon Small, that
both nith And and I wanted to be in an
Indiana Hoosier's uniform this year, and brought in a bunch
of other guys from other places and kind of glued
them together and created this roster. Well, they were doing
pretty well for the first eight games when Tucker was playing,
and then Tucker went down and they still kind of

(05:30):
readied the ship and A and A what I think
was a harder conference than the Big Ten this year,
in the Big twelve in basketball, in A in A
in A in a harder conference to win in. They
should have made the tournament this year and were absolutely
screwed out of it by a well, you guys know
the whole deal, because you also got scammed out right,

(05:53):
So they should have made the tournament this year without
their best player for majority of the year, which if
you had gone to Indiana and you have taken Omar
Ballo off of this this previous year's run roster, do
you think Mike Woodson would have been able to win
nineteen games that Tucker Derees was even more important than

(06:17):
Omar Bollo was. Shy you this year? I mean, and
you lose the heart and soul of your team, the
coach's son, and you still somehow almost make the tournament.
It's an incredible job. And that's just this last year.
I mean, he built up Drake from nothing, right, That
program was awful for the previous like fifteen years before

(06:39):
he had gotten there, and then in six years he
took them to a A you know what what they
make the the Did they win a tournament game while
he was there, I'm trying to remember they did anyway
they wanted.

Speaker 1 (06:51):
They won a first four game when he was there.
They made the tournament three out of the last four
years he was there.

Speaker 2 (06:57):
They became a tournament mainstay, right, and one big conference
or maybe a two big conference on any on any
given year, and that that's just very impressive. And then
look what his predecessor has done, right, Like McCollum comes in,
like I said, wins thirty games this year with them,

(07:18):
and they look like one of the better teams in
the country. And he basically built that program again from nothing.
So not he's gonna be not He's not building I
you for nothing. I you a ton of stuff. You
have a ton of people on the roster, Like I'm
fascinated to see what maybe, like if Luke Goodie can
get a medical red shirt, what him and uh, what

(07:40):
Tucker would look like together? Speaking of Tucker, you have
Bryson Tucker on the roster. Does is he somebody that
you look to maybe bring back as maybe a reclamation
project given that's freshman, you were going to go exactly
how people wanted it to go. You have the guards Miles, Rice,
and and and Carl. Well, like, are those people that

(08:02):
you're looking at keeping Malik renew? Obviously, I've I've made
it five names in and I haven't mentioned this sixteen
point per game score.

Speaker 1 (08:09):
How does he sixteen points? Yeah?

Speaker 2 (08:12):
Yeah? Like what do you like? How are you what's
his future look like in Bloomington. There's a lot of answers. Now,
there are a lot of questions with the roster. But
I trust in this guy to get a job done.

Speaker 1 (08:24):
Me too, I like this hire a lot. I like
it a lot more than the prospects of someone like
Ben McCollum. I know you said you maybe would have
liked McCollum a little bit more. I like the fact
that Devrees had a stepping stone job at West Virginia
for a year before coming over to Bloomington in a
year where West Virginia, as you mentioned, went through a

(08:44):
lot of adversity, a lot of difficulty, and again they
should have made the NCAA tournament. According to one of
the bracket Matrix people, overall, Devrees is someone who, after
you look into it more, looks better and better and
better as the next head coach of Indiana University. He
plays this type of basketball, the type of scheme that

(09:07):
I want to see. I like seeing guard focused basketball,
perimeter excellence, which Devrees not only got from someone like
Javon Small at West Virginia. He got it from Tucker
Devrees at Drake as two time Missouri Valley Player of
the Year the Larry Bird Trophy. He had a connection there.

(09:28):
He also got it from Doug McDermott when Devrees was
an assistant at Creighton. Doug McDermott one of the best
college basketball players in modern history, largely a product of
great coaching from Greg McDermott at Creyton. Of course, there
Darren Derees served as an assistant. And then you look

(09:50):
at someone who emphasizes three point shooting, and West Virginia,
even after injuries, played really good defense last year in
a season that should have ended in the NCAAH Tournament bid.
Guards threes, skilled on the perimeter. They won't like Indiana's
not going to scorch people with pace under Derees. They're
not going to run high flying track meet basketball. But

(10:11):
that's okay, right. You want to coach who knows what
his identity is what his playing style is and hammer
that home from day one. The record for Derees is
impeccable seventy one percent win percentage across seven seasons as
a head coach, six at Drake, one at West Virginia.
In an absolutely shambalic season for the Mountaineers because of injury,

(10:35):
he still put up a nineteen and thirteen season five
hundred record and a tough conference with teams like Houston
and Arizona in the league that I missed out several
teams as well. They're Texas Tech, Baylor, very very very
tough league, and he held his own in a conference
in his first season. Indiana and West Virginia were both
in Atlantis back in November, three days that IU fans

(10:59):
want forget. That was actually very very productive stepping you know,
sort of step stool pedestal for West Virginia there they
were so new to start last season. They had a
very very good trip to Atlantis across the three games
that they played. You know, I wish Indiana's three games
and Atlantis went like West Virginia's looking back to looking

(11:22):
back to November. And so you sit here and you
see Derees has a seventy one percent career win percentage,
three tourneys in his last four seasons. That Drake he
missed out in twenty twenty five with West Virginia, but
of course, as we mentioned before, we all would have
anticipated West Virginia to be in the field, and so
you know they were. They were just scammed out. I

(11:43):
love this tweet that Justin Albert sent out. He's a
former writer for IU Sports. Derese has flat out exceeded
Ken Palm preseason projections each of the last five years
on average. On average, now there was one year there
where they fell below expectations, but Drez's teams have finished
nearly fifty three spots higher than projected on average over
the last five seasons. Fifty three spots above expectation. That's

(12:08):
what I want to see. Indiana over the last fifteen
twenty years has been filled with coaches that fall below expectation.
That's how it's been outside of outside of the twenty
sixteen Big Ten title run. I know it's hard harsh
to say, but even Indiana team lost to Syracuse in
the Sweet sixteen, that was a below expectation season. That

(12:33):
that season, the Oladipo Zeller season that sort of tipped
off a decade plus of frustrating basketball that we've seen
here with the men's program at Indiana. That started with
a below average performance in the twenty twelve thirteen season,
and it's kind of continued since. Indiana has been minus

(12:53):
twenty relative to Ken ponmp preseason expectation on average over
the last five years. Devrees plus fifty. I think that's
an eye popping number when you consider that Derez is
doing this at the mid major level with Drake, and
then you tack on the season at West Virginia where
they were pre season eighty fifth. Yeah, finished fifty third.

(13:18):
Obviously they would have liked to make the tournament, but
at a school like West Virginia where they were thrown
into the fire with Bob Huggins, d you why and
firing him out of nowhere. Devrees came along and did
a pretty stellar job to get the Mountaineers into a
pretty good position. I'm I'm happy with the move. Scott

(13:40):
Dolson has found his guy. Just a couple of quotes
that stands out. Dolson said, we went into this coaching
search with some very specific things they were looking for.
Darren emerged as someone who on paper met and often
exceeded our criteria when you think about Devrees himself. The

(14:00):
coach also released a quote through IU saying this is
unquestionably one of the top jobs in America. Devrees, who
grew up in Iowa, says that as someone who grew
up in the Midwest loving the game of basketball, he's
always admired the IU basketball program for his championship level success,
tradition and fan support. I like to comment in the
official quote from Derees, the first sentence, he is citing

(14:22):
fan support as a critical aspect that had made this
job appealing to him. From Drake from West Virginia. Funny enough,
actually remember being in all been a couple of years ago.
Drake played Miami in the game before Indiana Kent State,
and it was funny to see, yes, even the building,

(14:43):
how vocal and partisan the crowd was supporting Drake compared
to Miami. And I'm not talking about IU and Ken
State fans joining the wagon for an underdog upset in
March madness. Of course, there were some of those, but
a lot of of Drake fans made the trip from

(15:03):
Iowa to up to Albany New York to support their
team in the Round of sixty four. It was a
loud crowd, as a vocal crowd who was booming when
Drake was playing good basketball. Drake actually held a pretty significant,
comfortable lead in that game before throwing it to Miami.
So I think some IU fans may have a little

(15:24):
grudge towards Darren Debrees that you may not even know
about yet Miami with the late comeback. Of course, the
Hurricanes didn't beat the Hoosiers. But as you sit here,
Matt Like overall, Dolson clearly wanted to move quickly. He
didn't want to wait for a coach to lose in
the NCAA tournament in the first weekend. Of course, that

(15:44):
coach could have possibly won and kept a season going
along someone Mike Ben mccolluman. Drake could make the Sweet
sixteen Elite eight. For all we know, the portal opens
on Monday. When you think about the first steps here
for Darren Devrees, what sort of things are you looking at?
Is it recruiting? Is it, of course speaking to the
fan base. He's gonna do that at eleven thirty on

(16:07):
Wednesday morning. Is it gonna be retaining his current players.
Is it gonna be bringing over his guys from West Virginia.
Is it gonna be imposing his scheme, his system? What
do you think are some of the first steps here
for degrees as he starts his tenure at I.

Speaker 2 (16:19):
You looking across the dinner table and getting his son
to transfer, and well, he's already in the transferport will
actually fun fact getting his son to be in the
Cream and Crimson. I mean, Tucker is one of the
best players in college basketball, absolutely, and I'm gonna say
it now, like, given me the resources that I you has,

(16:44):
and the fact that Tucker is gonna becoming pretty much
regardless given the fact that his dad's now coach, Like,
I think, surrounding Tucker with high level talent that you
can get, he's gonna be a National Player of the
Year candidate next year. I think so. I mean, instantly,

(17:06):
I U has one of the best players in the
country going into next year. He's a dude that probably
should have been playing in the NBA starting this year,
right starting, he should be getting ready to warm up
to go in the NBA, but he got injured, right
you know, he played eight games. Is taking that extra
year He's gonna be a fifth year guy, and he's
gonna have all that experience he's had and uh even

(17:27):
a little bit of powerful experience. They now have given
guard with big, big versatility, guard big versatility and an
elite shooter. And you, through eight games year was shooting
forty eight percent from three.

Speaker 1 (17:44):
So the number doesn't even comprehend My brain doesn't that.

Speaker 2 (17:48):
I know.

Speaker 1 (17:48):
I know, I know he was great second.

Speaker 2 (17:53):
And I know Luke Goody's gonna be great under this guy.
Like Luke Goody playing his natural position as a three,
being able to run off of screens, play off of
talker is going to be so fun to watch. That's
obviously if Goodie can get that medical red shirt. And

(18:18):
the second most important thing I wanted to see is
bring a system, because his system's fun. They play good defense.
In fact, I think they had a top fifteen defense
this year. Yeah, And and they shoot a ton of threes.
I think they've been top thirty. His teams have been
top thirty and shooting threes since he's been a head coach,

(18:38):
if not for at least the last five years. And
they make him in a high percentage clip like I think
they make like thirty eight percent or something like that
over you know, the last couple of years or whatever.
So he's bringing shooters in. He's bringing shooters. They're gonna
shoot a bunch of threes. His son's gonna be running
like as like almost like a combo guard point forward

(19:00):
kind of role. And and you're gonna you're gonna try
to see who you can pick up from this Ie
roster and put it together. And they're gonna play hard nose,
tough defense. Like I don't, I don't know how this.
I don't know how you screw this up. I don't.
I don't know. Like he's gonna win a bunch of games.
They're gonna play a fun style basketball people are going

(19:21):
to like to watch. And he's he's a tough nosed,
hard working midwestern dude. Like I don't, I don't know
how this doesn't work out, to be honest, but you know,
we this could be clipped and then we could be
looking at this in four years time and uh like
like we did against but you know, with Archie kind

(19:43):
of felt this. Archie kind of felt this way. When
we hired Archie, I was like, I don't understand how
this doesn't work out. Now in hindsight, that was Archie
benefiting from Dayton being one of the best jobs in
the country.

Speaker 1 (19:56):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (19:56):
Right, if you go back and they's not a single
Dayton head coach for like the last fifteen years hasn't
just won there, Right, it's just hard to everybody that comes.
It's hard to struggle with Dayton. Dayton's actually one of
the better jobs that's not in a Power five conference.
That's that's that's in that's in college basketball or Power
six or whatever you want to call it. And then

(20:16):
you like go see what Archie's done at Rhode Island
and a middling you know job over there, like it's
he was never good. Then you go look at Woodson.
Woodson was a out of left field, kind of against
the grain Higher that a lot of us were kind
of like, all right, let's give them, let's give it

(20:37):
a shot, like he's an NBA guy, Like let's see.
There is never somebody saying, oh, this is a for
sure home run. Higher, We're saying, you know, this looks good,
but I don't we can't tell. I'm telling you this one.
I feel more confident than Archie, mean Tom that it's
safe and what this is and I mean, obviously way

(20:59):
more Woodson. I don't think anybody was thinking Woodson was
a home run higher when he when he was hired,
it more and more excited to have like an IU
guy that has NBA experience coming in and whatnot. And No,
the whole thing around Woodson, if you remember back at
the time, was could he get Tracey Jackson Davis to stay?
That was that was literally the only question to come
again was can he get tj d to stay for

(21:21):
another year? Right? And then obviously Trace stayed for two right,
And we had a wonderful season under Woodson that second year.
But no, I I think, again, this is a safe hire.
I don't think I said the floor is very high.
I don't know what the ceiling is though. On this guy,
I genuinely don't know. I don't know if he's a

(21:42):
guy that will ever have IU competing for national championships.
But I think he's a guy that could have Indiana
being a one seed at some point, which I guess
at that point you're kind of competing for a national championship, right,
But you know, I could see him winning the Big
ten with IU. I can see this guy having Indiana

(22:03):
in the tornament every year. I can see this guy
having EU being consistently around a four or five seed
every single year. I don't think that's completely out of
the question. And so then it's like, I like this hire.
That's why I'm saying, I like the tire.

Speaker 1 (22:17):
It's safe. Yeah, no, no question, it's safe, safe as okay, right,
Like in other words, you know, I think I'm kind
of sick of the ups and the downs and the
volatility at this program over the last one fifteen years
or so, going back to the start of the Tom
Crean tenure, I guess that would be seventeen years at
this point. Just a lot of down and a lot
of up, and a lot of down and then a

(22:39):
little bit a little bit of average. You know, it's
just like it's all over the place. And look, if
you know, forget our opinions about this. Plenty of former,
current and future Hoosiers have voiced their approval of the move.
Luke good Luke Goodie was one of the first guys
who who gave the thumbs up. Always nice to see

(23:01):
someone who is going to have a lot to do
with Indiana's success next year, Uh give give that vote
of approval of course, that is if Goodie is on
the team. If he's not, you know, Derees is going
to have to work very hard to figure out someone
to replace the spot up, catch and shoot ability of
someone like Louke Goodie, Darien Devrie, Darren Devrees last year,

(23:25):
by the way, one games against Goozaga, Arizona, Iowa State
and Kansas, and that Kansas win was at Allen Fieldhouse. You'll, you'll, you'll,
you'll take that one of the toughest places to win
in all of college basketball. By the way, it's a
six year deal. According to a couple of sources, look
at Pete Thammil, jeff rad Johns, a couple, a couple
of folks, a six year deal, six million buyout getting

(23:47):
paid to West Virginia four uh this move. I believe
Cronin was at ten million, Dusty May after the extensions
at seven and a half or so. So the six
million buy out to Darren DeVries there, you know, quite
quite noticeable, quite significant. Greg McDermott big time seal of approval.

(24:07):
He's taken to social media to give his well wishes
to Debrees. Of course, Debrees was an assistant for McDermott
that Creighton for many years, creating, of course, prepping for
March Madness coming up this weekend. And then one thing
that stood out to me. The guard play is exciting,

(24:29):
The perimeter plays exciting. I love the assistant coach staff
that Derees built at West Virginia.

Speaker 2 (24:39):
All right, so you are you ready for the assistance?

Speaker 1 (24:42):
I have right hair hit me because I was blown
away when I saw this list instantly.

Speaker 2 (24:47):
Initially, so Chester Fraser, right, everybody knows Fraser, the guy
that's fought Eric Gordon. Right, you know, show got a
little got personal, a little gutten gutten Eric Gordon's face. Yeah,
Chester Fraser, I mean, and obviously we know how good

(25:08):
he was on those Illinois teams. Right, So chessa Fraser won.
Tom Ostrom, his main assistant, is probably a name some
of you guys remember, all right. Tom Ostrom was Archie's
main as system back in the day. And by the way,
the last two big recruits IU has landed were and
like highest rated I'm talking about last two highest rated recruits.

(25:29):
Are you know IU has landed.

Speaker 1 (25:31):
We're both recruited by Tom Austrom, Trace and Romeo, Right,
Jackson Davis Romeo laf Yeah, Uh was it Trace? Was it?
Should we double check this? Langford was Romeo?

Speaker 2 (25:48):
Was tom Ostrom? I yeah, maybe it was. It was.
I think it was. Do some reasearch, but I think
it was Trace. I think you're right. I think Trace
was higher rated than Jalen. Was Corey Barnett, former IU
Hoosier and former former eleven year assistant of Steve Alford.

Speaker 1 (26:16):
No for sure. By the way, I do know for
sure that Ostrom went to Greenwood Center Grove to watch
Trace Jackson Davis, so I know for sure as made
high school visits to Jackson Davis when he was at
Center Grove. Still nailing down the detail as far as
were Jackson Davis and Langford the two highest. But remember

(26:37):
we also have Christian Lander in the mix, right, and
I know Christian Landers college career is the other one.

Speaker 2 (26:43):
Christ's it's Lander, It's Lander and Romeo which still say
what you want about of course Jackson, Indiana guys both
in the young guys, both very highly rated. Tom Ostrom
maybe maybe welcome back to Bloomington, which I look at.
The last one is Nick Norton, who's a Midwest guy.

(27:07):
But I will say about this, I think I actually
feel better about the higher if Tom Austrom comes over
with him, because that's a guy that knows how the
IU program in Bloomington work.

Speaker 1 (27:22):
Right.

Speaker 2 (27:22):
It's good to have somebody and obviously Corey Barnett as
well as a former Hoosian player and Chester Fraser somebody
that played here. If you can bring those three guys over,
I think you have a ton of experience surrounding him
that kind of know how things work, kind of know
how Chester Fraser knows how things are when I use
rolling right and when I use good right. He's been there,

(27:45):
He saw that he was he was fought against that
Eric Gordon teem when I was at at its height
of its power until you know, some things happened. Tom
Austrom was there when I use sucked right and kind
of seeing that side of it. And Corey Barnett's been
there when when things were you know a little bit
weird right, so.

Speaker 1 (28:08):
I and also when they were at the top right,
like when you think about those twenty eleven, twelve thirteen
Indiana teams. Maybe artment he was part of that.

Speaker 2 (28:15):
Yeah, yeah, they went from building it up into you know,
being good again. So you have everybody seen this sort
of version of IU that they can draw from, you know,
experience from and wisdom from.

Speaker 1 (28:31):
And hey, maybe.

Speaker 2 (28:32):
Tom Ostroum part two gets a second shot at it.
Maybe he ends up, you know, really knocking things out
of the park and the recruiting game with IU. So
I would love if his staff, almost all of them
came over. There is a report of Chester Fraser potentially
being in the mix for the West Virginia head coaching

(28:55):
job now that that's open, which good for him if
if that's true, because I Chester Fraser was on the
list of like some of the best assistants in the
country for the last couple of years. Anyways, he was.

Speaker 1 (29:06):
Part of the time at Illinois. He also spent an
extended amount of time I believe at Kansas State, where
they're doing a lot of good things. Of course, he
had the connection with Bruce Weber at Kansas State when
Weber was there, and so Fraser in the running. I
just as long as Fraser doesn't go to Illinois as
an assistant for Underwood or something like that, that's all.

(29:27):
That's all I'm paying attention to there. Yeah, exactly, No,
very very good points. Hopefully the strength and conditioning situations
all right at West Virginia. A couple of injuries last year,
including two not only Tucker Debrees, but Jaden Stone, who
averaged twenty points a game for Detroit a couple of
years ago. Stone suffered a pre season injury that ended
his season last year. Not sure if he's going to

(29:49):
tag along with Darren Debrees to Indiana, But much like
Tucker Debrees, Jaden Stone has one year of eligibility remaining,
So there's that piece as well. We're going to get
into so much more here. Let's talk a little roster
sec Matt, let's talk. Let's let's build a little twenty
five to twenty six Indiana men's basketball roster in just
a minute. But first it's time for Who on the

(30:09):
Week this past Duke and II Sports and I really
can't look anywhere other than Jalen Hood Shaffino. It's been
a long winding journey for a Jalenhood Shaffino over the
last couple of seasons, but now with the Sixers having
a bunch of injuries, he's starting to get some NBA
playing time that has been long overdue. As much as

(30:34):
it was awesome to see him get drafted by his
childhood team, childhood favorite team, the Lakers. It's just that
team was never gonna give pit Shafino much of a
chance to develop his game. Jalen's getting that chance now.
And a really tough Texas road trip over the last
couple of days, Schafina went to Dallas, scored a career
high nineteen twenty three minutes of play in an upset

(30:57):
that the Sixers pulled on Dallas in Texas. There and
I was back on Sunday, and then yesterday, this is
Monday now, hoo Chafino went to Houston, dropped another twelve points,
played a career high thirty one minutes. In that game,
he missed a game winning shot at the last second.
It would have been a game winning buzzer beater had

(31:17):
his patented mac Airina pull up mid range jay to
win that game in regulation for the Sixers and a
clank it went off the back rim. Had he made that,
it would have been absolute fireworks on social media. But
Pittsburgh native now with the Sixers doing work, he won

(31:39):
the week this past week and I U sports real
quick reminder, folks, if you like what you're hearing, if
you don't like what you're really don't care. Make sure
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HQ or at the Hoosier Sound all over the place,

(32:00):
keeping you up to date here up to the minute,
here on this hiring Darren Devrees. Of course, the women's
basketball team kicks March Madness off on Friday against Utah.
Hoosiers are underdogs, money line all the way. Baby, that's
a joke, Terry Moore. It's going to be hyped up,
ready to go as the Hoosiers go to Columbia South Carolina.

(32:22):
Have you ever been there?

Speaker 2 (32:23):
I have been to Columbia South Carolina.

Speaker 1 (32:25):
Good really yeah? I was not expecting Guess to be
the answer there. Now, Indiana has a chance to avenge
that tournament season ending loss last season to the game Cocks.
Of course, if the Hoosiers beat Utah, would expect them
to be something like fourteen to sixteen point underdogs against
South Carolina and the round to thirty two. Hey, I

(32:48):
wasn't supposed to keep it close with the USC and
the Big Ten tournament. That's exactly what the Hoosiers did,
so we'll see what happens here as the Hoosiers because.

Speaker 2 (32:56):
There and the women's down there in Columbia.

Speaker 1 (33:00):
But in the women's game on Friday, Don Staley legend
of the game coaching South Carolina there. Hopefully the Hoosiers
and the game Cocks can meet up here in the
round of thirty two. Let's talk roster, Matt. There are
several players obviously that you would want to see dar
Darren Deries call up and retain. I think it starts

(33:21):
with Louke Goodie, but of course guys like Malik Grenew Miles,
Rice Caanan, Carlisle have an extra year, have have eligibility remaining.
You also have incoming freshman Trent Sisley, Harem Zerno. I
left McKenzie Imbaco off the list inadvertently of players with
eligibility remaining. You have guys like Talker Devrees and Jaden

(33:45):
Stone and Sincere Harris or Amani Hansbury on the West
Virginia roster. I don't know how Big Indiana's gonna play
basketball this upcoming season, but there are a couple of
guys on the on this West Virginia team that have
some size guys like Hansbury or freshman forward Jonathan Powell

(34:07):
that could lead that could see them lead their way
to Indiana. Devrees also has a very intriguing incoming twenty
twenty five freshman class that committed to Devrees when he
was the head coach i West Virginia. That includes I
believe it's Jaden Hawthorne, who's a highly rated recruit that

(34:28):
plays basketball Huntington Prep that's in West Virginia. But Hawthorne
also grew up in West Virginia. That's where That's where
he lived for playing basketball Huntington Prep. So he is focused.
He has spent most of his life not a Huntington's Prep.

Speaker 2 (34:43):
Is there that Huntington Prep or is that Huntington Like
high school? I don't know which one he's at, So
Huntington's Prep.

Speaker 1 (34:48):
And then previously it was at Woodrow Wilson High School
and so and so and so you have a couple
of West Virginia stop there for Hawthorne. A lot of
players go to places like Mont Verd or Huntington from
out of state. Hawthorne's been in West Virginia his whole life,
and now his head coach that he committed to is
coming to Indiana, so we'll see what happens there. Of course, Matt,

(35:11):
in addition to the potential retention of incoming players, bringing
over players from West Virginia, incoming freshmen at Indiana, and
incoming freshman who committed to debrees at West Virginia, you
have portal season starting on Monday. Yeah, as you think
about this roster, what would you prioritize if you're Darren

(35:32):
Dereeze here, because he clearly is now passed with hitting
the ground running. Once the meeting with the media ends
tomorrow at noon Eastern, he's gonna hit the he's gonna
hit he's gonna he's gonna figure out where his office
is and get to work for about one hundred hours
before Monday.

Speaker 2 (35:47):
I actually have a checklist for you. Are you ready? Base?
I thought about this question before this is how this ward?
Are you ready? One Z? Not even a like one
one zero tier tre s is again, I said the
dinner table talk making sure Tucker is good. He's gonna

(36:08):
get the medical red shirt basically for sure.

Speaker 1 (36:11):
Yeah, he's in.

Speaker 2 (36:12):
That's one. That's one that you get Tucker on the roster.
All right, things start to kind of sort themselves out here. Now,
Tucker needs somebody to set pick and rolls with. Right,
So you you you, you take your pick of Is
it Malik for new that you want to keep? Is
Malik Renew even open to staying after all the verbal

(36:34):
abuse he's been taking online from IU fans.

Speaker 1 (36:37):
Over the last couple of years.

Speaker 2 (36:39):
Maybe not, But again, having a guy that's been in
the program for what now three years and would be
his senior year, right, Having a senior big man the
average sixteen is a pretty good start and a guy
that could do a bunch of different things on the
court obviously as well, and maybe they'll actually use him
as a five this year. Shocker. And then you know

(37:02):
if he doesn't come over, Okay, who from West Virginia
do you want to fill that role? Right? Or is
there somebody from the portal? Right? So list goes Talker first,
big Man, second, third is pick from the guards again,
do you do you want? Who do you want your
running mate to be? With? Talker? Is it going to

(37:23):
be Miles Rice? Maybe as somebody again a bit of
a reclamation project, given that he was the PAC twelve
Freshman of the Year his first year and then last
year went through a ton of or this previous season
went through a ton of up and downs at IU
was pretty underwhelming. Is there some you know, maybe something
he can work with there, or maybe he just thinks that,

(37:48):
you know, you know, maybe he had an incredible first
season at Washington State under a good head coach there,
and maybe he can go find somebody elsewhere. And then the
last thing is is the incoming freshman keeping. I mean,
it looks like you're going to keep Trent Sisley because

(38:10):
Trent Sizzley literally heated thumbs up, happy with the higher
first thing happened the the European kid whose name I'm
currently zero. Yeah, is he a guy that maybe fits
the mold? I think he does. He's a shooter and
he's a he's a big shooter from Europe. I think

(38:32):
I think he's a guy that probably could fit in
in Daron Devrees uh sort of mold. And then looking
at the West Virginia guys, I think they guard top
seventy five guard named his last name is Odie. Yeah,
that just just decommitted from West Virginia, right. Is he
somebody that's maybe looking come over with Darren? I don't know,

(38:56):
that's just yet to be seen is maybe you know
on that list of things there there's a sidebar category
when I talk about guards that run want to run
with Tucker, and sidebar category is you know, Brayln Mullins
didn't want to come to die you, Okay didn't want
to come so Darren, he didn't want to come to

(39:17):
ee you because I you didn't play a style of
basketball that kind of fit him, right, No, who plays
a style of basketball that fits him? Taren de Rees
plays a style of basketball that fits him perfectly. They
shoot a bunch of threes, they play good defense, they
move the ball. You you know, he would not have

(39:41):
to have the ball in his hands too much because
you'd have Tucker that have the ball in his hands
for a majority of the time, right, And you can
just play off of that, like I'm there's just a
there's a there's a white dad from Carmel that's just
salivating over the idea of of the backcourt being being

(40:01):
Tucker Dvrees, being Luke Goodie and and being I just
said his name and it now Braila Bllens.

Speaker 3 (40:13):
Yeah, that's that's I used future backund But there's there's
there's weirdly a place for that No, I think I
you could probably do pretty well to keep at least
one or two of the guys in the current roster.

Speaker 2 (40:30):
And kind of see what you have there. Maybe gave
cup Stays this kind of good depth and this guy
that's been there for a while, and a dude that
I think would actually do pretty well in a Darren
Devree system as well, you know. And then the West
Virginia guys, I don't really know a ton about their roster.
That's why when I said, you know, keep that eye
you guys, look at West Virginia whatever. I I really

(40:50):
don't know much about what they have there. But I
will say, given that I use NIL resources are going
to be near one of the best in this coming year.
I'm going to assume. So.

Speaker 1 (41:00):
Uh Matt Matt Norlander, who is with CBS senior writer,
reported that are you building towards having more seven million
bucks in NIL on revenue sharing resources? According to him,
and he's very credible, So that's gonna be tops in
the country, if not close to it.

Speaker 2 (41:20):
Well, and then that that kind of changes my outlook
on things, because if you're you're working with seven million
in IL, why not go and get some of the
best guys in each one of the positions to put
around Tucker and and put around Renew, keep Renew, keep talker.
You go get three guys that are the best in
their positions in the country, you fill them in. All
of a sudden, you've got a team that kills in Bloomington.

(41:42):
Look what Kentucky did last year, right, Kentuck exactly, Michigan, Kentucky, Louisville.
They brought in one dude from the previous system that knows.
They kept somebody from the previous you know, from from
or kept a couple of players from the previous staff,
mesh those together and then went and got a bunch
of other pieces from other places and then formed this

(42:04):
really cohesive team. And I think Devrez is going to.

Speaker 1 (42:08):
Be able to do that me too. Calipari Arkansas as well.
Similar in that vein as far as his.

Speaker 2 (42:16):
Was not even that similar to Cali. Party just threw
a bunch of players. To me, I guess he kept
one player, but I.

Speaker 1 (42:23):
Mean, I'm thinking about the fact that he brought over
guys like Wagner and a visage from Kentucky, from Kentucky,
and then he goes out there from John John l.
Davis from fa U.

Speaker 2 (42:34):
Yeah, right, and then after he couldn't go to Michigan.

Speaker 1 (42:37):
Yeah, we're going to go further in the field. Is
the Arkansas Michigan.

Speaker 2 (42:44):
Michigan problem?

Speaker 1 (42:45):
Mm? Yeah, I think that Arkansas Kansas game is up
there best round sixty four matchips. But I like a
lot of what you were saying as far as the
roster building mindset, because this is the conversation that Derez
is gonna have with Dolson, his assistance whatever the case is,
starting Wednesday at noon one pm. Because you know, if

(43:09):
Scott Dolson doesn't want to wait till the first weekend,
he also doesn't want his new coach to wait until
the first weekend either. So much like Kurtz Signetti put
together a team very quickly or a game plan at
least very quickly when you took over as a football coach,
you would think that dere Is gonna have is going
to plan on doing the same thing as well. I
want to make sure I put high up there on

(43:31):
the roster building priority list, making sure Lou Goody's back.
Of course, I don't know how long you can wait.
You basically have to expedite things as much as you
can with the NC double A try to get them
to give an answer on Lou Goody and his one
year about potential eligibility asap.

Speaker 2 (43:51):
You would like to have that, Nathan, I think there's
a great way to work around that. Like I Goodie's
a guy that I don't think cares about his role particularly,
and I think he's a guy that would get a
role anyways if he stayed on the roster. Yeah, so
you can go get a dude that's it's gonna sound mean,
but you can go get a dude that's better than

(44:12):
Luke Goodie right for his position, and then if he
gets that red shirt, then it's elite depth, right.

Speaker 1 (44:20):
Yeah. But then again, like I'm also not sure how
much depth matters, right, Like you want to build a
great team for sure, but like I've heard so much
about depth. Yeah, but like ten seasons.

Speaker 2 (44:34):
That's true and everybody says that. But if you're looking
at Darren Devrees and how he plays, he plays an
eight to nine man rotation, yea, having a guy having
a guy in that rotation that's been at the school
board before, has played now three straight years of significant
high level basketball in the Big Ten, shoots a bunch

(44:57):
of threes and can play multiple positions. Is good depth?

Speaker 1 (45:01):
That is just yeah, you're good depth. Right, no, right, right, right,
right right. I agree a lot with with your list.
I agree a lot with it. Tucker to Reeves priority
number one, one, two, prior number one two, three, four, nine, ten,
and then yeah, Luke to me, it's Luke Goody picking
pick and roll action. You know, find find a guarter

(45:25):
two that can compliment Devrez Tuckertive Rees's skill set. Cisly Zerno.
I want both of them back in. Mullins has a
potential poach from Yukon.

Speaker 2 (45:38):
I don't know how that would work, though, because I
think he's pretty I'm pretty sure he's signed his because
it's a very similar.

Speaker 1 (45:43):
Question to Liam McNeely question. It's like, if you get
Braylan Mullins, where does he play? How quickly does he play?
Is Braylon Mullins willing to wait a year? I'm not sure.
But a big reason Liam McNeely ended up at Yukon
is because you didn't really know coming into this season
where he was going to play. Now that also raises
the question. There are a few of the current players

(46:04):
that we haven't talked about much. Let's specifically bring up
Mbacco and bryceon Tucker, who played that wingish position where
especially if Goody is not able to come back, Imbaco
and Tucker both have multiple years of eligibility remaining. What

(46:25):
would be your approach if you're Darren Derees as it
relates to Imbacco and bryceon Tucker.

Speaker 2 (46:32):
Mbaco's interesting because again, Imbacco's played out of position for
both years that he's played it at you, He's played
smaller than he where he should actually be playing. So
if he kind of fits what Darren wants in a four,
i't are like a wing player. I don't mind him staying,

(46:56):
but I just I don't think he does.

Speaker 1 (46:58):
And I think you can.

Speaker 2 (46:59):
Probably go get somebody using the nil budget you have
that's going to be a more sure fire bet on
both sides of the floor. Like in Bacco's ceiling on
offense is fantastic. He can completely take over a game,
but his ceiling on defense is not that high. Right,

(47:20):
He's never gonna be a good defender. And Darren's teams,
Coach Derees, teams always always have good defense, and they're
top fifteen defensive team this year. I don't think he's
gonna want a guy that's not gonna slapch off on
defense like Abacco is. So I don't really see that happening.

(47:41):
I don't think he I don't think he's staying. I
think we're just speculating. But I'm just saying from both parties.
I think for Mbacco is probably a good idea to
go get get, go get some there's green or grass elsewhere,
Like I think he can go find a place like
look at Tamar Bates for example. Tomorrow is a guy
that had a very contentious time and I you and

(48:02):
then left and I was found his his sweet spot
at at Miszoo. So I think, you know, Imbacco can
kind of replicate that to you know, almost exactly. And
then with bryceon Taco.

Speaker 1 (48:18):
There's maybe in Bacco to like see the Hall right
Jersey go home, she and Holloway. I don't know, I don't,
I don't. I don't find that to be a great match. Patino, No,
it's not a great It's not And I could see,
like all away, I don't see Pike Will being a

(48:39):
good match for Embacco either.

Speaker 2 (48:41):
Could I could maybe it depends who Nova hires, right,
I like that too.

Speaker 1 (48:46):
I like that.

Speaker 2 (48:46):
A lot depends on who Nova hires. But Going home, going, going,
going back to the East Coast.

Speaker 1 (48:54):
Expressed interest at Kansas. John Shire expressed interest during high school.
John Styre wanted Inbacco. Yeah, there's I mean.

Speaker 2 (49:07):
Truper Flagg question becasing a baby. And then with with
Bryson Tucker, I think there's talent there, but I don't
think he's gonna find it at IU really given. Yeah,
and here's why I think you're gonna find people I want.

(49:32):
I think Tucker Devree kind of plays the similar position
that that Bryson Tucker does in a way, like in
a weird way. He's like a six foot seven like
guard slash wing. Bryson Tucker's a little plays a little
bit bigger than that, but still, like I I think
the ball's kind of out of his hands. He's playing

(49:55):
off ball. He doesn't really shoot three all that well.
And from what I've heard, his dad is kind of
an allegedly kind of a nightmare to work with. Spread
So spread room is out here, Uh, there is some
breaking I could think.

Speaker 1 (50:11):
You see what I'm seeing renew is portal. Yeah, so
that's kind of happening as we're talking here. I mean,
I get it, he's exploring his options. I think you
can put that disclaimer in for any IU player who
puts his name in the portal. At this point, Renew

(50:32):
is going to get a lot of high major interest.
I think Renew is going to be one of the
most pursued transfers in the country. And we'll see where
Indiana plays. It's part of that conversation. To me, Indiana
is going to have to swing really, really big for
a five A center in the portal, unless that's not

(50:54):
really something de Breeze wants to do. I think, you know,
when you think about to fill through the portal, I
think either a wing or a big is where you start.
I think from a guard standpoint, assuming Tucker Debris is
able to come over, someone like Sincere Harris, former Illinois guard,
is able to come over. Harris was all Defense in

(51:15):
the Big twelve, something that we really took interest in
and a lot of excitement, and when we saw Anthony
Leal content for all Defense in the Big ten. Harris
is someone out multiple years of Big Ten experience who
has years of eligibility remaining if he wants to come
over to IU and sort of establish help establish a

(51:35):
defensive identity and then you know, maybe play Illinois, the
school that let him go once or twice, you know,
next season. I'm down for that. There are a lot
of Illinois connections to this West Virginia team. We talk
about Chester Fraser, since her Harris, Imani Hansberry, who's a
forward that played frequently thirty plus minutes for West Virginia
last season as a former Illinois guy, and someone who

(51:58):
I think Darren Debris be interested in bringing over and
having start if Malik Renew especially can't come back next season.
But I do think whether it's I think Indiana needs
to get a top tier wing and or big through
the portal. As far as hey, we're trying to build

(52:18):
a roster that can compete for a conference title in
year one or top four Big ten seed in year one.
I think Indiana is going to have to do that
because actually, from a guard standpoint, if you're telling you
we have Devrees, Tucker Devrees, that is, along with Miles Rice,
and then you maybe throw in someone else, perhaps Jaden Stone,

(52:39):
who average twenty per game at Detroit a couple of
years ago. Sincere Harris. If you want to have the
defensive focus. I think that's something you can really really do.
Of course, Canon Carlisle has eligibility left as well. You
can really see Devrees maximizing defensive you know, Harris Carlisle
Devrees backcourt could be very very nasty defense for opponents.

(53:01):
So I could definitely see that uh taking place taking
into form as well. But it's funny as we talk
about this, Indiana doesn't need to go to the portal
as much as they did at this point last year.
Think about how much Indiana needed to revitalize their roster
at this point last year, after the disaster that was
the twenty two to twenty three season, the twenty three

(53:23):
to twenty four season. Right, you had to go out.
You had you went, you went out. You got Rice
and Carlisle and Ballow and Goodie and I'm sure I'm
missing you know someone. But you know, from a top,
you know, that's that's four. That's four portal guys that
were asked to play major minutes. I don't think you're
gonna need four portal guys to play major minutes. And

(53:45):
so that's funny. As you're talking about this, I was
just thinking, hey, look, you know, actually it's not it's
not too it's not too nasty. I'm looking forward to
seeing Trent Sisley come over to play a little bit
as freshman season as well. So so you know, that's uh,
that's certainly intriguing, Matt. And we're going to talk about
some year one expectations. What is what? How high should

(54:06):
the barbie for Darren Derees in his first year. We'll
talk about that in a second. First, aside for our
social media shout out and folks, as I mentioned earlier,
you can find us all over the place Twitter, Facebook, YouTube,
you can find us at Dana HQ and after who's
your sound on Instagram at or not Indiana HQ? But
what are we Indiana dot HQ exactly? You can find
us there again, share our stuff. Word of mouth is

(54:27):
really how we grow this podcast and reach more EYU
fans such as yourself, especially now that Darren Devrees it's
a new head men's basketball coach at a Deiana looking
forward to seeing him do big things in year one.
So let's talk about that, Matt. Expectations it's always always
a fun fun word to discuss. Is Before we started,

(54:49):
we were saying how Woodson finished his EU tenure with
a win percentage of sixty two and a Big Ten
a Big Ten record, a Big Ten win percentage of
fifty one, so one over half of his Big Ten
games when eighty seven and fifty three during his time
at IU in one hundred and thirty in one hundred
and forty games across four years as head coach. Darren

(55:10):
Derez comes to hye you with the seventy one percent
win percentage when nineteen and thirteen last year at West Virginia.
As you sit here, Matt, you're one. Is it too
hasty to say, let's hit the ground running with some wins?
Or do you think that's possible? For Derees from the jump.

Speaker 2 (55:30):
I think that's entirely the expectation is to come in
and win. If you're gonna bring over your son, who's
gonna be yeah, like I said, a potential National Player
of the Year candidate, and then you've got seven mil
in the nil war chess to work with? Uh yeah

(55:51):
for the moon?

Speaker 1 (55:52):
Baby?

Speaker 2 (55:52):
Should be you? Should you should be winning game. Not
only should be winning games, you should be competing for
a Big Ten title. You look at what dust you
make did this year one year Michigan was dreadful two
years ago, awful, awful, And in one year he comes
over and they win a big Big ten tournament this year,
and we're competing for a Big Ten title for most
of the season. And I think I think Tucker Defrees

(56:17):
is better than any player Michigan has on their roster.
And I only think that's going out on a limb.
I mean, I think that's just true. And and I
think i U has significantly more nil the Michigan does,
oh for sure. And last academic, I've never been super

(56:37):
high on Dusty May. I think Devrees is a better
coach than Dusty May, So there's no I.

Speaker 1 (56:45):
Think he's better than Izzo, not think he's better than
great Guard. I think he's better than Kevin Willard and
mc cronin and Matt Painter, d buckle Up Barren, No, uh.

Speaker 2 (56:59):
No, but I I definitely think he's a better coach
than Dusty is, even though Dusty is a good coach.
So with all that being said, yes, the expectation is
to compete for a big entitle next year. Should be
the expectation every single year at Indiana, and as should
be the expectation every single year that they have a
good head coach, a potential National Player of the Year candidate,

(57:22):
and seven million in nil spent.

Speaker 1 (57:26):
YEP couldn't agree more. As you were talking about Calvin Odie,
four star crew top seventy five class at twenty five
has decommitted from West Virginia, you also had the same
thing happened to four start incoming freshmen in the class
of twenty five. Trent MacLean at West Virginia as well
as two of West Virginia's three commits, have requested to
release or have de committed. Brandon Hawthorne, the four star

(57:47):
from Huntington, is still to be determined as far as
that's concerned. Of course, as you talked about Hawthorne, he's
more of a like a West Virginia lifer as far
as his child growth and where he grew up. So
we'll see what happens there. As far as the expectation,
like I want to tap the brakes a little bit

(58:13):
because the thing is like Indiana season last year, that
is this past season we just watched. It's now last
year because it's in the past. There's no March madness
coming up. Like the peak of twenty four to five
with Indiana came because guys like Trey Galloway and Anthony

(58:37):
Leal and Louke Goody hammered into the rest of that
team how important it was to play basketball for that
school in front of this fan base. And that's like,
that's what helped I. You sort of hit the accelerator
in February. That takes time to develop. Now in this situation,

(59:01):
you're gonna have someone like Tucker Debrees ideally bring that
over right, and maybe some of the assistants that come
over with Darren Debrez help hammer that home. But for
for I think Darren DeVries to do the best job
he can possibly do it Indiana. Not only does he
need a little bit of time to help his players

(59:23):
hammer home the scheme and the system and the culture,
he's also going to need a little bit of time
to figure out what the political landscape with a basketball
which we know that's nasty at Indiana compared to other schools.
I mean, he probably got unanimous full support at Drake. Now,
it's hard to build long term success at West Virginia. Okay,

(59:46):
a lot of football emphasis there, no question about it, right,
But neither of those two stops had the type of
political friction that Indiana has. You got have to you
have to spend a couple of years to really build
that relationship with boosters and with trustees and with nil
collectives and all that sort of thing. Now, I did

(01:00:07):
notice who's your connect has come out tweeted in support
of the Debrees higher. That's what I'd like to see,
you know, there's much more beyond that though, and uh
and Derees also, I think is gonna need a couple
of years to really get the entire fan base behind him,
you know, like, yeah, it's really fractured, or at least

(01:00:31):
it was up to and including selection Sunday when Indiana
did not hear their name called, and just there was
such a wide range of reactions, understandably March madness, selection Sunday.

Speaker 2 (01:00:46):
I was just wow, depressed.

Speaker 1 (01:00:50):
Now, like it's encouraging, you know, we tweeted out in
d NHQ just you know, fan reaction, instant fan reaction.

Speaker 3 (01:00:56):
Poll.

Speaker 1 (01:00:57):
How do you feel about the higher? Eighty eight percent
said they like it or love it, which is what
I which is great. You know, it's it's nice. You know,
seven out of eight people like or love hiring of
Debrees it's hard to get eighty eight percent of a
fan base of this fan base to like anything, So
that's encouraging, But you know, I think it's gonna take

(01:01:18):
a couple of years to really hit the peak possibility
of what Deries can do in Indiana, which I do
think is Big Ten Championships. I don't know if I
the roster will look nice and the roster the roster
will really will look really nice going into Derees's first season,
but I think you need a little bit more substance

(01:01:40):
there as it relates to building a champion, a Big
Ten championship contender, or a team that can make the
second or third weekend of March Madness in Dyeah. I
know they're they're three. There are three weeks. There are
three part three weekends. As it relates to March Madness.
I always thought there were two. They're actually three. You know,

(01:02:00):
it's yeah, I just blown away when I learned that info,
Like for what if? Like you know, Darren de Reese
has not reached around to thirty two as a head coach,
whether it's Drake or West Virginia. Of course, West Virginia
just one season, but made three tournaments at the end
of his Drake tenure and didn't didn't reach around to
thirty two once. I just I want this to work out,

(01:02:23):
not just short term, right, Tucker de Rees will help
Indiana win a lot of games this upcoming season, assuming
that happens, But I think you need a little bit
more substance for sustained success. And I want sustained I
don't want I don't want us to have another podcast
like this in four years, man, Right, I don't like

(01:02:43):
this routine, you know, Like this four year routine, five
year routine is kind of getting old. That's that's my
thing too, And I'm okay with ramping things up if
it means you get the most out of this over
the next five to ten seasons. The Reeds is just
forty nine years old, m okay. And I know Archie

(01:03:08):
Miller came in around that same time, and those recruiting
wins of guys like Lander and Langford and Jackson Davis
just added so much pressure right off the bat. And
all I'm saying is like, I'm okay with Darren de
Reze taking a couple of seasons to establish the identity

(01:03:31):
and the culture that he wants at IU and like
that doesn't mean miss the tournament next year. For me,
the bar and year one is to make the NCAA tournament.
That's the bar okay in year one, but the long
runner every single year, Yes, long run right, like not
just making the NCAA tournament, but contending for Big ten

(01:03:53):
titles where when teams play Indiana, they know the type
of team they're going up against. These seventeen thousand Assembly
Hall or the millions of people that follow on social media,
bike can turn on the game and know from the
tip what type of basketball is going to be played.

(01:04:13):
West Virginia, to their credit, did a lot of that
in year one under Darren Debrees. They started a season
off with a lot of quality performances. But at a
school like this, I just feel like you might need
a year or two to get things ramped up. Now.
I'll be honest, if you beat Marquette at the United Center,

(01:04:37):
you know at the start of the season, that'll that'll
turn the the excitement meter up real quick. And then
there's that one game against Kentucky and you know if
you go into I believe that's a rough that's a
rough game. Yeah, you got year two, Mark Pope against

(01:05:00):
year one Darren Derees and you know, going to Rupp
Arena and come out of there as an underdog with
the with the season defining win.

Speaker 2 (01:05:11):
Well, I might just kind of shoot up a little bit.

Speaker 1 (01:05:16):
I might increase things, you know, the levels just a
little bit. But for now, as it relates to March eighteenth,
I'm not even going to hold myself too closely to
like the wins and the losses in the portal for Indiana.
As long as you have guys like Talker de Rees
joining the team and you know, just you get added
like five or six high level power conference players, like

(01:05:39):
a good coach will We'll get to the NCAA tournament
that way. But I'm just very curious now to see
what type of phone calls Derese prioritizes who's he ringing
up first to bring back to this team. To Mike
Woindson's credit, bringing Trace Jackson Davis back like was not

(01:06:00):
only great for Mike woods but it was great for
like Who's your Nation, It was great for the fan base.
Like we saw Trace Jackson Davis complete an unreal legendary
college career, largely thanks to Mike Woodson retaining him for
two seasons. So going out there and being able to
get Tucker Derez for a year, going out there and
getting guys that he that Derees feels fits his system

(01:06:21):
for not just year one, but for year three, four five.
Like I think, I think that's how it's got to go.
So I don't. I hope it's not too much of
a buzz kill, Matt, but like I'm just sitting here saying, like,
you've got to do some real under the hood type
of stuff to make sure this thing is on track
in year three, year four, year five, regardless of how
year one goes. That make sense, Yeah, that makes sense.

Speaker 2 (01:06:43):
Also a side note, did you just see what happens
in this that tournament game that's going on? Dude?

Speaker 1 (01:06:50):
No, I did not, because I'm I did not prioritize
Alabama State against uh jet No, not Jackson State.

Speaker 2 (01:07:00):
Who's the other Saint Francis. My mom is a Lumbos
Saint Francis. So watching this game on my second monitor.

Speaker 1 (01:07:08):
Read something red flashes, red flash. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:07:11):
Uh South Alabama just threw a hail mary full court
pass with like two seconds left and just got to
lay up out of it to to go up by
two so there's your update. Sure, March is here.

Speaker 1 (01:07:25):
I'm sixty seventeens laughter.

Speaker 2 (01:07:27):
Is the game over?

Speaker 1 (01:07:27):
Is there one more chance?

Speaker 2 (01:07:28):
Name is not over? There's one second left. Saint Francis
could walk it off here. I don't, probably not Francis.

Speaker 3 (01:07:34):
But was that was that?

Speaker 2 (01:07:35):
Kwait? Was that Christian Lightner?

Speaker 1 (01:07:38):
Is he in the building in Dayton? Christian Lader in
the building?

Speaker 2 (01:07:45):
Is that Christian Lanner?

Speaker 1 (01:07:46):
No?

Speaker 2 (01:07:47):
Oh, my gosh, I actually read that in my brain
was like Christian Lander? Question?

Speaker 1 (01:07:51):
No? No, By the way, it was kind of wild
to see. I think. I think Lander and Jerome Hunter
both went through senior day a couple of weeks ago.
Just just use your legends. Lander may have some eligibility left.
But it's just weird to see. But I don't know.
I hope, I hope, Like I just think, you know,

(01:08:12):
under the hood, substance wise, Derez has to get some
things right so that he's here when he turned sixty
five or seventy years old. And if that means you're
twenty and thirty, twenty and twelve or nineteen and thirteen in.

Speaker 2 (01:08:27):
Year one, then whatever, I'm okay with that too. But
I just think, given the resource he's going to have
and his son may be playing an entire season hopefully
knock on wood, right, Like, I think the expectations should
be that it's going to be higher than that. The
win total should be higher than nineteen.

Speaker 1 (01:08:49):
We'll see, we'll see, we'll see. Should be fun. I
am happy to see the eighty eight percent of our
followers either either like or love the hiring.

Speaker 2 (01:08:57):
And that's it's good to see because our followers end
up being some of the smarter fans for more of
the ball knowers or followers, so that that kind of
makes sense.

Speaker 1 (01:09:08):
This kind of checks it. They have a lot of
people talking about Alabama State, Saint Francis. I'm here. Yeah,
we're gonna have a lot more coming up in future
days and weeks here at portal opens Monday, we'll have
a revenue sharing decision come through, I believe in either
March or April from the NC double A on how
that's gonna get split up. I'm curious to see how

(01:09:29):
Darren Devriese schedules non conference games. North Carolina scheduled tough
and even though they lost every single one of them,
that got them in the tournament. And so is that
going to be the approach Darren Devrees takes, especially given
he was scammed out of the tournament for North Carolina.
We'll see there, Marquette and Kentucky already on the schedule
or see it. We'll see if Indiana joins an MTE

(01:09:51):
or if they have another team for a standardalone game.
Zach Austerman on his podcast that came out, I think Tuesday,
So I think Tuesday morning March eighteenth, mentioned Louisville might
be on the schedule at some point, and so playing.

Speaker 2 (01:10:09):
Official Kentucky and Marquette in a non conference would be wonderful.
By the way, I think that's good for local recruiting.

Speaker 1 (01:10:17):
You go, even if you go oh and three in
those games, it's like, hey, if you keep it close,
keep things interesting, oh in three, okay, but you know,
keep beating interesting or or you do what West Virginia
did in Atlantis, right, which is I think it was
a two and one, and I'm happy two and one

(01:10:39):
with a loss with a lot with with an overtime loss. Yeah,
that's pretty good, right, like uh, Gonzaga Louisville, Gonzaga, Louisville
and Arizona three straight days. West Virginia beat Gonzagon, overtime,
lost to Louisville and overtime beat Arizona and overtime all
in Paradise Island. And then all of those are tournament teams,

(01:11:01):
tournament teams, all all of them are very legitimate Sweet
sixteen threats. Even Gonzaga beating Houston. I don't think it
would be a shocker. So that was what Devrees did
in year one. Now he did also lose at pit
by twenty four. That would drive Who's Your Nation up
a storm, drive a storm around Who's Your Nation? If
you lose a game by twenty four in the non

(01:11:22):
conference late.

Speaker 2 (01:11:25):
Yeah, hope, we're used to losing games, but one I know, so.

Speaker 1 (01:11:30):
Yeah, anything else, Matt, let me just look through my
notes here. I think that covers off most of what
I want to talk about, talk about expectations, roster building.
Obviously there's gonna be a lot of moving pieces here
over the next few days. Love the assistants that, hopefully
Darren de Reese can bring along a lot of support
across Who's Your Nation, from current players like Lou Goodie
to incoming freshman like Trent Sisley to Dane Fife. Gave

(01:11:54):
his thumbs up see a little approval, and I think
his opinion matters. I would say, yeah, yeah, Ill, and
Dane Feife give his seal of approval as well. So
all in all, I like what I'm seeing. What We'll
be all over the introduction to the media on Wednesday
morning at eleven thirty. That's when Darren Debrize will meet
the Hoosier fan base and hopefully he's around for a

(01:12:15):
long time. We don't have to introduce a new head
coach for for years and years and years. Any final
thoughts from your end on Indiana hiring Darren Debrees.

Speaker 2 (01:12:23):
I'm just happy that this whole cloud circus thing is
over and now I can go focus on my favorite
part of the year, which is hyping up random portal guys,
because that's this is this is my favorite content. It's
the genuinely I I for the last what eight years,

(01:12:46):
I've I've only found joy and I you basketball in
Trace Jackson Davis and Roster construction. So it's nice that
that'll be back. At least that's my regularly scheduled month
long dose of dopamine that I can get behind.

Speaker 1 (01:13:05):
Marcus Johnson not a bowling green see him.

Speaker 2 (01:13:08):
I've seen that.

Speaker 1 (01:13:09):
I've seen Lane Taylor, Central Ark and Staff.

Speaker 2 (01:13:13):
Yeah, that's the one that I was thinking about. Lane
Taylor looks fantastic. I look, there's a bunch of guys
you can go after that. I think are gonna be good.
But again, I think most of the high level guys.
Owen Freeman looks like he's going to Ohio State.

Speaker 1 (01:13:28):
So good. Good for Deebler to actually have a competent
post player.

Speaker 2 (01:13:35):
Yeah, I know, he's That's that's people Ohio State fans
trying to hype up Deepler going into this year, like, oh, well,
we have a giant roster. They're all five stars. I'm like,
this is not football, Like, this is not like guys,
just because you're a five star doesn't mean he's gonna
be automatically game changing like some five stars Christian Land,

(01:13:59):
you know, end up panning out right in basketball. And
both of their bigs, Bradshaw and.

Speaker 1 (01:14:08):
Just like Stuart and Bradshaw, and they like, none of
that was, none of that was serious For a school
that's so great at churning out big men, that was
exactly a massive and.

Speaker 2 (01:14:23):
They gotta go if that's true, right, right, If that's true,
they gotta go on. So yeah, I mean there's just
I'm just interested to see kind of like who the
who filters out of these tournament teams and ends up
on h on IU's roster, because I think a lot
of Power five guys are going to be going to
be doing that.

Speaker 1 (01:14:39):
So yeah, when you go to bed Sunday night, only
sixteen teams will be left with their season still ongoing,
So a lot of action certainly to take place as
far as turnover and roster building over the next.

Speaker 2 (01:14:50):
I think, I think it's next two weeks will be
huge because I think nil deals expire April seventh. I
think that is the That is the date at which
they expire for the season, and then you get one
for next year. So you should be hearing from people
buy what like the ninth I think on their decision,

(01:15:12):
which is weirdly enough, like two weeks away.

Speaker 1 (01:15:16):
So there you go. Yeah, a couple of things before
we wrap up on my end, Just like, first of all,
Zach Ostraman is the go like you want actual facts
and objectivity, follow Zach Austraman if you don't already, regardless
of what your opinion is of the Indie Star. Regardless
of what your opinion is of or whatever else, Like Zach.

Speaker 2 (01:15:36):
Ostraman's the go so just follow follow him if you
want objective facts related to.

Speaker 1 (01:15:42):
Indiana's transfer portal stuff, or like today you know they
hired as their head coach, or who are going to
hire an assistant coach? Or who's gonna who they're gonna
get in the portal? Like whatever, he's he's the best.
The other thing is like I have I don't know
how many people feel this way, but like, I have
no interest in the character assassinations of Mike Woodson from

(01:16:05):
now on, like or or or like ill will towards
Mike Woodson at this point for any reason, Like yeah, dude,
gave dude, gave gave it a shot for four years.
Did I you legend he gave it as all when
he was a player for Bob Knight. Now, funny enough,
he's someone with Indiana ties, it has four years of

(01:16:26):
college basketball head coaching experience that I wouldn't mind their
in degrees consulting every so often, especially considering that when
Mike Woodson got hired four years ago, transfer portal and
NIL were not nearly what they are now. And by
the way, in his first off season, Woodson went out
and got guys like Miller cop after retaining Trace Jackson

(01:16:50):
Davis to manage a vastly quickly changing landscape in the sport.
Woodson also was not expecting to be part of an
eighteen team conference that included usc U, c LA, Oregon
and Washington. Mm hmmm, dude, gave it a shot.

Speaker 2 (01:17:08):
Man.

Speaker 1 (01:17:09):
He cares about, cares about the program. He may probably
says some things that he regrets, probably did some things
he regrets, Probably got washed, drowned a little bit in
the politics and the just that crap, the Indiana crap.
Probably it's too loyal to some guys for too long.
But like I hope Indiana, Scott Doleson, the whole squad

(01:17:29):
welcomes Mike Woodson back to Assembly Hall, open arms. I
hope Frankly Derees. I'm not kidding, like I hope dere
picks his brain about some things. Like I'm not saying
higher him, but I'm saying, you know, I hope Winson
makes himself available to Derees and Derees takes it, takes
that opportunity up. Because Ken Woodson's head coach four years
in the Big ten now where he's navigated a lot

(01:17:53):
of crazy stuff. So I have I am, I am
going to continue to welcome Woodson with open arms. I
hope he returns to Assembly All. I hope Tom Crean
does too. I wanted him to come back to Assembly
All more often, but he just doesn't hasn't done. So
I hope that doesn't happen with Woodson. I hope we
see Mike Woodson in the Assembly Hall for IU Games
along with his family. Of course, Hey, we're his grandkid now.

(01:18:16):
He's so, he's so proud of his first grandkid that
he had recently. I hope. I hope Indiana remains a
part of Mike Woodson's life and vice versa for the
years to come. But now it's all all all on
the Darren Devree shit, and so it's gonna be fun.
It's gonna be fun to keep track. I like the hire,
looking forward to see how this develops here, especially over

(01:18:38):
the next several days and weeks. Things will be moving
very very quickly. But folks, that about wraps it up
for a three hundred and forty third show to Who's
Your Sound? Thank you so much for joining us. We
really appreciate your support, you are more fantastic. Episodes like
the one you heard today be sure to fall said
Indiana HQ or at the Who's your Sound make sure
you don't miss any in the future. Can also go
to our website indianahq dot com to find it all

(01:18:59):
in one place. But as always, thank you for listening
to Hugination and we will see you.

Speaker 3 (01:19:05):
That's not

Speaker 1 (01:19:07):
Love, that