Kornacki: Beilein's More Evident Joy and Smile Make an Impression
10/25/2017 10:37:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Features
By Steve Kornacki
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- John Beilein has always been friendly, pleasant and personable. So, it's not like the University of Michigan men's basketball coach has undergone some drastic personality change.
But there is something different about Beilein as he enters his 11th season in Ann Arbor, and his more frequent smile and more evident joy have been noticed by his players.
"Absolutely," said senior swingman Duncan Robinson. "Moe (Wagner) and I were actually having a conversation about this the other day. A part of it is what we've been through recently. I know it's talked about a lot (surviving a high-speed aborted takeoff on the team plane), but it was such a big moment and impactful day.
"But on top of that, part of it is this team. The idea of how fresh and new this team is brings a certain amount of excitement. There's so much uncertainty with this team with the new guys coming in, and there's just a competitive spirit about us. That starts with Coach Beilein. I think he and all of us are really excited about it."
Wagner added: "Yeah, for sure. I think he's enjoying it a lot more. I don't know if he's enjoying it a lot more, but he's expressing that as a feeling that the task was actually fun. Not that he didn't in the past, but it's just something that has a lot to do with winning (the Big Ten Tournament) and the plane crash.
"Enjoy every day because it could be your last. You have the job of being in the gym, and it's a beautiful job to have. It's a blessing. That's how we approach it, and that's how he approaches it. So, it brings us closer together."
Beilein was asked after Wednesday's (Oct. 25) media day at Crisler Center if he's indeed having more fun.
"Yes," he said, "I am. I do understand, however, that this is going to be a year where I better try and have fun because we're really in a rebuild in some areas of the program. You know, we've been so blessed to have the success we've had over the last five years, and now there's a great opportunity to grow again.
"But we have a long ways to go, so I can't like lament it. I've got to say, 'Here we go again! Let's get back on that ride again, right?' It's about enjoying the process and not just embracing it. But enjoying it!"
The Wolverines reached the NCAA championship game in 2013 and made the Elite Eight in 2014. They won the Big Ten regular-season title in 2014 and the conference tournament championship in 2017, when they also reached the Sweet 16.
So, life has been good for his teams.
However, Derrick Walton Jr. (Miami Heat) and D.J. Wilson (Milwaukee Bucks) are in the NBA, and Zak Irvin signed with a pro team in Italy. Dependable reserve forward Mark Donnal became a graduate transfer to Clemson.
Only three of the top seven players return: dynamic, 6-foot-11 forward Moritz Wagner, strong two-way guard Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman and versatile swingman Robinson. Wagner and "Rahk" started, and Robinson, who has started, was valuable coming off the bench as a scorer and improved defender.
Sophomore point guard Zavier Simpson played some important minutes, particularly late in the season. But nobody other than the top three returners averaged better than Simpson's 1.7 points, and none of the other eight scholarship players saw significant action.
There is plenty of talent on the roster. It's just that most of it is unproven heading into the Nov. 11 season opener with North Florida at Crisler Center.
Ohio University graduate transfer Jaaron Simmons was a quality Mid-American Conference performer now vying for the point guard opening with freshman Eli Brooks and Simpson, whom new assistant coach DeAndre Haynes says has played the best defense of the trio and is the most active on the ball offensively.
Beilein said 7-foot-1 sophomore center Jon Teske is improved and challenging 6-foot-10 redshirt freshman Austin Davis, but he'd like both to play with a more constant fire.
Kentucky transfer Charles Matthews, a guard with three seasons of eligibility remaining, could be the biggest X-factor going on this squad. Sophomore swingman Ibi Watson will get a shot at a much bigger role. Two freshmen, guard Jordan Poole and forward Isaiah Livers, will join classmate Brooks in getting more of a chance to contribute right out of the gate than was required from last year's freshmen.
Beilein said the personality of this team is another source of the joy he feels about this season.
"They're really good kids," he said. "They really work hard together, and they have a togetherness that makes it special. They really get along well.
"But, you know, I like to be happy. And I realize I'm not happy unless I think positive."
I noted to Beilein that he's always seemed pretty positive to me.
"Nah," he said, shaking his head. "I've got demons sometimes, but I'm trying to get rid of those demons and thinking about having the glass half full more often."
What's his worst demon?
"That I will think about everything that can go wrong instead of all the good things that happen," Beilein said. "That's what a general is supposed to do. A guy goes into battle, he's the general and he's got to think about protecting the troops. Where all the other guys say, 'Oh, let's go get 'em! Let's go get 'em!'
"Well, they can say, 'You know what? We forgot about that mountain back there. Somebody might be hiding behind that mountain.' "
So, he feels a responsibility to leave no stone unturned?
"That's exactly right," Beilein. "That's my job. But I've got to do that and think about all the good things that are happening."
He also had more fun than usual at the half-hour press conference.
When a veteran reporter began a question for Beilein by saying it was a "loaded question" with two parts, Beilein was visibly amused by that lead-in. His eyes danced and he beamed while smiling widely.
Head coach John Beilein has been delegating more to his assistants, Saddi Washington (above), Luke Yaklich and DeAndre Haynes.
"Two-part question and loaded as well?" Beilein said, maintaining eye contact with the reporter and having fun with his honesty. "A loaded two-part question. OK, you're asking a lot."
He chuckled and proceeded to answer the "loaded" question about the investigation into the Louisville program that beat his Wolverines in a thrilling NCAA championship game in 2013. However, he refused to take the sour grapes route about being the team that deserved that championship now. He said his team wasn't the champion because it didn't win that game, plain and simple.
When asked how else he's different this season, Beilein said he's delegating responsibility more to his assistants. And that's not an easy move to make with such a new staff. He hired Luke Yaklich (YOCK-litch) to replace Billy Donlon as the defensive coordinator and Haynes to replace Jeff Meyer and focus on guard play. Saddi Washington returns for his second season as mentor for the big men.
"I didn't like the point-guard play (in practice) yesterday," said Beilein, "and I told DeAndre today, 'I'm going to learn what I learned from last year. Fix it.'"
Beilein chuckled and continued, "'You fix it, right? You're a really good point guard. You know what to do. We need to fix some of the pivoting issues, some of the issues when they're not attacking the basketball in a ball screen. They're looking for some magical play to develop. Fix it.' I've done a lot of that with Luke: 'Luke, this is what I want done. Come up with a drill to do that.' Saddi's almost carte blanche now with the bigs.
"I'm certainly looking over their shoulder. There are other things that I think I have an eye for that maybe they don't see. That's where I can help. I wear myself out. I was up really early watching video, but last night I told Yock, 'You're going to have the young guys at 1:45 (p.m.) and Saddi's got Moe at 1:30, instead of me showing the video to him.' You can't always do that if your assistants aren't at the level these guys are, and last year's (assistants) were as well."
So, Beilein is learning to take his foot off the gas at times. He's learning to smell the roses more. He's smiling quicker and longer, and he's enjoying the journey that much more.
