Talking Darian DeVries’ staff hires, transfer portal moves and more.
It’s been just under two months since Darian DeVries was hired as head coach of the Indiana men’s basketball program.
In that time he’s managed to put most of a staff and roster together. With that in mind, we decided to sit down and give our thoughts on the work DeVries has done up to this point.
Q. How do you feel about the staff DeVries has built in Bloomington up to this point?
LCN: I think this staff has real potential to be the most effective Indiana has seen in years, I definitely see the vision. Nick Norton has plenty of familiarity with DeVries as a former player and staffer, Drew Adams’ connections around the state of Indiana are invaluable and his hiring was a shrewd move, Hoosier fans should already be familiar with Kenny Johnson and his ability to recruit the DMV and Rod Clark just gets Dudes. Tennessee doesn’t get to two Elite Eights without guys like Dalton Knecht and Chaz Lanier. Get talent in the building that compliments the other pieces and you have a recipe for a winning basketball team.
Colin: I agree, definitely reason to like the geography, but I also think having somebody familiar with Indiana basketball in Kenny Johnson is really going to help ease DeVries transition into the job. I like what he did last year at West Virginia and am not worried about him having failing to adjust like Archie did, but I really think having somebody who has already been at Indiana will pay off for him in the long run as he learns what it means to be the coach of Indiana men’s basketball.
Q. How do you feel about the roster DeVries has assembled as of right now?
LCN: This roster has plenty of offensive firepower and enough defensive potential to feel good about. I don’t think this group is going to be competing for any hardware barring a run in the conference tournament, but it makes sense. If there’s a guy on the team with a weakness you can be sure there’s another who has that as a strength. Tayton Conerway is a great distributor and defender and there’s plenty of shooting and playmaking around him. It comes down to how the roster meshes defensively and if DeVries opts to start Sam Alexis or another frontcourt piece at center.
Colin: I like how the pieces fit together on paper and also like that he got some guys with multiple years left, like Nick Dorn, who can contribute immediately and down the line for Indiana. It gives him something of a base to build on with future high school and portal classes. I have some questions about the defensive ability overall and how this group will fare in the Big Ten, but at the end of the day, it’s clear that this is a roster that is going to bring Indiana into the 21st century offensively. I’m cool with starting there and figuring everything else out later.
Q. What should DeVries’ primary focus turn to this summer, roster workouts aside?
LCN: Recruiting. This roster is set and there’s already set time and programs to get it to mesh in the practice facility. The next step is building out the program for the future and making sure you’re not having to fill up on too many spots in the transfer portal next offseason. It looks like the staff is already making the rounds and leveraging existing relationships, which is a good sign. This summer is the time for DeVries to make his presence felt at high profile tournament in and outside the state of Indiana.
Colin: Not to get too pedantic, but I would just like him to be thinking about the future generally. Recruiting high school players is part of it, as is identifying guys early on that could become portal targets through existing relationships and such. I think the only part I would add to that is starting to get an idea of what everyone on this current group can bring to the table. There are guys who could be here multiple years, but a lot of them are making the jump to a higher level of play. Frankly, some of them may end up struggling at the Power Five level. One of Woodson’s biggest failings was flying by the seat of his pants too much, with nobody really sure about who would be coming or going at the end of the year. DeVries can’t do that.
Q. Where in Bloomington should the new staff go for lunch as a group?
LCN: Dagwood’s, get the supreme combo. Dat’s if it’s a rainy day and they’re feeling something heavy.
Colin: I only get 30 minutes for lunch at work. Assuming this staff is similarly locked in, they want something fast. Good ready-made salads, soups, and sandwiches at Bloomingfoods.