Coach Brady Interview #1

Recently, JMU grad John Theobald ('07) got our own Coach Brady to agree to doing a weekly phone interview where questions posted by CAAZone posters are asked. Here is week 1's interview:

1) This season we have 2 kids from Ohio and next year you have 1 signed from Ohio. Do you focus on certain high school hotbeds? And do you see you and your staff looking at more players from the Hampton Roads/Richmond/DC/Baltimore area? What specific facet of JMU sells the school to these recruits from so far away?

We are trying to attract kids that can play, and eventually start, for any team in the CAA. My two Ohio frosh start for us, are 3rd and 4th in scoring, and will both likely make All CAA Rookie Team. In fact, they might be 1, 2 in voting by the league's coaches.

The 3rd kid from Ohio is Travon Flores and has more potential then the other two, arguably.

Our recruiting base, as you refer to it, will be the Middle Atlantic region. We are, and I always have recruited, this are very hard.

What people do not have any ability to recognize is that the players we need to get from this area would rather go to VCU, George Mason or ODU because they have won. Now that we have PROVEN we will win, players are interested. It doesn't work the other way around. You have to win first. Now that we have arguably the best recruiting class in the league playing for us (Andrey Semenov, high school in Va.), it is somewhat less complicated to get Middle Atlantic kids to JMU.

By the way, we just took a transfer from Texas A&M, named Denzel Bowles, who was a Top 75 player in the senior class nationally.

We signed an outstanding prospect in the Fall from Danville, Va., named Darren White.

2) Swanton's 3pt shooting is becoming an anomaly. He was red hot earlier this year and lately hasn't been very successful behind the arc. Has he changed his approach? Are you using different offensive sets? Are conference opponents guarding him differently than the OOC opponents were?

Kyle Swanston is going through a really difficult stretch. We don't do anything differently now than when he was shooting almost 50% from 3 in the non conference portion of our schedule. We are conscience of trying to get him more open shots, if anything. Hopefully, he will have some good games by season's end.

3) While on-court success is obviously the primary factor when looking to generate fan interest, bringing premiere competition to campus is also a major influence in creating the necessary buzz to get JMU where it needs to go. What level of OOC teams do you want to bring in ? Would you consider bringing in an AP Top 25 type program?

Top 25 programs rarely, if ever, leave their home arena to play a non conference game. If television will pick up the game, they would CONSIDER a road game.

If you were thinking Georgetown a few years back, I can assure you it was because they felt very strongly that they could pick up a road win with little chance of losing.

You need only go to the BCS schedules to verify what I and every other Mid Major Coach realize. We play Top 40 teams on the road for a guarantee check, or we enter into Neutral arena tournaments with the hope of beating them there.

4) In regards to football, do we need to pass more (long standing fan joke)?

As far as passing the ball more in football, I am a big fan of Kurt Warner. I am a bigger fan of Mickey Matthews record and his seasons of 10 wins. Sorry.

5) Based on the fact that Seton Hall beat VT, who beat #1 Wake Forest, should JMU be the #1 team in the nation?

As far as the fact that the polls have so far failed to give the JMU hoops team its proper place NEAR the top of the Top 25 polls, that only shows that they just don't get it.

Of course we should be in top 5. Bring on Wake. Or Duke. Whoever. Let us prove it on the court."

Thanks again to JMU Men's Basketball coach Matt Brady for the great answers!