WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:03.040 Big day, big day for a lot of reasons. 2 00:00:03.720 --> 00:00:08.480 Spotify unwrapped right, that's out today, all over social media. 3 00:00:09.039 --> 00:00:11.720 So I was a little surprised to find out. 4 00:00:11.599 --> 00:00:14.279 Porter my number one band this year. Lord Huron, I 5 00:00:14.279 --> 00:00:17.320 thought they'd be on the list. You got yours, right, 6 00:00:17.359 --> 00:00:18.679 you got your Spotify. 7 00:00:18.239 --> 00:00:19.199 And rap today? I did. 8 00:00:19.320 --> 00:00:19.640 I did. 9 00:00:20.079 --> 00:00:22.960 Our old boss, Cavon is a nerd. He was texting 10 00:00:22.960 --> 00:00:25.120 me about mine, but he's all about Amazon Music. 11 00:00:25.480 --> 00:00:29.800 So Amazon, Yeah, he's a nerd. Cavon's a nerd. Pandora too. 12 00:00:29.960 --> 00:00:32.359 Probably give me your number one band this year. It was. 13 00:00:32.600 --> 00:00:35.600 It's surprising. It was Willy Nelson, Willie Nelson. 14 00:00:35.719 --> 00:00:37.840 All right, well, we're gonna play a little music from 15 00:00:37.840 --> 00:00:39.159 our Spotify and rap today. 16 00:00:39.799 --> 00:00:41.560 I don't know if our next guest is a music fan. 17 00:00:41.640 --> 00:00:43.200 I've never interviewed him, but he's a hell of a 18 00:00:43.240 --> 00:00:46.399 basketball coach Gavin Peterson on a Thursday, Coach, how. 19 00:00:46.320 --> 00:00:46.840 You doing. 20 00:00:48.159 --> 00:00:49.840 Doing great? Thanks for having me, guys. 21 00:00:49.880 --> 00:00:52.759 So the question obviously is are you a Spotify guy? 22 00:00:53.000 --> 00:00:54.560 And then the follow up is did you get your 23 00:00:54.560 --> 00:00:55.479 Spotify and raped? 24 00:00:57.560 --> 00:01:00.520 No? I am not annoy I did not. Okay, Okay, 25 00:01:00.560 --> 00:01:03.600 I don't think I've had much time other than focusing 26 00:01:03.640 --> 00:01:05.640 on the task at hand. The last couple of days. 27 00:01:05.719 --> 00:01:08.000 Yeah, I was gonna say, Coach, I don't know you. 28 00:01:08.040 --> 00:01:10.239 This is the first time interviewing you, but I know 29 00:01:10.359 --> 00:01:12.879 coach doesn't have my whole life. You guys are lunatics, 30 00:01:12.920 --> 00:01:15.400 and so are you one of those grinders all you 31 00:01:15.439 --> 00:01:17.519 doing is watching tape getting ready for the next one. 32 00:01:19.040 --> 00:01:22.480 Yeah, it is. We choose to do this, We get 33 00:01:22.480 --> 00:01:26.000 to do this, right, it is. It's definitely one of 34 00:01:26.000 --> 00:01:30.359 those things. I'm an early morning arrival guy at the office, 35 00:01:30.439 --> 00:01:33.799 have been for many years, and that's not going to change. 36 00:01:33.879 --> 00:01:36.359 It's just now there's a lot more added to the 37 00:01:36.400 --> 00:01:40.439 plate of responsibilities, and I welcome that. It's just trying 38 00:01:40.480 --> 00:01:43.040 to find that balance to focus on in between the 39 00:01:43.120 --> 00:01:47.480 lines basketball stuff that pertains to our team and our opponents, 40 00:01:47.519 --> 00:01:50.359 and then also wearing the hats that you need to 41 00:01:51.000 --> 00:01:53.760 in order to lead this program from all different facets. 42 00:01:53.920 --> 00:01:57.159 So yeah, still trying to figure it all out. But 43 00:01:57.760 --> 00:01:59.879 for the most part, I'm having fun doing it, and. 44 00:02:00.079 --> 00:02:01.319 That's what it's all about. Coach. 45 00:02:01.359 --> 00:02:04.359 And since this is my first opportunity to interview you, 46 00:02:04.480 --> 00:02:07.319 I will ask you some questions about yourself. I know, coach, 47 00:02:07.359 --> 00:02:09.280 you don't love to talk about themselves, but you've been 48 00:02:09.280 --> 00:02:11.479 at Utah for nine years and I just want to 49 00:02:11.479 --> 00:02:14.879 know about your background. When did you get the basketball bug? 50 00:02:15.080 --> 00:02:16.960 And then when did you know that you wanted to 51 00:02:17.039 --> 00:02:19.240 get into coaching. How did that all kind of come about? 52 00:02:20.840 --> 00:02:24.039 You know, I think just basketball has been a part 53 00:02:24.080 --> 00:02:29.159 of my life ever since childhood. My father, Craig Peterson, 54 00:02:29.919 --> 00:02:34.680 referee collegiate basketball for twenty plus years, and so my 55 00:02:34.879 --> 00:02:38.960 first introduction to Salt Lake City was during the Whack 56 00:02:39.039 --> 00:02:43.360 Tournament back in nineteen ninety or nineteen ninety one something 57 00:02:43.400 --> 00:02:46.120 like that, where it was at the Delta Center and 58 00:02:46.240 --> 00:02:49.240 he was appreciating that and he brought me along to tagalong. 59 00:02:49.680 --> 00:02:53.520 So basketball has always been kind of a part of 60 00:02:53.520 --> 00:02:56.879 my growing up. I was always around the game, always 61 00:02:56.960 --> 00:03:00.159 loved the game. Then it wasn't until after college when 62 00:03:00.159 --> 00:03:02.080 I went to graduate school at the University of Hawaii 63 00:03:02.560 --> 00:03:06.000 and I got to work with the legendary Vince Goo 64 00:03:06.199 --> 00:03:07.840 who is the all time winning his coach at the 65 00:03:07.919 --> 00:03:11.400 University of Hawaii. But he gave me a chance to 66 00:03:11.400 --> 00:03:15.639 be a manager slash grad assistant, and it was at 67 00:03:15.680 --> 00:03:18.400 that point where I thought, man, this is pretty cool. 68 00:03:18.919 --> 00:03:22.319 A lot of the detail that goes on behind the scenes, 69 00:03:22.360 --> 00:03:25.840 a lot of the game prep, the practice planning, player development, 70 00:03:26.639 --> 00:03:30.520 relationship building with the young women, everything. I just kind 71 00:03:30.520 --> 00:03:34.719 of gravitated towards that right away. And you know, being 72 00:03:34.759 --> 00:03:38.919 the only show in town in Hawaii, at the University 73 00:03:38.960 --> 00:03:42.520 of Hawaii, It's just I didn't know that opportunities would 74 00:03:42.560 --> 00:03:46.840 present themselves, but lo and behold, it did, and I 75 00:03:46.919 --> 00:03:48.360 was able to be at the right place at the 76 00:03:48.400 --> 00:03:52.039 right time capitalized on those and you know, fast forward 77 00:03:52.280 --> 00:03:55.319 twenty three years later and here I am so just 78 00:03:55.400 --> 00:03:57.599 It's always been a part of my life and grateful 79 00:03:57.599 --> 00:03:59.439 for the breaks that I did receive along the way. 80 00:04:00.280 --> 00:04:03.879 I read that your wife, Karen also has coached basketball. 81 00:04:03.960 --> 00:04:04.639 Is that correct? 82 00:04:05.800 --> 00:04:09.759 Hi? Yes, my wife Karen, my better half. She actually 83 00:04:09.759 --> 00:04:12.919 played three years at the University of Oregon. Then she 84 00:04:13.039 --> 00:04:16.680 transured back home to Canada to finish off her playing 85 00:04:16.720 --> 00:04:20.480 career in Canada, and then she started coaching. That's how 86 00:04:20.480 --> 00:04:23.639 we met. She was coaching at Sacramento State while I 87 00:04:23.680 --> 00:04:26.600 was at Idaho State, and then we both worked together 88 00:04:27.519 --> 00:04:31.000 three years at the University of Idaho. So yeah, she 89 00:04:31.120 --> 00:04:34.839 totally gets it. She gets the demands and the time 90 00:04:35.439 --> 00:04:39.040 it takes to be successful at this level. Doesn't always 91 00:04:39.120 --> 00:04:42.120 like it, but she's understanding about it. And I'm so 92 00:04:42.240 --> 00:04:44.600 thankful to have her in my life in terms of 93 00:04:44.720 --> 00:04:47.519 allowing me to pursue my goal of my dreams and 94 00:04:47.600 --> 00:04:50.680 at the same time allowing the family to have some 95 00:04:50.759 --> 00:04:54.000 excitement and give them something to be proud about. 96 00:04:54.279 --> 00:04:56.360 Two basketball coaches as parents. 97 00:04:56.560 --> 00:04:58.920 I wonder if your daughters wake up to whistles and 98 00:04:58.959 --> 00:05:02.600 clipboards in the more, what what's that like as a 99 00:05:02.680 --> 00:05:04.000 partnership with two coaches? 100 00:05:05.560 --> 00:05:09.199 You know it is, And it's funny. Karen's coached our 101 00:05:09.240 --> 00:05:12.519 girls junior jazz team. Now they're in the Bantham League 102 00:05:12.560 --> 00:05:15.759 and she's coaching still our youngest, but she's ready to 103 00:05:15.800 --> 00:05:20.040 hand them off. Sometimes we just want to be parents 104 00:05:20.839 --> 00:05:23.920 and cheer on and love up our kids. But yeah, 105 00:05:24.240 --> 00:05:26.160 our kids don't know how good they have it in 106 00:05:26.240 --> 00:05:30.160 terms of my wife has a great basketball mind, was 107 00:05:30.199 --> 00:05:33.040 a great player herself, and so it's just funny they 108 00:05:33.079 --> 00:05:34.560 still look at us, at mom and dad. So if 109 00:05:34.600 --> 00:05:36.600 we ever get into the gym and hey, let's work 110 00:05:36.639 --> 00:05:38.639 on this today, I get the eye roll. I get 111 00:05:38.680 --> 00:05:40.439 to like, you don't know what you're talking about look 112 00:05:40.839 --> 00:05:43.040 and it's like, Okay, this is cool. I'm a parent. 113 00:05:44.040 --> 00:05:45.000 I love it. I love it. 114 00:05:45.000 --> 00:05:48.319 Hey, give me the origin story of your relationship with 115 00:05:48.399 --> 00:05:50.319 Coach Rob. You know she came on the show a lot. 116 00:05:50.439 --> 00:05:53.240 She was a good friend of the program, and you 117 00:05:53.240 --> 00:05:55.399 know you were with her prior to Utah. 118 00:05:55.439 --> 00:05:57.319 How did you guys connect? How did that come about? 119 00:05:58.600 --> 00:06:00.680 Yeah? So you know, back when I was that Idaho 120 00:06:00.759 --> 00:06:05.639 State I actually met Lynn in Tasmania, Australia, when we're 121 00:06:05.639 --> 00:06:10.120 recruiting at an under eighteen national event down there, and 122 00:06:10.199 --> 00:06:12.920 I remember that vividly because the gyms have no heat 123 00:06:13.360 --> 00:06:15.879 and she was freezing her tail off. She had to 124 00:06:15.879 --> 00:06:17.720 go to the store to buy blankets and gloves and 125 00:06:17.759 --> 00:06:21.199 all these things. And I'm coming from, you know, working 126 00:06:21.199 --> 00:06:24.720 at Idaho State up the road in Pocatella. What's cold? 127 00:06:24.759 --> 00:06:27.240 And she's, you know, coming from Stofton, California, where it's 128 00:06:27.279 --> 00:06:29.439 not that cold. So I just was like, this is 129 00:06:29.480 --> 00:06:31.560 not that bad. So I always remembered that, and then 130 00:06:31.560 --> 00:06:36.399 we've had some common friends that kind of kept us 131 00:06:36.439 --> 00:06:39.040 in touch. So when she did have an opening on 132 00:06:39.040 --> 00:06:41.959 her staff at the University of the Pacific, I've always 133 00:06:42.040 --> 00:06:45.000 respected her from Afar. I was at the University of 134 00:06:45.000 --> 00:06:48.079 Hawaii at the time and we had just competed in 135 00:06:48.120 --> 00:06:51.959 the Big West Pacific was leaving for the West Coast Conference, 136 00:06:52.199 --> 00:06:55.839 and I just I was intrigued about the chance and 137 00:06:55.879 --> 00:07:00.399 the possibility to join her staff, and unselfishly I wanted 138 00:07:00.439 --> 00:07:03.120 to learn from one of the best in what they 139 00:07:03.160 --> 00:07:05.040 were doing offensively, and at the time, there's a lot 140 00:07:05.040 --> 00:07:07.920 of dribble, drive off and pour out one in things 141 00:07:07.920 --> 00:07:10.439 that we started to do here at Utah but have 142 00:07:10.600 --> 00:07:12.680 kind of gone away from a little bit. We still 143 00:07:12.720 --> 00:07:15.879 have some tendencies that we do run. But it was 144 00:07:15.920 --> 00:07:19.279 just kind of a great opportunity for me to join 145 00:07:19.920 --> 00:07:23.279 her staff, learn from her and also bring something of 146 00:07:23.399 --> 00:07:26.040 value to the table in which I was able to, 147 00:07:26.120 --> 00:07:28.480 you know, head up the defense at Pacific and kind 148 00:07:28.480 --> 00:07:31.279 of did the same thing here at Utah. And it's 149 00:07:31.319 --> 00:07:34.439 just a relationship that you know, we started out as 150 00:07:34.680 --> 00:07:38.360 you know, working alongside one another, became good friends, and 151 00:07:38.399 --> 00:07:41.920 now she's one of our family members, her her family, 152 00:07:42.279 --> 00:07:44.879 it's just they're part of our family. And so excited 153 00:07:44.879 --> 00:07:47.680 for her and her opportunity. And at the end of 154 00:07:47.720 --> 00:07:50.519 the day, I get a great opportunity as well, so 155 00:07:50.519 --> 00:07:51.879 it's a win win for everybody. 156 00:07:52.040 --> 00:07:54.319 So it really is such a wild industry because I 157 00:07:54.360 --> 00:07:57.759 believe coach Rob hopped on the show forty eight hours 158 00:07:57.839 --> 00:08:01.160 before she received the job offer to go to Los Angeles, 159 00:08:01.199 --> 00:08:04.920 and you know, she had received a very well earned 160 00:08:04.959 --> 00:08:08.600 contract extension through twenty thirty prior to the season. So 161 00:08:08.800 --> 00:08:11.399 when I got the alert and look, that's that's an 162 00:08:11.439 --> 00:08:13.680 opportunity you got to take. And I totally understand and 163 00:08:13.720 --> 00:08:16.439 I'm very thrilled for her because she is She's dynamite, 164 00:08:16.480 --> 00:08:20.040 she'll be great. But but what was that what was 165 00:08:20.040 --> 00:08:22.920 that time? What was that timeline? Like for you, Gavin, 166 00:08:22.959 --> 00:08:24.720 when did you hear the news and what was the 167 00:08:24.759 --> 00:08:27.639 process that ultimately led to you moving over a couple 168 00:08:27.639 --> 00:08:28.519 of seats on the bench. 169 00:08:30.079 --> 00:08:33.799 Yeah. We I found out Sunday morning, the day before 170 00:08:34.159 --> 00:08:37.519 our McNee state game. And you know, she called me 171 00:08:37.519 --> 00:08:41.159 into her office and which you know sometimes happens but rarely, 172 00:08:41.679 --> 00:08:44.000 like it was random. She after practices here, I need 173 00:08:44.039 --> 00:08:45.519 to talk to you to come to my office. So 174 00:08:45.519 --> 00:08:47.799 I'm like, oh crap, Well, like what's going on? You know, 175 00:08:47.879 --> 00:08:49.720 like you just got to start thinking, like I know, 176 00:08:49.759 --> 00:08:53.919 I didn't do anything, so it ain't me. But she 177 00:08:54.039 --> 00:08:56.600 sat me down and she goes, Okay, I'm well, I'm 178 00:08:56.639 --> 00:08:59.639 gonna tell you it's gonna blow your mind. And it 179 00:08:59.720 --> 00:09:02.519 really did. So she broke the news to me. I 180 00:09:02.519 --> 00:09:05.039 immediately stood up off the couch and gave her a 181 00:09:05.080 --> 00:09:06.960 big hug, and I was like pumped. I was like, 182 00:09:07.200 --> 00:09:11.120 oh my god, that's awesome, like WNBA, like professional head 183 00:09:11.120 --> 00:09:14.039 coach in LA, like that is awesome. And then I 184 00:09:14.080 --> 00:09:16.960 sat down and I'm like, okay, now what that mean 185 00:09:17.039 --> 00:09:19.519 for us? Like, are you know? Then there are a 186 00:09:19.559 --> 00:09:23.679 lot of questions, and so she just basically hinted at 187 00:09:23.799 --> 00:09:26.360 the possibility of me being able to take over here 188 00:09:26.480 --> 00:09:30.320 and that our administration wanted to talk with me. And 189 00:09:30.399 --> 00:09:35.279 so it was a whirlwind of emotions. Excited for her, 190 00:09:35.960 --> 00:09:39.679 kind of concerned about what the future was going to be, 191 00:09:39.720 --> 00:09:42.879 not only for myself before our players. And then later 192 00:09:42.960 --> 00:09:46.039 that afternoon, after meeting with Mark and Charmel from our administration, 193 00:09:47.600 --> 00:09:50.919 they basically said, hey, you're our guy. There is no 194 00:09:51.000 --> 00:09:54.879 interim tag. We believe in you. And so it's very humbling, 195 00:09:55.919 --> 00:09:59.080 very gratifying to know that the hard work and the 196 00:09:59.120 --> 00:10:01.480 loyalty that I've shown over the course of my career 197 00:10:02.279 --> 00:10:06.759 went noticed and it was just a proud moment for me. 198 00:10:07.200 --> 00:10:09.799 And then so we have to go through Monday versus 199 00:10:09.879 --> 00:10:13.559 McNee State without being able to tell anybody until we 200 00:10:13.639 --> 00:10:15.720 told our team Tuesday. And the reason we did that 201 00:10:15.960 --> 00:10:18.519 was we wanted our players to be able to focus 202 00:10:18.559 --> 00:10:22.879 on the game not be distracted. Also, give us one 203 00:10:22.960 --> 00:10:25.879 last go at it together. Uh, And it worked out great. 204 00:10:26.440 --> 00:10:31.279 And I know when you have to enter into contract negotiations, 205 00:10:31.320 --> 00:10:33.879 you know in the professional level, all those non disclosure 206 00:10:33.919 --> 00:10:35.960 agreements and all those type of things they have to 207 00:10:36.120 --> 00:10:39.559 enter into, So I get the sensitivity sensitivity of it all. 208 00:10:40.120 --> 00:10:43.480 But I think we handled it the best we possibly could, uh, 209 00:10:43.679 --> 00:10:45.720 and everything came out for the better. 210 00:10:46.480 --> 00:10:48.679 Gavin Peterson as our guest head coach of the Utah 211 00:10:48.679 --> 00:10:52.480 women's basketball team off to a great start. I wonder, Gavin, 212 00:10:52.480 --> 00:10:55.720 as you know in in the industry, as they say 213 00:10:55.840 --> 00:10:58.679 that it's always a little tenuous when you take over 214 00:10:58.799 --> 00:11:02.039 for a legend and and coach Rob changed the standard 215 00:11:02.039 --> 00:11:05.000 around here, right. I mean, we have three straight NCAA appearances, 216 00:11:05.039 --> 00:11:07.440 we have three straight twenty plus win seasons, we have 217 00:11:08.320 --> 00:11:12.559 players being drafted in a pro basketball So I wonder 218 00:11:12.600 --> 00:11:16.639 how much of your stamp you will put on this 219 00:11:16.720 --> 00:11:19.639 program and how much of just the continuation, you know, 220 00:11:19.679 --> 00:11:21.879 the old saying, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. 221 00:11:22.480 --> 00:11:24.799 If that makes If that makes sense, So just kind 222 00:11:24.799 --> 00:11:26.039 of walk us through that dynamic. 223 00:11:27.559 --> 00:11:32.600 Yeah, I think, you know, being alongside her for the 224 00:11:32.759 --> 00:11:37.000 nine years that she was here, I was given a 225 00:11:37.000 --> 00:11:40.519 lot of freedom, a lot of responsibility to do things 226 00:11:40.559 --> 00:11:44.519 that would better our program. With those responsibilities and with 227 00:11:44.720 --> 00:11:49.320 the leadership that Lynn provided, she you know, without knowing 228 00:11:49.480 --> 00:11:51.960 and maybe she was intentional about it, but it's prepared 229 00:11:52.000 --> 00:11:55.960 me for this moment. And so I'm excited to kind 230 00:11:56.000 --> 00:11:59.039 of continue the legacy that we started her nine years 231 00:11:59.039 --> 00:12:02.440 ago and have you know, has built into a national 232 00:12:02.480 --> 00:12:06.240 brand and when you talk about Utah women's basketball, it 233 00:12:06.279 --> 00:12:09.879 resonates with people, and people immediately start to think about 234 00:12:09.879 --> 00:12:13.039 our high powered offense. So, yeah, what my stamp is 235 00:12:13.080 --> 00:12:15.480 going to be, That's the farthest thing from my mind. 236 00:12:15.919 --> 00:12:19.000 I feel like we have great people in our program, 237 00:12:19.080 --> 00:12:22.360 from our players to our coaching staff and our support staff, 238 00:12:22.759 --> 00:12:26.639 and my job is to make this as smooth as 239 00:12:26.679 --> 00:12:29.840 a transition for everybody and keep the stability of the 240 00:12:29.879 --> 00:12:33.919 program going in the right direction, and whatever my stamp 241 00:12:33.919 --> 00:12:37.519 may be, it will organically happen. It's nothing that I'm 242 00:12:37.519 --> 00:12:40.480 going to be setting out to do intentionally. It's just 243 00:12:40.519 --> 00:12:43.519 going to happen naturally. And you know, I'll let people 244 00:12:43.519 --> 00:12:46.360 in the media and the people in the stands figure 245 00:12:46.399 --> 00:12:50.200 out what that's going to be, because I'm not concerned 246 00:12:50.279 --> 00:12:53.759 about that at all. The one legacy that I did 247 00:12:53.799 --> 00:12:56.120 hear from people that they want us to continue is 248 00:12:56.240 --> 00:12:58.440 dressing up, and so I'll still be in my suits, 249 00:12:58.679 --> 00:13:01.440 our staff will still be dressing up, and we're going 250 00:13:01.519 --> 00:13:03.000 to look the part when we take the floor. 251 00:13:03.759 --> 00:13:04.399 Love it now. 252 00:13:04.600 --> 00:13:07.440 As you referenced earlier, from what I've read about you, 253 00:13:07.440 --> 00:13:10.879 you have made your name as a defensive basketball mind. 254 00:13:10.919 --> 00:13:12.120 Is that fair to say, Gavin? 255 00:13:14.080 --> 00:13:16.720 You know, it's funny how some of those rumors get started, 256 00:13:16.720 --> 00:13:20.360 but no I have. I've been given that. But over 257 00:13:20.399 --> 00:13:24.039 the last few years, we do a lot of basketball 258 00:13:24.080 --> 00:13:29.519 talk behind the scene offseason, so I'm equally as much 259 00:13:29.559 --> 00:13:32.960 of an offensive mind as a defensive mind. It's just 260 00:13:33.519 --> 00:13:35.960 Lynn really trusted me to handle a lot of the 261 00:13:36.000 --> 00:13:39.039 defensive decisions that have gone on over the last nine seasons. 262 00:13:40.159 --> 00:13:44.320 But to be honest, our biggest change or our biggest 263 00:13:44.480 --> 00:13:48.279 jump on defense when we improved, Lynn had a lot 264 00:13:48.279 --> 00:13:51.559 of hands on in that. And so you know, she's 265 00:13:51.600 --> 00:13:53.720 selling herself short too if she doesn't give her some 266 00:13:53.720 --> 00:13:56.919 credit for our defensive improvements over the last three years. 267 00:13:57.240 --> 00:13:58.799 Sure, And the reason I bring it up just for 268 00:13:58.879 --> 00:14:01.039 context is I wanted to ask you because you know, 269 00:14:01.480 --> 00:14:03.559 the thing that always has stood out to me when 270 00:14:03.559 --> 00:14:07.080 I've watched teams play the Linn coaches. She's clearly, very 271 00:14:07.200 --> 00:14:10.679 very bright with how you guys execute offensively with your 272 00:14:10.720 --> 00:14:13.720 spacing and share the ball. And so I wondered if 273 00:14:13.840 --> 00:14:16.080 if you could kind of explain, and you you just 274 00:14:16.200 --> 00:14:18.360 did in a way. But you know, as a guy 275 00:14:18.440 --> 00:14:21.639 who was tasked with helping out on the defensive side, 276 00:14:21.679 --> 00:14:24.639 combined with what you learned from coach Rob offensively, how 277 00:14:24.639 --> 00:14:27.240 do you combine those two nolge you know, those two 278 00:14:27.279 --> 00:14:29.759 pieces of knowledge that you do have to maximize the 279 00:14:29.759 --> 00:14:30.720 potential of your roster. 280 00:14:32.399 --> 00:14:36.639 Yeah, I think it's kind of being consistent with how 281 00:14:36.679 --> 00:14:39.360 it has been over the last few years. With my 282 00:14:39.559 --> 00:14:42.799 voice being heard by our players in the gym, I've 283 00:14:42.799 --> 00:14:44.840 had a lot of people say like, well, how's it 284 00:14:44.879 --> 00:14:46.240 going to be Now you're going to have to be 285 00:14:46.320 --> 00:14:51.039 the disciplinarian. Well, ask every one of our players. I've 286 00:14:51.039 --> 00:14:55.600 done enough disciplinary action or holding them accountable to some 287 00:14:55.639 --> 00:14:58.159 of the things that we do, so that's nothing new. 288 00:14:58.720 --> 00:15:03.679 I have a lot of experience with Lynn, both of us. 289 00:15:04.200 --> 00:15:06.200 I mean, we worked so well together. So like the 290 00:15:06.200 --> 00:15:11.159 whole good Cop Bad Cop analogy, We've done that really 291 00:15:11.200 --> 00:15:14.000 well over the course of our twelve years together at 292 00:15:14.039 --> 00:15:17.919 Pacific in Utah. So I think just staying consistent. I 293 00:15:17.919 --> 00:15:21.200 think our kids know when I'm gonna you know, if 294 00:15:21.240 --> 00:15:24.960 I'm being quiet or not calling them out on little 295 00:15:25.000 --> 00:15:28.879 detailed things, they know something's wrong, and they've pleaded with me, 296 00:15:29.080 --> 00:15:32.440 do not change. You keep being on us, get on us, 297 00:15:32.519 --> 00:15:37.080 don't let anything slide. They actually love being pushed to 298 00:15:37.159 --> 00:15:40.679 reach their potential. And again, I am so fortunate and 299 00:15:40.840 --> 00:15:44.480 lucky to have this situation unfold in front of me 300 00:15:44.600 --> 00:15:47.200 because I know every one of our players. I know 301 00:15:47.279 --> 00:15:50.240 their families, we've recruited them here, I know our coaching staff, 302 00:15:50.279 --> 00:15:53.840 I know our administration. So it's really I won the 303 00:15:53.919 --> 00:15:57.240 lottery in moving over a seat, and I'm just so 304 00:15:57.480 --> 00:16:01.080 thankful and humbled and honored for that. Off community so 305 00:16:01.120 --> 00:16:01.720 I wanted. 306 00:16:01.480 --> 00:16:04.879 To get your take on the dynamic of how collegiate 307 00:16:04.879 --> 00:16:07.279 athletics has changed over the past few years. You know, 308 00:16:07.320 --> 00:16:09.720 we talk about it a lot with you know, the 309 00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:13.320 football side of things, and how some really high powered, 310 00:16:13.360 --> 00:16:17.000 powerful coaches have tapped out of really high paying good 311 00:16:17.080 --> 00:16:19.000 jobs because they don't want to deal with the new 312 00:16:19.039 --> 00:16:22.159 reality of what college football or college basketball has become. 313 00:16:22.480 --> 00:16:24.399 You're a new head coach, Gavin, but you're not a 314 00:16:24.440 --> 00:16:27.120 new coach. You've been doing this two decades, so as 315 00:16:27.120 --> 00:16:31.600 you've watched the changes from your prism in your kind 316 00:16:31.600 --> 00:16:33.720 of piece of real estate, how have the changes in 317 00:16:33.759 --> 00:16:36.879 collegiate athletics affected women's hoops? 318 00:16:37.799 --> 00:16:40.159 You know, I think it's a great time to be 319 00:16:41.039 --> 00:16:45.000 women's basketball player at the Division IE level. I think 320 00:16:45.039 --> 00:16:48.399 a lot of opportunities are opening up for people, not 321 00:16:49.039 --> 00:16:52.279 always just within the lines, but outside of the lines 322 00:16:52.320 --> 00:16:56.120 with nil and all these good things that come with it, 323 00:16:56.360 --> 00:16:59.559 revenue sharing coming down the road next year. So it's 324 00:16:59.559 --> 00:17:02.879 a great time to be a part of women's basketball 325 00:17:02.919 --> 00:17:07.680 as it continues its trajectory. With that said, though, it 326 00:17:07.799 --> 00:17:11.519 really has become a lot more complicated and in the 327 00:17:11.559 --> 00:17:15.480 recruiting process, it becomes a little more complicated as well. 328 00:17:16.160 --> 00:17:19.440 Our strategy, our foundation, and our principles with recruiting. It's 329 00:17:19.440 --> 00:17:22.519 not going to change. We want recruits to pick the 330 00:17:22.640 --> 00:17:27.000 University of Utah for our program, our university, our city, 331 00:17:27.640 --> 00:17:31.000 everything about the program. What you get on top of 332 00:17:31.039 --> 00:17:34.440 that with NIL and revenue sharing, that's just the icing 333 00:17:34.480 --> 00:17:37.240 on the cake. And you know, I've got to get 334 00:17:37.440 --> 00:17:40.599 updated with a lot of the you know, rulings that 335 00:17:40.640 --> 00:17:45.440 are happening, you know at the court levels what that 336 00:17:45.559 --> 00:17:47.759 means for us as we move forward. So when I 337 00:17:47.799 --> 00:17:50.119 do get in front of recruits, I can be as 338 00:17:50.160 --> 00:17:54.720 clear and you know, to the point and be truthful 339 00:17:54.799 --> 00:17:56.759 with what I'm telling them because you hear a lot 340 00:17:56.799 --> 00:17:59.720 of stories about people being promised promised X amount of dollars, 341 00:18:00.319 --> 00:18:03.279 which is not the case because nobody knows what that's 342 00:18:03.279 --> 00:18:06.200 going to look like yet. But yeah, it has changed, 343 00:18:06.279 --> 00:18:08.640 and you know, I love what I do, so I'm 344 00:18:08.640 --> 00:18:10.079 going to change with it, and I'm going to try 345 00:18:10.119 --> 00:18:13.039 to do my best to make sure that Utah women's 346 00:18:13.079 --> 00:18:19.160 basketball stays nationally recognized and stays relevant as a perennial 347 00:18:19.200 --> 00:18:20.200 Top twenty five program. 348 00:18:20.640 --> 00:18:24.880 So Craig and his men's basketball team with the jump 349 00:18:24.880 --> 00:18:27.079 to the Big twelve. I mean, the Big twelve on 350 00:18:27.160 --> 00:18:31.039 the men's side is just a nightmare, and it's good 351 00:18:31.079 --> 00:18:33.720 on the women's side too, Gavin, But the PAC twelve 352 00:18:34.039 --> 00:18:37.200 for the women's basketball side of things, I think was 353 00:18:37.200 --> 00:18:39.880 a little bit deeper and probably overall in my opinion, 354 00:18:39.960 --> 00:18:42.359 better than the Big twelve on the women's side. So 355 00:18:42.559 --> 00:18:44.440 it's not going to affect you as much, at least 356 00:18:44.440 --> 00:18:46.720 from the outside looking in. But I did want to 357 00:18:46.720 --> 00:18:50.960 get your take on how changing conferences has affected the 358 00:18:51.000 --> 00:18:53.119 program and the challenge that you now have in front 359 00:18:53.160 --> 00:18:54.759 of you with this new Big twelve slate. 360 00:18:56.359 --> 00:19:00.640 Yeah, I don't think it's affected us too much. Now, 361 00:19:01.359 --> 00:19:05.039 you know, our recruiting has stayed the same. We recruited 362 00:19:05.079 --> 00:19:07.200 a lot of Midwest to begin with. I think that 363 00:19:07.359 --> 00:19:12.599 just helps solidify our name recognition in those states. So 364 00:19:12.640 --> 00:19:15.319 I'm excited about that to continue to recruit that area. 365 00:19:16.400 --> 00:19:19.359 And then it's kind of an exciting time. It's new. 366 00:19:20.119 --> 00:19:23.160 There are new cities, college towns that we're going to 367 00:19:23.240 --> 00:19:27.400 have to fly into and get acclimated with. But yeah, 368 00:19:27.480 --> 00:19:31.400 the competition is the competition, and we have some really 369 00:19:31.400 --> 00:19:34.359 good teams right now in the top twenty five, and 370 00:19:34.559 --> 00:19:38.359 it's cool to be not mentioned because I think that 371 00:19:38.400 --> 00:19:40.640 puts a chip on our shoulder and keeps us hungry 372 00:19:40.680 --> 00:19:44.160 and motivated to keep climbing that mountain. And you know, 373 00:19:44.160 --> 00:19:46.960 we were just in the Cayman Islands and TCU is there, 374 00:19:47.000 --> 00:19:49.519 so we got a good close look at them, and 375 00:19:49.559 --> 00:19:52.359 they're a great team. I think they play South Carolina 376 00:19:52.759 --> 00:19:56.240 either tonight or tomorrow, but you know, they're still undefeated. 377 00:19:56.720 --> 00:20:00.720 We played Baylor a year ago. We lost I think 378 00:20:00.880 --> 00:20:03.400 by seven points early in the year to them, So 379 00:20:04.039 --> 00:20:07.839 you know, we're familiar with and we're excited to face 380 00:20:07.880 --> 00:20:11.039 some of those top twenty five teams and they're going 381 00:20:11.119 --> 00:20:14.200 to be great opportunities for us to get that you know, 382 00:20:14.359 --> 00:20:18.640 key victory, key win on our resume come postseason time. 383 00:20:18.759 --> 00:20:21.319 So again, great opportunity in front of us once we 384 00:20:21.359 --> 00:20:24.160 get to Big twelve, Big twelve play, we're going to 385 00:20:24.240 --> 00:20:25.079 be excited about it. 386 00:20:25.480 --> 00:20:28.119 I thought it was really cool to hear Kennedy last 387 00:20:28.240 --> 00:20:31.079 night talk about, you know, growing up in Utah going 388 00:20:31.119 --> 00:20:34.519 to jazz games and having the opportunity to play at 389 00:20:34.559 --> 00:20:38.119 the Delta Center. You guys, you stopped Utah stay pretty good, 390 00:20:38.160 --> 00:20:40.480 but what was that experience like for you guys to 391 00:20:40.720 --> 00:20:43.480 go down into an NBA arena, play in front of 392 00:20:43.519 --> 00:20:44.759 your fans and come out with a win. 393 00:20:46.480 --> 00:20:49.440 Oh, it was awesome. I was like on cloud nine 394 00:20:49.559 --> 00:20:51.759 from the morning I woke like I woke up at 395 00:20:51.759 --> 00:20:54.319 about five thirty six am. I'm like, I'm ready, let's go. 396 00:20:54.480 --> 00:20:57.079 Like I didn't have to get motivated to get on 397 00:20:57.119 --> 00:20:59.799 my pelotone bike and ride like I was just jack. 398 00:21:00.880 --> 00:21:04.000 Then we got to shoot around and I was walking around. 399 00:21:04.079 --> 00:21:05.880 It's just like, man, two months ago, I was at 400 00:21:05.880 --> 00:21:09.599 a UFC fight right here. I was a huge Bulls 401 00:21:09.640 --> 00:21:12.880