Exclusive: Billy Kennedy readies for Year 2 in Aggieland

Recruiting, new additions, scheduling & more according to Coach Kennedy

Logan Lee: Coach, you’ve been here a little over a year now. How has the second stint in Aggieland treated you so far?

Billy Kennedy: “Much better than the first year. Our staff is together, they know what I expect, our players that have been here all summer and they know what we expect, so the transition this year has been a lot smoother than last year.”

LL: With everything that happened last year, at the beginning of the season, all the injuries that happened throughout the year, and then you have seven new players that you’ve been coaching and teaching this year ... does it feel like a brand new start? Like you’re starting over from square one?

Kennedy: “Not really. Having the summer is a little bit different than what we’ve ever had before because we were able to work these guys out and that’s been a big benefit for us, when you have all your guys here for eight weeks, and then you have preseason workouts. It’s almost like them being here half of a year. We know them, and we’ll find out more when the games come because you really find out who they are, but it’s been a much better transition because of having the summer.”

LL: You talk about the summer and how much that has meant for you and the team. Practice just started, you’ve got three or four under your belt ... how does the team look so far?

Kennedy: “The first couple of days looked good and promising, but I think that’s everywhere in the country. The first week is usually a really good week because everybody is excited to be on the court and working on things they’re going to be using in the games.

“Yesterday we weren’t very good, and I think with a young group and that many new guys, we’re going to be a rollercoaster at times, so just trying to get things to balance out is just going to take time as the new guys adapt and the old guys get comfortable with what we’re doing.”

LL: You have two seniors on the team, Ray (Turner) and Elston (Turner). With this many newcomers on the team and enjoying the summertime, the leadership has always been found in with the seniors, but with seven new guys coming in, is the leadership up for grabs? Who’s taking that leadership role and who has really stepped up?

Kennedy: “You know, I think both of those guys have done a solid job of leading in the positions that they’re in, but we would like them to do more. As seniors, I think we’ll see that in games, the calming effect, because they’ve been there before. But it is up for grabs. We’ve got some strong personalities on this team this year, so I like that. I like guys competing for spots. I think leadership has yet to be determined. “

LL: Who are some of the newcomers that have really made an impact, in your mind, so far?

Kennedy: “The freshmen have been really good in practice, Alex Caruso and J’Mychal Reese. Since we’re more organized in practice, they’re much more under control and I really like the progress they’ve made since the first day of practice and really since they first got here. Then we’ve got two junior college guys that bring some toughness and experience and some physicality that we lacked last year, so I’m really pleased with everybody and not disappointed with anybody at this point.”

LL: You have a scrimmage on Friday. It will be the first time to really get up and down the floor with officials and as a team. What are you looking for in that scrimmage?

Kennedy: “Guys trying to do what we want them to do, and not just because the lights are on, they get excited and try to do things out of their comfort zone, or things selfishly. I think one thing we’ve done a pretty good job of is sharing the ball offensively, and I hope we can continue to do that when the lights come on. Then we’re just looking for guys that play tough. Be defensive minded and add some toughness around the basket, which we’re struggling doing right now, but we need to be tougher on the defensive end.”

LL: I know practice just started and you’re excited about that, but how excited are you to start the regular season and compete in the SEC this year?

Kennedy: “I’m excited about it, but it’s not here yet, so we don’t have to be ready for it. We’ve got a lot of work to do to get ready for it, but the SEC is a great basketball league, with the recognition that Kentucky is getting at this point, I think we’re the premier basketball league in the country. Now we need to go out and play like that as a league, but I’m excited about practice right now and that’s where our focus is.”

LL: You mentioned Kentucky and the SEC really making a name for themselves as far as basketball is concerned. The SEC has always been thought of as a football conference, but for the A&M fans that don’t know SEC basketball, what can we look for? Are the teams just as good in basketball?

Kennedy: “I think so. The athleticism is greater in this league and probably any other league in the country. There are a lot of good teams that people don’t recognize to be good teams. It’s not easy to go to Starkville, Mississippi and win. It’s not easy to go to Oxford, or Auburn and win. Those are programs that are up and coming and trying to improve, and those are programs that have had success in the past. Alabama, you can go on and on. It’s an athletic league and we’re excited to be in it, but we have to get more athletic to compete at a high level like we want to.”

LL: What are some of the goals for this team this year?

Kennedy: “One is just to compete on every possession. I don’t think we did that last year. Just to have an identity, and have people come watch us and say that we’re really good defensively, and that we’re tough minded. To develop a personality and develop an identity, that’s the first goal. The second goal is post-season play. We should be able to play in the post-season every year at this school. It’s a great program that has had a lot of success recently. Yes, we’re rebuilding in a lot of ways, but I think that if we max out, we can compete in post-season.”

LL: Now to surpass those goals, in the future, obviously you have to recruit well. Without mentioning any names, how has the recruiting gone for you and your staff?

Kennedy: “It’s been solid. You always want to get better, but I think because we got the job so late and now recruiting is about recruiting guys when they’re freshman and sophomores, we’re catching up. I think the 2014 class has the chance to be our best class, because we’ve developed some relationships and had some time with guys that we didn’t get with the 2012 and 2013 class.

“You look at this league and three teams right now are top ten in recruiting classes in the country, when you look at Kentucky, Florida, and Arkansas, and Alabama is close right behind. We’ve got to get to where we can get top ten recruiting classes to compete at the highest level in this league.”

Kennedy: “Character. We’ve got to have guys that work hard, that are trustworthy, want to get a degree and want to be good citizens. It’s kind of in that order. We’re looking for guys who recognize that A&M is a great place and a great institution, and want to be part of the whole part of Texas A&M, not just the sports side. That’s hard to do in today’s society, getting guys to focus on things other than money and the NBA.

“If we can develop people that say ‘Hey, when I go to A&M, I’m going to get a great degree, I’m going to play for a championship basketball program with guys that I like being around,’ then that’s all we can ask for.”