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Basketball Success Key to Overall Success   The Racer Insider's Will Aubrey

(August 22, 2007)

As another season of Racer athletics gets underway we sat down with Murray State Athletic Director Allen Ward and discussed the progress that's been made over the last year and what lies ahead.

Racer Insider: Although there are no games during the summer, you and your staff have been working diligently on numerous projects for the athletic department. Can you tell us about that?

Allen Ward: Once in a while I have to tell myself to take a step back and enjoy the progress that we've made rather than always planning for the next project. We've accomplished a lot in the last year, especially this summer.

We upgraded the Weaver Center, installed new turf at Stewart Stadium, resurfaced the track, we’re upgrading the weight room, and I hope to have a new football scoreboard up before the season opener. And we're working on plans to make some important upgrades for basketball.

RI: The Weaver Center is the student athletes' study area so it's important to the academic success of the program. What improvements have you made to it?

AW: Thanks to a commitment from Mr. Chuck Jones and others, we have been able to upgrade all of the PC’s and add a few to take it to thirty total. I’m anticipating quite a reaction from our student-athletes when they get back to campus and begin using the Weaver Center. We are also planning to add some other special equipment that will assist with some of our individual learning needs.

RI: You also announced recently that you're going to build a locker room complex for soccer and tennis.

AW: Yes we are and it couldn't have been done without the generosity of Rosemary and Harry Crisp. This is an important project that meets some of our most pressing needs in these sports.

The soccer team's current locker room in Racer Arena is not in very good shape and it isn’t cost-effective to try and make improvements to the current location.
So we were able to put the pieces together and not only build a soccer facility, but include men’s and women’s tennis in our plans as well. It will be located next to Cutchin Field and the Bennie Purcell tennis courts. Construction will begin in January and be completed by the start of next season.

RI: In the past when you've been asked about softball you have said it was important to address the current sports before you add any new sports. Are these improvements part of that plan?

AW: Definitely. The upgrades we have made this summer have met critical needs and needed to be completed before we seriously talk about adding any new sports. We aren't finished yet, but we’ve made a ton of progress this summer. I will continue to visit with Dr. Dunn about softball and where it fits in our plans at Murray State.

RI: You mentioned that there things you wanted to do with basketball. Can you tell us what those things are?

AW: Simply, I want to continue to stay on top of the needs that Billy sees for the program. The success of men’s basketball is critical to everything we do and impacts the entire department.

It’s no secret what Racer basketball means to this university, its fans and the OVC. It will always be a priority of mine to provide the resources necessary to stay on top of the OVC. I just don’t want to be in the ballpark with other OVC schools, I want to lead the way. It’s that important. As basketball goes, everything goes, so having a plan to keep us on top will always be part of my strategy. Billy will keep us there, I have no doubt.

RI: So it sounds like the success of the basketball programs, and I’m guessing the football program, is particularly important to the entire department.

AW: Without question, the success of the sports that receive so much national attention and can generate significant revenue impact the direction of the program and its overall success in so many ways. The great thing about the coaching staff we have in place is that they understand that and support each other. They know we are all in this together and believe they have the opportunity to be champions, often as a direct result of what basketball and football bring to the table.

When I am developing plans and strategy, I don’t do so with the thought that I just want to be “in the mix” when compared to other OVC schools. Murray State is all about excellence, and that includes athletics. I want to be the best in basketball, football, and everything we do. Sometimes we have to get creative in how we get there, but the most important thing is that we get there.

RI: Any plans for women’s basketball?

AW: Yes there are. Jody is working very hard to take the women’s basketball program to a new level. She’s doing a great job and I’ll be working with her to make sure we give her and the team an opportunity to do something special.

RI: Football season is just a few days away. Are you anxious for it to start?

AW: I'm always excited about the season starting. I've been able to watch several practices and the team has come a long way since last season.
We are still very young, 72 freshmen and sophomores, but our kids worked extremely hard during the off-season and came to camp in great shape, totally committed to winning. A lot of the team was here during the summer not only working out, but taking summer school to get ahead academically.

I'm not in the business of making predictions but I believe we'll surprise some people this year.

Matt's doing a tremendous job of building this program and sticking to the plan. And we’ve seen that plan work at his other head coaching stop. I still believe it’s a three to four year process, but I’m definitely excited about the season, particularly once we get into conference play. I look forward to seeing how we measure up against other teams in the OVC.

RI: Attendance has been down in recent years but with the new turf and the natural progression of the program in coach Griffin's second year, do you think that will begin to turn around this season?

AW: I believe so. I think our fans will be excited about the new field and the team we have this year. The bottom line is that it's all about the product. When we start winning like we were when Houston Nutt was here, the fans will show up.
Coach Griffin stresses fewer penalties and no turnovers, so this team should always have a chance to win.

It takes time to build a championship caliber program and I’m going to be patient. But I firmly believe we'll be competing for a championship in the near future.

RI: With Samford leaving the OVC at the end of the year and Jacksonville State pondering a move to IA football are you concerned about the stability of the conference?

AW: Not at all. I have been told that Jacksonville State is committed to the OVC and I’m confident they will continue their membership. If they did decide to change classifications, I’m sure there are a number of good programs that would welcome the opportunity to join an established league like the OVC that boasts such a proud tradition.

RI: As I understand it, the OVC has created a special fund to help member schools bid on home games in the playoffs. Do you think that's an important development?

AW: I was a big proponent of creating the fund. No matter which OVC team qualifies for the playoffs, it’s important to put them in a position to win. Obviously playing at home gives you a better chance to win. If we want to consistently make OVC football competitive on a national level we have to win games in the playoffs. And if you never get to host games, your odds of winning aren't very good.

If, for whatever reason, some schools struggle with being able to put a package together that would allow them to host a playoff game then I think as a conference we should assist. In the long run it's good for the league and it benefits everyone.

RI: The basketball schedule for the upcoming season was released a few weeks ago and Southern Illinois was conspicuously absent. Can you explain how that came about?

AW: Basketball scheduling is not easy. It's different than any other sport. And when you sign long-term contracts with TBA dates you're relying on everyone being able to get together and make it work prior to each season.

Despite numerous efforts by the coaches and the athletic directors on both sides we just couldn't find a date that worked for both of us. Every date we came up with either cramped them or it cramped us. And after we seemed to exhaust all efforts, we just ended up putting the series on the back burner and scheduling Arkansas State instead.

We'll try to find dates in the future. There's no animosity at all between the two programs, Mario (SIU AD) and I have a great working relationship. We want to schedule football and will keep working on basketball. We're just going to have to wait a few years to make the dates work.

RI: You did some things last year to tweak the way games were presented and create a better atmosphere. Do you have plans along those lines for this season?

AW: We'll build on how we presented the games last year. We have a few new things planned, but the fans will have to come out to see what those are all about. It’ll be fun, after all its college basketball. But most of all, fans will be excited about Billy and his team and the new players that he has coming in. We'll be competing for a championship and that always makes for great atmosphere.

We're certainly selling more season tickets and that's exciting. We've got 75 to 100 new season ticket holders already. Racer fans never cease to surprise me, they’re the best and the RSEC should be rockin’ this season.

I'm also hoping that we get a couple of TV games and I have talked to the conference office about a couple of opportunities there. I told them we would adjust game times if necessary to get the national exposure.

RI: One of the things you've focused on is student involvement and you have to be pleased with how they've responded.

AW: Definitely. Of course we always wind up playing some home games when the students aren't here but that's unavoidable. When our students are on campus they come out and support the team. Students can make or break a home court advantage, so we’ll continue to do things geared toward students.

RI: Following up on women’s basketball, the team had a great year last year and with four starters back I'm sure you expect more of the same this year.

AW: I think they'll do well again this season. I have great confidence in Jody. Of course, that 5th starter was Joi Scott and that type of talent is hard to replace. But they are recruiting and preparing to keep women’s basketball at Murray State successful for a long time. Jody doesn’t wear a national championship ring for nothing, she knows exactly what it takes to become a champion and remain one.

RI: Would you like to comment on your contract extension?

AW: Well, sure, I guess so. I’m just thankful for the commitment shown by Dr. Dunn and the university to me and the direction of the program. It’s an honor to have the opportunity to lead this program and I like the direction we’re headed. I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank my staff. They work awfully hard and I’m appreciative of all that they do for the program. It’s a team effort and I don’t lose sight of that.

RI: Would you like to add anything else as the new year is about to begin?
AW: I just look forward to the season beginning and the opportunity to watch these kids represent Murray State and compete for championships. There’s nothing better than college athletics and what it adds to campus and a college town. It’s going to be an exciting year and I encourage everyone to be a part of it.

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