Virginia Tech men’s basketball assistant coach J.D. Byers and head coach Mike Young joined Zach Mackey and Mike Burnop on Thursday’s edition of Tech Talk Live.
The Hokies (16-7, 5-5 ACC) are back in action on Saturday at NC State after an open date.
J.D. Byers
J.D., great to have you. Thanks for coming out today.
Great to be here. Great to see everyone. It’s February, so the shows are counting down at this point.
You guys are in the thick of it. How’s it going right now in the heart of ACC play?
Finally had a bye week, which we were — I think we were the last team in the league to get a bye. So we needed it, but it’s kind of been repetition: one game after another, preparing for one on Wednesday, another one on Saturday. So good to kind of get our feet underneath us this week, and obviously a huge game this weekend, so we’ve got to get ready for that.
It’s hard to believe that there’s only eight left, and five of them are on the road, and boy, they’re all tough places, aren’t they?
Yeah, the home schedule vs. road schedule was a little flipped this year, so we haven’t had an easy game on the road. But in our league, the way it’s structured right now, I don’t think there’s many easy games at all. So you’ve got to take care of one at a time, and NC State’s the one in front of us.
You’re 16-7 on the season. What’s your perspective on the team?
I think we would all agree we’ve seen flashes of it coming together, but I don’t think it’s all the way there yet. Still haven’t had our whole team together barely at all, and still waiting on TJ here — to get him back, which will be soon. So for me, watching our team develop, you can see it coming together. Watching some things in practice today, you can see the chemistry starting to build. So we have a great run left in us here. We’re in a great position. We’ve had some great wins, we’ve had some tough losses, but that’s what makes the season, and you’ve got to learn from those experiences. But I think we keep getting better, we keep taking steps, and now we have to put it all together down the stretch.
You guys have had a lot of injuries. How has that impacted the year?
Yeah, and that’s part of it. That’s why I think we have a good bench. We’ve had a depth of talent on this team. Our guys have stepped up and helped us win games. That’s going to help us as we go down the stretch and league play, but we need to see our main guys out there together, and hopefully soon.
How big is this week for recovery?
That was definitely the focus, but we still had to get sharp or sharpen up in some of the stuff we need to take care of. You get into that repetition of scouting and getting ready for the next opponent, but there’s things we have to improve on as a basketball team, and you can’t neglect your own improvements. So we’ve been able to do that this week, along with making sure some of these guys got right physically. Hisham [Ziyout] does a great job with our guys. David Jackson spent a lot of time with our guys this week, and they look good. They look fresh, and we’ll need to be at 12 o’clock on Saturday.
When you look back at that Duke game, that team is really good. They could win it all, and Cameron Boozer could be the player of the year.
He’s phenomenal. When you have a guy like that, I think he’s the ultimate bailout card. At any point they needed to go to him, whether it was to draw a double team or whether it was to run an inverted ball screen to get a mismatch, they were able to do that. They’re really good. I thought our guys — you look up on the clock with five minutes to go and you’re right there. And you have three cracks at it. You’ve got to step up and make shots. Those guys had good looks. We didn’t make them, but we battled those guys. There’s no moral victories, but I think we certainly made a statement that we can play with anyone in our league.
Is Duke a national title contender?
Oh, for sure. I think it really comes down to: are they going to make enough shots? I thought last year’s Duke team around Cooper Flagg, I think they had a lot of shooting. I think this team has been a little streaky outside of [Isaiah] Evans. But with that being said, those guys are all capable. So as long as they’re able to space the floor and make some shots, Boozer is a mismatch nightmare. You can’t switch. You really don’t want to play one-on-one, but if you double, he’s such a great passer. So I think when you can play through that guy the way they’re able to do that, and defensively, they have a great game plan, they have a chance.
What was the big difference defensively between the first and second half? Duke shot in the 60s in the first half and they only shot about 43 percent in the second?
Yeah, I think it was in the low 40s. We’re capable of being a very good defensive team, and I think we’ve been pretty solid throughout the year defending the three. We’ve done a great job of it. And game-plan wise in that game, we were going to give their bigs some opportunities, and they took advantage and made a few of them. I don’t think that really changed our strategy, or we didn’t feel like we had the wrong strategy, but I thought in the second half we got more aggressive. When you play Duke, you have to be careful that you’re not playing the name and you’re playing the opposing players. And I think in the second half our guys got aggressive. They were more physical. And I think, as a result, they didn’t shoot 60 percent again.
You liked the defense in the second half. What are you talking to your team about defensively?
Great question. Some of it is scouting and who you’re closing out on and all those things. But Coach [Young] always says you have to make the other team feel you or know you’re there. And I think this team has had a good presence on the ball. There’s good activity on the ball. We’re not on our heels. We’re pressuring the ball. You can see that we’re more aggressive, blowing up dribble handoffs and ball screens, and I think that puts a lot of stress on the other team as opposed to them feeling comfortable. When the other team has comfort, these guys are all good players. They’re all playing at this level for a reason. When you give them comfort, they’re usually going to have good offensive games. But I think this team has done well defensively, and we’re going to need to be very good. When you go on the road, your defense has to travel.
NC State had a good win against SMU the other night.
Yeah. We went to SMU — that’s a tough place to play. NC State’s a confident team. Coach [Will] Wade, the way they approach things, they’re not going to walk into any arena and be necessarily intimidated. But it was a good win for them. Boopie [Miller] still had a chance to finish the game, but they didn’t get that basket this time.
How do you guys split up responsibilities as assistants?
Sure. Basically, we split it up three ways between myself and [Chester] Frazier and [David] Moats, and we each have somebody helping us. Our responsibility is to know everything that team does — offensively, defensively. As a staff, though, we come together and really put a game plan together. There are going to be tweaks, changes, things we always do. I think we do a great job collaborating and coming up with the best plan for our team. Ultimately, you want your team to go out there and be aggressive. You don’t want them on their heels. You don’t want them thinking. So we have to balance that. Every team has a different challenge. NC State’s going to switch everything on defense, so that makes our offensive package change a little bit. But it’s a lot of hours of film. A lot of late nights. We’re watching seven, eight, nine, maybe 10 games of the opponent. You take a deep dive into everything they’re doing and figure out the plan.
How long did it take for all the coaches to mold together after Frazier and Moats arrived this summer?
When everyone is about the same thing and no one cares about who’s getting the credit, we all just want to win. Nobody’s beating their chest after a scout win. It’s about the players and how we can help them. Moats has been great. For a guy to come in when he did — tough timing — and fit in the way he has, but also make an impact and put his stamp on things, has been phenomenal. We all know Frazier — he’s going to work with everyone, challenge guys, pump guys up. We have a great staff. One of the things that makes head coaches successful is how they pick their staff, how they bring the staff together and what their expectations are. Coach makes it very clear: it’s always about what’s best for our team. It’s never about what’s best for us. That’s allowed this staff to gel quickly.
What is the message to a young player like Neoklis Avdalas, who is struggling?
Trust his work. The guy’s in the gym, working on his game. He’s not out there intentionally missing shots. He’s still making great plays, and opponents are still putting a tremendous amount of attention on everything he’s involved in. So trust his work. He’s working hard. I told him the other day, I went through a stretch my senior year where I was like 4-for-20 and 5-for-18. All it takes is one game that changes it — one good game — and then things are back to normal. So he’s going to have that breakout game. We’ve seen him in practice. But he can’t get down on himself. If you miss a shot, move on to the next one. We all trust him, and he’s got to trust his work.
You were an amazing athlete. Jersey retired at Lebanon Valley. Talk about that a bit.
I appreciate it. At the end of the day, it’s why I’m here now. I love the game. My dad was a high school coach for almost 50 years, so I was born into it. I love to compete. I love being on a team. That’s one of the things about coaches — I’ve been on a team my whole life, and you enjoy the relationships. Now, as a coach, watching guys grow, watching guys like Neo work through struggles — whatever it may be — that’s what it’s about. For me, I loved to play. I still love to play. I don’t get a chance to do it much, but it’s a great game, and I want to share what I’ve learned through it.
How did you get into coaching after your playing career?
Mike Jones at Radford — that I worked for — would say to me every couple weeks, “I don’t know why you’re doing this when you have an MBA and all this other stuff.” But honestly, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I got to my senior year, halfway through my senior year, people started doing internships and they’re looking at me like, “What are you doing?” I said, “I haven’t figured that out.” I sent a couple letters out trying to get on as a graduate assistant and got lucky. Once you’re in this thing, you’re in it, and I’m glad I am.
How good has Ben Hammond been?
Ben’s been tremendous. I think his upbringing and what has allowed him to be successful is his toughness and his perseverance. He’s played on great teams where he’s been not the focal point but the guy running the show. We went through some growing pains last year — we all know that — and Ben benefited a lot from the reps he got. You watch games from last year and you see games he was great, games he really struggled. But I think as a result, you’re seeing him having a breakout sophomore year. It doesn’t matter: he’s started some, he’s come off the bench some. Whenever he comes off the bench, he provides such a spark.
In your coaching career, have you had guys who are “starter guys” but you’d rather bring them off the bench if you can?
I’ve seen that before. Even when he wasn’t starting, he was like a sixth starter. That’s what we had going. He never once said anything about it. There was a time where he was going to start and we made the decision the day before that he wasn’t. His reaction was, “Alright, Coach, whatever you need from me.” So he’s a winner, and he’s going to help us win down the stretch.
He played all 40 minutes against Duke.
He did. He doesn’t really get tired, which is amazing for how hard he plays. He gets after it.
With ball handlers like Neo, Ben and Jailen Bedford, it seems like withstanding the press and getting it past half-court isn’t as much of a problem this year.
You can’t survive in college basketball now if you don’t have multiple handlers. If you look at national champions and all that over the last 20 years, a lot of them played two point guards. When you have two guys out there who can handle the ball — and in our case a lot of times we have three, and if you count Amani [Hansberry] as four — you become hard to scheme and game plan. You can’t just say, “We’re going to deny this guy,” and now you can’t start your offense. So having multiple handlers has been huge. I think that’s why you see us as a better ball-handling team overall, less turnovers, and the things Coach really looks for.
How good have the crowds been this year? That Duke environment was unbelievable.
Our crowds have been amazing. They really help us at home. I said to our guys — and I know Frazier said it earlier — you want people to come support you, and they want to support guys who are playing hard, playing together, playing the right way. I think that’s what we have here now. We have fans that show up whether we’re having a tough year or a great year, but this year it’s been amazing. We have a few left at home, and we’re going to need those games.
That student section has really showed out the last couple games.
Having them back from break is huge. They’re into the game, standing up the whole game. It’s cool to watch.
On a daily basis, what else are you doing? Recruiting, portal, scouting, player development? There’s no downtime.
No downtime. I’m trying not to think about the portal right now. There’s always something. I think college basketball has become more about this year during the year. Before, you’re trying to get ahead two or three years in recruiting, having lists and all that. Now, you’re going to have to go in the spring and bring in talent, so you don’t know what you need two or three years from now. So it’s about knowing the players. We’re talking to people — coaches, AAU, high school — talking to agents, trying to know who’s out there. Then it’s player development, bringing guys in to watch film. You’ve got something on your plate all day long. That’s what makes it fun.
Do you like the new age — NIL, transfer portal? It’s a different kind of basketball. What’s your take?
At the end of the day, it’s here, so that’s what it is. When I first got to Tech, Coach said, “J.D., this thing’s about to change at the speed of sound,” and he couldn’t have been more right. We’re doing the best we can to adjust. It’s different. You have a different relationship with the players. You don’t necessarily have them for three or four years anymore, but that’s what we have, and you have to make the most of it.
You’ve been a lot of places. Your wife is the volleyball coach, Marci. How did you survive when you were in one place and she was in another?
The only reason we survived was because of her. When I was in Houston and she was here, she used to take the flight from Charlotte to Houston every couple weeks. That’s the only way we made it. When I was at VCU, obviously, three hours away, so God bless. To get back here with her — and to work for Coach — has been amazing.
How nice is that, to have a coach at home?
It depends. She has her opinions. That’s part of it. But it’s good. You can bounce something off of her when it comes to dealing with a player or dealing with a situation. But sometimes when you go home, you just want to let that part of it go.
Your kids are growing up fast.
It goes quick. Kam will be seven in March, and Sky is already three — three going on 20. So I’ve got my hands full.
What do you like to do in your free time, if you ever have much?
I’d like to get out to the golf course. That’s about it. If I can get 18 holes in every once in a while, my day or week is just fine.
And you’re a pretty good golfer, from what I hear.
For about 85 percent of the round, I’m pretty good. There’s 15 percent that’s not very good.
What’s your favorite part of being a college basketball coach?
The relationships with the players and watching them evolve and grow. That process has to happen faster now, and the time together is less. But being part of a team and having those relationships — that’s what I’ve always been drawn to.
Vacation-wise — beach guy or mountain guy?
Beach. Not much of a mountain guy. Cabin is not for me. We like to go to the beach.
Mike Young
How are you doing? How helpful was the off week without a game?
I’m doing great. It was nice to have a chance to breathe, work on our team and prepare for NC State. We made great use of our time. We’ve got another day of preparation tomorrow, we’ll head down to Raleigh tomorrow night, get in the arena and be ready to play.
Did the guys get a chance to recharge their batteries a little bit?
They needed to. We had to get some guys off their feet for a little bit and decompress. We were one of the last teams in the ACC to have a bye week, so it gave us a chance to reflect, self-evaluate and look at some things. I’m pleased with the work we’ve put in this week.
What can you tell us about Tyler Johnson’s status?
He’s doing very well. He had a great day today. He will not play on Saturday. He’s just not ready. When you consider wearing that boot as long as he did, he’s making progress, but he’s not ready yet. I don’t know if it’ll be Clemson, Florida State, Miami. I’m not real sure, and that’s as honest as I can be.
You’ve had several starters miss extended time. What happens when you finally have a full team?
I’m going to jump up and down and dance around the Cassell. We’re getting there. Everybody’s dealing with it. It’s February 5, we’ve been at this since September 22. Everybody’s beat up and worn down. Nobody feels sorry for you. You suck it up, find a way, and go to NC State and play well.
What were your biggest takeaways from the Duke game?
I was really pleased with how our kids fought. We mishandled a couple things, but our attention to detail and adherence to the scout was very good. We had great shots. You’ve got to step up and make a big one late. We cut it to six and had the ball a few times where we couldn’t get that one big shot to fall and really put pressure on them. Defensively, we did some great things.
What stood out to you about Cameron Boozer?
Chester Frazier told me going into the game he might be the best player he’s seen on film in his 16 years of coaching, and the more I watched him, the more I understood that. He’s a load. Big body, unbelievable hands, great passer, willing passer, not selfish at all, and he can step out and shoot. They’ve got really good players around him too.
How important was cutting the deficit to nine before halftime after being down 16?
Huge. I had to call a timeout and get things settled, but they responded. We tweaked a couple things defensively, got some shots down, and competed their faces off. We wanted a better outcome, but we’re in good shape moving forward. We’ve got to play better, and we’ve got to win.
Ben Hammond has been in double figures six straight games. How good has he been?
Exceptional. The evolution of a player — I never imagined he’d be doing what he’s doing offensively. His shooting, his pull-ups off the bounce, his transition play — it’s been impressive. He’s having a phenomenal year and he’s a pleasure to watch compete.
He played all 40 minutes against Duke. Does he ever get tired?
I ask him every media timeout if he’s okay. I probably need to do a better job of getting him 38 or 39 instead of 40, but I have such great comfort with him out there. He doesn’t turn it over, he assists, he’s responsible defensively, and he fights. He’s ferocious.
How valuable is it having multiple ball handlers like Hammond, Bedford and Avdalas?
It’s a luxury. Secondary ball handlers are critical. Neo is our best passer — he’s tall, sees over things. Bedford has done a nice job too. That part of our package has been pleasant to see as the season has progressed.
Neo just had a birthday. How important is it to relax and enjoy moments like that during the season?
We’re going to have a little fun together, have a little cake and relax a bit. His dad’s coming over. We’ll enjoy it and get ready to go.
You’ve known Will Wade for a long time. What stands out about NC State under him?
We go way back. I remember him at Clemson with Oliver Purnell and later at Chattanooga. He’s a good coach and a good friend. They’re confident and they shoot the ball extremely well.
Quadir Copeland had a huge game against SMU. What makes him so difficult?
He’s different. Big, long arms, slow but strong, wants to back you down. He’s an incredibly efficient passer — lasers to shooters like [Paul] McNeil and [Darrion] Williams. He probes, turns his back and waits for you to blink. Those are the points we have to eliminate.
NC State has made a lot of threes this season. How do you combat that?
You have to take away the three. In their wins, they’re making a lot of threes. We’ve done a good job against teams like SMU and Virginia by limiting the arc. Rebounding is a big part of it too.
Their top scorers are seniors. How much does experience matter?
Everybody wants old players now. They’ve got Matt Able, too — doesn’t start, but plays starter minutes and is a significant contributor. You can pick those guys out on film even if you don’t know their names.
What are your thoughts on the new challenge rule?
I think it’s OK. You don’t see it every game, but it’s nice to have. You rely on your staff and players. Sometimes you don’t have conclusive evidence because the ball is ready to be put in play and the other coach is yelling to go. We’ve challenged two and won both.
Foul totals can vary wildly game to game. What’s your perspective on that?
I think it’s just the game and the crew you have. What bothers me is when officials try to even things up with phantom calls. If it’s a foul, it’s a foul. If it’s not, don’t make something up — that hurts the game.
What’s the biggest key for Saturday against NC State?
Take away the three. They play an unorthodox defensive style, so we have to move the ball and be basketball players. We’re going to get good shots — we’ve got to knock some down.
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