KNOXVILLE - Listed below are full transcripts from post-practice Monday chats with University of Tennessee basketball players Bobby Maze, Scotty Hopson and Renaldo Woolridge.
I caught up with all three players - Maze, a senior point guard; Hopson, a sophomore guard; and Woolridge, a sophomore wing - and asked for their reactions to Friday's arrests of four teammates. They discussed potential impacts on and off the court.
Here are the transcripts. Some of this is one-on-one material, and some came from group interviews.
BOBBY MAZE
Q: What's the bottom line regarding this situation?
MAZE: "It's tough on us, and it's tough on them, but we're going to stick together, and we're going to get through this."
Q: How different have things felt the past few days?
MAZE: "It was very different not seeing those guys. I think sometimes when it's one guy or two guys, (it's easier). But when it's four guys ... four guys that have been here and four guys who have done so many community service things, giving back to the community and knowing those guys are great group of guys, and to see them go through something like this ... they're embarrassed, and our team is embarrassed for this program, for this university.
"We're just going to try to move forward, but it feels a lot different without those guys."
Q: Is that perhaps the most disappointing thing for you, that this incident will wipe away all the good things this program has done?
MAZE: "Yes, I think that's the thing that hurts us the most as a team, and hurts them the most. Me, it's different. When you're with a guy day-to-day, and you see what type of guys they are ... sometimes we just stop on the side of the road and play (basketball) with random kids, or help build a house or go to a hospital and see guys on the right track.
"We haven't been in any trouble that I've known of since I've been here. This is my second year without any distractions, and then all of a sudden for this to come about, to hear some of the negative things said, it's tough. But I think those guys understand as a role model, and when you're a high-profile player, especially here in Knoxville, Tennessee, there's people that look up to you. So when you make a mistake like what was made, you sort of have to pay the price. And whatever response you get from it, you've just got to try and take it. And if you are lucky enough to get another opportunity, you've just got to make the most of it."
Q: How difficult will it be to replace those four guys on the floor? Has it already been difficult in practice?
MAZE: "It was difficult, because of what those guys meant to the team. I think the great thing about this team is that we had a lot of depth coming in. I'm still confident that with the guys that we have we can still win basketball games. We have All-Americans. We have guys that averaged 20 points a game in high school. All of us were playing about 20 minutes, so now with guys getting more minutes, it's a team effort. Everybody has to step up and play well.
"Definitely in their absence they will be missed, because those were some key guys that we depended on to make plays, but I still think there's enough here to still win some basketball games."
Q: What do you know about Wednesday's opponent, Charlotte?
MAZE: "Charlotte is a terrific basketball team. They're well-coached. They play a lot of guys too. They play about 10, 11 guys. They have size. They like to run up and down kind of like the same style that we play. They're a well-coached team. This game I feel like could come to the wire. I think guys are going to have to step up tremendously, but I have faith in these guys. The last couple ... this is our second practice, guys being here, they bring a lot of energy. I expect a lot out of our guys to step up for those guys that are gone."
Q: With a smaller rotation, will you guys have to play a little slower? Will you have to be extra aware of your foul situation?
MAZE: "Of course. When you're short on men, I think you want to play smart. But most teams that we play against play six or seven guys. Just about every team that we've played against but this team is the only team that plays as many guys as I do. The teams that we play against are usually guys that are playing 35, 36 minutes a game anyways, so I think now with our guys having to play that many minutes, they'll step up, their level of play will step up. Knowing what we have to do in order to win a basketball game, I think we'll have a good chance to win."
SCOTTY HOPSON
Q: What have your emotions been like the past few days?
HOPSON: "I definitely feel for those guys. The camaraderie with those guys has been great. In my two years of being here, I don't think people understand that we hang out so much. Sometimes we go to Hooters and eat. We spend so much time together that this really hurt us, and we don't get to spend as much time on the court with them. It's really been a hurt to our team."
Q: How will each of you guys have to step up to compensate for the recent losses?
HOPSON: "It's been hard for the guys that's been on the scout team, and now they have to come and help us out. I think learning the roles and their positions, and also the effort we have to give, because we're still going to try to play our game. As far as only playing eight or nine guys, though, that's going to be tough on our team."
Q: Obviously, this isn't the team's ideal situation, but an optimist would say it's also an opportunity for guys to expand their roles. Do you agree with that assessment?
HOPSON: "It's definitely a lot of opportunity, especially with the younger guys, as far as Kenny as Renaldo and Skylar, getting more minutes is definitely going to be an opportunity for them. Even myself, this is a chance for me to step up and lead this team like people have been wanting me to do."
Q: Can this be a lesson learned for every player in this program, even the ones who weren't arrested?
HOPSON: "I think so. I think there definitely can be a lesson learned. I think you just have to go about your business and pray to God that this never happens to you. Just keep yourself having good habits. Sometimes things happen to people, and we'll never know the reason why, but you've just got to try to do the right things and stay out of trouble."
Q: What do you know about Wednesday's opponent, Charlotte?
"They have some streaky shooters. They get up and down the floor. They're good in transition. They have some decent post players, too, and they play strong. We're going to have to definitely bring the effort and play like men. No more of this other stuff. Younger people are going to have to step up, and me, J.P., Bobby and Wayne are really going to have to step up and be leaders in this game."
Q: Does it feel weird preparing for a team that has more depth than yours? That hasn't happened around here too many times the past several seasons.
HOPSON: "Yeah, you're right about that. That's usually our advantage, but it's not in this game. We'll just have to keep our effort up, and try to rotate in and out as much as we can. We have to play together at the end of the day now more than ever before."
RENALDO WOOLRIDGE
Q: How much different is the vibe around this program right now? How much different have things felt on the court the past few days?
WOOLRIDGE: "It's different. It's a tough feeling for us. We're a family, and we stay together when adversity hits, because that's the mark of true men, so we're just trying to stay together and stay positive throughout the situation. Whatever comes up, we'll be ready for it, and we'll just keep working hard."
Q: You've lost several players of the team's scholarships, at least temporarily. How will you guys adjust?
WOOLRIDGE: "Coach (Pearl) just preaches staying ready. He preaches that to me and a lot of the reserves, and that's what times like this really show - that coach really knows what he's talking about. Injuries happen, or whatever it is, and this is situation where a lot of us of have put in the work and stayed ready. And now when we have a tough time, whatever it is ... we just need to keep working hard and be ready."
Q: What do you know about Wednesday's opponent, Charlotte?
WOOLRIDGE: "We know that they're a good team. They have some great size, and they're deep. They play a lot of guys, and that's the thing that we had. We played a lot of guys, but now with the shortened roster for the moment, we have to kind of pick up as far as that's concerned. We've just been working hard and doing what coach said, and he's been pushing us in practice and working hard, so we'll be ready."
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