Jay GreesonTwo months ago today, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga athletic director David Blackburn announced he had hired Matt McCall to coach the men's basketball team.
Since, Blackburn has slept like a baby knowing that his run of home run hires was extended and he added another notch to his belt and another impressive line item to his resume.
For McCall, though, those two months have been anything but routine.
"Considering I didn't know that was the case, I'd say it's moved pretty fast," McCall said this week. "I think the biggest thing for me was getting in here and connecting with the team. Are the players OK, because it was evident to me early on how tight and connected these guys are as a team. For some of them this is the third head coach as seniors.
"Then it was hiring a staff to push us to make us better; hit the ground recruiting. You add in the family factor and finding a place to live, and, yeah, it's been nuts and crazy."
The details of time are a luxury seldom realized by the energetic and entertaining McCall. He had to pause when asked how old his daughter was - little Brooklyn is 20 months - and was relieved to hear that when she turns 2 in October, he like most dads can just worry about the age in years.
McCall caught his breath long enough this week to play in the United Way golf tournament at The Honors Course on Monday. The greens were as quick - and exciting - as his short-term transition to Chattanooga.
"I four-putted the first green," he said, his competitive fire starting to burn brighter, "but then I started to figure it out. I played surprisingly well."
The expectations are for his Mocs to play well from the start, and no one will be surprised if this experienced and close-knit bunch is the class of the Southern Conference next season.
The pieces on the floor are there, and any one who spends more than three sentences speaking with McCall has to come away impressed with his passion, patience, persistence and prowess.
But the lingering thought after talking basketball with the Mocs' new basketball poobah is that his priorities are perfect and his perspective - shaped in large part by his time working for Billy Donovan - is proper.
"The number one job as the head coach is to make sure to eliminate all distractions for this team," he said. "That's something Billy was great about, and it's the most important thing you can do as a head coach.
"Is this team talented enough to play in NCAA tournament? Absolutely. They deserve to play in the NCAA tournament. Does that mean it's going to happen? Not necessarily, but we have to give them the best chance at that by eliminating the distractions."
McCall is poised beyond his years. He seldom uses "I" in discussing his plans or his team, preferring to use "we" or "us." Sure, in regard to his family - wife Allison and little Brooklyn - or his golf game, McCall is quick to talk in personal pronouns.
In regards to the Mocs, though, he already has grasped the big picture, and the reports from those around the program are overwhelmingly positive.
There was energy and spirit as the Mocs began the first of eight weeks of summer workouts. And, by all accounts, it starts from the top.
And that's part of the plan for McCall.
"It was easier than we may have thought, because this is such a good group of kids," McCall said of connecting with an experienced roster that won 22 games last season. "But seeing us and the energy we have, that trust is starting to get there."
Contact Jay Greeson at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com and follow him on Twitter at @jgreesontfp. You can read his online column "The 5-at-10" Monday through Friday at timesfreepress.com after 10 a.m.