New Tennessee basketball coach Donnie Tyndall answers questions from the media at the Big Orange Caravan appearance at The Chattanoogan in this file photo.New Tennessee basketball coach Donnie Tyndall was a recent guest on “Press Row” on ESPN Chattanooga’s 105.1 The Zone. Tyndall’s first month resulted in eight new signees as well as the departure of all four signees who had been compiled by predecessor Cuonzo Martin.
Q: They’ve already printed the T-shirts. Do you like the name “Donnie Knoxville”?
A: “I’ve certainly been called worse, and I do like it. It has a positive context or tone to it, and as long as there are not bad things said or written about me, I’m fine with it. I think it’s pretty cool.”
Q: In a sport with 13 scholarships, you’ve obviously undergone quite the overhaul with eight new scholarship players. Did you envision it being this big of an overhaul when you accepted the job?
A: “I don’t know about eight, but I certainly planned on six or maybe seven guys. In today’s day and age of college basketball, people would like to believe that guys sign with a school, but in reality these young people are signing because of the coach. I don’t take it as a slap in the face, so I never took things personally, and that’s why I gave those guys their release. I understand the climate and how it works.