KNOXVILLE — His role on offense wasn’t the only thing to change this basketball season for Josh Richardson.
Tennessee’s new coaching staff also tweaked the defensive responsibilities of the senior guard.
No longer is Richardson expected to lock down the other team’s top perimeter scorer, as he was during the first three years of his career when Cuonzo Martin was coaching the Volunteers.
With Donnie Tyndall at the helm, Richardson, who’s playing point guard this season, is a part of a matchup zone defense and a full-court press that allows him to gamble more for steals.
So maybe it’s not surprising that Richardson equaled his steals total from last season in just 12 games this year, and he’s relished adding to that total as much as he welcomed his role as lockdown defender in the past.