Bill Self discusses Oklahoma, decision to start Furphy

Was it even close no it’s not even close I I had to do something that’s not close not your does your have a hood it does it does but you’re not wearing yours like sh that’s true very true and I’m from California um how’s Hunter’s knee

And do I mean is it like a week thing like a season long or do you have an idea of no I think he’s fine he he he uh uh he bumped it uh against TCU and then and uh uh you know it’ bother me we took the

Next day off and and it had bother me in the practices and it bother him during the game but I don’t think it was to the level that he couldn’t play but he should be fine no excuses and tomorrow obviously it’s just game three but is

Tomorrow a big game for you guys yeah it’s a huge game it’s a big game for every game’s a big game uh uh in this league I mean I don’t think anybody’s going to run the table in our league uh certainly we didn’t do oursel any favors obviously uh uh Wednesday but yeah

Tomorrow’s a a big game I I I said this in in uh in Florida you know not very often you’re going the second week of an 18 League schedule thinking hey God these are must- winning games but I think there’s some people that actually feel that way and and you know must wins

Too strong but it it’s a big game tomorrow bill just looking at you know them coming in and playing at home and being a conference next year they join the SEC has there been any discussions or thoughts about maybe playing them as a nonon conference game down the line no

But that’s a good question uh uh uh I hadn’t even thought of that uh Oklahoma home and home as one of your two home and homes you play in a year yeah I I I could maybe see something like that but we haven’t really roached that at all

Yet yeah and just kind of with danan and you’ve talked about how he needs to be a little more consistent and the level that he’s been previous years what have you kind of seen from him this year that’s different uh is it just you know kind of taking care the ball a little

More or is it something else I think it’s uh uh minutes I also think although he played a lot of minutes last year too uh but I I I don’t think that we we have value in the basketball at the same point I see I see more careless plays uh

This year more chance taking uh but when you take chances you throw more interceptions but you also have more big plays so uh you know there there there’s a you know I heard this the other day you know uh Magic Johnson was one of the leaders in turnovers every year in the

NBA but he’s one of the you know leaders in assist because he takes more chances of balls in his hands more I think we become so accustomed to uh to Juan not doing that that it seems like to me this year it’s more magnified than than what

It normally would be and I do think he can be uh uh uh a better caretaker of the basketball have you noticed a different level of Confidence from Johnny since you guys came back from all day break uh well I thought the first half the other day he made the play in transition

That was about as athletic of anybody that we’ve ever had taking off one foot like that in transition I mean I don’t remember CB looking like that as a freshman but he’s been showing flashes of and that takes confidence to make that play but he’s shown flashes of

Shooting the ball with more confidence uh and looking to shoot the ball I haven’t seeing him be a lot different confidence-wise and and and attacking the basket off the bounds and some things like that but he’ll get there he’ll He he’ll get there we’re going to start Johnny tomorrow so Johnny Johnny’s

Going to start we going try something different and and uh uh we’ll see how that goes but obviously I think he’s playing with more confidence one what he was to Circle back to D how much pressure you feel this generally to create offense to initiate what you guys are doing

Uh how much pressure is on ju yeah compared to the years past I I think in years past you know we watched a lot of tape like both U games from last year Jaylen Wilson initiated offense Jaylen Wilson brought in transition there’s a lot of things that that we’ve done in

The past that flows into offense where where we need now ju to initiate offense uh or or we have you know we work trying not to have to do that uh but I I I do think there’s uh been more of an emphasis over him on him uh initiating

Offense rather than us flowing into it you know uh uh he’s the primary primary guy that brings it uh uh off a mate basket or whatever off a dead ball situation transition where last year we didn’t care we we didn’t care and you mentioned Johnny’s going to

Start what do you hope is different about what he brings be Mark just looking at something different uh uh looking at something different maybe it’ll be good for omarco coming off the bench uh you know kind of watching what’s going on first I just ask Hunter

If he could pick or or identify who is the loudest most vocal leader on this do you have an answer is it easy you won’t me you want to tell me who Hunter pick first well he said all four surprisingly right which means none of them are there needs to be

Separation uh uh now granted when we woned 22 we didn’t have that we had a group of guys I mean so you can do it by committee like that but I would like for in a game like the other day when it is loud in there I mean that was a great

Homec Court crowd uh uh and I felt like there was no control from the bench and that’s what happens on the road in loud places so who’s going to have the control in the game and I didn’t feel like anybody body really did that there

Was a a a a possession late in which we were right there and we tried to run something and four guys knew what we were doing and one guy didn’t and it totally boted The Possession so I do think that that we can be more vocal and

To Hunter’s Point I I think Hunter’s pretty much on point with that but in tight situations you need to have one guy that can kind of step up and and and and be the vocal guy when we wanted no way we didn’t have that when we w at 22

We really didn’t have that it was a group of guys now I know the media thought oh Russ Rob or or or or whatever and and in 22 I’m sure everybody probably thought you know uh uh David as much as anybody I think you guys agree

With that which were great but it was it was by committee uh uh and this year I think that in tight situations though it’d be nice if maybe I can see it being cevin as much much as anybody but maybe maybe one guy being a little bit more uh uh uh

Demanding uh uh than what we’ve seen so far he he also said in his answer that the last day or two they’ve been pushed a little bit more to to individually bring some guys along and and when I asked him if that meant the the rest of the rotation or

The young guys he said also ourselves holding ourselves accountable that kind of thing what what what’s that I I well I think this uh yeah granted we’re 13 we played a great schedule and guys have done well so so let let’s but our our last memory is not a positive one and so

That’s all we always remember and we allude to the the the last memory but uh you know I ask our guys when they were freshman who helped bring them along and they told me and I said who are you bringing along so I I I think there

There can be more of that now granted doesn’t mean it’s been bad I just think it can be better you know you know uh uh I remember uh when we’re really focused going around to Rooms the night before the game and Walk-Ons are leading the film sessions with no coaches around

With the veterans saying now you remember Scouting Report when he catches it here this is where we’re trapping we’re not trapping here uh I I haven’t seen that yet now just too early in the season to see that but it needs to be some building blocks to get to the point

Where when we do need to see that did you see did you see that often that that kind of scenario that you just uh I think that we’ve had some unbelievably focused teams uh and we’ve had some guys that that uh that didn’t play that understand their role was to make sure

The guys that did play were totally locked in and I don’t think we quite sense that yet with Oklahoma coming in here just what stands out about them and in particular how have they taken a step forward in the third athleticism you know you look at them guys I mean uh uh

Those two guards are good athletes and and Godwin’s a terrific athlete at the five but but uh more and oie they guys’re they’re they’re two of the best you know 10 athletes in the league uh uh uh I mean maybe maybe two of the best five I don’t know uh I mean they’re

They’re much more athletic uh uh I think they score the ball much better mccullum’s a different guy you know because if he gets six open looks he can make four in in you know back to back to back to back uh uh uh I I like their

Team a lot and and uh the big guy they bring in uh uh I don’t want to mispronounce uh uh is it hugley is that am I saying that correctly the big guy I mean he can score the ball and and and uh uh they they’ve got they’ve got a

Nice roster they’ve really improved through the portal that was I almost didn’t rec you with your hair com new year new new year yeah resolution yeah okay I asked Hunter um Kansas basketball has an almost cult-like following where after every loss it’s like the world’s ending do you do you ever find yourself

The guys being maybe too hard on themselves do you do absolutely it’s it’s it’s not it’s not real the the the uh uh the the thing about it is uh I I don’t I used to care about that stuff and I don’t anymore uh players are younger they don’t know that they

Shouldn’t care you know we tell them it doesn’t matter but they they they still care and and and you sense things now now granted uh uh I don’t know that we’ve ever had uh I mean we won the National Championship in no8 we lose three out of five I mean I mean crap

Happens uh uh Now Grant granted you don’t ever want to happen and you don’t want one to become two and and all that stuff but guys this is sports and these these These are humans you know if I’m not mistaken the Chiefs uh uh lost a couple this year where the chief’s King

Probably was pushing the panic button too uh you know and I think they still won the west tonight I think they’re hosting tomorrow night if I’m not mistaken so that things things happen uh like that but I I uh it’s one of the great things about playing here is that

There’s so much interest but one of the things that makes it harder feel more pressure because we’re held to a different standard than other other programs are most most places because uh other other programs and fan bases uh unless you’re Alabama football or Georgia football or or or or some other

Things other other fan bases know that uh hiccup ups and bad things do happen during the course of a of a season and uh I think our fans understand that too I just think there’s a vocal a minority that sometimes don’t what do you want out of el merco Off the Bench tomorrow

Energy aggressiveness athleticism yeah I think I think but but but Gary that’s what I want when if he’s not coming off the bench too so so uh there’s nothing uh major about this it’s not it’s not a something that well this is something that we’re really trying to change our

The Outlook of our team we’re not at all but in all honesty to to I think someone’s Point earlier I think uh uh Johnny has been playing probably more consistently well here of late and and certainly look to be more aggressive just as the last thing

Remember a few years ago harb came here I just wondered if you stayed friends with him what you thought of the title uh I do remember and he had a very strong message that we relate to and and we talk about every

Year uh uh uh so uh uh he uh uh he he wore his Dickies and and the same shirt because he told us it eliminated one decision he has to make every day so uh I I loved him I mean I thought he was great and if I’m not mistaken his his

Wife’s family is from Kansas City uh so uh uh yeah I’m I’m I’m happy for him but he I I won’t go into what his message was but his message was something that resonates with our guys I bet uh the Gary Woodland story has to be touching

To you he’s back on the course he’s back on the course he’s plus one te’s off at 420 today and he needs to shoot 300 uh 200 a day try to make the cut uh uh I just looked it up minus one a projected cut and he’s at plus one yesterday so so

Yeah and and making the cut after what he been through would be a remarkable comeback they we four for home this season what’s that four for home jez what