Tim Floyd Reflects On His First Stint With UTEP And What To Expect From His Miners

UTEP men’s basketball coach Tim Floyd is not a difficult man to understand.

He doesn’t shy away from questions when asked where his team is at and what he expects of them. Confused about why there aren’t players’ names on the back of jerseys? He’ll tell you it’s all about the team and university.

Floyd was named UTEP’s 18th men’s basketball coach when he was hired in March to replace Tony Barbee when he left to Auburn. Floyd worked as an assistant coach for Don Haskins from 1978-’86.

Talking at his first radio show on Tuesday at the Ale House, Floyd said he did not mind the expectations of the fans and said he has been made to feel welcome in the city.

“We’re undefeated. It can change real quick,” Floyd said of how quickly the fans’ excitement for him and the team could change. “This is where it all started for me. It’s always been a town that loves basketball.”

Floyd’s memories of his first stint at UTEP are dominated by one thing: the sellouts.

“From 1977-’86, I don’t remember a game that wasn’t sold out,” Floyd said. “People used to camp out to get tickets. There would be 300 to 500 people waiting for the team after road games.”

The game he remembers most from that time was when UTEP hosted Georgetown in El Paso and defeated the powerhouse. He said he remembers the game partly because it was the coming out party for freshman point guard Tim Hardaway.

Even though the team’s first game of the season against Pacific sold out Floyd is taking nothing for granted. He knows the team has to earn the support and devotion of the fans.

“We have to earn it by playing hard, diving on the floor and taking charges,” Floyd said. “We have to capture that back.”

Floyd began his coaching career with Haskins and will forever be linked to the bear in the minds of UTEP fans. Their coaching styles are built around defense and making it about the team, not individual players.

Asked what Haskins would have thought of El Paso changing its name to Miner Orangeville, Floyd does a dead-on impression, “That’s the corniest thing I’ve ever heard of.”

Haskins died of heart failure in September 2008. As a tribute to Haskins, Floyd had one of the Bear’s ties in his jacket pocket for every game of his last season as coach at USC. He was given the tie by Haskins widow, Mary Haskins.

He said he would likely pay tribute to Haskins at the Pacific game by wearing a clip-on tie and immediately taking it off before the game started, just as Haskins used to.

Floyd will also carry on other aspects of Haskins’ coaching philosophy, including not posting players’ individual scoring totals during games, no names on the backs of jerseys and adapting the style of offense to the players he has.

“So much of what we do is talk team, team, team, team, team,” Floyd said when asked why scoreboards won’t display his players’ scoring stats. “Our theory is you got some guys trying to make it (to) the NBA.”

If the players knew they only had two points at halftime, then they would “Take five bad shots and all of a sudden you’re down by eight.”

As for not having players’ names on the backs of jerseys, Floyd said fans will know the players without the names and know who to watch out for and what to expect.

“We’re playing for UTEP … Not playing for individual accolades,” Floyd said.

While Floyd is looking forward to playing Pacific, he’s not necessarily glad the Miners are opening with Pacific. He said he would have preferred to play them in the middle of the season. UTEP is going from a dribble-drive offense to a half-court offense that will use more screens.

“It’s advantage Pacific,” Floyd said. “They have four of five starters returning from last year.”

It’s the type of praise for an opponent Haskins used to say to keep his own team from getting overconfident.

Related Links:Link:Tim Floyd’s Return To Miner OrangevilleLink:Visit KVIA.com’s Special UTEP Sports Section