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- Coach Bobby Lutz
Lutz expects 10 guys to play a lot, which means there isn't a huge talent differential among them. Point guard Curtis Nash, the only senior on scholarship, and junior shooting guard Demon Brown are the only returning starters. "This is the most depth we've had in the eight seasons I've been here," says Lutz, who arrived as an assistant in 1995 and became head coach in 1998. "In the past, we've had six or seven guys who were going to get the minutes. Now, we have a blessing and a curse."
The blessing is easy to understand. When injuries or foul trouble inevitably come along, Charlotte has strong personnel to come off the bench. The 49ers also have more players at their disposal if they make their usual run into the NCAA playoffs. That wasn't the case last year, when Charlotte fell hard in the first round, 82-63 to Notre Dame. Remembering the haggard ending for now departed seniors Jobey Thomas, Cam Stephens and Jermaine Williams, Lutz says simply, "We wore down."
That's unlikely this season because there are so many young legs on the team, including two outstanding freshmen from the local area -- a fact that shows Charlotte is now attracting talent that once went to the Atlantic Coast Conference or other powerful basketball conferences. Forward Curtis Withers, who starred at West Charlotte High, and Vincent Grier, who played at South Mecklenburg High before transferring to Raleigh's Bonner Academy, were among the first three players off the bench when Charlotte routed Long Beach State 89-61 in the 49ers' season opener November 22. The freshmen duo played comparable minutes to the five starters.
"We want to get the best guys out of our own backyard," Lutz says. "It creates a flow of good talent, a trend. There is less travel, expense and fighting with other schools. It also creates more interest in the university. Ten years ago, it was really difficult to attract the top caliber local players. We didn't play in a well-known league (Metro Conference). Now Conference USA is seen as a top emerging league, and we've been successful." Charlotte has reached the playoffs five of the last six years, an accomplishment shared by only 21 Division I schools. The only other ones in the Carolinas are Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill.
Meanwhile, the curse of so much depth is giving players enough playing time to keep them from transferring or copping an attitude. "The mentality has changed a lot," Lutz says. "Freshmen used to be happy if they played some, knowing as a sophomore they'd likely play more, and so on."
Not anymore. Talented players today focus on "minutes" and "P.T." (playing time) like a scientist studies slides. They want to showcase their skills to the pros. If they can shine brighter elsewhere, they pack their bags, even though it means sitting out a year. Who can blame them? Big bucks or mere opportunity to play are at stake. College players routinely leave school early to enter the pro draft -- a la Charlotte's freshman forward sensation, Rodney White, after the 2000-2001 season -- or hope to be drafted after their four years of college eligibility.
So how does Lutz keep his players satisfied with their minutes and winning games? Perhaps he's consulting his old psychology books from when he majored in the subject as a Charlotte student. But that's not what he talks about. There's no "Pavlov's dog" or "behavior mod" in his words.
"Communication," he says. "I try to spend a lot of time talking to guys, letting them know in a positive way where they are -- here are the things you're doing well that are getting you playing time, and here is what you need to improve to play more. I also try to motivate them to see the bigger picture -- that if each player does his part, the team wins and we all win."
This refreshing approach, regardless of its focus on curbing defections, is respectful of the individual athlete. Coaches too often expect players to read their minds. Beyond that, Charlotte has a tradition of unselfish players. "That's one of the reasons we've had the success we've had," Lutz says. "Hopefully we can keep that mentality. If we can stay unselfish, we can use this depth to our advantage."
And the Man in Black just might keep his dark hair.
Contact Susan Shackelford at susan.shackelford@creative loafing.com.
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