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Five Questions - Fordham University, Assistant Coach Jared Grasso
By Chris DiSano | September 17, 2008
In this edition of ‘Five Questions’, College Chalktalk is joined by Jared Grasso of Fordham University. Grasso and Head Coach Dereck Whittenburg first crossed paths when the former was a standout player for Quinnipiac University in Connecticut, and Whittenburg the Head Coach at Wagner. Now, a short time later, Jared is a valued member of Coach Whittenburg’s staff. Here, he shares his offseason thoughts on the Rams.
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College Chalktalk: Can you briefly describe each of your newcomers?
Jared Grasso: We have six newcomers this season.
Jacob Green - Transfer from West Virginia. Long and can score in the post. Has gotten stronger and more physical after playing for Jon Beilein and Bob Huggins. Will rebound and block shots off his length alone.
Khiry Gordon - Very good athlete who is very bouncy and active around the basket. Was also a track star in high school. Can run all day and will bring us a lot of energy.
Lamar Thomas - Has been very impressive in preseason workouts. Good footwork and can score in the post. Really runs the floor well.
Alberto Estwick - One of six Division 1 signees from National Champion, St. Anthony’s High School. Great length and athleticism. Can shoot it from deep and finishes in transition. His best basketball is ahead of him!
Jio Fontan - WINNER! Starting point guard for St. Anthony’s. He has a very high motor and unbelievable work ethic. Can guard the ball 94 feet and makes his teammates better. Contagious personality and great leadership qualities.
Trey Blue - Scorer… with range out to 28 feet. Will take and make tough shots. Has a good feel for how to play and will bring some toughness and swagger.
CCT: With the graduation of five key seniors, your squad will be very young this season. While there’s no substitute for experience, as a coaching staff, how will you focus on getting these kids on the same page and up to speed as quickly as possible?
JG: Losing the experience of five seniors is never an easy thing. But we are excited about our newcomers and will look to our upperclassmen to step-up and lead. We will also return Chris Bethel, who was ineligible for us second semester last year, and Luke Devine, who started a couple games for us early in the season before going down with a stress fracture. We have a group of guys who will work very hard and who, collectively, have a chip on their shoulder with something to prove.
CCT: You are earning a reputation as a solid recruiter, with players such as Jio Fontan and Alberto Estwick choosing to play at Rose Hill. What skills do you feel are most important on the recruiting trail?
JG: As we in the business know, “It’s not about the X’s and O’s, it’s about the Jimmy’s and Joe’s”. In order to build any program, you need talented players to build around. That being said, any good recruiter needs to be relentless and be willing to work, hustle, find and evaluate players who fit their program. There is no exact science to it, but if you are willing to work and have good people skills, you have a chance.
CCT: You enjoyed an outstanding playing career at Quinnipiac University. How did your playing experience prepare you for the coaching ranks?
JG: Being the son of a coach and former player, I always knew I wanted to coach. I think being around the game as much as I have has given me a head start in my coaching career. Having just finished my playing career seven years ago, I feel I can relate to our guys and what the college athlete experiences day-to-day. I was a gym rat as a player and love nothing more than getting into the gym and working with our guys on skill development.
CCT: Brenton Butler will be expected to step-up and lead this team in 2008-09. What do you, as a coaching staff, expect from Brenton this season and how must he improve upon his solid sophomore campaign?
JG: Brenton is the type of student-athlete we are very happy to be building our program around. As good a player as he is, Brenton is also a great student and an even better kid! Brenton had a fantastic summer and has lost 13 pounds. His body looks great and he has added some quickness. A lot of people do not know that Brenton played much of last season while suffering from mono. He has bounced back and looks to be ready for a great junior year.
(College Chalktalk would like to thank Jared for joining us and participating in our ‘Five Questions’ series. We look forward to catching up with him during the season.)
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