The University of Tennessee Athletics Department was kind enough to let me ask Director of Basketball Operations, Justin Phelps, a few questions about his first few months in Knoxville. It should be noted from the interview that I do not actually have any eligibility remaining, though I fully endorse the nickname “Pride of Winston-Salem.”

You’ve been in Knoxville for a decent period of time now, what has it been like for the new staff to adjust to the way of life here in Knoxville?

The first few months have been a whirlwind for us.  Several very generous individuals pitched in to help us find temporary housing during the transition. That made a huge difference.  Most of our staff has moved their family into their homes.  The remaining few who haven’t are moving this month. I can’t tell you how excited all of us are to be here.  We love Knoxville and are proud to call it home.

Vol fans like to consider themselves a pretty passionate bunch, has there been a big difference in the level of exposure Coach Tyndall has compared to his time at Southern Miss? How has the staff handled those differences?

We had a great group of fans at Southern Miss.  That’s a place that all of us will cherish.  The fans here are on a different level in terms of size.   I have been a number of great places… including the SEC… and I’m convinced this has to be one of the best fan bases in country.  It’s great that our fans are able to get so much coverage of the program from the various media outlets such as the Sports Animal.  Our staff is mindful of that and has tried to be as accommodating as possible for our fans & media.  Coach Tyndall’s schedule is jam packed every day.  I’ve never seen a person work as hard as he does.  He gets in the office early and stays late to ensure our program is on track.  With that comes a sense of responsibility to get out in the community and promote who we are. 

The late additions to the roster, despite coming from a variety of backgrounds, seem to have a lot of potential. What did your staff see out of the Rocky Top League from the recently signed class of players?

First, I want to compliment the job Andre Whitehead did of putting together the Pilot Rocky Top League.  The tradition of that event is great for the fans.  Our players loved playing in it and the fans loved seeing them.  That said, it didn’t really embody the way our team will play.  We have a very talented young group of guys.  They’re working hard every day to get better on the floor, in our strength and conditioning program, and in the classroom.  We still have a long way to go but I like our team.

Improving the in-game atmosphere at Thompson Boling has been a priority of the previous staffs, what kind of ideas are you bringing from previous stops, or maybe concepts you’ve seen at other schools to the Gameday experience in 2014-2015?

Our marketing department led by Jimmy Delaney does a great job.  They work hard to ensure our fans are always a priority.  We have met with them on multiple occasions to discuss ways to build upon our game-day environment.  We’ve discussed a number of things from the amount of lighting we use, pyrotechnics, increasing giveaways, etc. I’ve personally been on the opposing bench for a game here.  There is no doubt that Thompson-Boling Arena is the best arena in the SEC.  It’s a tough place to come in and play as a visitor.  We will always be looking for ways to improve though.  Our #1 focus will be on the students.  At both Morehead State & Southern Miss Coach Tyndall spent countless hours doing events with the students which led to rowdy student sections. We want to encourage our students to buy-in to this team even more than they already have.

“Director of Basketball Operations” is a title that seems to encompass a lot of different responsibilities, what does your day-to-day schedule look like?

The thing I really enjoy about my job is that each day is different. I work with one of the hardest working coaching staffs in the country. Each of us has a job to do in order to make the entire program better. My goal every day is to take as much off of Coach Tyndall’s plate as possible.  In some ways I work like a General Manager.  With Coach Tyndall’s direction I will do all of the business & logistical functions of the team.  In a single day I will serve as a liaison with Compliance, Marketing, Accounting, Athletic Training, Tickets, Apparel, and Academics.  I’ll work on Game Scheduling, Community Outreach, Travel, Events, etc.  I have no desire to coach or be on the floor.  While I may have other aspirations later on in my career, I’m blessed to be in my dream job as the Director of Basketball Operations at the University of Tennessee.

Despite the fact that Tennessee is traditionally considered a “football school,” the program has had phenomenal attendance numbers over the past 5-6 years and boasts some of the best facilities in the country. Coach Butch Jones recently started utilizing the Tennessee River to help recruit, what aspects of the school and program are your staff using to sell Tennessee to the best recruits?

The tradition of the football program here is something we take a great deal of pride in.  I’m proud to be associated with them. The most pleasant surprise in the first few months is that while we knew how much Tennessee fans loved their football, we’re blown away with how much passion they have for basketball.  We are excited by the overwhelming positive response we’ve had from the basketball fans.  Coach Jones and his staff have done a great job of using local resources to help in recruiting.  We are utilizing a number of the same techniques they have in place to sell our program.

Speaking of Football, what do you have planned for the upcoming season in terms of attending games in Neyland Stadium, or, dare I say, tailgating, if time permits?

Football weekends will be a great opportunity to see what Rocky Top has to offer.  We will be out interacting with fans on game day. Nobody is more fired up about Tennessee Football than Coach Tyndall.  He and Coach Jones talk often.  We will be there in full support.

What sort of expectations does Coach Tyndall have for the program over the next 2-3 years; does this staff believe that there is an opportunity for the Vols to win quickly?

Coach Tyndall and our staff are not ones to put a ceiling on our team.  We have a lot of work to do.  We have a young team that will continue to work hard in our strength & conditioning program.  We have an extremely challenging non-conference schedule that will test us early.  The only thing I can promise is that we will play hard every night.  Coach demands that of his players and staff.  What we need more than anything is unwavering fan support. 

I’ve often wondered why Tennessee doesn’t have a Midnight Madness event prior to the season, any plans for that this year? Also if you’d like to invite any local media members to participate I’m willing to showcase my strong post up game. As a matter of fact I may still have a few years of eligibility left…

Stay tuned on this.  As for your skills I’m not sure the pride of Winston-Salem is the answer for us.  We have talked to Doc, Jeff, and Heather about coming in as a package deal.

What has been the most pleasant surprise about the job, the town, or the program since you’ve arrived?

I have been to Knoxville many times.  I always knew it was a nice area.  Until you actually live here and explore you don’t realize just how beautiful it is.  Whether it’s campus, Market Square, the River, West Town, Old City, Turkey Creek – Knoxville is a place that has something for everyone.  It has so much to offer.  My wife, Lisa and I, are happy to be here.  We’re proud to be Vols and we can’t wait to see what the future holds on Rocky Top.

You can follow Kevin Hughes’ work under the Animal House Blog page, and listen to weekly podcast in the Shows tab, under Hughes it or Lose it. 

Kevin Hughes

Blogger for Sportsanimal99.com

@KAHughes88