MACON, Ga. — The Greg Gary era has begun on the Mercer University campus after an 11-year run with former Bears head men’s basketball coach Bob Hoffman.
Coach Gary brings a wealth of basketball experience to the Central Georgia university by way of the ‘hoosier state’ – Indiana.
In March, the Mercer Athletics department made it official, the men’s basketball program would be headed in another direction with the hiring of former long-time Purdue University assistant, Greg Gary. He would replace Bob Hoffman, the face of the program since 2008.
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Since that day, Coach Gary started working with the team to teach them his system and prepare them for tip off in November.
“It’s been hectic that’s for sure, but that's a good kind of hectic. Just getting to know the guys and them getting to know me is a big part of it, but the people in Macon and the Mercer community have been tremendous and very, very, very helpful, that’s for sure,” he said.
Gary is eager to inherit a Mercer team that completed its most recent season 11-19 overall with a sixth-place conference finish. He says Mercer's administration and the school's tradition is what brought him in.
“They're in a great area I think recruiting wise; within a two or three-hour radius you can get to a lot of spots. The SoCon conference is a great conference,” he said. “There was talk about multiple teams in the NCAA last year and to have that conversation means we're moving in the right direction.”
Speaking of moving, Coach Gary's wife and his very own personal starting five, which includes four daughters and one son, are headed to Central Georgia from Indiana.
“When coaches talk about family, players need to see it and have to feel it. For me, it’s just normal, family has to be involved. It’s a big part of who I am today and how I grew up,” he said. “They are really excited about this opportunity. My little guy and my 8-year-old don't really know, but they are going to come down when school is done and they'll move in then.”
Until that time, Gary will spend his time teaching his new team the new way of Mercer basketball.
“I want our guys to be tough, to be physical. I want them to be smart and share the basketball. Every decision I make is going to be what is best for Mercer. Nothing personal, but we have to win games [and] in order to do that I have to make sure we are doing what's right for Mercer, but we're going to be a tough-minded physical team,” he said.
In the meantime, Coach Gary is busy completing the new changes to the coaching staff and is also busy hitting the road recruiting too. He says there is no off season and he's looking forward to moving his family here later this summer and preparing for his first season on the hardwood this fall.
Mercer will host a Team Camp on June 13-15, a Day Camp on June 17-20 and an Individual Camp on June 23-26. For more information on those, click here.