LISTEN: Ben’s Ole Miss Basketball Bonanza, with Rebel S&C coach John Reilly and others
In this bonus edition of The Flagship, a member of the Talk of Champions family of podcasts, Ben Garrett (Ole Miss Spirit/On3) ushers in the first week of preseason practices for Chris Beard and Rebel basketball with a comprehensive report from The Pavilion/Tuohy Center/Tad Pad.
Guests include Ole Miss senior and returning star guard Matthew Murrell, as well as Auburn transfer wing Al Flanigan and strength and conditioning coach John Reilly.
RELATED: Matthew Murrell’s final Ole Miss supporting cast is new, but familiar. It’s also in flux.
Ole Miss makes for Reilly’s third school and eighth combined season on a Chris Beard staff.
“We’re excited for this challenge,” Reilly said. Ole Miss last reached the NCAA Tournament in 2018-19. Beard’s led three separate programs (UALR, Texas Tech and Texas) there since 2016.
Reilly continued, “Are we talented enough? I believe we are. Are we tough enough? For me, in the weight room, that’s my No. 1 thing. It’s about the mindset. It’s the 4-to-1 mindset that we have. The mental is to the physical as four is to one. It’s putting them through obstacles and challenges that are going to condition their mind and callous that mind. That’s really what I look for.
“A lot of times, guys will get exposed, and I’ll know very quickly.”
”Discipline is toughness. If I get you tired, will you start to forget? Will you start to complain? So, putting them in positions to expose those things and calling guys out and finding out early, man. Calling guys out early and letting them know our standard and not backing down.
“This is how we live. Every player that is here (at Ole Miss) is a better version of themselves. We are getting there. But, shoot, our Final Four team at Texas Tech, we didn’t know they were going to be a Final Four team yet. They weren’t ready for it.
“As long as we continue to progress and communicate and have that truth-telling atmosphere and that discipline? That’s really what toughness is, man.”
RELATED: Ole Miss basketball’s SEC schedule is out
