Marshall tries to move on

First-year Marshall coach Courtney Hargrays instructs his players during a recent practice. Hargrays took over for Lamont Bryant before the start of the season.
(Scott Powers/For the Sun-Times)

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COMMENTARY 

There are four pieces of paper taped to the office door of Marshall basketball coach Courtney Hargrays: one red, one yellow, one white and one green.

Code Red: No one moves.
Code Yellow: Classroom evacuation to interior safe location.
Code White: A danger exists in the community.
Code Green: All clear.

I was at Marshall to gauge the mood, to find out if the team was adapting to Hargrays or if the considerable shadow of ousted coach Lamont Bryant still hung over the players.

Marshall's color-coded alert system was a reminder of something Crane coach Anthony Longstreet told me years ago after I asked Sherron Collins a question that Street considered especially stupid.

"Don't bother asking him stuff like that," Longstreet said. "You have no idea what these kids go through on a daily basis. This is their fun, they've got real things to worry about when they leave the gym."

So it was no surprise to find that the Marshall players have already accepted the loss of Bryant and moved on. This is basketball, it's their fun, they wouldn't let losing a
coach get in the way.

"It was kind of a rough start," Hargrays said. "But the last couple of days things have been going really well."

Marshall took on Bryant's personality over the past three seasons.  They played intense, defiant and focused. Bryant's style led to two third place finishes in the Class AA state tournament and a 81-18 record over his final three years. It's difficult to argue with those results, and it was hard not to believe Patrick Beverley, Jerwin Calloway and Mike Stovall when they credited Bryant for teaching them the game and keeping their lives on track.

It was obvious that Bryant cared about his players. It seems Hargrays does too. Before Thursday's practice he was obsessed with grade sheets and wanted to make sure I knew that discipline was his top priority.

"They lack discipline, that's one of the first things I noticed," Hargrays said. "These kids have had to be de-programmed and re-programmed. "

Hargrays isn't worried about filling Bryant's shoes. He's a Marshall grad (Bryant graduated from South Shore) and reportedly had the blessing of late Marshall coach Luther Bedford, one of the legendary Public League coaches.

"Everyone wants to talk about the last two years," Hargays said. "Look around this gym, look at all those banners. The last two years didn't build Marshall's tradition. I came here when I was 14 and there was already plenty of tradition."

Ryan Hare, a senior forward, and Darius Smith, a junior guard, are the two best players and the leaders of this season's team. Hare stood by Bryant's side after he was fired, joining other students and players in a protest and walkout. He read a prepared statement at the press conference where Bryant's lawsuit against Marshall and the Board of Education was announced.

"I did what I thought was right," Hare said. "[Bryant] always stood by me, so I wanted to stand by him. But we've all moved on now. I'm excited about this season, excited about playing for a new coach. I feel like we all had a chance to start over."
Smith tried to stay out of the turmoil.

"Right after it happened I told the other players that it was just something we had to get used to," Smith said. "In the college game, coaching changes will  happen all the time so you have to be able to adapt."

Hargrays can't say enough about Smith, the player and the person.

"[Smith] has been tremendous," Hargrays said. "Unbelievable work ethic. Unbelievable leadership."

The Bryant saga may not be over. On Tuesday a federal judge will rule on Bryant's motion to be reinstated as coach while his lawsuit carries on.

I don't know if Bryant's firing was fair or justified. But that’s no longer the most important thing. The school and the team has moved on, accepted change and is looking forward to a new season. They shouldn't be forced back into the past.