BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
MADISON, Wis. — Greg Gard is more than a little bit country when it comes to his musical tastes. Wisconsin's basketball coach has even been known to take the stage with Madison County when the local show band has performed at his Garding Against Cancer events.
But it's not the only music to his ears.
"Being in a gym again," Gard said, "and hearing a ball bounce has been a treat."
Even on a limited basis.
Given the uncertainty and abnormality brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, coupled with the unpredictability and inexperience of seven freshmen, Gard has been tapping into the resolve and resiliency of seven seniors, the bedrock of his team, to strike the right chord.
"Our maturity has definitely played to our advantage," he said. "This group has seen so much — there's not much they haven't seen — and learned to roll with the punches. They're antsy. They want to play. But they're mature enough to understand the climate we're in and how we have to navigate this.
"And they have to look at it as an opportunity to get better individually, improve their skill level, and work on their body. They've all done a really good job of that even during the time they weren't here. That's in large part why I left them home during the summer.
"I knew that they were getting more done and understood what they needed do. And more was going to be accomplished there than we could do here. Now we've got a little extra time this fall to continue to work on those individual things before we're allowed to put the whole team together."
Despite loose ends and unanswered questions, Gard said, "We've remained optimistic knowing that it's going to happen. We just have to be patient in terms of how it's going to happen and when it's going to happen and when it's going to come to fruition. But college basketball will happen.
"And we've got to make sure we're preparing and not wasting any days. We can't get too impatient. We must continue to work and understand that the day is going to come, and we have to make sure that we're ready for that day when it does come."
Wednesday was a good day from the perspective of planning.
The NCAA's Division I Council announced that the 2020-21 season can begin November 25 (pushed back from Nov. 10). No exhibitions or scrimmages may be held before then. Preseason practices can start Oct. 14 and 30 practices will be allowed over 42 days prior to starting the season.
Last season's schedule can serve as a frame of reference for the revised dates. The Badgers held the Red/White scrimmage on October 14 at the Kohl Center. They had a closed scrimmage with Iowa State on October 26 and an exhibition against UW-La Crosse on November 1.
Wisconsin played five games before November 25 (Saint Mary's, Eastern Illinois, McNeese State, Marquette, Green Bay) and a sixth game on the 25th (Richmond).
Meanwhile, the Division I council has also given its approval to a transitionary period beginning on Monday (September 21) and continuing through October 13 during which teams can engage in strength and conditioning sessions and skill instruction up to 12 hours per week.
Citing the strong leadership of Dan Gavitt, the NCAA's senior vice president of basketball, Gard observed, "It has been good to watch this unfold over the last month or so and now we know that at least we have a plan in place and we have a goal out there of November 25 and it gives you a target.
"There's obviously a lot of things that have to happen and questions that have to be answered for that to become a reality. But at least it gives you a structure and a framework and now you can move on to the next questions and start figuring out what the schedule is going to look like."
Also, on Wednesday, coincidentally, the Big Ten reinstated its 2020 football season.
"Obviously having the Big Ten take that step forward and take advantage of the advancements that have been made was good," Gard said, "because a lot of those same advancements impact us directly with the rapid testing. That's going to help us get up and, on our feet, sooner than later as well."
Thursday was a good day for the Badger coaches and players.
"We actually met all in the same room but socially distanced with masks on," Gard said. "That was the first time we've really met all together as a team. I've not had them all in the gym together because we've been split in groups.
"Everything I've done in the summer was virtual. But those meetings were more on transitioning to come back on campus. It was more on what the protocols and procedures were going to be. We spelled out what we could and couldn't do here.
"I will start basketball-specific stuff here in the next week as our hours go up to 12. When that time comes when we're allowed to go further in terms of competing and putting larger groups together that will be really good. You learn to appreciate some those things that evaporated once COVID-19 hit.
"We haven't played five-on-five since we last played at Indiana on March 7. We'll eventually get there, hopefully sooner than later, and build up to it: two-on-two, three-on-three, four-on-four. But right now, we're still in this current phase."
To date, the skill development workouts in the gym have been strictly managed.
"It's two guys per basket and they can pass basketballs back and forth between each other, but we can't intermix," Gard said. "These pods are set by roommates or people I've designated to stay together consistently. There's very little or no crossover while we are in this phase.
"It's the re-integration back to playing. There are some conditioning components. We got into a little bit of one-on-one at the end of the summer. And then obviously with the (virus) spike on campus, we've actually backed off. We can't do any physical contact. It's pairs working with their partner."
As it is, the players have not been allowed in the Kohl Center locker room since March.
"They've got it pretty well down by now," Gard said of the makeshift routine. "We're lifting every day, too, so they come dressed to lift or workout, whatever it is. I've preached all along that we have to be adjustable, we have to be flexible and we have to adapt on the fly."
On integrating such a large freshmen class into the UW system, Gard said, "They got five weeks basically on their own at the end of the summer where there were only a couple of upperclassmen that came back. So, they got a lot of hands-on by themselves that normally they wouldn't get.
"And they've adjusted pretty well. I've been happy with the way they've handled everything knowing nothing has been normal from the start. I've told them every day, 'This is not what college is supposed to be. This is as abnormal as you can make it. Just be patient and stick with it.'
"They've been very mature. They don't look like freshmen (physically). They've done a good job in trying to fit in during these abnormal times and adjust on the fly. Everything from the academic world to what they're doing in this sport has been tipped upside down to what the normal experience is."
Gard has been generally pleased with how his players have handled training.
"They've all taken steps forward," he said. "They've all done something physically to improve themselves. That's not always getting bigger and adding weight. Sometimes that's finding a happy medium where you're the best at and most functional.
"Guys who needed to get bigger and stronger have done that. Guys who may have needed trimming up a little bit have done that. Guys have kind of found their sweet spot to how they best function. It has definitely been individualized because they've all been on their own for the most part since March."
Gard provided some examples.
On Brad Davison losing some weight, he said, "Even before the end of last year, I thought he looked a little heavy at times. He felt that way, too. He felt a little slower. It was a matter of, 'How can you redefine your body to find an optimal weight and body composition?' He's in a good place now."
On Nate Reuvers improving his lower body strength, he said, "He has performed really well in the weight room and it's noticeable in his legs. He has a senior's legs. He set records in terms of what he has done lifting-wise from a lower body standpoint this summer."
On Tyler Wahl's growth spurt from his freshman to his sophomore year, he said, "He's all of 6-8 now and he has probably put on 15-plus pounds from where he played last year. He looks good. He has worked on his shot, too, and he's more consistent."
One of the constants or most consistent elements in Gard's life has been Thursday morning Zoom calls with his fellow Big Ten head coaches who have rallied around a common goal — a return to normalcy for their sport — and have been sounding boards for each other.
"We spend part of those calls as counselors and confidants for everybody else, it's like, 'Ok, you're not the only one going through this, we all are,'" Gard said. "We've been very transparent with what's going on every campus.
"Nobody is immune. We're not going to outrun this. Nobody has a trick up their sleeve to avoid the issues. So, let's share what's going on and talk about how we can move this forward. What's best for our league? What's best for our sport?
"Heck, it's the most time I've spent with a lot of these guys. But we're all in the same boat. We're all mulling what our players are going through and what our campuses are going through. It has definitely had a unifying effect."
At a time when unity is as uplifting as a bouncing ball or a squeaky sneaker.
