Oct. 14, 2005

Champaign, Ill. - Illini Head Coach Bruce Weber met with the media this afternoon at a press conference to preview the upcoming season. Below a transcript of selected questions from the interview session.

On starting a new year after the success of last season:
"I've joked at all the different alumni events and speaking engagements I've been at about retirement and letting someone else coach for a year, but none of that's going to happen. This is the fun part for me, and it's a challenge. In the next three weeks, we're forming the team and figuring out roles. I think we're a little like two years ago, when we had a lot of unanswered questions. We have the seniors, who you expect to be two of the better players in the country, but now their roles have changed a little bit. They're going to be the key. We're hoping to get a surprise out of the underclassmen. They have to act and play like upperclassmen, and that's tough because they haven't had the minutes that a lot of other juniors would have had at this point."

On the make-up of this year's squad:
"We're going to be a different team. We're going to have different look and better inside scoring. We'll be just as athletic and up-temp, if not more, if you look at Brian Randle, Warren Carter, and Calvin Brock added with Dee and James. Even Chester and Jamar and some of the freshmen are pretty athletic. I think early, If we're going to win games, we've got to rely on our defense. Confidence offensively will come as the season goes on. Dee is going to have the ball in his hands so who's he going to set up or do we have someone that will set up him? A lot of things can happen that we'll have to learn about our team."

On how much the competition in practice helped Brian Randle, Marcus Arnold, and Calvin Brock, who all sat out last season:
"Well, we were one of the best teams in the country, and they went up against players who are now playing in NBA games now and have done well right off the bat. If you play against great competition in practice, it's going to help. I hope we can build some confidence, and they'll get it from playing against good players in practice. I always talk about the redshirt year. You can use it as a year off or you can use it as a year to improve and that's up to them. We'll see what's happened during this year."

On how the team handled preseason conditioning and training:
"We only had one meltdown during conditioning. Normally you have one meltdown a week or more. They just know that what we do is proven. Hopefully they trust what we do. They're learning the system and the coaches. I think Dee and James did a great job of saying, `This is what it is, go do it.' Dee made a statement when he went and ran the mile in 5:30 the first time out without doing anything for the entire summer. I think right there he showed the other guys how important this is and how its will help you down the road."

On forming the line-up:
"This next three-week stretch is the fun part because what you emphasize usually ends up what you're going to be good at the last three weeks of the season. We're really going to harp on the defensive end. We have to develop a personality as a team and have to figure out new roles. We could have so many different lineups and the potential to have an unbelievably quick athletic unit with Calvin, Dee, Brian and James. If that's our best unit, then that's the way we're going to go. We'll have to experiment. One thing we'll have to do this year is scrimmage more. It's important in this early stretch to do that with so many new people."

On players' health:
"I think Dee is at 90 percent. When you miss all those opportunities to play all summer, you lose your timing and footwork. He knows he'll have to get that back. I'm just glad he's in good enough shape to go the entire practice. James recovers quickly even though he's had a lot of ankle problems. He'll be fine. He needs to gain some strength in his foot and work on explosion to be at 100 percent."

On the junior class:
"I keep emphasizing that we're a different team and it's a new season, and they have to realize that. I hope the juniors take it as a challenge. Now they have the opportunity to step up and show how good they are. I'm really happy with our juniors. They've played pretty well and stepped up in these early workouts. We still have a long way to go. First thing will be the Orange Blue scrimmage and then the exhibitions, and slowly but surely see where they fit in and where we fit together as a team. Rich was a pretty highly recruited kid. Now he has his chance to show his ready. Warren also gained 10 lbs. He wasn't ready two years ago and now physically he's ready. He has the condition. I'm hoping Brian Randle can stay away from some injuries, be consistent and keep a smile on his face."

On strategy for this season:
"We have to figure out ways of scoring. I know inside scoring has got to be a key thing. We're more of a squared up three shooting team. Without Deron and Luther, Dee's going to have the ball in his hands more. If we get it inside they have to start worrying more about our inside presence, then we can get some inside-outside stuff. If we play good defense then we can get some good fast breaks. One part of our personality is we should be a tremendous rebounding team. Every day in early workouts we do rebounding drills, trying to really work on it and take pride in getting people on the boards. Calvin and Brian are good rebounds on the perimeter. That's those two guys strength more than anything so I hope it becomes a good thing. One spot we really need help is the point guard such to relieve the pressure on Dee. I'm going to be cautious on Chester. If you've kept track of scoring in the summer and fall, Jamar would be the leading scorer.

On C.J. Jackson:
"He has tremendous potential. He's a smart kid. Very athletic and flexible. He can get low and post-up. His hands are huge and he has a nice touch. We feel good about him. His thing is like a lot of freshmen, the intensity level, which is sometimes a hard switch for big guys who aren't used to it form high school."

On the freshmen:
"It scares you a little bit how well they've done because that does meant that they're good or the other guys aren't as good. That's always the question in early practices."

On the exhibition games:
"There is no doubt they help. Exhibition games are important, this year more than anytime. Last year I'm not sure we needed exhibition games, but this year we need them. Besides James and Dee we really don't have many guys that have played many minutes at the Division 1 level."

On redshirts:
"I think it's so helpful for the kids and it doesn't put pressure on us to make such an early decision."

On the offense:
"I don't think it will be the same offense, but I don't think we have the same shooting ability or the same skill level especially at the guards spot. I hope we get better inside scoring."