Crean talks to media about off-season, recruiting

IU basketball coach Tom Crean spoke to the media today regarding recruitment, off-season training and what the program is doing to prepare for next year Thursday.

Crean said training this year is far better than last year and that their preparation last year is “not even in the same stratosphere" as this year's is.

“We have a very good off-season program,” Crean said.

He said points he hopes to emphasize this off season are strength and conditioning, shooting and defense when the players take to the gym on their own time.

Crean is not allowed to be involved in the players’ workouts, but the strength and conditioning coach and trainer are allowed to provide advice and insight. Crean is also allowed to speak with players if they come to him.

Crean also talked about recruitment and the changes that have taken place in regards to that aspect of college basketball. Recruiting, he said, is starting at younger and younger ages.

“Once they become seventh graders, they’re prospects now, which is mind-blowing,” Crean said.

As for off-season preparation for the 2009-2010 season, Crean said they started looking at game film today for Michigan State and Purdue and will continue to look at Big Ten teams and other opponents in the near future.

Crean and his staff are now in the of making IU basketball into a program worthy of watching, and it starts with off-season recruiting as well as development of the program’s current players.

“Our visibility has got to be strong,” Crean said. “It has to be really strong.”