Wojcik's first day eventful
By BILL HAISTEN World Sports Writer
4/6/2005
View in Print (PDF) Format
Seneca Collins may not play basketball at TU; Cason added to staff.
Since March 14, Doug Wojcik had juggled two titles -- Michigan State assistant, University of Tulsa head basketball coach.
He now is finished with the Spartans, who were beaten in the Final Four by North Carolina. In a practical sense, Tuesday represented the start of the Wojcik era at TU.
In one eventful day, the new Golden Hurricane basketball coach moved some belongings into his Reynolds Center office, finalized the hiring of assistant David Cason, experienced his first Oklahoma thunderstorm and addressed the status of Seneca Collins.
Wojcik acknowledged that Collins, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound guard whose career numbers include 29 starts and a 5.4 scoring average, may not play basketball as a TU senior.
Several weeks ago, Collins expressed interest in trying out for the tight end position on the Hurricane football team. On March 28, during his first football practice, he sustained a fractured foot.
"If he wants to play football, and that's where his heart is, then he has my blessing to play football," Wojcik said. "I've dealt with football-basketball players in the past, but they were football players first, basketball players second. I've never had a guy who was primarily a basketball player and then wanted to play football.
"Right now, I think the kid really wants to play football. I would say that the kid's desire is in football."
As a junior on the basketball team, Collins averaged 7.0 points per game and made 12 starts.
While Collins' status is uncertain, Wojcik completed what he described as "a big hire" -- the hiring of Cason, who had been on the TCU staff for two seasons.
Wojcik and the 32-year-old Cason (pronounced "kay-sawn") worked together on Matt Doherty's coaching staffs at Notre Dame and North Carolina.
On March 23, Wojcik hired his brother, Dave Wojcik, away from the Dayton staff.
"David Cason and my brother were definitely guys I wanted to hire," Doug Wojcik said. "(Cason) has a tremendous personality and great knowledge of basketball.
"He is an outstanding recruiter, and in his last two seasons at TCU has recruited the state of Texas. (Cason's familiarity with Texas high school basketball) will be a valuable asset for us."
TU assistant Steve Cooper and director of basketball operations Ja Havens have been told by Doug Wojcik that they will not be retained on the Hurricane staff.
Wojcik is looking to fill one assistant's position and the director of operations position.
On Tuesday, he met with TU assistant Kwanza Johnson. Wojcik has not met formally with Pooh Williamson.
Johnson and Williamson were TU assistants during the past four seasons, and Williamson was the interim coach for 22 games after John Phillips resigned on Dec. 25.
Cason was North Carolina's director of basketball operations in 2000-03 and a Notre Dame assistant in 1999-2000. In 1996-99, he was an assistant at Eastern Illinois.
As Illinois State's point guard, Cason competed against TU during the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons.
In 1995, he was a second-team All-MVC selection. That year, the All-MVC first-team point guard was TU's Pooh Williamson.
On Wednesday, Wojcik departs on a recruiting trip. On Tuesday, he watched through his office window as a thunderstorm slashed through Tulsa County.
"The golf ball-sized hail is pretty amazing," the West Virginia native said.
|