The Associated Press ran a story on Villanova and the team's struggles this season. Jay Wright was interviewed for the piece and had a few things to say that were illuminating. While staying upbeat about his team and where the program is heading, Wright at times sounds a little bit like VUhoops.com readers when commenting.
On his expectations
"I knew we could struggle. I didn’t think we’d start 1-5," Wright said. "I thought maybe, 2-4, 3-3, at worst. Then I thought maybe we could click. But you know it’s possible in this league."
On team composition
"It’s like the NBA, you’ve got to have star power," Wright said. "When you have those star guys, it makes it easier for all the other guys. When you don’t have those star players, it’s more pressure on the glue guys. They don’t look as good."
"Mouph and Cheek," Wright said, "are not where we thought they’d be."
On Dominic Cheek
"I knew at the end of last year, when we had a good sit-down talk and he said he wanted to be part of this, I knew he’d be fine," Wright said. "I knew we were starting his junior year from way behind. That’s why I knew there was this possibility we wouldn’t be as good this year. If he would have been a big-time player in his freshman, sophomore year, now we’re going into his junior year, we’d be fine. He’s just now starting to feel comfortable in his role now.
"He was never a problem, he was just kind of like doing his thing. Now he’s talking to everybody, he knows the scouting report, he’s talking on the floor. He’s got the confidence of his teammates, his coaching staff. But it’s midway through his junior year. That’s OK for him. He can still have a great career. But it’s why we’re struggling."
On where Nova is heading
"I like this group," Wright said. "I do think we’re getting better. It’s slow, but we’ve got to find a way to enjoy this process. It might not be fun to watch guys, sorry, but we’ve got to go through it."