Konkol impresses during introduction as TU's next coach

It was easy to see why Tulsa hired Eric Konkol after Tuesday's welcome party and news conference at the Reynolds Center.

The entire atmosphere there was big-time. The enthusiasm in the crowd of approximately 1,000 TU supporters was something that hadn't been seen there in a long time.

It reminded people of the atmosphere that was there when Konkol first arrived in Tulsa in 2000. Those glory days when Tulsa was a national power.

Konkol was impressive in his introduction to the Tulsa fan base, and there is hope that things can turn around again for Tulsa basketball.

The story of how Konkol got to Tulsa shows what type of go-getter he was then and is now. It is the type of persistence needed for a revival of basketball in Tulsa.

Fresh out of college at Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where his team had played in the NCAA Division III national championship game, Konkol was set to work as a graduate assistant for Ed Conroy at Francis Marion, a Division II program in South Carolina. But Conroy got a student assistant job under newly hired Buzz Peterson in Tulsa.

So Konkol set out to go to Tulsa, fresh off an Elite Eight season at the height of TU's power. Even though he had the GA job at Francis Marion, he listened to the advice of an assistant there who told him to head to Tulsa.

"I kind of told Ed, I'm just going to show up and help," Konkol said. "So I came out here and stayed with the coaches, and I just was around. Then Judy MacLeod basically formed a student assistant spot for me."

MacLeod, who had followed current Tulsa Athletic Director Rick Dickson at TU after Dickson left TU in 1995, was the AD at Tulsa when Konkol arrived at TU. She later moved to her current position as Conference USA commissioner. The same conference where Konkol has been as the head coach of Louisiana Tech from 2015-2022.

"And I've thanked Judy so many times over," Konkol said. "I'm very, very appreciative of the people here at Tulsa. I don't know where I'd be without this place."

What Konkol will have to do is generate enthusiasm among Tulsa's fan base that had reached a near all-time low this season. Winning will help pack the Reynolds Center again, but it will take a lot more than that.

Dickson heard about Konkol's drive to get the community involved at his previous stops, like as an assistant at George Mason and at Miami under Jim Larranaga, and as head coach of Louisiana Tech. The promotions he would come up with. Just getting people to care about his teams.

"We have to find where to get the masses and give them a reason to come," Konkol said. "There are a number of reasons now not to come. What are the reasons to come to the game?

"Some of those reasons can be external, promotions, giveaways, things like that, but we want to make this an event, we want to make this something that people are interacting with one another and it becomes a big thing. Their connection to the team, their connection to the players, their connection to the people in the stands."

Konkol's record at Louisiana Tech over the last 7 seasons has been outstanding. Although no NCAA Tournament appearances in the one-bid Conference USA, a 153-75 record (67.1 percent win rate) with all winning seasons, six seasons of 20+ wins, third place NIT finish in 2021, and 24-10 this season show that his teams at La. Tech have been very good.

At a place like Tulsa, his accomplishments should only improve.

The attraction of coming to Tulsa obviously stems from his one year at TU, where Tulsa won its second NIT championship.

"I remember the close games in the NIT," Konkol said. "Winning at Minnesota, at Mississippi State. Those two games in particular, just the fashion that we won those games and being able to advance, those are the things you never forget."

Konkol saw Tulsa for what it was, and what it can be again.

"There's great potential here. You can see it. This program has rich tradition, with a history built on tough players and a passionate fan base from this city," Konkol said. "And I've seen it firsthand, and together, all of us, we can do it again."

With his wife Meagan, a basketball player whom he met in college, and with his two boys, Ethan and Ryan, sitting on the stage in front of the crowd with him, it was clear how family is important to him. It was Ethan's 13th birthday, and the cheerleaders brought a big birthday cake out for him while the crowd sang Happy Birthday.

"Meagan and I are very excited about raising our boys here," Konkol said. "This is a great place. We've got friends that live here, friends that have moved here, friends that have lived here their entire lives. This is a wonderful place. And again, we want to jump in with both feet and be part of this community with you."

As for the X's and O's of it, Konkol made it clear what his style of play will be. His team averaged 75.2 points this past season.

"We will be aggressive on defense, everybody, in the full court, in the half court," Konkol told the crowd. "We want to create opportunities in transition. The first seven seconds of basketball is the greatest time to catch somebody sleeping. And we want to do everything we can on the defensive end, in both half court and full court, to create those opportunities for our team.

"To have a group of versatile guys. A number of guys that can push the basketball. We want guys that can attack the rim. We want to be able to open up the floor with space and shoot the 3-point shot. If we are in the half court, we want to be able to play with great freedom, to be able to get downhill and into the paint and then make great decisions, to play a free-flowing style where guys are using their best gifts to attack this game of basketball.

"We will play with great unselfishness, searching for the best shot, and playing in a way that is fun to watch, but also wins. And that's what this is about."

And there will be emphasis to embrace Tulsa's past.

"This will also be a player's program," Konkol said. "This is about the players. And our focus will be entirely on them. We are here for our players both present and past. If you are a former player, we want you back.

"Our practices are open. Our office doors are open. We're going to be reaching out. We want to be able to hear from you and your experiences and support this program. And tell the stories of your time here."

Dickson's search for a new head coach drew interest from 7 coaches that were in this year's NCAA tournament. The tradition of Tulsa basketball is still attractive to coaches.

"I found out firsthand, the last 10 days, that the Tulsa basketball brand is still strong in the country," Dickson said. "Still very strong. But I had to find the person, the people that understood - in this metro area of 1.2 million, only a half a percent either have gone to school, in school or work here. Think of that. Half a percent.

"You can do the math and understand the dynamic. We have to have people that compel, engage and become part of this community."

TU President Brad Carson talked about Tulsa's Mount Rushmore of coaches: Nolan Richardson, Tubby Smith and Bill Self. He believes Konkol can be the fourth person.

For TU to become successful again, recruiting locally and within a few hours hours of Tulsa is critical. Something that has been lacking since Tulsa's glory days. That is something Konkol stressed, and that area-based recruiting is something that has been stressed at his previous coaching stops, especially George Mason and Louisiana Tech.

Recruiting starts with getting the local coaches involved - something which Konkol is already on top of.

“That process has already begun. We reached out just by e-mail to every single high school coach in the state, to invite them here," Konkol said. "I already reached out by telephone to certain guys. We're going to get to them all. We're going to have to be able to have face time with people. That's how you connect.

"This trust and relationship isn't exactly one speed date. You've got to be able to sit with people. You've got to be able to talk with people.

"Our doors are open for people watching, people listening. We want to be the most inclusive staff in the entire country. I'm going to be visible. I'm going to be available. And I'm going to be very inclusive as the head coach here.”

As for who will be on his staff, Konkol said he will start with trying to get people who he is familiar with. Ed Conroy's brother, Duffy Conroy, has been an assistant under Konkol during his entire tenure at Louisiana Tech, but it is believed he will interview for the open Tech job. Konkol said he will talk with a number of other coaches as well.

The process of building a staff and recruiting has to be done quickly for Tulsa to be able get players in this year that can help turn things around. Starting with keeping TU's players and his already signed recruits, and with players Konkol already has a relationship with in recruiting, this is a critical time in building a team.

For Konkol, there is no doubt that success is returning to TU.

"The tradition here is really second to very few," Konkol said. "And it's such an awesome responsibility. And certainly one I'm very proud of, to be standing here and be the Tulsa men's basketball coach is a great honor. And it's something I don't take lightly."