Eli Rosenswaike: Let's get right into it. You ready, coach?
Derek Kellogg: Go ahead man, fire away…
Eli: Firstly, is it acceptable to call you 'Coach K,' or is that only reserved for that guy at Duke?
DK: I think that's Duke's calling right now. We may have to come up with a better one for Coach Kellogg(laughs). I like 'Coach DK,' if anything.
Eli: You are going to be on the cover of The Score Magazine, our yearly sports magazine … so I need to ask - which is the bigger honor: getting named UMass coach or being on the cover of The Score?
DK: (Laughs) That's a good question. I think being named head coach of UMass supersedes it a little bit, but I do know the importance of that magazine, so it might be neck-and-neck right now.
Eli: With Luke Bonner and Matt Hill out with injuries, rumor has it that you are trying to find another year of eligibility for Matt Pennie. (DK laughter) Can you comment on that for the record?
DK: You know what, it would be nice to find another year for Pennie. The funny thing is that he's still kind of around and lurking in the bushes. An extra year of anybody over 6-foot-4 would be useful.
Eli: Speaking of eligibility, my time at UMass is running out. I've been a student here as long as you were at Memphis. If I don't graduate soon, my parents are going to kill me. With that said, can you promise me a berth in the NCAA Tournament this year? This is my last chance, I don't want to cover the NIT again.
DK: Well Eli Blutarsky as we're going to call you for how many years you've been in school, promises are a little difficult to come by these days. But I will say we'll have an opportunity to compete in this Atlantic 10 regular season and conference tournament - and hopefully we can make a little run and at least give people some hope that we have a chance to get there.
Eli: I see you have a really nice office here; with that big contract of yours I was thinking that you could throw some funds - or a corner of your office - to The Collegian. What do you think?
DK: (Laughs) Yeah, we'll give you a corner - you can take that table over there to the right-hand side. It would be good to have all 10 of you guys there hanging out, we'd at least have a fun time.
Eli: Fill in the blank: When you heard Travis Ford was leaving UMass for Oklahoma State, you _____?
DK: Immediately called. (Laughs). Do you want me to elaborate, or is that what you're looking for?
Eli: You can keep going.
DK: I immediately called to make sure the rumors were true this time. And I was excited to potentially have the opportunity.
Eli: Be honest, how much did you read The Collegian in your playing days? How about now? And how does it compare with Memphis' student paper?
DK: Everyday when I was playing to follow what was going on; every other day now that I'm here, because I don't usually go through the front part of the Mullins Center to get up here, so I have to make a special trip to get downstairs. And it crushes the Memphis paper.
Eli: That's good. Good answer. How long could you last doing suicides?
DK: Right now? Five minutes, five suicides.
Eli: I see you couldn't reach the 1,000-career point mark at UMass. You had four years to do it, what gives?
DK: Cal (laughs). I was a pass-first point guard, shoot second. No actually, pass first, pass second and pass third, and if the shot was there I could take it. When you play with Marcus Camby and Lou Roe - two All-Americans - you're supposed to get the ball to them.
Eli: Be honest, you don't even know what the dribble-drive motion offense is, do you?
DK: Yeah, I do (laughs).
Eli: Can you explain it?
DK: Well, right now I think our guys are having trouble knowing what the dribble-drive is, but they're learning everyday and getting better. It's a motion offense predicated on the dribble instead of the pass, and it opens up driving lanes for guys and lets them be creative and make plays. Normally it takes a little time to get it to where it needs to be and we're just on the first layer of it. When you get really good, it gets to the second, third and even the fourth layer sometimes.
Eli: What kind of booby traps did Travis Ford leave in your house when you bought it from him?
DK: (Laughs) Well, the washing machine bounces a little bit and the ice machine in the refrigerator is not working properly, but everything is pretty good over at the crib.
Eli: Think you could take me in a game of horse? And are you willing to prove it?
DK: Absolutely and absolutely.
Eli: (Laughs) We're going to have to make that happen.
DK: As long as there is a lunch wager on it.
Eli: Fair enough. What would happen in a game of one-on-one with you and coach Calipari right now?
DK: No contest.
Eli: Meaning?
DK: Meaning, he can't keep up (laughs).
Eli: You had more assists in your career than both Rick Pitino and Al Skinner, does that mean you are a better coach or just more helpful?
DK: Right now, more helpful. Hopefully at some point someday I can be compared in the same breath of those guys.
Eli: What is one thing you would want to tell the fan base?
DK: Come to the games. That we're going to play a great style and if we want to have a national program and be considered a national program that you have to have people in the seats. And that helps with recruiting, that helps when you're on TV and it helps build to where we want to get to.
Eli: What is one thing the fan base doesn't know about you?
DK: That I'm a great family man. My free time is really spent with my wife and new son. And watching him grow up and watching her be around him is the most joy I've had in just about anything in my life.
Eli: Who is the best-looking coach in the A-10? And don't tell me it's not Rick Majerus.
DK: Oh no, no. Phil Martelli (laughs). Gotta go with coach Martelli.
Eli: Why?
DK: He's the senior spokesman and he's got his TV show and radio shows, and he's a big-time celebrity in Philadelphia. It's gotta be the looks and charisma.
Eli: How nerve-racking was the interview process at UMass?
DK: Very nerve-racking. The anxiety of leading up to the interview … I think I sweated more that day than in any college basketball game I've participated in as a player. And the only other time that I think I've come close was my first head-coaching game against Arkansas-Monticello (laughs).
Eli: Could you ever have imagined having your dream job by age 35?
DK: No. I anticipated, as I viewed things, of having it a little bit later in life. Maybe 38, 39. I think 35 is a great age to have your dream job or a job of this caliber, because you're still young enough to be energized in recruiting, coaching and spending the time that's necessary to get the program at the level we want to see it.
Eli: You were a pretty good 3-point shooter in your day, do you think you could give coach Ford a run for his money in a 3-point contest?
DK: Oh, absolutely. That's not even a question (laughs).
Eli: Is the new longer 3-point line too much for you to handle, though?
DK: No, it's perfect. I mean, my range is out to NBA-range now. So our guys will co-sign for that on the team.
Eli: April 23, 2008: Sum it up in 10 seconds.
DK: April 3, 2008…
Eli: April 23rd.
DK: What did you say, 23rd?
Eli: Yeah, that was the day you were hired.
DK: (Laughs) I know, I was just messing with you (laughs). I had to get back at you for all the questions that you're asking. No, it was an unreal, surreal experience that just the energy and passion that charged through me was something that you only feel when something like that happens to you. And I wanted to get in the car and drive right up here on that minute, that second. Actually, we jumped in the car only a few days later with our infant son who was only five-days old, for an 18-hour drive.
Eli: You took over 10 seconds, but I'll let it slide.
DK: Thank you, I appreciate that.
Eli: Reports are that you made a trade with the UMass football team for former Boston University basketball player Ben Coblyn. What are the terms of the deal?
DK: False (laughs). There is no contract. We're going to stick with the squad.
Eli: Does Mel Kiper, Jr. do your hair?
DK: No, Barry Melrose (laughs).
Eli: What kind of hair gel do you use?
DK: LA Looks. Top of the line stuff.
Eli: You are the 21st coach in UMass history, how many can you name?
DK: Five, seven?
Eli: In all Collegian interviews, for reasons I couldn't tell you, we ask all potential employees that if you could be one animal, what would it be. What's your answer and why?
DK: Hyena.
Eli: Why?
DK: That's the way I want my team to play.
Eli: How relieved are you that I have no questions left?
DK: That's great (laughs). I was getting the anxiety as if I was coaching my first game again. That was pretty good, though. Did you come up with all those questions on your own?
Eli: I did.
DK: That was right out of the ESPN Hot Seat.
Eli: So yeah, you are now off the Budweiser Hot Seat.
DK: I appreciate that.
Eli Rosenswaike is a Collegian columnist. He can be reached at erosensw@dailycollegian.com.
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