It's hard to win in the modern SEC. It's particularly difficult in year one of turning a program around that looked to be deep in college basketball's abyss.
Perhaps what makes the transition easier is age.
Vanderbilt coach Mark Byington has certainly embraced that belief.
If Byington's team were plopped into last year's SEC, it would've been the third most experienced group in the league. It's got a sixth-year senior, three fifth-year seniors and just four scholarship underclassmen.
The first-year coach has taken notice of the way his guys know the ropes, the way they understand things and the way they operate.
"They just act more like men compared to boys," Byington said. "You expect somebody who’s 22 or 23 years old to act way different than somebody who’s 18. I think it’s the same thing when there’s a group of them.
“They know how to practice, they know how to prep, they know how to get their bodies ready."
The intensity has come out in practice for Byington's old group, but when the old gym gets lit up and the weather gets cold it will be a different type of test.
Byington acknowledges that he doesn't necessarily know how his group will respond.
"The personality of the team I don’t even think will be developed until probably after we’ve went against a few opponents," Byington said. "The entire personality I don’t think I’ll even know until a team goes on an 8-2 run against us or we’re in a road game and it’s a tough environment and we’re like ‘what are we like right now.’”
What will help the resiliency of Byington's team is being player led. The former James Madison and Georgia Southern coach has found that to be a non negotiable throughout his career.
If Byington still has to be the motivator and alpha in February...Uh. Oh.
“The good teams are [player led]," Byington said. "Every team I’ve had that’s been successful has not been coach led and if it’s a coach led team and that’s what it is the majority of the time I think you’re gonna have inconsistent teams."
Vanderbilt is old and likely understands that, now it has to do it.
"I think if it’s a player-led team, which I hope we are, I think they’re gonna hold each other accountable and they’re gonna be about the right things and do the right things. 100% I hope it’s that way.”
The early signs have caught the trained eye of Vanderbilt's coach.
“It’s been different guys and they talk a lot off the court and on the sidelines," Byington said of his player leaders. "They’ve got great relationships already, you can tell."
Through 11 practices, Byington noticed three guys in particular taking command of his old group.
To nobody's surprise, the old guys are being and acting like old guys.
"Chris Manon’s got a great voice. Great energy. Great voice. Grant Huffman’s had some practices where I think he’s had a really good voice and been vocal and then even a guy like Jason Edwards has had his moments."
What about A.J. Hoggard, though? Vanderbilt will need the fifth-year point guard to take a step of leadership in his own right to get where it wants to go. Hoggard can't just be another guy.
Perhaps that looks a bit different for Hoggard than Manon or Huffman.
"He needs to use his winning experience, he needs to use the fact that the ball is gonna be in his hands a lot," Byington said. "A lot is gonna be dictated by what he can do. That’s not just scoring, it’s passing, it’s everything else. It’s also what he can do talking to guys in the locker room. He has a competitive personality and I want that to be spread through the team."
Hoggard seems to be a microcosm of Vanderbilt's older guard. If it's gonna be good and overcome a league that may get 10 teams in the NCAA Tournament, it has to be able to consistently lean on its old guys.
It has to be able to lean on their voices, too.
