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Washington coach Danny Sprinkle talked about the sacrifices he made during the offseason as he was rebuilding the Huskies for the 2024-25 college basketball season.
During the sit-down interview with CBS Sports senior writer Matt Norlander on the sidelines of the Big Ten Media Days, Sprinkle admitted that he struggled initially to adjust from the surroundings at Utah State to Washington.
Sprinkle told Norlander that he had to rebuild his roster from the transfer portal to present a competitive team for the upcoming season as they transferred from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten Conference.
"I had to worry about signing 11 guys. The pressure of the Big 10 level and recruiting is different, and so there's a lot of things that go into it, and you don't have a lot of time to take care of yourself because you're just always thinking about others," Sprinkle said (1:16-1:30).
Sprinkle admitted that he's slowly adjusting to the current situation. He has incorporated some of his previous routines to make himself look fit in front of his players.
"But at some point, it comes to a head where I need to get my workout in in the morning too so I can get through the day and be the best for my players and I'm just kind of now probably starting to get back to where it's feeling like a little bit of a routine," he said. (1:32-1:45).
The Huskies coach disclosed that he also had to worry about his family and house in Utah. But the transfer to Washington seemed to fit him, as he grew up as a Washington Huskies football fan due to his father, Bill Sprinkle.
Bill played as a defensive back for the Huskies in the 1960s, and during that time, young Danny grew up traveling from Helena, Montana, to Husky Stadium to watch his father's games.
Danny Sprinkle on adjusting from three conferences in three seasons
Danny Sprinkle also talked about adjusting his strategies with Montana State in Big Sky to Utah State in Mountain West and how they're different from Washington, which is set to start its campaign in the Big Ten Conference.
Sprinkle pointed out that he employed a physical style of play when he was with Montana State because they were big and physical. He compared it to playing Big Ten football in Big Sky basketball, and he was successful with it, making the NCAA Tournaments in 2022 and 2023.
Danny Sprinkle adjusted to an up-tempo style in Utah State, and the strategy worked, giving the Aggies a Round of 32 appearance. He admits that he's still trying to find a perfect strategy for the Huskies to gain as many wins as possible in the upgraded Big Ten Conference.
Danny Sprinkle filled the Washington lineup with eight transfers and two four-star recruits. That includes Mountain West Player of the Year Great Osobor, who's coming off a breakout season with Utah State, averaging 17.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.4 blocks per game.
Washington opens the season with an exhibition game against Western Oregon on Oct. 29. It begins its non-conference regular season against UC Davis on Nov. 5.
Will Danny Sprinkle lead Washington to the 2025 NCAA Tournament this season? Let's know your views in the comments section:
