Head Coach Chris Mack, Guard David Johnson Talk Virginia Tech

Louisville men's basketball head coach Chris Mack and sophomore guard David Johnson discuss their upcoming matchup vs. Virginia Tech and more.

(Photo of David Johnson: John Quackenbos via the Atlantic Coast Conference)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Heading back on the road to begin the remainder of their ACC schedule, Louisville defeated Boston College to the tune of 76-64, as four starters finished in double figures in their first game of the calendar year.

Next up for Louisville (7-1, 2-0 ACC), they return home to the KFC Yum! Center to face the Virginia Tech Hokies for their first home game of the new year. Tipoff is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 6, at 6:30 p.m. EST on the ACC Network.

Related: Points of Emphasis: Louisville vs. Virginia Tech

Before the Cardinals host the Hokies, head coach Chris Mack and sophomore guard David Johnson took time to meet with the media. They discussed their upcoming matchup against Virginia Tech, their ability to take charges this season, on how their freshmen have progressed, and more.

Below is the transcript from their press conference as well as the video:

Head Coach Chris Mack

(On what he is hoping to learn about his team over the next two days)

I just think that it's a step up tomorrow against a team that's playing with a lot of confidence. A team that, a year ago, had a lot of young guys, and now has a lot different frontcourt. It's as good as anybody in our league. I think, obviously Georgia Tech, COVID issues now withstanding, have an incredible, experienced backcourt. So I just felt like we would learn a lot about ourselves, because we're gonna play two teams that were at full strength, and are very experienced, and are really good teams. Not to take anything away from the other two teams, but Pitt had lost two major players. This league's full of challenges, I thought these were two big challenges coming up this week.

(On why he tries to aim for 81 charges drawn in a season)

It's very difficult to find out who leads the country and charges. It's not really a statistic that is put out there. You could probably, pretty easily, find the highest-scoring team in the country, or the best team in terms of field goal percentage defense, but charges taken, they did generally don't compile stats around the country and put leaders up. So, we had our staff do a lot of homework over the offseason, figuring out some of the best teams in the country in terms of taking charges. So, it may be off a little bit. We felt like if we averaged three a game we would be close to leading the country in that category.

(On if it's an acquired skill or a natural move to make)

I think you are what you emphasize as a program. I think individuals, sometimes, have really been coached up and have a great feel for how to take charge. Some kids come in to our program, and have no clue what taking the charge means or how to do it. So we just do what you can to figure out how to take one - that's practice. We reward it, we show video of best players in the world taking charges - I think there was a Draymond Green highlight reel going around today, in which he took two or three charges. So, charges have everything to do with an awareness off the ball defensively. Certainly you can take some on the ball, you really got to move your feet and get yourself in really good position. But awareness off the ball is essential if you're going to take charges when guys are beating their man and driving down the lane. We've done a decent job in that area, and we're going to continue to try to get better.

(On how the pressure on defense can make their offense better)

It can make it a lot better. For us, it's really important that the other three guys don't stand around and watch Carlik and Dave try to get into the lane. It's not just those three guys, it's Carlik and David can't stand when the other is trying to get in the lane. We've had issues with that. I've talked about our team being stagnant at times on offense, we're just learning one another. We're figuring out how to play off of one another. We've got to grow in that regard. If we don't, and it's just four eyes, or four sets of eyes, or watching one guy trying to get in the lane, we won't be very good on offense even when a guy has a good individual night. I think we're getting a little better, but we have a long way to go in that regard.

(On if sees the freshmen maturing to the point where they're more comfortable getting involved)

I think our young guys are getting more and more confident. I think with young guys, you have to take the good with the bad sometimes, unfortunately. That's why we always value, and that's why people talk about, experience all the time because experience usually equals consistency. We're gonna have ups and downs with Dre Davis, we're gonna have ups and downs with JJ Traynor, even some of our sophomores. I think you see it game in, game out. Just got to continue to hold them to a standard, continue to try to prove them individually, continue to try to crystallize what we do on both ends of the floor in their mind so they can be more reactive, and not thinking. It just, unfortunately, takes a lot of time. I do think our young guys are improving. They're battling, I said the other day, they're hearts in the right place. But they're still gonna make mistakes, and we're still gonna point them out, and we're still gonna try to correct them.

(On who is leading the team in charges)

Well Jae'Lyn (Withers) had a standout game against Boston College, he took three of them so he leads a team right now in charges, a couple guys are right behind, Josh Nickelberry is a guy that is right on his heels, I think Jae'Lyn has five at this point. There's a few guys that can do a better job, that did a better job and the preseason. We need them to step up, step in and take them. Be nice we didn't have to take any because that means we're not getting beat off the dribble.

(On if any one player emulates what Dwayne Sutton did last year)

I think Dwayne's a very, very unique player. He had five years of experience, he was arguably one of the toughest kids that I've ever coached, but he was also very, very quiet, I think he'd say the same thing if you got him to talk. I wouldn't say that there's anybody that's in Dwayne's mold, I think, again, our guys are developing a toughness. It's not just the physical part that I think everybody thinks of when I when I say that word, but it's the mental toughness too. We got to go through some hard times, some failures in order to learn, and get better and grow. But we're getting there, but I wouldn't say anybody has assumed Dwayne's night in night out durability, and for us, our reliance on him. Not yet.

(On facing a team in Virginia Tech that loves to shoot the three ball)

I think if you look statistically, that would jump out to you - that they shoot a lot of threes. That's certainly a concern. But the bigger concern is how they get those threes. They get the ball in the paint. They have a horse inside in (Keve) Aluma. He's really skilled, he can really pass. (Justyn) Mutts, at the four, is a terrific passer. Those guys do damage in the paint. They also have some guys that can get in the lane on you, whether it's (Wabissa) Bede or (Tyrece) Radford, and they collapse the defense, and that's how a large majority of their threes are generated. Certainly they run a lot for Jalen Cone when he comes in the game, but I just think that we have to keep the ball out of the paint, so that our defenders on guys are shooting the ball are in better positions and they're not in all out recovery mode. That's a bigger key than just defending the three, it's how are those generated, and then having the ability to stop that.

(On if individual on ball defense is that the biggest key)

I think that's a key anytime you play. I don't think that's any higher priority against Virginia Tech. If anything, I would say our awareness off the ball, our ability to get through screens, when they're in there setting random screens that you know can't necessarily be scouted. You know they're coming, but it could be a flare screen, it could be a pin down, it could be a stagger. It's not choreographed, it's just the way they play, not a set play. So our ability off the ball, to really be concentrating and locked in and no personnel, really important this game.

Guard David Johnson

(On how the team effectively takes charges)

That's something we've really put an emphasis on this entire preseason. We know that we're young and inexperienced team, and plays like that can fuel the team and save us from some defensive breakdowns as well, and it has.

(On knowing the right time to take a charge)

I feel like once we started like interpreting that into our practice, it just becomes like you would make any move with the ball in your hand. It's just instincts. If someone's driving, they might look like they're out a control. Get your feet set, and you have to follow the same direction they're going.

(On if he took a lot of charges in high school)

I don't know if I took a charge in high school.

(On how the freshmen have progressed)

I think their confidence is really starting to pick up. I don't really see them as freshmen, they're just a part of the team. If they make a mistake, I don't really see it as them because they're a freshman, it's just a mistake. They get criticized or handled just as anyone else would.

(On if he sees their confidence rising with each game)

Yes, I see it during the game, during practice, more vocal off the court. So I think that's a huge push for our team.

(On if he made any mechanical changes to his shot)

I think it took me a little bit to get back into where I was. Some people in the program, they've helped me get back to where I was, and then after I got back to how I wanted to, it was just me shooting the ball with confidence. Having Carlik (Jones) off the ball, me playing off the ball and having him put me in the right spots to work and shoot it, is just a huge advantage.

(On how his ability in the lane and on three-pointers, and the stress it puts on defenses)

I know, personally myself, playing against a player that can shoot it well and drive it, it's a pretty tough guard. That puts pressure on the entire defense, and you're always on your toes for the entire game.

(On if shooting the three-pointer was an emphasis over the offseason)

I think I've been a decent shooter all my life, it was just my confidence. I didn't really shoot that many threes last year, and I didn't really make them. But this year, I knew that having the ball in my hands, that I would have to shoot it. Last year, I had guys that could shoot the ball from anywhere they wanted.

(On playing defense against Virginia Tech's three point shooting)

We're gonna have to get up and crush the ball, and play really good tight defense. We know they're really good team, and they shoot the ball well from three, and then also have some really good shooters.

(On how much satisfaction he takes out of making a defensive play)

I may be able to speak for some others on the team, or just all our players in general, but after a good defensive possession where you play good defense or got a stop, that can really fuel you to go down the other end and (be) really competent on offense. So I like to get started on defense early and get a feel for it, and then just pick my spots and just play the game there.

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