Wilke steps in to talk CU basketball

One of the best to ever play at CU, still passionate about the program, speaks his mind on basketball in Boulder, from his time on campus to Ricardo Patton, from Bob Huggins to a name to consider for Patton's replacement.

Scott Wilke matriculated West to Colorado from the basketball-crazy state of Iowa and four years later, left an impression in history -- the team MVP in the 1987-88 season, an All-Big 8 academic selection, a second-team All-Big 8 selection and still the ninth-leading scorer in school annals.

Wilke, a 6-foot-10-inch post player, was a career .535 shooter from the field, averaged 16 points-per-game as a junior and 21.5 points as a senior.

And he did it all playing under Tom Apke and Tom Miller, neither of which is to be confused with Dean Smith or Bobby Knight.

After playing overseas, he led Niwot High School and is currently teaching at and coaching the junior varsity at Horizon High School.

BGB: What are your strongest memories of Colorado on the court, both good and bad?

Wilke: The coaching change that happened while I was there, after my second year. Apke was fired and then a new coach came in; having to change to a new system for Miller.

At the time I thought CU was the best conference in the country. My senior season, Kansas beat Oklahoma in the national title game, K-State was in the final eight and six of the eight teams in the Big 8 were NCAA (Tournament) teams.

BGB: What was it like for you as a player knowing there was going to be a change in the coaching staff? What sort of anxiety, if any, does a player have in such a situation?

Wilke: When I first met coach Miller, it wasn't a positive meeting and after a year he drove away two of my best teammates, Matt Bullard and Torin Williams. Although I respect him as a coach, especially a practice coach, I think he really hurt us as a program by driving away such talent.

BGB: You mentioned your first encounter with Miller. What struck a false note with you?

Wilke: He had only been on campus a few days or a week and I ran into him near the stadium. I used to wear basketball shoes without shoe laces on them and he, without shaking my hand or saying hello, he just look at me and said "you have 30 seconds to tie your shoes." I kind of chuckled and wondered if he was serious and then he goes "20, 19" and he's counting it down.

A small event like that but it still sticks in my mind. That, to me, is what brought him down as a coach; he didn't deal well with people, not just players but the community, boosters, radio people, whomever you need by your side to build a program. He did not deal in a positive way with a lot of people.

BGB: But you overcame all that, Scott and made your junior and senior seasons your best ones to finish off a memorable career. How?

Wilke: We worked a lot harder in practice than we did under Apke and I got into better shape under (Miller) and the drills we ran we focused a lot on post work. He helped me improve as a player. He had his strong points, which were he ran tough, disciplined practices.

BGB: You were an accomplished player by the time you left CU. Has the school or any coach ever reached out to you or other players you know from the program to keep you a part of it?

Wilke: I became a part of the C-Club, I'm on the board, so in that respect, yes.

One time when I was playing in Europe, I came back early enough to attend the Big-8 Tournament when (Joe) Harrington was coach and he helped me get tickets and was really friendly to me but, other than that, I'd say no.

BGB: Would you ever be interested in a position as an assistant or a consultant, especially as a tutor for post players, helping with their offensive game?

Wilke: Oh, definitely. I was a guy who made the most of his talent. I wasn't an extremely talented individual but I was big and I could shoot. I think I maximized my abilities and I think I could help players do that. I know how to become better.

I think my years in Europe really helped me, too. They have a different philosophy over there, especially with their big men and I think I could really help them develop their games.

I tried to get on Patton's staff, I don't know if you were aware of that? A couple of times I tried.

BGB: What kind of reception did you get?

Wilke: Not much interest.

I had a meeting with Patton once. The coach has a right to hire who he wants. I don't have a problem with that. I felt I could have brought something that his staff was lacking but that's my opinion.

BGB: Why has this program struggled to get over the hump?

Wilke: It's hard to build tradition. Take away the top 20-30 programs in the country and most others will go through fluctuations. It's only the top programs who are good every year and has that tradition that allows that. To get to that level, where you get All Americans to come to your program, it is extremely difficult.

Another thing and I don't want to bad mouth Patton but I think Patton has done a really poor job, since he's been there so long, he's done a very poor job of making connections with Colorado, as far as Colorado high school coaches, fans and and he has not, until this year, had local rivalries like Denver University, Wyoming, Air Force, which, to me, is just common sense and which can build fan interest and attract local recruits.

BGB: Players on this year's team -- Patton announcing he is stepping down at the end of the season -- how do they handle that, what is their mindset?

Wilke: No question it's going to be a tough year for wins and losses.

Since they are so young, there is going to be plenty of time for them to build a team and build the program. Most of them are still going to be there for three more years so I think those guys are lucky that (the coaching change) is going to happen early in their college careers.

A thing to realize is not every kid will have other options at the Division-1 level.

BGB: Let's make a comparison from your home state. Could CU become a team like Iowa?

Wilke: I don't think they would ever get the fan base and the crowds Iowa gets. Those programs, like Iowa, Iowa State, geography wise, what else are those students going to do?

At CU, students are going skiing on the weekends or down to Denver; there are the Nuggets, they are the Broncos, there is a lot of other stuff going on. There's more competition for people's recreation time and money than in those mid-western cities.

BGB: A bunch of new coaching hires in the Big 12, the highest profile being Huggins at Kansas State. Could a similar big name, maybe without the baggage, be able to lift the program and build on what Patton has done?

Wilke: If they get the right guy in, I think you can see a big improvement. To me, it's not just about wins and losses, it's about putting butts in the seats. Wins and losses, obviously, is one of your main goals but, to me, it's not the only goal. If I'm coaching a team I have to have a feel of a program where people feel a connection.

Someone like Bob Huggins, I would never want CU to hire. Someone like that I don't care if he brought them a national championship. I think that is selling out, it's almost immoral to bring someone like that into a program. I was shocked.

BGB: If you were on a board selecting Patton's replacement, what would you specifically be looking for in a coach?

Wilke: The person should be very outgoing, very positive, someone who lights up the room with energy, that people like. That is not only going to help you with your fan base but in living rooms with your recruiting. So I would say someone positive, with energy and charisma. A very polished person.

Patton is a very polished person and professional but I never felt he thought it was his duty to really be out there in the community selling the program and I think that's a big part of the job, almost as important as x's and o's.

X's and O's are important, too. I would want to know what he runs in practices. Not only can they bring in a good player but are they going to make that player better.

David Harrison is a perfect example -- three years at CU and I don't think he improved at all. He got bigger and stronger but his skills did not improve. That has to be a reflection on what is going on in practice.

BGB: The next head coach -- could he be a respected assistant or does he have to have a track record of head-coaching success?

Wilke: I don't think he has to have head-coaching experience.

BGB: The keys to recruiting at this school?

Wilke: A high-school kid has to feel a program is a unit and everyone is for the same goal. That is something, right now, that is lacking at CU.

There's been a negative vibe going on there for the last two-to-three years, so much negativity and that's something that has to change.

If you want to get upper echelon players, there can't be so much negativity surrounding a school. The university has to behind (the program). You have to feel the university wants to have a good basketball program. I'm not sure if you asked professors at CU, you might get a lot of people say I'd rather we not even have a program.

BGB: Why is there that culture on campus? Why is there apathy?

Wilke: It's tough to know. If you could pinpoint it, maybe you could change it rather easily. It's a combination of things. To change the mentality from the country-club university to a university that is proud of its' athletic programs, maybe Bill McCartney can help us. For a few years, he had everyone behind his program but it wasn't easy for him to get there. (The football program) found the right guy.

BGB: That concluded the interview but we continued talking and some interesting things were shared that I thought you might be interested in knowing.

Wilke: Some of the other CU players around there have discussed the coaching situation and a name we've thrown around and like is Alvin Gentry.

He knows Boulder, worked in Boulder (as an assistant), he's been a head coach in the NBA, an assistant in the NBA, an assistant at Kansas when they won the title.

I think he would be an excellent recruiter. There's a lot of things he has I think would fit the bill.