Embedded With the Gators: Chemistry outside the lines
Saturday, March 24, 2012 | Men's Basketball, Men's Tennis, Chris Harry
PHOENIX -- When Florida went to the Elite Eight a year ago, the Gators did so with a completely different assistant coaching staff. 
Larry Shyatt (Wyoming), Rob Lanier (Texas) and Richard Pitino (Louisville) left for jobs in April, leaving Billy Donovan with three empty offices down the hall.
Several weeks went by before Donovan announced the hiring of John Pelphrey (former UF assistant who had head-coaching stints at South Alabama and Arkansas), Norm Roberts (formerly of St. John's) and Matt McCall (assistant at Florida Atlantic and former UF manager).
Together, the new staff began forging chemistry immediately because that's how Donovan wanted it and the Gators needed it.
Whatever happened, it worked.
“It all starts with Billy,” Roberts said.
Consider how the Gators had to reconstruct their team after losing three senior frontcourt starters -- SEC Player of the Year Chandler Parsons, plus Vernon Macklin and Alex Tyus -- to the pros. And it had to be done while the new guys found a comfort zone among themselves and their surroundings. 
“When the staff was complete, and I was the last piece, we had a meeting right away and one of the biggest things for Coach Donovan was having that bond and connection on the staff,” said McCall, pictured at the bottom right. “We were all here for a common goal, but he wanted it go beyond basketball. I had to know Norm had my back. Pell had to know I had his back. All of that bleeds into your team, and that's what Coach Donovan stressed. He wanted a tight-knit group.”
Pelphrey (pictured top right) came to Gainesville with Donovan in 1996, along with Anthony Grant and Donnie Jones. That quartet remained together until 2002 and the relationships -- on and off the court -- were outstanding. So were the Gators achievements during that time.
“I feel the same way about this staff,” Pelphrey said.
Coaching closeness is tested when it comes to March, especially amid success. Each one has his hands full with scouting duties, with not much time to become an expert on the next opponent -- and in some cases not even knowing if those hours of scouting will be put to use. Sometimes the team a guy is scouting loses (see Missouri). 
Huge credit goes to Roberts for the advance work he did on both Virginia and Marquette, just like the job turned in by McCall in presenting Norfolk State to the team after its shocking first-round win back in Omaha.
Now comes Louisville in the Elite Eight, with Pelphrey as the front man. He was assigned the Cardinals last week when the three other teams in the UF pod became official.
Once the date became locked in -- with UF's upset of Marquette late Thursday night -- Pelphrey rolled out the scout for Donovan and the rest of the staff upon their return to the team hotel. Together, they came up with a plan -- late, late into the night -- and introduced it to the players Friday.
“It's a team deal. We all help each other,” said Roberts (middle photo). “We're all in it together. It's just a good situation.”
Added McCall: “When it's working, it bleeds into your team.”
Then it must be working.
