by Dave Franklin | MCLA.us

Since James Harkey has landed in Columbia, the South Carolina men’s lacrosse program has taken huge strides, culminating last year with the team’s first-ever trip to the national semifinals.

This season, the Gamecocks are looking just as strong as they sit at No. 3 in the Under Armour Weekly Coaches Poll. With No. 8 Virginia Tech looming this weekend, Harkey took the time out for a quick Q&A.

Dave Franklin: Dating back all the way back to February 2017, your team has only lost five games and you are off to a 3-0 start this year. What is the main thing you have instilled in this program to create such a strong culture for winning?

James Harkey: The culture has more to do with the guys on the team flipping that switch than anything that I've done. We talk about being consistent with our attitude and urgency in practice. I give lots of credit to last years' senior class for really taking that message to heart and challenging their teammates every day, and this years' group has done a great job of carrying that forward.

DF: Is there ever a concern that the volume of consecutive wins you have produced can ever result in an unexpected loss due to overconfidence? If so, how do you address that?

JH: We take the season one game at a time. That's an old coaching trope across all sports because it works. We really can't focus on anything other than the task in front of you on any given day.

DF: What was the biggest difference you saw from your regular season win over Virginia Tech on April 7, and your loss to the Hokies in the SELC championship on April 22?

JH: Energy. We were more flat than usual in that SELC championship game and I put that on me. We, as coaches, should have done a better job of letting the horses loose. You've got to be able to play a deep bench to have success in the post-season, but you've also got to let hot hands ride. It's a balancing act and we've been getting better with that each year.

DF: Outside of your loss to Chapman in the national semifinal, that defeat against the Hokies in the SELC title game was your only other loss in 2018. Is that something you or your team is thinking about going into your next game?

JH: Certainly. You always want to get one back when they bested you the last time out, but we're going to prepare this week like we do every week.

DF: Do you feel as though your regular season win over Virginia Tech and two victories versus Liberty (regular season and SELC tournament) last year were turning points for your program?

JH: Stepping stones, surely. It's validating to get wins against those teams who have had consistent success in recent years. The turning point for our program happened in practice and it is a choice that guys have to continue to make every week.

DF: Is there anything specific you are looking to focus on or improve upon for this Virginia Tech game?

JH: I'd like to see us start putting some quarters together. I think at times this season we have been a little inconsistent from quarter to quarter and I think getting that going in this game can really set us up well for the rest of the season if we are able to execute. Otherwise, Virginia Tech is a very sound team and that's just something to be prepared for.

We like to push tempo in transition and let the boys run but, against a team as disciplined as Virginia Tech, we can't have wasted possessions and we've got to take care of the ball.

DF: What are your biggest takeaways from your experience in Utah last year, bringing South Carolina to its first MCLA Tournament?

JH: It's a fun experience! I think our guys enjoyed a week of nothing but lacrosse with the boys. Made us hungry to come back for more.

DF: Your road trip out west to play Chapman, UCSB and BYU is likely the biggest in program history. Then you also see defending champ Michigan State less than a month later. How do you prepare for these games now that the secret is out regarding your ability to be a national threat?

JH: It's not easy to transition from being the hunter to the hunted. But our guys are doing a pretty good job so far focusing on ourselves, the task at hand each week and preparing the right way.

DF: You were a faceoff midfielder when you played at UMBC. How important is this facet of the game for your team and how hands on are you (if at all) when working with your faceoff specialists? How do you sum up Derek Isaac's ability at the X?

JH: Well, most of my statistics are from taking draws but I started and finished my career as a SSDM. I really let those faceoff guys work on their own and I chime in now and again with tips or comments from my perspective. The faceoff is such a mental game, I have confidence in those guys that they know how to best prepare themselves for each challenge.

Derek is a phenomenal talent. He has that innate ability to be right on the whistle with great hand speed. Credit also to Kyle Armstrong, who worked with our faceoff men last season, but moved away from Columbia in the offseason. He did a great job helping to prepare all three of our faceoff guys last year.

DF: South Carolina-Clemson is one of the most passionate in-state collegiate sports rivalries in the country. Does that game have extra significance on your schedule or are their bigger fish to fry in SELC play?

JH: It's always a big game. I'd say it's the best college rivalry in the country, all things considered. It's a small state, so alumni and fans of both schools work side by side every day. That's what makes it really fun. It's not something that is only important for a week or two. It's really a constant rivalry year round.

DF: If you are meeting a recruit that has narrowed his top 5 down to South Carolina, Georgia, Clemson, Florida and Florida State, what's your elevator pitch on Gamecocks Lacrosse?

JH: I really don't have one. That would be a different story if I had something to offer them in the way of scholarship money or even preference from admissions. But the reality is these guys make a significant investment of their time and money during their college experience. They've got to want to be here for themselves in order to enjoy it and to be successful. That's exactly what I tell them: if South Carolina is the right fit for you, then we're glad to have you come out and compete with us.

DF: Who is stepping up the goal scoring having graduated Grant Schneider and Jacob Ellis last year?

JH: I've been really proud of the job that Griffin Giles and Griffin Bailey have been doing in the midfield. One or the other of them are usually involved when we need a spark. At attack, I've been pleased with a number of guys contributing from game to game. We are at our best when we are unselfish and moving the ball through the air.

DF: What is Colin Hains' best quality as a goalie?

JH: Communication. He has an uncanny ability to get the six guys in front of him to work together to give him shots he wants to see.

DF: Besides going deep in the postseason and competing for the national championship, what are the short and long term goals for South Carolina lacrosse?

JH: Our long-term goals are to build a lasting program that alumni take pride in year after year. We received tremendous support from former players and coaches last season and we want to continue that momentum. In the short term, we'll focus on one game at a time.

DF: You played Florida State in your first game this year. Some say former coach Bill Harkins (who passed away last week) really started to build things up to set a standard for excellence in the SELC. Anything to add on this topic?

JH: Condolences to the Harkins and FSU families. A rising tide really does lift all boats. I'm fortunate to benefit from the tremendous strength of competition in the SELC brought about by trailblazers like Coach Harkins. We can honor his memory by building on those foundations to leave the league better off than we found it.

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