The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/956415
10 THE WOLVERINE APRIL 2018 INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS Michigan first-year assistant coach DeAndre Haynes has won a Big Ten Tournament championship in his initial season, and he's hoping it's just the start of great things to come. The former Illinois State, Toledo and Kent State assistant sits down with us for this month's Q&A session: The Wolverine: How would you sum up your experience in Ann Arbor so far [following the Big Ten Tournament title]? DeAndre Haynes: "It's going great. I couldn't ask for a better experience. "To coach guys like these, sitting and laughing and playing with these guys, they're like family to me. Having the great experience to work under Coach [John] Beilein, giving me the opportunity to teach offense, to learn his offense … he's taking the time to say, 'Hey Dre, what do you think we should run today?' "He's been doing this for years, so him having that trust in me to say, 'Hey coach, I think we should run this' … that's been one of the best things I've been part of." The Wolverine: You and fellow assistant Luke Yaklich both came from Illinois State at the same time. How did that happen? Haynes: "I got the job before him, so I kept pushing for him, telling [Beilein] how great a coach he was. I was like, 'Coach, he's really great at defense and he gets along well with the guys.' "I actually called Luke first when I got the job. He was doing yoga at Illinois State, and he said, 'Dre, do you know anybody at Michigan?' Coach Saddi [Washington] was one of my best friends, so I called Saddi and told him about Luke. Coach B called me and said, 'Tell me a little bit about Luke Yaklich.' "I told him he was the most well organized guy I'd ever met in my life … that he did a great job recruiting [at Illinois State], runs all of the camps, is a great defensive coach, passionate on the floor and all the guys love him. He's doing the same thing here he did at Illinois State." The Wolverine: So you and Saddi, the third U-M assistant, had a prior relationship. How far do you guys go back? Haynes: "Since I first got into coaching [in 2012]. He kind of took me under his wing. He'd been doing it for a while, and I almost took a job at Oakland U. to be there with him. "He's been looking after me since I've been in coaching, and we're finally here together at Michigan. He won a [Big Ten] championship last year, we won another this year, and I'm looking forward to continuing to get this thing going. It's been a blessing knowing these guys." The Wolverine: What's the biggest thing you've learned from John Beilein so far? Haynes: "Just the things off the floor he shows you. Before we left the hotel [for an NCAA Tournament game], he sat there and spoke with our band, who was studying. A lot of guys wouldn't take the time to thank them, talk to them about their studies. "He's a great person, a family man … he texts you at night, or before you leave he always says something positive like, 'This will be the best day ever, best practice ever.' He treats all people the right way, everybody in that building, and makes everybody feel good." The Wolverine: When did you know you'd earned his trust? Haynes: "When he asked me to help run his offense. That's his baby. I'm like the godfather to his players. It's just been a blessing to learn a lot from him about his offense, sit in those meetings. I tell people if you get an opportunity to come to Michigan, come to one of those meetings, come to practice … every day l learn something new from him." — Chris Balas Haynes was a four-year starting point guard and the MAC Player of the Year at Kent State (2002-06) before playing professionally in FIBA Europe. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN Sitting Down With Michigan Basketball Assistant Coach DeAndre Haynes