Value added
- Updated: January 28, 2021
Bynum brings plenty of experience, insight to Oxford’s coaching staff, handed keys to the team’s new offense
Thursday’s games
Anniston at Alexandria
Coosa Christian at Gaston
Donoho at Faith Christian
Glencoe at Pleasant Valley
Lincoln at Pell City
Piedmont at Ohatchee
Ranburne at Lafayette
Randolph County at Cleburne County
Saks at Clay Central
Valley Head at Jacksonville Christian
Wellborn at Munford
White Plains at Jacksonville
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
OXFORD – Joel Van Meter has seen both sides of Jeremy Bynum – from all sides – and he’s glad to have the Oxford alum back on his side.
As his college coach for two years, Van Meter was glad to have Bynum on his team. As an opposing coach, he knew how dangerous it was to play against him even with the most detailed scouting report. And for the last four years, the Oxford basketball coach has come to see him as a valuable asset on his staff, an assistant very much capable of running his own program.
“As a player he was one of those guys who was going to outwork everybody,” Van Meter said. “As a coach, the biggest thing is he never gets outworked with our players; he’s constantly in the gym and getting extra hours with them.
“He is no question head coaching material. He’s smart. He’s got a tremendous work ethic. He’s very professional in everything he does. And he does a tremendous job as a teacher.”
Bynum, 32, is the closest thing Van Meter has to an associate head coach without the formal title. He already is in charge of the players’ skill development and, this year, Van Meter gave him the responsibility of learning and installing the new five-out offense that has carried the Yellow Jackets through their current 18-game winning streak and, most recently, a third straight Calhoun County Tournament title.
“It’s all been his work and study of what this offense is,” Van Meter said. “I handed it over to him and said you do it, I want to focus more defensively and you can focus more offensively. That work ethic and determination he has led to taking over the offense.”
Bynum considered it the ultimate compliment that his mentor put the offense in his hands.
“That’s probably one of the most important things it’s done for me because it shows me he trusts me a lot,” he said. “I don’t think a lot of coaches in the state of Alabama would’ve done that. He does a good job of encouraging his coaches to grow. He’s done a great job at being one of my mentors and helping me grow and allowing me to grow.”
Many teams use the five-out approach and even the NBA has started to transition to a lot of its concepts. It’s all about spacing the floor to give, in the Yellow Jackets’ case, guys like Justin Moore, Rylan Houck and Roc Taylor room to do their thing.
Bynum began to embrace the concept of spacing during his six seasons of pro ball in Europe. While he admits the Jackets are better in it in some games than others, they’re always in a position to compete and on the nights they’re not so good at it, their culture and defense still give them a chance to win.
“When I was playing professional ball it really gave me a different aspect to see the game,” he said. “As you get higher up in level it’s more about spacing than it is Xs and Os. I tried to study the game for when I became a coach.”
And he got into coaching with two goals in mind – have an impact on kids and run his own program.
He’s definitely tracking on the first goal and seems well equipped for the second. He has had a few opportunities to strike out on his own, but the timing just wasn’t right. Eventually it will be.
“I tell people all the time I’m in a good situation; I wouldn’t be anywhere else as an assistant,” he said. “I played here. I know what it means to play here. There’s something about continuing the culture that Coach (and athletics director Larry) Davidson put in us. I’m not desperate (for a head coaching job), but if the right job comes I might consider it and I might take it.”
You must be logged in to post a comment Login