There's a hint of a twinkle in coach Richard Pitino's eyes when he insinuates the 2013-14 Gophers team hasn't seen the "real" him yet.
It's summer, after all, and Pitino doesn't want to go overboard in the intensity department — there's a full season for that.
But while there still is much to learn and tweak as the months ramp up to November, Pitino knows that what happens in the summer — when mistakes can be made, reviewed and fixed — will be a base for what happens in the winter when mistakes could cost Minnesota games.
"This time of year, it's probably good when they screw up because you can show them on film," Pitino said. "They're going to mess up — it's fine, it's July, we understand that … If I come in here going nuts in July and June, they're going to hate me in December. So I've tried to take it somewhat easy on them but also kind of instill the culture."
That culture clearly has changed from a year ago, when former coach Tubby Smith was at the helm. Now, the players must integrate four new faces — Malik Smith, Daquein McNeil, Joey King and Deandre Mathieu — while adjusting to a new coach with a different system and coaching style. Conditioning has moved to the forefront as the team appears to be getting into better shape all around — with some gaining muscle, some losing weight.
Some key holdovers root a squad in transition, but the overriding sentiment seems to be that of a squad beginning anew.
"I think we've handled it well," rising junior Andre Hollins said. "Like I said before, it was just weird, a little bit, in the beginning. But it's a new start, it's a fresh start, we're starting over and we're all excited, excited to see what the new players can do and for all of us to contribute. It's going to be fun."
Tuesday marked the Gophers' fifth practice of the summer, in which coaches are allowed to meet with players for two hours a week, according to new NCAA rules.