Fordham SportsNet

Fahro Alihodzic is part of Fordham's youth movement. (Photo courtesy of Joe DiBari, Fordham University's Sports Information Director)

BY CHARLES COSTELLO 

At 29, Jared Grasso is the youngest head coach in Division I college basketball. You may have already known that. But did you know that Fordham’s freshmen have logged more minutes (Grasso says they average approximately 120 out of a possible 200 minutes per game) this year than freshmen at any other program in the country? The result is a total movement toward youth at Rose Hill.

“We have a ways to go and a lot of it has to do with our youth,” Grasso said after Saturday’s loss to Rhode Island dropped the Rams to 2-14, 0-4 in the Atlantic 10. “It’s not going to happen overnight. They’re freshman. They don’t realize how much it takes and how hard they need to play for 40 minutes to win. We’re just going to keep working hard and keep getting better.” 

Fordham is winless in its first four conference games. Each game has seemingly followed the same script: the game is close in the first half, the Rams have the game tied or find themselves ahead in the second half, then suffer through a scoring drought to fall behind, eventually mount a comeback, only to fall short each time.

“I’m not a big moral victory guy,” Grasso said. “I’m proud of our guys because they keep playing hard and working hard. We’re going to eventually be good. Our freshmen play more minutes than any other Division 1 program in the country right now. At some point, when these guys are juniors and seniors, we’re going to be good, and I think it will be sooner than that. We’re going to win some games. I still think we’ll end up being pretty good this year. We just need to grow up tomorrow. I don’t know if they’re going to grow up tomorrow but I have to keep pushing them and we have to keep fighting to get better.” 

Youth aside, it’s clear that Grasso has high expectations, and has set high standards, for his players.

“I’m going to be honest with them about what I think of them,” Grasso said. “When they’re good I’m going to tell them they’re good, and when they’re not I’m going to tell them they’re not. 

Following Saturday’s loss, Fordham’s ninth in a row, Grasso was quick to put his finger on what’s been plaguing his team for some time. 

“The biggest thing is toughness,” he said. “Toughness isn’t beating someone up or hitting someone. Toughness is when you’re pressured being able to make a pass. When the team makes a run being able to get a stop. When things get tough our guys have to find a way to fight through it.” 

The Rams have not yet been able to do that. Grasso is confident that, with time and experience, that will change. For this reason, he’s excited about this group’s potential.

“I like these guys,” Grasso said. “I know we’re going to be good. I promise you [that] at some point we’re going to be good with these young kids. Four years ago Dayton was below .500 and won six A-10 games, La Salle was 10-20 and won four A-10 games, and Richmond was 8-22 and won three A-10 games. Now they’re upperclassmen and those three teams were picked in the top four in the league. There’s a lot to be said [about] having upperclassmen.”