Cole Huff (#13 / F / 6-8 / 215 lbs / Jr.)
How important are transfers to the college game of hoops? Probably a lot more than anyone realizes, at least from the Creighton fan’s perspective. The constant talk of the past season wasn’t the Bluejays difficult season, but the constant looking forward to the future of the program with Cole Huff transferring in from Nevada and Mo Watson transferring in from Boston University.
Cole Huff during the 2015 Bluejay Madness (CLICK TO BUY)
Watson was first to join the fold, but it was just a couple weeks later that Huff announced he was coming to the Bluejays after two seasons at Nevada. Since then the two have been inseparable when Jays fans — and some media — discuss how Creighton can turn things around.
Huff started all 32 games for Nevada as a sophomore during the 2013-14 season. He averaged a little over 12 points and 5 rebounds a game, earning an honorable mention spot in the Mountain West Conference. His biggest game was a 31-point effort in a double-overtime victory, during which he played 47 of the game’s 50 minutes.
Watching him on the court, Huff seems like he would be a small forward-type of player based on his outside shooting touch. But he is more comfortable in the power forward position and will look to play there this season.
Creighton fans had to wait to watch Huff play; he sat out his first summer in Omaha in 2014 with a hand injury. However, he played this summer’s Metro Summer League and displayed some of his scoring ability from both the inside and outside.
During the team’s trip to Italy this summer, Huff led the Bluejays in scoring with over 14 points a game and was the only Bluejay scoring in double figures in all of the games on the trip. His 74% shooting scorched the nets overseas.
The wait is over, and Cole Huff is ready to play some ball.
Creighton Career Stats
First season at Creighton
Q&A With Cole Huff
Q: How much are you looking forward to starting the season here?
A: I’m really looking forward to it. It has been a year and a half since I last played college basketball and it ended on a sour note. I’m just ready to get out there and play in front of all of these great fans.
Q: What kind of transition have you had to do coming from Nevada into the Creighton program?
A: “It really hasn’t been too difficult other than losing last year and not really being able to do anything about that and observing from the sidelines. But the coaches have been wonderful. The players have made the transition go as well as it could possibly go.”
Q: With you, Ronnie (Harrell) and Mo (Watson) having to sit out last year, how close have you become and how did that prepare you for this season?
A: “Definitely, sitting in the second row in the CenturyLink behind our coaches and our players, just watching every game, it was tough not being out there. But, we got to sit back and be a coach or a scout and observe everything going on. We would give comments to each other on what we saw going on out there on the court and we try to bring those things to practice and help our team get better. It was really beneficial to have those guys go through the process with me.”
Q: So being able to watch from the sideline and maybe being frustrated a bit not being able to play, how much motivation does that give you guys for this year.
A: “No one likes losing. We see all the predictions and a lot of question marks about this team and where we will be with a lot of new faces. However, within this facility (Championship Center) we feel like we can put it all together with our depth and the talent we have on our team. We are just ready to play now.”
Q: Do you think you can fly under the radar at this point or do people have expectations already for you?
A: “I guess. I mean, nobody really knows who we are. Not really so much under the radar, but we are a completely new team with a lot of new faces that haven’t been around college basketball for a while or even at all. People just don’t even know what to expect, but we know what to expect from ourselves and if we can get all of those pieces together we are capable of doing well.”
Q: How hard is it to get all of those pieces together?
A: “It is tough but we just have to take care of our responsibilities every day at practice on and off the court. That will make things a lot easier for us and the coaches.”