This WSU senior’s speech to the team was 'something that needed to be done'

There had been too much uncomfortable silence in the days following Wichita State’s second straight loss at Houston on Saturday, as the players sorted through losing back-to-back conference games for the first time in their career.

It eventually became unbearable for senior Rashard Kelly, who stood up before a film session on Tuesday and addressed players with the coaching staff in the room.

“I said everything I knew people wanted to say, but I could tell nobody wanted to be the one to say it,” Kelly said. “So I took it on myself.”

Kelly’s speech wasn’t new to the players — coach Gregg Marshall had said it all before in more or less words — but the message seemed to reach the players. According to coaches and players, the two practices leading into Thursday’s game at Koch Arena against Central Florida (13-6, 4-3 American) have featured more energy and intensity from No. 17 Wichita State (15-4, 5-2).

WSU hasn’t lost consecutive games at Koch Arena since February 2011.

“Somebody had to step up and talk to the guys and be the leader and that’s what Rashard did,” WSU senior Rauno Nurger said. “It’s different hearing it from your own teammate. It was definitely something that needed to be done.”

When Marshall met with the media for his weekly press conference on Tuesday, well before the day’s film session, he said he hadn’t noticed any player take ownership of a leadership role on the team since they walked off the court in Houston.

“This would be a good time for it,” Marshall said about a leader emerging. “You face a little adversity.… Sometimes with leadership, you’ve got to say things that aren’t really popular. That’s got to come from the players there.”

Following Kelly’s talk about the team’s lack of toughness, reinforced by Marshall in film with a reel of Houston’s players being the first (and usually only) ones to the floor for loose balls, Wichita State has been focused on regaining its identity as a team that outworks its opponents.

Now every drill in practice is a competition with the aim of making sure WSU isn’t “punked,” as Landry Shamet described.

“We want to be the ones in the driver’s seat and dictating how the game is going to go,” Shamet said. “We’ve had a good week so far. I think guys’ minds are in a better place. Last week was tough, but we’ve had some good talks amongst ourselves in the locker room and we’re continuing to stay positive and stay together moving forward.”

Players and coaches said most of what WSU needed was a mindset adjustment.

“We’ve got to start bringing better energy,” senior Zach Brown said. “That’s what I feel like has been lacking the most. If you have energy, then that can make up for a lot of stuff. It can keep you games.”

“We’ve got to really be tough,” Kelly said. “Not just say we’re tough. Really be tough.”

After losing both of its long winning streaks, home and away, last week, WSU’s mantra has been “start a new streak.” The players are confident WSU will resemble its old ways when it returns to the court after a four-day break against a UCF team missing 7-foot-6 star Tacko Fall, who will undergo shoulder surgery and miss the rest of the season.

Kelly said he didn’t mind doing what was uncomfortable to try to snap the team out of its funk.

“We listen and believe in coach 100 percent and everything he says, but sometimes guys need a player to receive (the message),” Kelly said. “If they hear it from someone else closer to them, then maybe it will click. I just want to be that second voice for them.”

This story was originally published January 24, 2018 at 8:57 PM with the headline "This WSU senior’s speech to the team was 'something that needed to be done'."