Keeping it Heel with Mark Isley: Behind the Scenes of UNC Athletics
By Matt Haley
MandMsportshow: After leaving UNC you have been in education as a teacher and a coach. How much does Coach Smith’s philosophy impact how you run your programs?
Isley: I think my cousin Steve Reynolds, another former manager (class of 1990) summed it up best: “80% of what I do I borrowed from Coach Smith, and the other 20% I stole.” I learned so much from him and Coach Guthridge, and still use it today, whether in my classes, my practices or my personal life. Probably the biggest thing was organization. My practices, particularly basketball practices, mirrored Coach Smith’s, even down to the actual template of the plan. I always started practice with and offensive emphasis, defensive emphasis and thought for the day. Drills were similar, teaching offenses and defenses were similar, even conditioning was similar. Beyond X’s and O’s, things like punctuality, going to class, showing class and good sportsmanship were all things I took from Coach Smith and Coach Guthridge.
How did you get involved with game day operations and what role do you have during football and basketball seasons?
Isley: Coach Smith used to have a back up scorebook kept at home games. The official scorebook, which I keep now, cannot leave the table. That book was kept my Greg Miles, a former manager who graduated in 1974. Greg, or “Chi-Chi” or “Cheech” to his friends, tragically passed away in 1991. I asked Coach Guthridge about taking over the book and he and Coach Smith agreed. I kept the backup book until 1997, when I was moved over to the scoreboard. After Dr. William Huffines, the official scorer for 27 years, retired in 2001, I was asked by athletic operations to take over the official book.
As far as football goes, Kearney Andrews did PA for football and basketball games. He needed a spotter to help him, and he got me in the booth with him in either 1993 or 1994. I keep a drive chart for the announcer, basically charting down, distance, yards per play, etc. for his play-by-play announcing. I helped Kearney until he left football, and now I assist Tony Gilliam, the new PA announcer.
MandMsportshow: Can you tell us about the story involving Coach K and the substitution situation in Chapel Hill a few years ago?
Isley: Let me start with a little background about rules. The rules state that a sub must be at the table, warm up off and ready to go, before the 1st warning horn of any time out. I once asked a referee about what to do if a player was, say, half way there, walking to the table, etc. I was told to use my discretion.
So, it was the last game in 2005. It was late in the 1st half, maybe under a minute to go. Coach Williams called a 30 second time out. Caoch K sent DeMarcus Nelson to the table to sub for Daniel Ewing, who had at least 1 foul, maybe 2. Just as he left the huddle, the 1st horn blew. Duke’s scorekeeper, Jon Jackson, who is also their SID, said “he’s not in time.” I didn’t so either, so we wouldn’t let him in. Obviously, that didn’t made K happy. He came over to question it, and Larry Rose, the head official, backed us up. Not 10 seconds later, after play resumed, a foul was called on Daniel Ewing, the player K wanted out. Needless to say, that made K even madder. Their entire bench yelled at us, even as they were leaving the floor. Some of the things they said were not fit to print. Larry Rose came over again to confer, and that’s when the whole “Scott Williams got ejected “ thing occurred.
As a follow up, I saw Rueben Gillis, the official Duke scorekeeper, at the ACC women’s tournament in Greensboro the next day. We did the book together at the ACC Tournament in 2003. I explained it to him, and he told me I did the right thing. It was unfortunate that it all happened, but I still feel I did the right thing.
MandMsportshow: Mark Isley is one of the people I have had a privilege of getting to know over the past 18 years and I have had a chance to work with and compete against Coach Isley on the gridiron. Coach Isley is someone who will stay behind the scenes, but his impact on the people around him does not go unnoticed. The Dean Smith Carolina Basketball family is truly extended beyond being one of the players. Everyone who ever had a chance to be a part of his program can say whether they were a statistician, manager, player or office personnel they all belong to the same group which is the UNC Basketball program. If you have a chance to go to a UNC basketball game this season walk down and say hello to one great person that I am proud to know.
As always you can follow the Haley and MandMsportshow on twitter @MandMSportshow and you can read more articles from Haley at The Water Cooler.