UF's Edmonds transitioning to new role well, but was 'prepared' for it

If you've been to a University of Findlay men's basketball game this winter, you probably haven't seen one of the most recognizable point guards of recent memory on the hardwood. Tommy Schmock. Schmock did a lot in his time manning the Oilers' backcourt. In his four seasons as an Oiler, Schmock finished with his career with 1,044 points (44th all-time), 625 assists (most all-time) and 237 steals (fourth all-time). He was named to first-team All-GMAC twice (2019-2020, 2020-21) and to the 2020-21 All-Midwest Regional team as well. And with an extra year of eligibility thanks to COVID-19, Schmock took advantage of it and transferred to Ohio University. But he's certainly left a lasting impression on this iteration of the Oiler men's basketball team. "He played so hard every single play, especially on defense. He helped me so much on defense guarding him every day in practice," junior point guard Joey Edmonds said of his former teammate. "Coming out of high school, I was a good defender, not a great defender; but guarding him in practice helped me so much, and I think he helped me a lot on the defensive end. He was the point guard, he was the leader on the team and I learned a lot from him." Through 13 games this season, Edmonds has given the Oiler faithful little to miss with the departure of Schmock. He's averaging 12.6 points and 3.6 assists per game. He shoots 48.7 percent from the field and an impressive 46.6 percent from behind the 3-point line. "Joey is very competitive," UF head coach Charlie Ernst said. "I think when the season's laid out part of his mindset was 'I'm going to prove to people that we're not going to miss Tommy a bit.' But in our minds, it was trying not to do too much. "Just be yourself, make good decisions with the ball — first and foremost — don't be looking for scoring, don't feel like you have the weight on your shoulders — you got a lot of weapons around you — just be efficient and that's what he's done." Instead of Edmonds trying to be Tommy Schmock, he's trying to be the best version of himself. "I don't think there was any added pressure because I think some people didn't expect someone to come in and do what he did, so I didn't think there was any added pressure," Edmonds said of taking over the helm. "I wanted to come in, be me, play my game, and let the game come to me and I think I've done that each and every game this year." And that starts with his work ethic. "There's a quote that says, 'Proper preparation prevents poor performance.' I'm really big on preparing and being ready," Edmonds said. "I try to come in the gym every day and there's a shooting routine that I do, then before the games I have routines — I'm pretty superstitious, I do the same thing in warm-ups every single time — and I think it gets me ready both physically and mentally." That work ethic doesn't leave when Edmonds is off the court, though. It's pretty much with him at all times. "He's a very serious kid and he likes to be sure he's well-prepared for each game based on the way he practices, based on the way he studies our opponents, the way he understands as coaches what we're looking for on certain things," Ernst said. "He understands his teammates' strengths and weaknesses. All of those things are important to him." In addition to everything else Edmonds has done thus far, he leads the team in minutes played with 34.1 per game. The next closest player — Nate Bruns — logs about 30. "He spent the entire summer here in Findlay and prepared himself physically for the season. So, he takes care of his body and he takes a lot of pride in what he eats and what he drinks, so his physical condition is important to him," Ernst said. "I think that shows that he's capable of logging more minutes than most of our players, maybe any of our players. And I think on top of that, he's played so well that we're a different team when he's not on the floor." Playing nearly the entire 40 minutes is a lot, but — if it were up to Edmonds — he'd play even more than he does now. "I strive to be the best that I can be, and I don't want anyone to outwork me. I come in the gym every day, work my hardest in the off-season, put in work and that's why I'm confident in myself," he said. "And that comes back to taking care of my body each and every day. Preparation is big for me, so that comes with taking care of my body. But I love it, I don't like being off the court." Edmonds seemed destined to be successful in the game of basketball. Especially with his family's background. "I grew up in the gym. My dad was a high school coach, my mom was a high school coach, my grandpa was a high school coach; they've always been in my ear, always coaching me," said Edmonds, who went to Wyoming High School near Cincinnati. "My dad was my high school coach and I think having coaches in your house is always beneficial. It helped me learn the game and the toughness and competitiveness factor. "I have a pretty high basketball IQ, and I think that comes from my parents. We're always watching basketball and they're always teaching me. They've really impacted my knowledge on the court."