With the opening of the 2014-15 season coming for McMurry University men's basketball on Saturday at Concordia University-Texas (3 p.m.), one thing is for certain for head coach Clif Carroll:  he's never going to get lonely on the bench. The second-year War Hawks' mentor has supplemented six returning players with no less than 13 new faces.
 
After having three coaches in as many seasons before he took over the reins, Carroll knows that him being in his second season is a positive for the War Hawks' program.
 
"It's the little things; the day-to-day things," Carroll reflected about bringing stability to the McM program. "How you show up to practice. How I want you wearing your jersey. How I want you to dress. Just the everyday things are what you establish in year one. Then, in year two, it's the older guys who teach the young players. I'm able to do a lot more basketball coaching, so it's been a lot of fun."
 
The McM veterans - Connor Robinson (6-6, Sr., F, Austin, Texas), Hondo Webb (6-2, Sr., G, Denison, Texas), Alex Lewis (6-4, Sr., G, Converse, Texas), Jordan Holmes (6-1, So., G, Silsbee, Texas) and Thierry Tchenko (5-11, So., G, Houston, Texas) – all had significant roles during Carroll's inaugural campaign last year. Robinson, Webb and Lewis are the only seniors on the War Hawks' roster for 2014-15.
 
Robinson – a fourth-year player for McM - was the workhorse of the War Hawks in 2013-14, averaging of better than 30 minutes per appearance. He was the only McM player to start all 27 games, averaging 10.0 points and a team-high 6.6 rebounds per game for the year.
 
Robinson also shot a comfortable 54-percent (95-176) from the field and made 22 steals, along with six blocks.
 
Webb and Lewis were both junior transfers (Webb from Lamar University and Lewis from Temple College) into the program last season. Lewis contributed 8.3 points and 3.8 rebounds per game in 24 appearances, while Webb checked in with 4.5 points and 4.2 boards per game (also making 24 appearances). Webb shot 53 percent (34-64) from the field and Lewis was a long range threat after hitting 40 percent (14-35) from beyond the arc.
 
Holmes and Tchenko were both freshmen last year and both saw quality minutes. Holmes averaged 5.6 p.p.g. and nearly 24 minutes per appearance. Tchenko, playing in 14 games, gave Carroll better than six minutes an outing. (Tchenko, a political science major at McM, will not rejoin the team until the semester break after taking the fall term off when offered an opportunity to work in the gubernatorial campaign for Wendy Davis).
 
Also back in the McMurry fold is Chris Cerny (6-7, Jr., C, Carlsbad, N.M.), who originally played for the War Hawks for two seasons (2011-13), before going to Wayland Baptist University.
 
Two transfers are also among the newcomers: junior Blake Cochran (6-2, G, Ft. Worth, Texas/Northwestern Oklahoma State) and sophomore Caleb Rogers (5-9, G, Port Arkansas, Texas/Green Mountain College).
 
The balance of the McMurry roster is comprised of 11 freshmen: Brennan Beckett (6-4, F, Winnie, Texas); Zachary Campbell (6-4, F, Portales, N.M.); Gabriel Chacon (5-10, G, Abilene, Texas); Austin Denmon (6-2, G, Balch Springs, Texas); Trumaine Elmore (6-2, G, Orange, Texas); Diondre Frank (5-10, G, Nederland, Texas); Aaron Gettys (6-4, F, New Braunfels, Texas); Logan LeDane (5-11, G, Tom Bean, Texas); Tyson Scott (6-0, G, Gunter, Texas); LaRandall Scroggins (6-6, F, Carrollton, Texas), and ; Cutter Smith (6-0, G, Eula, Texas).
 
While transitioning back to NCAA Division III, the War Hawks will be playing an independent schedule in 2014-15 and will have a diverse slate of games. McM's opponents range from NCAA Division II to NAIA to NCAA Division III. Seven-consecutive road contests precede the home opener on December 12 versus Angelo State. That is the beginning of a five-game homestand, as well. The team has road trips to Denver and the Memphis-area on tap.
 
"We're in a little bit of a different situation not having a conference schedule this year," Carroll explained. "Normally, you'd say our goal is to win a conference championship. But we don't have that this year. This year is about establishing ourselves; my goal is to be the 'gold standard' of the (American Southwest Conference)."