Ben Johnson did not hold back Tuesday morning when he was introduced to the media as the new head coach of the Minnesota Gophers men's basketball team.
"This is a special day for me," Johnson said. "I couldn't be more excited to come home and to be home. This is home."
Johnson, who referred to the Gophers job as a "dream job and dream opportunity" told reporters that the challenges of the job are not lost on him.
Those challenges include recruiting.
"We've already made [those calls]," Johnson said when referring to making his first recruiting calls at the new head coach. "I think as soon as the plane landed and we got some reception we made those. With the transfer portal, that changes everything. I think we are trying to navigate that and figure that out for the first time. Recruiting is non-stop."
Johnson found his way back the University of Minnesota. The former Gopher and DeLaSalle High School standout spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach at Xavier.
Johnson believes local ties will help in finding and influencing Minnesota's best, young basketball players to wear the maroon and gold.
"We gotta do our job within the state to keep those guys home," he said. "I want every kid, just like myself, they need to be looking forward to one-day playing at Williams Arena."
Following the departure of Richard Pitino, who Johnson worked under as an assistant from 2013 to 2018, three Gophers men's basketball players announced they would enter the transfer portal.
Johnson used a P.J. Fleck reference when telling reporters on Tuesday about his first meeting with the team.
"They didn't choose my, I chose them," Johnson said. "That's the honest truth. I've been in their position as a coach or player. It's tough, especially if you're coming off a season where things didn't go your way. Coaching changes are hard for everybody."
Johnson said he told the players to give him and the change a chance.
"Change doesn't always have to be bad. Change can be good," he said. "[Our player] can lean back on Amir (Coffey) and Daniel (Oturo) and I won't tell them what to say, but if they answer honestly, they're going to tell them that I'm a good guy that's going to do it the right way."
Johnson becomes the first person of color in a head coaching role at the University of Minnesota since 2013.
"It's hopefully a sign of the times," Johnson said. "I think that's a credit to the leadership. Guys like myself haven't been afforded these opportunities in the past. That's the elephant in the room and we all know that. Leadership has stepped up and provided the platform for myself. It's my job to do the best I can and hopefully I can open doors for the next job."
