University of Tennessee Athletics
Shumate's Overnight Drive For UK Matchup
February 17, 2015 | Men's Basketball
By Brian Rice
UTSports.com
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- The life of an assistant coach in college basketball is much more than practice plans and late nights in the office.
Sometimes, it's a late night on a recruiting trip. Factor in a little winter weather and you have the situation Tennessee assistant coach Chris Shumate found himself in Monday night.
On an in-season recruiting trip to Orlando, Shumate got the phone call no coach on a tight schedule wants to get. His scheduled return flight to Knoxville was cancelled, thanks to the ice storm that crippled travel all over the southeast.
With Tennessee scheduled to face top-ranked Kentucky Tuesday night, Shumate had two options. He could follow the airline's suggestion of "hoping for the best" and taking a flight that may be rescheduled for Tuesday morning or he could make a visit to the rental car counter and set out on an overnight drive.
"There was really no other option," Shumate said. "It was nothing I hadn't done before."
"It" of course, refers to the overnight drive, more than 700 miles, to reach his office in time for final preparations for the Wildcats.
Shumate knew what he was in for when he got in the car, but did not think of it as anything special. It is just another part of his daily grind as an assistant coach.
"If I was the boss, it's what I would expect my assistant coaches to do," Shumate said. "That's what I was thinking. I had to control what I could control, and I'll sleep it off after we take care of business."
It was a real-life example of giving his all for Tennessee.
"I didn't do it for the notoriety," he said. "It comes with the job and it's a privilege to work here at Tennessee."
It also got him home just in time for a game that carries a little extra meaning for the Vol assistant. The native of Louisville, Ky., grew up following the Wildcats. His brother played football at UK and other family members have degrees from the school.
Though he played collegiately at Murray State, Shumate honed his game in Louisville as a young player.
"I spent my birthday money growing up going to Kentucky basketball camp," he said. "But as a player or coach, I've never faced them."
Thanks to an overnight drive, he now has the chance.
