Wake Forest Athletics
Savage Excited to Build Program Alongside Forbes
7/29/2020 12:30:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Les Johns
“Coach Forbes takes an interest and invests in other people, and that’s what makes him a great leader. He hires people he believes are talented and capable, and allows them to do their job.” - Brooks Savage
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Growing up a University of Tennessee fan, committing to the Vols as a student was a pretty easy decision for new Wake Forest assistant coach Brooks Savage. Taking in incredible performances from Allan Houston and legendary women's basketball coach Pat Summitt, helped grow Savage's love for the game at the collegiate level.
"Tennessee was the only place I applied," Savage said. "I could have played basketball at a small college, but I wanted to coach. It worked out. I was able to get on as a student manager. That was the best thing ever to do that for four years, then I was a grad assistant for two years.
"My time at Tennessee was phenomenal. We went to five NCAA Tournaments, a couple of Sweet 16s, an Elite Eight and won the league (SEC) for the first time in 47 years. Some of the relationships built along the way are just special lifelong relationships that are special to me."
On campus for some of the same time was current Wake Forest athletic director John Currie.
"John was great," Savage said. "He was always around and very pro-basketball. He was our sport administrator, and always helped us get the things we needed to be successful. He was proactive and hands-on. You felt like he was an extension of your staff, because he was trying to help in every way he could."
Savage teamed with Volunteer great Chris Loften on the Outlive Cancer fundraising program, and presented the initiative to Currie before launching. It was an exciting, but nervous time for the 20-year old graduate assistant.
"It was cool to impact the community in that way," Savage said. "I felt like I was able to truly make a difference, with coach Pearl's support along with the entire university. That was really my first interaction with John Currie.
"He was a fantastic leader and relationship builder. He has a great feel for people, and that's still true."
Now, it was Currie who signed off on Savage's contract when he started at Wake Forest earlier this year.
"It's really come full circle," Savage said. "I went from making peanuts working for him, and am now working full-time as an assistant here at Wake Forest. It's amazing how things have progressed over 15 years. Being able to do this with someone you admire and have the utmost respect for is special. That's always a recipe for success. You have to maintain that relationship, trust and vision, and I believe we have that. It's an ideal situation. We're stoked about that."
Savage joined new Wake Forest head coach Steve Forbes when Forbes made the jump to lead the Demon Deacons after a successful tenure at East Tennessee State. He joined Forbes staff in Johnson City, Tennessee in 2015 and they ran up a phenomenal 130-43 record, while going 71-19 in the Southern Conference. The Buccaneers won the league twice and earned a pair of NCAA Tournament berths, including for the never-played 2020 Big Dance.
Forbes was announced as the new Wake Forest coach on April 31, and Savage worked closely with his coach throughout the interview process with Currie.
"It's such a strange time to do it, but there were things he needed along the way in the process," Savage said. "That was my role. He would call me. He was keeping me informed throughout the process, as I got the information he needed."
They knew Forbes was in the mix early in the process, but the newly-hired coach called Savage late during the last Wednesday of April and told him to pack his bags.
"Pack your bags, we're going to stay a few days," Forbes told Savage. "We're leaving at 6:30 in the morning."
"You got the job?" Savage asked.
"Yeah, I got it," Forbes responded matter-of-factly.
"It was typical of coach Forbes," Savage said. "It was like, 'Hey, I got it, now let's go to work.'"
Having made the move to an apartment while their new house is being built, Savage is joined by his wife Lauren, their daughter Waverly and a loyal family dog.
"Lauren is great," Savage said. "She was excited. She's super supportive. Over the last five years, with the last two being married, she picks up a little bit more basketball knowledge every year. She likes dunks and threes, just like everyone else. She's gaining an appreciation for back-doors.
"I couldn't do it without her."
While the family dog is still trying to get its bearings, Waverly's needs are pretty specific.
"When's my next bottle?" is her main concern at the moment, according to Savage.
Following Forbes to Wake Forest was a pretty easy decision for Savage.
"He's the best," Savage said. "I've worked for six different head coaches at seven different places. Coach Forbes takes an interest and invests in other people, and that's what makes him a great leader. He hires people he believes are talented and capable, and allows them to do their job. He's not afraid to step back and let you have a voice. He's a great listener and decision-maker. He's a great CEO-type of guy in addition to being a great coach.
"One of the reasons we work so well together is that we share the same values and philosophies. It just works. I'm super grateful to him for raising me up in this profession. I've just really tried to be a value to him, and he's given me an opportunity to learn and grow as a coach. I owe a lot to him, but we're not done yet. We've got work to do to get this thing where we all know it can be."
With most of the current roster having returned to campus, the staff has dual challenges of getting acclimated with this group of Demon Deacons while also identifying the best fits from across the nation to blend together to resurrect the Wake Forest basketball program. Savage is convinced good things will start happening soon.
"We have great leadership and an incredible university to offer," Savage said. "I believe in what we do. I believe our style of play, with how we develop and teach, and how we build relationships both inside and outside of the program. We don't reinvent the wheel. Coach Forbes has been doing this a long time. People should have a lot of trust in him. He has a wealth of experience and a lot of success everywhere he's been.
"When you've had that success at multiple places over a long stretch of time, that means the inside of the operation is really solid. We believe in some old-school, but timeless things of working really hard and treating people right. We develop relationships, take care of our people and then coach our tails off. Getting those players better and investing in other people — that's what we do a good job of, and coach Forbes is a master of it."
The key components that led to five fantastic seasons at East Tennessee State will guide this new Wake Forest staff as they begin this rebuild.
"We do a great job of building chemistry, togetherness and toughness," Savage said. "We will be talented. We have enough this year in the guys returning and the guys coming in. We'll continue to recruit at a high level and get it put together. It'll be a style of play the university will be proud of and the fans will be excited to watch.
"We'll just do what we've always done and go to work. There's no substitute for hard work and we're going to work until we get the job done."
"Tennessee was the only place I applied," Savage said. "I could have played basketball at a small college, but I wanted to coach. It worked out. I was able to get on as a student manager. That was the best thing ever to do that for four years, then I was a grad assistant for two years.
"My time at Tennessee was phenomenal. We went to five NCAA Tournaments, a couple of Sweet 16s, an Elite Eight and won the league (SEC) for the first time in 47 years. Some of the relationships built along the way are just special lifelong relationships that are special to me."
On campus for some of the same time was current Wake Forest athletic director John Currie.
"John was great," Savage said. "He was always around and very pro-basketball. He was our sport administrator, and always helped us get the things we needed to be successful. He was proactive and hands-on. You felt like he was an extension of your staff, because he was trying to help in every way he could."
Savage teamed with Volunteer great Chris Loften on the Outlive Cancer fundraising program, and presented the initiative to Currie before launching. It was an exciting, but nervous time for the 20-year old graduate assistant.
"It was cool to impact the community in that way," Savage said. "I felt like I was able to truly make a difference, with coach Pearl's support along with the entire university. That was really my first interaction with John Currie.
"He was a fantastic leader and relationship builder. He has a great feel for people, and that's still true."
Now, it was Currie who signed off on Savage's contract when he started at Wake Forest earlier this year.
"It's really come full circle," Savage said. "I went from making peanuts working for him, and am now working full-time as an assistant here at Wake Forest. It's amazing how things have progressed over 15 years. Being able to do this with someone you admire and have the utmost respect for is special. That's always a recipe for success. You have to maintain that relationship, trust and vision, and I believe we have that. It's an ideal situation. We're stoked about that."
Savage joined new Wake Forest head coach Steve Forbes when Forbes made the jump to lead the Demon Deacons after a successful tenure at East Tennessee State. He joined Forbes staff in Johnson City, Tennessee in 2015 and they ran up a phenomenal 130-43 record, while going 71-19 in the Southern Conference. The Buccaneers won the league twice and earned a pair of NCAA Tournament berths, including for the never-played 2020 Big Dance.
Forbes was announced as the new Wake Forest coach on April 31, and Savage worked closely with his coach throughout the interview process with Currie.
"It's such a strange time to do it, but there were things he needed along the way in the process," Savage said. "That was my role. He would call me. He was keeping me informed throughout the process, as I got the information he needed."
They knew Forbes was in the mix early in the process, but the newly-hired coach called Savage late during the last Wednesday of April and told him to pack his bags.
"Pack your bags, we're going to stay a few days," Forbes told Savage. "We're leaving at 6:30 in the morning."
"You got the job?" Savage asked.
"Yeah, I got it," Forbes responded matter-of-factly.
"It was typical of coach Forbes," Savage said. "It was like, 'Hey, I got it, now let's go to work.'"
Having made the move to an apartment while their new house is being built, Savage is joined by his wife Lauren, their daughter Waverly and a loyal family dog.
"Lauren is great," Savage said. "She was excited. She's super supportive. Over the last five years, with the last two being married, she picks up a little bit more basketball knowledge every year. She likes dunks and threes, just like everyone else. She's gaining an appreciation for back-doors.
"I couldn't do it without her."
While the family dog is still trying to get its bearings, Waverly's needs are pretty specific.
"When's my next bottle?" is her main concern at the moment, according to Savage.
Following Forbes to Wake Forest was a pretty easy decision for Savage.
"He's the best," Savage said. "I've worked for six different head coaches at seven different places. Coach Forbes takes an interest and invests in other people, and that's what makes him a great leader. He hires people he believes are talented and capable, and allows them to do their job. He's not afraid to step back and let you have a voice. He's a great listener and decision-maker. He's a great CEO-type of guy in addition to being a great coach.
"One of the reasons we work so well together is that we share the same values and philosophies. It just works. I'm super grateful to him for raising me up in this profession. I've just really tried to be a value to him, and he's given me an opportunity to learn and grow as a coach. I owe a lot to him, but we're not done yet. We've got work to do to get this thing where we all know it can be."
With most of the current roster having returned to campus, the staff has dual challenges of getting acclimated with this group of Demon Deacons while also identifying the best fits from across the nation to blend together to resurrect the Wake Forest basketball program. Savage is convinced good things will start happening soon.
"We have great leadership and an incredible university to offer," Savage said. "I believe in what we do. I believe our style of play, with how we develop and teach, and how we build relationships both inside and outside of the program. We don't reinvent the wheel. Coach Forbes has been doing this a long time. People should have a lot of trust in him. He has a wealth of experience and a lot of success everywhere he's been.
"When you've had that success at multiple places over a long stretch of time, that means the inside of the operation is really solid. We believe in some old-school, but timeless things of working really hard and treating people right. We develop relationships, take care of our people and then coach our tails off. Getting those players better and investing in other people — that's what we do a good job of, and coach Forbes is a master of it."
The key components that led to five fantastic seasons at East Tennessee State will guide this new Wake Forest staff as they begin this rebuild.
"We do a great job of building chemistry, togetherness and toughness," Savage said. "We will be talented. We have enough this year in the guys returning and the guys coming in. We'll continue to recruit at a high level and get it put together. It'll be a style of play the university will be proud of and the fans will be excited to watch.
"We'll just do what we've always done and go to work. There's no substitute for hard work and we're going to work until we get the job done."
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