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YOUNGSTOWN -- Senior-to-be point guard Francisco Santiago was familiar with Jerrod Calhoun prior to the new Youngstown State men's basketball coach coming to the area.
Santiago, who played at St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland, said Calhoun was one of the first to recruit him while Calhoun coached at Division II Fairmont State.
Santiago was invited to an elite camp where he also met soon-to-be YSU assistant coach Paul Molinari, who was an assistant coach at Fairmont State at the time.
Calhoun has been described as self-made individual, earning everything he's had during each stop in his playing and coaching career.
Santiago, who started his college career at Wheeling Jesuit, which played in the same Mountain East Conference as Fairmont, transferred to YSU as a walk-on. He, like Calhoun, had to prove his worth.
"It's nice to have somebody with the same traits," Santiago said. "I told him (Monday) that Youngstown is like Cleveland, it's a blue-collar city -- a little bit smaller city. The city loves when you work hard for them. That's what they appreciate. I know he's going to work as hard as I do for the city. That's why I'm excited for him to be around."
There was some trepidation from the returning players, wondering who was going to be named YSU's new coach after Jerry Slocum retired on March 7.
They worked out, went through open gyms and waited.
Senior-to-be shooting guard and first-team All-Horizon League player Cameron Morse was one of those players.
Once Calhoun was named, those fears changed to smiles.
"Him landing here is the best for us with the type of style he wants to play," Morse said.
That style is an up-tempo offense combined with a full-court trapping defense for the better part of 40 minutes.
It's something Morse didn't see last year, but he saw Fairmont State play during the Division II title game and liked that style of play.
"Last year, we played a slow tempo," he said. "With coach Calhoun, we'll be flying up and down the court, getting the crowd into it. I feel that's going to help us in the long run."
It's a style of play suitable to other returning players as well.
"That's right up my alley, transition," said sophomore-to-be and Garfield Heights graduate Braun Hartfield. "That's music to my ears. I like to run. I like defense a lot. I take pride in my defense. I'm going to try to get a lot more of that, get a lot of breakaways and see what happens."
Hartfield, who played between a small and power forward last year at 6-4, hopes to move back to his natural position between a shooting guard and small forward.
"I talked about that with Slocum before I left," he said. "That's the plan, get back to my right position as they recruit more bigs and work on my game as a 3 or a 2 and develop myself in those positions."
Once those recruits come for visits on campus, Calhoun said during his introductory news conference, he wants current players like Hartfield to close the deal.
"It's a family here at Youngstown," he said. "Feel a sense of need, they can come in and help us right away. If they need somebody to call, they can call on us. Make it like a brotherhood, a family-type of environment."
Ironically, Calhoun offered Garfield Heights sophomore Brison Waller (6-9, 180) a YSU scholarship on Wednesday, according to Garfield's Heights coach Sonny Johnson through his Twitter account (@sonnyjohnson32). According to NCAA rules, college coaches and players cannot comment on specific recruits.
These YSU players are planning to be visible in the community, along with their coach.
"We've done it a little bit, but I feel we're going to do it a lot more," Santiago said. "He's going to get us in position to get our faces out there. Always loved being in the community, helping any way I can, seeing guys that look up to guys like Cameron Morse and myself, little kids. It'll be nice to get out in the community and get to know the people of Youngstown more."
Hartfield hopes this support means more fans at games next season.
"First and foremost, it's a process first," he said. "It's going to be something special. I hope they'll wait and back us up, support us and come to the games. Have our back because we're going to have their back in this upcoming season."
Calhoun thinks this YSU team can win right away. At Fairmont State, he had a 15-win turnaround his first season -- going from eight wins to 23.
YSU was 13-21 last season -- the third straight 20-loss campaign.
"He plans to win a lot more," Santiago said. "They're looking at you like you're crazy. That's what makes us who we are. People didn't think I could be in the position I am today. When nobody believes, all you need is yourself. I feel he's that type of guy, that nobody can tell him no. It's exciting to have him here in our locker room with us."