Ted Owens was well aware that his golfing buddy, Bill Self, had won a lot of games in 27 years as a college head basketball coach.
But to be on the verge of 700 victories at the still-young age of 57?
That fun fact surprised the 90-year-old former University of Kansas hoops coach, who was informed of Self's impending feat by a reporter in a phone conversation on Wednesday.
"That is just enormous. Seven hundred at his age is incredible," Owens, who went 348-182 in 19 seasons at KU, told The Star from his home in Tulsa, Okla.
Self, who was a high school basketball star in Edmond, Okla., and a starting point guard at Oklahoma State, has compiled a coaching record of 699-214 at four schools (Kansas, Illinois, Tulsa and Oral Roberts) heading into Saturday's Big 12 battle between the No. 3-ranked Jayhawks (19-3, 8-1) and TCU Horned Frogs (13-9, 4-5). Tipoff is 11 a.m. at Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.
Self _ 492-109 in 17 seasons at Kansas _ is close to becoming the second-youngest coach in NCAA Division I to reach 700 men's basketball wins. Bob Knight (Army, Indiana, Texas Tech) was 56 years, 4 months old when he claimed win No. 700. Self is 57 years, 1 month old.
In all, 30 coaches have won 700 games at the Division I men's level, seven currently active. Self is currently eighth of all active coaches in total wins. Duke's Mike Krzyzewski leads the way with 1,150, followed by Jim Boeheim (959), Roy Williams (881), Bob Huggins (878), Cliff Ellis (776), John Calipari (725) and Rick Barnes (705).
"So few make it," Owens said of the 700 club. "It's very impressive."
Self, who ranks second at KU in coaching victories, finds himself within striking distance of Phog Allen, who went 590-219 in 39 seasons at KU, and 746-264 in 52 seasons overall.
"At one time, he said he would not coach forever," Owens said of Self, who is 98 wins behind Allen on KU's win chart. "Obviously if his health stays good and he wants to continue to do that he can. I think he can replace Dr. Allen in numbers of wins and so forth. It's hard for any of us to think about replacing Dr. Allen in what he meant to basketball and Kansas basketball and the game of basketball."
While Owens hopes Self remains in the college game for many more years, he fully understands the demands of running a blueblood major college program.
Burnout can strike at any time.
"There's tremendous pressure on Bill," Owens said of Self, who was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017.
"Since our football program has had its ups and downs ... the fans are so loyal you've got to give them something to be proud of and you have to want to do that. He's carried a real burden to do that, to keep that high interest. I'm sure that pressure wears on you.
"I can't speak for him ... his health seems to be good, although I thought his conditioning needs to be improved a little bit. I watched him sprint from the bench to break up the altercation in the recent game (against K-State) and I thought he was a little slow. He might want to get on the stationary bike a little bit more," Owens added, jokingly.
Owens, who ranks fourth in KU wins behind Allen, Self and Williams, said he likes to study Self during games. It's during timeouts when Self huddles with his players that Owens sees somebody he considers a master hoops technician at work.
"Any number of times," Owens said, asked if he's personally witnessed occasions a Self coaching decision or two has directly led to a Jayhawk victory.
"Every game coming out of a timeout, there's always going to be something a little different. I call them 'crucials,' " Owens said of strategy/plays concocted by a head coach that can make all the difference in winning or losing close games.
"Bill is loaded with 'crucials' in special situations. He comes up with something that looks like something they normally do, but with a little variation of it. I see that all the time."
KU senior guard Isaiah Moss agrees Self is exceedingly effective in drawing up plays and relaying X's and O's details to his players in a simple, direct manner.
"From what I've seen so far," Moss said, "certain plays he (designs) in certain situations are right on target. If we execute our plays the right way, they work. We're always scoring off (set) plays."
Self's game management style, Owens said, is one of the reasons Self has piled up so many victories.
"Mike Carter, the AD at Oral Roberts when Bill was there ... I asked him one time why he thought Bill was such a successful coach. He said he communicates well with players, coaches, the media, really everybody. He is solid in every regard and genuine in every regard," Owens stated.
KU sophomore point guard Devon Dotson said Self's direct style of communication is appreciated.
"He doesn't short-sell anything. He is tough on everybody," Dotson said, adding that he is impressed with Self's "drive and competitiveness."
"I think he gets the best out of his players. Each day in practice ... it's never an off practice. We go hard every day. He does that and over time it pays off," Dotson added.
Add to the fact Self is regarded as an effective recruiter _ he's signed 23 McDonald's All-Americans in 17 seasons at KU _ and the result is eye-opening win/loss totals.
To attain win No. 700 for Self on Saturday, the No. 3-ranked Jayhawks (19-3, 8-1) must defeat a TCU team (13-9, 4-5) that opened the Big 12 season with three straight wins, but enters on a current four-game losing streak. The Horned Frogs dropped a 72-57 decision Wednesday at Oklahoma State.
After this game, KU travels to West Virginia for a 6 p.m. Central time contest on Wednesday.
