Scott Cross has a blueprint for Georgia Tech. Will it work in the ACC?

Scott Cross stepped to the podium in Charlotte at ACC media days in early October with a sense of appreciation.

He said he grew up watching the conference and listed Georgia Tech legends Bobby Cremins, Kenny Anderson, Dennis Scott and Brian Oliver.

Now, after leaving Troy for Georgia Tech, Cross finds himself coaching in the conference he grew up admiring.

“It’s kind of surreal to be here,” he said.

Cross led Troy to the NCAA Tournament in each of the past two seasons, building a program around his blue-collar, “take the stairs” philosophy. His teams at Troy and previously at UT Arlington, where he spent 12 seasons, were known for offensive efficiency, tenacious defense and an aggressive approach to crashing the offensive glass.

Will Cross’ methods succeed in the ACC? That’s typically the question when a coach jumps from a mid-major to one of the most talented conferences in college basketball.

The differences between Troy and Georgia Tech are immense.

Cross said his Troy roster cost about $150,000 last season. That team won 22 games and the Sun Belt Conference.

At Georgia Tech, Cross had at least $5 million to assemble his first roster.

The increased spending power creates opportunities, Cross said, but it doesn’t guarantee success. In fact, he said he had more money available at Troy last season than he actually spent.

“It’s about getting the right type of guys, putting them in the right seats, having a great staff, developing them every single day,” Cross said. “You could have all the money in the world and you could make a bad decision and recruit the wrong type of guys, it’s not going to fit and it’s going to be a disaster.

“The more money you have, it makes it easier, but there’s still a ton of challenges even if you have the most money in the country.”

Cross’s first priority in assembling Georgia Tech’s roster was finding a familiar face.

Jackson Fields, a 6-foot-9 forward who transferred from West Virginia, had played three seasons at Troy under Cross. He already knew the system, understood the expectations and could help establish the culture Cross wanted to bring to Atlanta.

“Definitely it’s like, his tenacity, and he’s a winner and just he wants to win everything,” Fields said. “Like, he’s a competitor, and I feel like with him as my coach I have a chance to win any game against anybody any night.”

Cross expects Fields to contribute as a scorer and rebounder. But he also values the forward’s voice and leadership.

“I think he stands up and says the tough things that need to be said,” Cross said. “He’s an outstanding leader, one of the best leaders I’ve been around. I’m super, super thankful he’s here. He definitely has made my job a lot easier, and he’s helped put out a lot of fires that could escalate, or gas could get on, and it could blow up.”

When targeting guards, Cross said he wanted efficient scorers with high assist-to-turnover ratios. He found that in Lehigh transfer Nasir Whitlock and San Jose State transfer Colby Garland.

They each averaged more than 20 points per game last season. Whitlock hit 43% of his 3-point attempts, Garland made 37%.

And Whitlock said Cross won him over by prioritizing something stats don’t always show.

“It was his emphasis on defensive toughness,” Whitlock said. “That’s where I want to be as a player, as a man. I want to be a tough guy that’s defensive-minded. I think what he’s good at can help me improve.”

Cross described the additions as a “moneyball” approach: identifying players who starred at smaller programs but possessed the skills and makeup he believed would translate to the ACC.

“A guy like Nas Whitlock, honestly, I knew nothing about him,“ Cross said. ”But as soon as that speed dating takes place and you start watching film and then you talk to them and you get to know them you’re like, ‘Yeah, these guys, they hit a home run.’ This is the type of guy I want in the program. And Colby Garland and guys like that."

Cross also convinced guard/forward Kam Craft to remain at Tech. The fifth-year senior started 14 games last season and made 36% of his 3-point attempts.

“We want him to shoot it,” Cross said. “He’s got the ultimate green light.”

The transition to Cross’ system hasn’t been without its challenges.

The past month leading up to Tuesday’s season opener against Hampton was designed to be difficult. Georgia Tech lost exhibitions at Maryland and Providence and a scrimmage at Oklahoma, all by double digits. Cross said he wanted his players on the road against quality competition so they would face adversity and expose their flaws.

One area that needed work was Cross’s offensive-rebounding philosophy. He calls it tagging, a system in which all five players attack the offensive glass. When the Jackets failed to execute against Providence, they left themselves vulnerable to transition opportunities the other way.

“Told our guys, if one guy doesn’t do it right, you got a chance,” Cross said. “Two guys don’t do it right, it’s going to be really tough. And if three guys don’t do it right, you’re going to get blitzed.”

Whitlock acknowledged that the approach has required an adjustment. He has played point guard throughout his career and traditionally has prioritized getting back on defense rather than pursuing offensive rebounds.