By Michael Perry
The Cincinnati Enquirer

No matter what Bob Huggins can do during Saturday's practice - the first for the University of Cincinnati basketball team this season - the Bearcats' assistant coaches don't expect much to be different.

"In terms of what's taking place on the floor, in terms of the effort, in terms of the Xs and Os, that's going to be the same," UC associate head coach Dan Peters said. "I don't care who puts on that uniform, there is a certain standard that's going to be expected, and nothing less will be accepted."

UC's assistants met with the media Thursday at Shoemaker Center to talk about the opening of preseason practices.

The biggest question about the Bearcats, of course, involves 14th-year head coach Bob Huggins, who suffered a heart attack Sept.28.

Huggins will make his first public appearance Saturday at "Breakfast with Bob." He will meet with the media, then participate in the team's first practice.

No doctor who has treated Huggins has been available to the media for questions, so long-term outlooks can be only speculative.

"He's getting better each day," Peters said. "What will happen really will be determined by how he feels once we're in the practice and how long he can go. We'll kind of take our leads based on how Coach is feeling."

UC fans wonder whether Huggins can change his ways - scream less, be calm more.

But the notion that Huggins rants for 180 minutes in practice is way off. What irks him are players not giving a maximum effort. The best thing this team can do for Huggins is work hard and listen closely.

"I think it's a bunch of guys who are willing to come in and buy into the system, who understand Huggs and what he wants and (will) come in every day and work hard," Bearcats assistant Keith LeGree said. "They've showed that all summer. Whenever we've said, `Guys be here at a certain time,' these guys have showed up and been there."

UC's assistants always have had a lot of responsibility and freedom under Huggins, which is one reason they don't believe there are any drastic changes ahead.

"When people think of Huggs, they think of the demeanor that they see on the sidelines for two hours on game night," second-year Bearcats assistant Andy Kennedy said. "Well, that's not how he is. For 21 hours a day, he's about as laid-back a person as I've ever been around. And in practice, again, does he get excited? Does he get animated? At times. But it certainly doesn't sustain over the course of three hours. He picks his spots, as he will Saturday, as he will Sunday. None of that will change. Huggs isn't going to tone down."

E-mail mperry@enquirer.com