Tennessee men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl said he had no idea his search for an assistant coach would be under a microscope.

"I appreciated all the interest and coverage, but when you have candidates you're talking to, you want to be sensitive to what they're hearing and reading,'' Pearl said. "I wasn't trying to hide anything.''

Good thing: Pearl discovered it's hard to keep secrets in Knoxville, just as his newly hired assistant, Steve Forbes, said he's already learning that everything is not necessarily bigger in Texas.

For starters, the presence of Lady Vols basketball coach Pat Summitt at his interview in Knoxville sent a message.

"She's a legend, it was great to meet with her,'' Forbes said. "You can tell there's a lot of excitement around Tennessee basketball.''

Pearl said Summitt met with most candidates, and UT football coach Phillip Fulmer met with a few, too.

"Her and Phillip meet most all of my recruits, so why not have them meet with my assistants, too?'' Pearl said. "For Pat and Phillip to take time out of their schedules to help me hire a coach, interview and/or recruit says a lot about what kind of athletic department we have.''

Pearl said adding Forbes to his team helps the Vols in numerous areas.

"Steve possessed all the traits I was looking for,'' Pearl said. "The thing I like most about Steve is, if Tony (Jones) gets a head coaching job next year or Jason Shay decides he wants to move on, my staff is still strong.

"Tony and Jason have known him for a long time. He knows what we do, and yet he's worked for good coaches and been a good head coach himself.''

Pearl said from a tactical standpoint, Forbes offers new twists.

"He's not a pressure coach like us, but he'll do some things to help us in the half-court,'' Pearl said. "Steve will also help us in recruiting and retention; he'll care about the kids and the kids will go to him.''

Here's a closer look at the 41-year-old Forbes, with his thoughts as he comes to Knoxville:

Q: How did you first meet Bruce Pearl?

Forbes: "My first year as a college coach, in 1988 at Southwestern Community College in Iowa, I got to know Bruce when he was an assistant at Iowa. I could see his energy and passion, and it was kind of infectious. I felt that was a guy I needed to lock into and get to know. We've stayed in close contact. When I had some really good players and good teams (at the junior college level), I helped him recruit.

"I knew (former UT assistant) Scott (Edgar) and have been friends with him too. One of my first junior college players signed with Scott when he was head coach at Murray State.

"I've known Tony (Jones) and worked camps with him, also. I've got a very good comfort level with this coaching staff. I'm anxious to work Tennessee's camp (June 5-18).''

Q: What region of the country do you have the closest recruiting ties?

Forbes: "I have a strong junior college background. I have a great relationship with many junior college coaches across the country, because I was one of them. I've pretty much recruited around the country and all over the world. I've had California kids, East Coast kids, Midwest kids. I'll go where the best players are that want to play at Tennessee.

Q: How did you get an international player (Alexander Radojevic, a future lottery pick for the Toronto Raptors) to sign with you at Barton County?

Forbes: "I got a player at Barton, Paja Materic, who had been at Connecticut a year under Jim Calhoun. He was from Yugoslavia and he had a great experience and spread the word. It enabled me to recruit kids from Lithuania and Kenya, too.

"Remember the kid in the movie, 'The Air Up There' that starred Kevin Bacon (released in 1994)? Well Bob McAdoo was the advisor for that movie, and he had told (then-) Florida State coach Pat Kennedy about him.

"Pat called me and told me about him, his name was Gitonga Maina, and I thought he was pulling my leg. He came and played for me, but I don't think he liked the Kansas winters.''

Q: What's your philosophy about Pearl's pressure defense and willingness to have his players shoot opportunity threes?

Forbes: "It's going to be exciting growth for me as a coach to be under Bruce and play that style. We played pressure defense here at Texas A&M, we just did it a different way. That's why I'm excited to be with Bruce, to show him what I've learned and pick up what he's doing. Our pressure here is in the half-court. I'm anxious to see how he extends that pressure.

"It's a very recruiting friendly style of play. Players today want to go up and down and run the floor and have some freedom on offense. You can see Tony and the staff had an unbelievable recruiting year. With Bruce and Tennessee, is a great package to offer.''

Q: What's your perception of Tennessee's first year under Bruce Pearl?

Forbes: "It was magical. Every time I turned on the television I was saying, 'Oh my God, they just beat Texas,' and then it was Florida, Kentucky. To be honest, once you get caught up in your own season you don't pay as much attention, but Scott Edgar would text message me after games.

"One game he text messaged me and told me 24,000 people showed up to see Tennessee beat Florida. At the time, we were 3-6 in the Big 12, so I texted him back: "Just leave me alone.''

Another time he texted me and it said "Bruce Pearl for National Coach of the Year.'' That was the night they beat Kentucky in Lexington. I texted him back, "Who cares.''

"We had a lot of fun with that. Am I surprised by the success? Not really. Bruce has the gift. He can motivate, get fans excited and he can really coach and recruit.''

Q: Do you desire to be a head coach at the major division I level?

Forbes: "No question. I don't think Bruce would want to hire anyone who wouldn't aspire to be a head coach. That said, I'm very comfortable being an assistant. I've been a head coach at a high-profile junior college where there was a lot of pressure involved. I've had the experience of being a head coach twice, so I'm not in any big hurry. Bruce will guide me along that path.''

Q: Where do you see yourself fitting in on this staff?

Forbes: "I'll be honest, I've never put numbers on things, as far as a one, two or three assistant. One of my best qualities is I get along well with people. I know when to blend in, and when to say something and when not to. I'll find that chemistry. Whatever Bruce asks me to do, I'll do.

"Recruiting is a team effort. It takes everyone on the staff to get the players and coach the team. I'll find my way. I'm sure from time to time Bruce will lean on me for certain things, just as he leans on Tony and Jason.

"I just need to learn the words to "Rocky Top.'' I know some of them already.''

Mike Griffith covers Tennessee men's basketball. He may be reached at knsgriff@aol.com.