Achieving #1, how low would you accept?

#1

1200DPI

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#1
It's great to achieve this benchmark. Most teams which do this have great players in the pipeline which allow them to stay up high in the ratings year after year.

Looking at the freshmen and sophomores and their contributions one wonders just how big a dip the program will experience next year with Alexander and Admiral gone?

Hopefully this year will be the year of the Vols. Any concern about next year and future years can be pushed into the future.
 
#3
#3
As long as they play hard, buy into defense, etc, I will play the card that whatever happens after that, happens. Basketball is a fickle game and when you hit shots you look great. When you dont, you look like us in the 2nd half Saturday. Play GREAT defense and we go 16-2 in the conference.
 
#5
#5
It's great to achieve this benchmark. Most teams which do this have great players in the pipeline which allow them to stay up high in the ratings year after year.

Looking at the freshmen and sophomores and their contributions one wonders just how big a dip the program will experience next year with Alexander and Admiral gone?

Hopefully this year will be the year of the Vols. Any concern about next year and future years can be pushed into the future.

Have you heard of Josiah James and DJ Burns? TN has the potential to be even better next year if Williams returns.
 
#7
#7
Yves pons will be much better and we return all of our guards. Dj burns needs to be in the weight room in off season. The incoming 5 star guard can only help. Finally does grant return? Stay tuned same bat time same bat channel.
 
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#8
#8
Some fans are having a curious reaction to our current run of good fortune and fame.

I blame, in no particular order, Derek Dooley, Mike Hamilton, Donnie Tyndall, Todd Raleigh, Lane Kiffin, John Currie, Greg Schiano, Beverly Davenport, John Petersen, Cuonzo Martin, John Shumaker, Dave Serrano, Sal Sunseri, Butch Jones, Jim Haslam, and Jimmy Sexton.
 
#9
#9
Have you heard of Josiah James and DJ Burns? TN has the potential to be even better next year if Williams returns.
This is true. Williams is to UT as Brunson was to Villanova...straw that stirs the drink. If he leaves, we'll step back some, but in a way that all clubs do. Look at Nova this year...back up to #18 now that Frosh are buying in.
 
#10
#10
As long as Barnes is here, we will be a tournament team, no bubble worries anymore. Hopefully, he is here for a while and leaves the team loaded for the next HC.
 
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#11
#11
This is true. Williams is to UT as Brunson was to Villanova...straw that stirs the drink. If he leaves, we'll step back some, but in a way that all clubs do. Look at Nova this year...back up to #18 now that Frosh are buying in.

Curiously, if Williams were to leave, next year would see a big drop off BUT 2020-21 might actually be better as somebody will be forced to step up in 2019-20. Burns would potentially get a s-load more looks and go into his RS sophomore year with much more experience.
 
#12
#12
Bone is the catalyst for this year's team. He's a better point guard and he's had a multiplier effect on the offense.

The PPG have increased from last year's 73.8 to this year's 86.1.

Opponent's PPG have increased from last year's 65.7 to this year's 66.6.

Defense PPG is basically unchanged.

Bone has been magical in improving the offensive execution.
 
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#13
#13
Even though Admiral is the better player, I really worry about losing Alexander. Grant and Josiah James (and perhaps an improved Yves Pons) should hopefully be able to pick up most of the scoring slack from Schofields departure, but have just a RS freshman and John Fulkerson to replace Kyle in the middle could really hamper our defense
 
#15
#15
I don't see Fulkerson as a replacement for KA. He'd probably be better as a complementary post player alongside a physical center like Walker or Burns. Fulkerson seems better as a 4 than a 5 IMO. Fulk and Williams as the 4 and 5 in a fast paced game is a good combo, but competent opponents aren't going to allow a fast paced contest with those 2 in the paint.
 
#16
#16
It's great to achieve this benchmark. Most teams which do this have great players in the pipeline which allow them to stay up high in the ratings year after year.

Looking at the freshmen and sophomores and their contributions one wonders just how big a dip the program will experience next year with Alexander and Admiral gone?

Hopefully this year will be the year of the Vols. Any concern about next year and future years can be pushed into the future.
Depends how hungry those young guys are. Burns could have been a top 50 player had he not reclassified. He looks to be all of 6’10” now and 265. James is a top 50 and will play a ton next years. Turner and Bowden could be the alphas next year. If Grant comes back and they pick up a grad transfer PG, they could be very good.
 
#17
#17
Enjoy the ride as long as it last don't worry about next year, all i am worried about is Vandy Wednesday night if we don't go there with a step on your throat approach they could kick our azz like they did the last time we were number 1 they got talent and is due for a good game but in saying that i expect coach Barnes to have this team to have a seek and destroy approach come Wednesday night i expect something like 92-65 game.
 
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#18
#18
Hmmm True! wait a minute.......Yes! I think you don't have to look no further than comparing last year's team and now...........picked 13th in the conference...........#1 this year.........I wouldn't dare try to speculate how long this will last. Just enjoy today, and then get up tomorrow and enjoy that..............God willing. That's the problem with fans today, they can't accept success without discussing the the what ifs. There is no guarantees, no promises and stop posting these thoughts.
 
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#20
#20
As long as Grant comes back I’m not worried. Losing The Admiral will hurt, but adding James will help soften the blow a little. It’ll allow Turner to fully focus on playing off the ball where he plays the best.

We’re going to need Walker to make the biggest improvements out of everyone. We’re going to need him to step up and take Alexander’s place. Everyone is high on Burns, but idk if he’ll be ready to contribute yet. I still think he’s 2 years away.
 
#21
#21
Barring injuries, they should be very good again next year. Yes, they will miss those two significantly but Bowden, Turner, Williams and Bone are a great nucleus to build around. Main thing is another scorer (Johnson, one of the freshmen, etc) needs to come thru to support the scoring and a couple of the big guys need to step up to play 20 minutes for JF.
 
#22
#22
Some fans are having a curious reaction to our current run of good fortune and fame.

I blame, in no particular order, Derek Dooley, Mike Hamilton, Donnie Tyndall, Todd Raleigh, Lane Kiffin, John Currie, Greg Schiano, Beverly Davenport, John Petersen, Cuonzo Martin, John Shumaker, Dave Serrano, Sal Sunseri, Butch Jones, Jim Haslam, and Jimmy Sexton.

It really seems like we have a segment just waiting for us to lose so they can say "Told you so!"
 
#23
#23
Would be nice, though maybe not necessary, to add Walker Kessler. He may visit for the Florida game. He may also re-classify to 2019.

I think we would be set for a while inside.
Wow! I didn’t know we were in on this kid. I don’t know how much room we have for 2020, but it would be quite a haul to get both him and Jaden Springer. That would be the #9 and 10 players in the country!
 
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#24
#24
Wow! I didn’t know we were in on this kid. I don’t know how much room we have for 2020, but it would be quite a haul to get both him and Jaden Springer. That would be the #9 and 10 players in the country!
If he reclassified for 2019, room in 2020 won’t matter. Currently though, room in 2019 does as we currently are only scheduled to lose 2 SRs plus have an open scholarship and have already signed 3 HS SRs. Staff must believe someone is leaving in the offseason to be pursuing Kessler.
 
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#25
#25
If he reclassified for 2019, room in 2020 won’t matter. Currently though, room in 2019 does as we currently are only scheduled to lose 2 SRs plus have an open scholarship and have already signed 3 HS SRs. Staff must believe someone is leaving in the offseason to be pursuing Kessler.
Interesting. I hate to speculate, but considering Kessler's position my guess would be one of the bigs... Either Walker or Kent, but we also can't rule out Burns. It wouldn't be the first time someone transferred without playing a game.
 

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