Barnes and player development

#27
#27
ColinS said:
I agree but I guess you have to ask the question. Why do we have a 5 million dollar coach and that many project players sitting on the bench? I realize this question will offend a lot of you but it's like we carry two rosters. Top half is an SEC roster and the back half is a Southern Conference roster.
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Some very poor recruiting by CRB and staff. Bottom 4-5 players on scholarship are not SEC caliber players. Inability to recruit a decent big man is killing this team
 
#28
#28
golfballs said:
People need to chill out.
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Agree, however, there is a lot of Vol frustration right now. Our football program has Been paying players and still gets blown out by GA St. and KY , our basketball team goes down to Gainesville ranked #6 in the country and gets waxed. By an undermanned FL team on national TV, the Lady Vol’s kneel during the National Anthem. What else is going to happen? All thus during a COVID year where people are a little on edge anyway.
 
#29
#29
ColinS said:
With all the talk about Barnes and his ability to develope players, I look at the returning players from last years team and I'm not seeing it lately.
Pons- regressed
Fulky- regressed
JJJ- little to no improvement. Most disappointing player on the team.
Pember- not improved enough to find the floor
Ticket- not improved enough to find the floor
Plavsic- not improved enough to find the floor
ON-not improved enough to find the floor

Only exception is Vescovi- improved ballhandling and very improved on defense.
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Pretty obvious what type of team UT will struggle with. Most notable was our inability to stop penetration or get it. Our guards are routinely cut off when they drive and the offense stalls. Our guards were always a step behind who they were defending.

I’ve been mentioning the over pursuit by our bigs past the arch, often to double team. This is either, allowing their bigs to break to the paint unguarded, or forces our defense to switch creating mismatch. It’s been happening all year, but just now starting to see teams take advantage.

Size. We are too small. Florida, who was out their tallest player looked more physically imposing. Florida pushed Fulk, James, and Pons off the block with ease. Rebounding stats showed it. The only thing worse was when Uros came in. He has horrible instincts and was also pushed out of position for rebounds. I hope for him, but this is another Barnes bust for a big man. I’ve never seen a team do so poorly at taking advantage of double teams. Fulk and Pons were regularly double teamed amd yet could rarely find someone open.

ON? I just don’t get. He should be the most physical player out there. If he would only worry about defense and rebounding and forget about offense he’d be better. It’s all mental with him.

Shooting? Abysmal. Again. There were open looks. It seems that Barnes is not doing something right as he has lost Bailey completely.

Effort? I didn’t see it. The whole team looked flat. It’s common knowledge that the team that shows better effort gets better whistles.

5 stars. -James is a good player. He does a lot of things, but last night he was AWOL.
-Keon. I kept thinking that he might flip the switch and take over the game. Had a couple of drives. Unfortunately, he faded as well.
-Springer. Clearly the best player on the team and needs to be starting over Bailey when he gets back.

Ok, we’re 10-2, but both our losses were ugly. This team isn’t top ten.
 
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#30
#30
ColinS said:
With all the talk about Barnes and his ability to develope players, I look at the returning players from last years team and I'm not seeing it lately.
Pons- regressed
Fulky- regressed
JJJ- little to no improvement. Most disappointing player on the team.
Pember- not improved enough to find the floor
Ticket- not improved enough to find the floor
Plavsic- not improved enough to find the floor
ON-not improved enough to find the floor

Only exception is Vescovi- improved ballhandling and very improved on defense.
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I'm not as concerned over development as I am concerned in other areas.

Motivating players and strategy are crucial.

Proper rotation and timing of substitution are very important.

Adjustment to opposing teams defense as well as offense (i.e., zone vs man-to-man)

Before some of you get your panties in a wad, I do not call for a coaching change!
 
#32
#32
1985Vols said:
Some very poor recruiting by CRB and staff. Bottom 4-5 players on scholarship are not SEC caliber players. Inability to recruit a decent big man is killing this team
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Others in this forum blew up when I made mention of this earlier in the year. This is absolutely a big problem that at least at the moment doesn't seem to be getting addressed. We are never winning anything until we start signing some SEC calibur bigs.
 
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#33
#33
1985Vols said:
Some very poor recruiting by CRB and staff. Bottom 4-5 players on scholarship are not SEC caliber players. Inability to recruit a decent big man is killing this team
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Oh but this is not a problem at all to some. Our bottom 4 or 5 players should be transferring to Southern Conference teams and dominating. These guys wouldn't start for UTC.
 
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#34
#34
1985Vols said:
Agree, however, there is a lot of Vol frustration right now. Our football program has Been paying players and still gets blown out by GA St. and KY , our basketball team goes down to Gainesville ranked #6 in the country and gets waxed. By an undermanned FL team on national TV, the Lady Vol’s kneel during the National Anthem. What else is going to happen? All thus during a COVID year where people are a little on edge anyway.
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Are you really going to compare that as a newsworthy event with everything else going on? Bruh! 😒
 
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#35
#35
1985Vols said:
Agree, however, there is a lot of Vol frustration right now. Our football program has Been paying players and still gets blown out by GA St. and KY , our basketball team goes down to Gainesville ranked #6 in the country and gets waxed. By an undermanned FL team on national TV, the Lady Vol’s kneel during the National Anthem. What else is going to happen? All thus during a COVID year where people are a little on edge anyway.
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Nowhere to hide from despair.
 
#37
#37
VolFreakJosh said:
I feel like most fans are taking Barnes for granted.

It’s not like Tennessee is attracting big names in basketball.
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Barnes is a really good coach but no need to stick your head in the sand.

We can acknowledge Barnes is a really good coach and this is a decent but overrated team at the same time.

And yes, there will be some with over the top comments but they are typical on every board.
 
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#38
#38
Barnes is a very good coach who has compiled Hall of Fame stats but he isn't untouchable. He deserves anything thrown at him for what happened last night. He would probably be the first to admit it, too.
 
#39
#39
I try not to let my bias against Barnes get in the way. I like a lot of things about him, too. My biggest complaint during the Tennessee era is his inability to get a legitimate center. He has taken on a ton of projects, but hasn't had a significant breakthrough with any. You may be able to lump Kyle Alexander into the conversation, I suppose?

Fulkerson and Williams aren't true centers before anyone brings them up.
 
#40
#40
TennesseeFan07 said:
I try not to let my bias against Barnes get in the way. I like a lot of things about him, too. My biggest complaint during the Tennessee era is his inability to get a legitimate center. He has taken on a ton of projects, but hasn't had a significant breakthrough with any. You may be able to lump Kyle Alexander into the conversation, I suppose?

Fulkerson and Williams aren't true centers before anyone brings them up.
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Is a “true” center that much of a necessity anymore?
 
#41
#41
bleedingTNorange said:
Is a “true” center that much of a necessity anymore?
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I would trade one true center for three of Olivier, Uros or EJ. One of those projects are fine, but I do not agree with having all three on the roster. To make matters Tennessee already has Drew Pember to go along with a wing project in Ticket.

Tennessee basically has about five or six "projects" on this roster. I don't mind the risk, but hopefully a majority will pan out.
 
#42
#42
TennesseeFan07 said:
I would trade one true center for three of Olivier, Uros or EJ. One of those projects are fine, but I do not agree with having all three on the roster. To make matters Tennessee already has Drew Pember to go along with a wing project in Ticket.

Tennessee basically has about five or six "projects" on this roster. I don't mind the risk, but hopefully a majority will pan out.
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Not sure I would lump Anosike into that simply because he was a graduate transfer, I wouldn’t consider those guys projects....if you look around the country there aren’t too many teams who’s 2-3 guys at the end of their bench are All Conference players, it’s why you see transition.

Tennessee plays 7 guys 20+ minutes, 8 guys 10+ minutes.

Gonzaga plays 6 guys 20+ minutes, 7 guys 10+ minutes.

Baylor plays 6 guys 20+ minutes a game, 8 guys 10+ minutes.

Villanova plays 6 guys 20+ minutes, 7 guys 10+ minutes.


So the best teams in the country are playing similar rotations to us, this whole notion you have to be deeper than that or play more guys than we do simply isn’t true.
 
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#43
#43
Elite players don’t come to a school to sit on the bench 8th, 9th, or deeper in the rotation. Uros, Pember, and Ticket still have 3 and a half years left to develop. Many people continue to mature well into their 20s. Any or all could be important contributors down the road. You can’t coach height. Guys near 7’ tall are very rare. Most that big are very clumsy. Those that aren’t don’t stay in programs very long.

I don’t think we’ve turned anybody down yet because we couldn’t find a spot for them on the roster.

Getting 2 years out of EJA but only using one scholarship year allowance is very fortunate.
 
#44
#44
TennesseeFan07 said:
I would trade one true center for three of Olivier, Uros or EJ. One of those projects are fine, but I do not agree with having all three on the roster. To make matters Tennessee already has Drew Pember to go along with a wing project in Ticket.

Tennessee basically has about five or six "projects" on this roster. I don't mind the risk, but hopefully a majority will pan out.
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How about you get a a true PF. Fulk is getting bullied.
 
#45
#45
bleedingTNorange said:
Not sure I would lump Anosike into that simply because he was a graduate transfer, I wouldn’t consider those guys projects....if you look around the country there aren’t too many teams who’s 2-3 guys at the end of their bench are All Conference players, it’s why you see transition.

Tennessee plays 7 guys 20+ minutes, 8 guys 10+ minutes.

Gonzaga plays 6 guys 20+ minutes, 7 guys 10+ minutes.

Baylor plays 6 guys 20+ minutes a game, 8 guys 10+ minutes.

Villanova plays 6 guys 20+ minutes, 7 guys 10+ minutes.


So the best teams in the country are playing similar rotations to us, this whole notion you have to be deeper than that or play more guys than we do simply isn’t true.
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I am not into all of that depth nonsense. I am saying Tennessee is tied up for 2-3 years with Pember, Gaines, Uros, etc. What happens if Springer or Johnson or both stay? With the evolving process of the portal, there is always some instant impact players to be had.
 
#46
#46
TennesseeFan07 said:
I am not into all of that depth nonsense. I am saying Tennessee is tied up for 2-3 years with Pember, Gaines, Uros, etc. What happens if Springer or Johnson or both stay? With the evolving process of the portal, there is always some instant impact players to be had.
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Scholarships are 1 year, attrition is pretty common in CBB, if the staff feels some of those guys need to explore their options then they will.
 
#47
#47
TennesseeFan07 said:
I would trade one true center for three of Olivier, Uros or EJ. One of those projects are fine, but I do not agree with having all three on the roster. To make matters Tennessee already has Drew Pember to go along with a wing project in Ticket.

Tennessee basically has about five or six "projects" on this roster. I don't mind the risk, but hopefully a majority will pan out.
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EJA was not a project. He was a proven product who had excelled against every high major team he had played, as well as dominated the NEC competition. He isn’t in the same boat as Uros or Olivier. Not even sure Olivier is on Uros level. I think those three guys are all on separate levels..
1. EJA
2. Olivier Nkamhoua
3. Uros Plavsic
Clear tier break between all three.
 
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