Coach Kellie Harper fired

[ttharp]

Jon did not report to Kellie. He reported to the AD. So the more likely scenario is that Jon was being let go and she did not have a choice in the matter. Rather than move forward with a new assistant she also chose to resign.

That’s how it looks to me at the moment.

That’s how I read it also.

Kellie has proved she’s more than willing to make changes to her staff.

 

[xtpsrh08123]

So......realistically who do we get?

Its giving brenda freese will most likely be at the top of the list.

 

[WeAreTheRealUT.]

I fully realize I am in the minority. Hasn’t bothered me ever.
DW has embarrassed himself with the baseball coach and now this.

He did NOT hire the baseball coach. Good Lawd!!

 

[Proud Army Wife]

That has nothing to do with age…I promise you. Other stuff…yes…but not age

I haven’t met or seen a young person with these impressions of Tony, so there’s that.

 

[glv98]

Fair point. We don't know for certain that it is Jon. Complete speculation

On the flipside, head coaches change staff all the time (and Kellie has done so already while at UT). She has to BELIEVE that she could have turned the Titanic around if given another year or two and more NIL $.

I am not sure she would have drawn this noble line in the sand for just any assistant...

She just changed two yrs ago. I'm surprised a staff change was even offered, and I'm not surprised she wouldn't do it. Could be Kellie was just tired of all of this. This year was just incredibly brutal for her.

I just hate that this eliminates some interesting young prospects in the coaching search. We're swimming against the modern tide on this one. Odd coaching restriction to keep in place.

 

[Pride85]

I fully realize I am in the minority. Hasn’t bothered me ever.
DW has embarrassed himself with the baseball coach and now this.

I seem to remember a coach that has set the bar for a family atmosphere in our program, and he was actually hired by Danny White. There has not been one negative thing about Josh Heupel and the way our football program is perceived by the public. I do not hold entirely to your vitriol, but you might want to check your facts lest they make you look foolish. JOHN CURRIE hired Tony Vitello, not Danny White. So even though you are in the minority on the opinion of our baseball coach, you are throwing shade at the wrong AD for hiring him. The bar for Women's basketball is unfairly (?) high, but it going to be hard for anyone to reach the standard set by the late, great Pat Summit.

 

[Eric Viesturs]

Exactly! And if the rumors are true and that he asked for changes to the staff and she said no and agreed to leave - he has no one in mind - which is scary.

That's a very interesting observation. That said, the request could have occurred many days ago, and they waited until today, for obvious reasons, to make the announcement, so he may have been searching for some time.

 

[Ratvol]

Kellie got Kellie fired in year 5. Her inability to beat top competition, inability to recruit top prospects and inability to separate her personal and professional life got her fired. It didn’t have anything to do with social media posts of people like me clamoring for her head on VolNation.

White isn’t that irrational. This was all based on performance and need to advance the program and keep it competitive. He saw what many of us begged for all season, Kellie could have used a more seasoned assistant or associate head coach rather than Jon. Jon did not appear to be either a players coach or quality game coach so his position on the staff was mysterious. Based on player interactions and reactions to his coaching throughout the season he was not taken seriously by the players.

Jon held the clipboard.. Who will hold the clipboard now?? We're in ruin.

I totally agree with what you say... Change was needed to advance to the next stage....

 

[volplaya8]

I haven’t met or seen a young person with these impressions of Tony, so there’s that.

Hahaha I get that but this is more of a gender agenda than an aged based one. Nobody of any age or sex should have an issue with Tony!

 

[madtownvol]

I just hate that this eliminates some interesting young prospects in the coaching search. We're swimming against the modern tide on this one. Odd coaching restriction to keep in place.

How so?

 

[xtpsrh08123]

Kara Lawson
Vic Shaefer
Brenda Freese are my top 3 , they all can recruit all have rosters minus freese that are better than us at this time for the next upcoming season. POACHEM ALL DW !! LOL

 

[Proud Army Wife]

Hahaha I get that but this is more of a gender agenda than an aged based one. Nobody of any age or sex should have an issue with Tony!

Oh, yeah that went over my head lol but yes you have a point.

 

[Memvol44]

I fully realize I am in the minority. Hasn’t bothered me ever.
DW has embarrassed himself with the baseball coach and now this.

 

[GrayWaterCanine]

My last post for the day on this topic but I am shocked by MMC's report that Kellie could have stayed if she had agreed to hiring a new assistant (and it is easy to infer who White wanted to replace).

So, Kellie reportedly had the option to stay in her dream job, with a much improved NIL situation on the way, promising recruits in the pipeline, a good core of players returning, the prospect of the portal to buttress the line-up AND the resources to hire a great new assistant.

And she said no!!

That inexplicable decision reflects the way too stubborn, "I don't like change Kellie". It puts this entire situation in a different light. Her stubbornness puts the program in a real bind. White does not make such a conciliatory offer to Kellie if he has a "home run" replacement lined up.

He must be in scramble mode and shaking his head in disbelief over Kellie's response.

Or he knew exactly what she would do and made a political and public relations move before executing his plan.

 

[Memvol44]

Tony V.???

 

[xtpsrh08123]

She blocked me on X and I’ve never even interacted with her.

For that reason she can git too LMAO.

Holla at a player when we see her on the streets bye coach yall couldnt land the big fish no way.

 

[Eric Viesturs]

Cora article on potential coaches.

Lady Vols basketball coaching candidates: 11 options to replace Kellie Harper

Kellie Harper's tenure is over with Tennessee basketball. Here are candidates to watch throughout Lady Vols' coaching search.

www.knoxnews.com

Doesn't this imply she knew about this ahead of time? Not suggesting anything untoward, just suggesting she didn't hear this today and threw this together, it would take some time to research and compile.

 

[LV renaissance]

Wellllll, with the political climate in Tennessee and how outspoken Dawn is about race, idk how respected she would feel if she was actually considered and hired here.

That may be the same with Kara.

 

[glv98]

How so?

Because several, like the oft mentioned Lisa Fortier, also have hubby as assistant. We just burned that bridge, even tho it is a rising trend in the modern WBB world.

 

[volmanNC]

This is a huge hire for Danny White. He had tremendous pressure on him. I might even go as far as to say this hire may be bigger than hiring Heupel. I think he will make the right choice. At least I hope so.

Bigger than Heupel, NO WAY!!! Football is #1 and always will be! Nothing else close!

As long as Heupel keeps doing well, DW is fine!

 

[jpope9]

Boom!

 

[BigALWiLson]

Lucy said:
Cocky and classless. Team looks like they are looking for the skateboarder park which is okay for a skateboarder but not a team from a major university. Team taunts opponents and throws middle finger to opponent’s fans. That little exploit made ESPN.

Yeah and our fans delayed a football game for 30 minutes because of egregious officials. What's Lucy's take on that ?

 

[AthensVol2007]

Fortier is out. Her husband is her assistant. This board has decided keeping Jon got Kelly fired. So all the limitations for hiring an LV are now off, except the one that eliminates alot of the best up and coming coaches - thier husbands work for them.

I admit it’s the one turn-off I have about her as well. It’s not a deal breaker to me but I’m skeptical of having an echo chamber on staff. Or they could be like my wife and I, and agree on nothing and call each other out on anything, so it could be a dream scenario lol.

 

[JCP201]

I fully realize I am in the minority. Hasn’t bothered me ever.
DW has embarrassed himself with the baseball coach and now this.

What is wrong with the baseball coach? We've been to Omaha twice since he's been here. I don't think DW hired him, either.

 

[glv98]

Doesn't this imply she knew about this ahead of time? Not suggesting anything untoward, just suggesting she didn't hear this today and threw this together, it would take some time to research and compile.

Nah, Cora could knock this out in an hour or so. She is very smart and very knowledgeable about the WBB world. She knew this was a possibility, everyone did.