Coach Kellie Harper fired

[Majors]

Nobody’s talking about the lack of recruiting. Her win % against other top programs. They see that 100 something wins and 50 something losses not realizing it’s fools gold.

Let them go 12-37 vs Top 25 and see if they make a move

 

[OrangeVolMan]

If I’m an SEC women’s basketball Coach, I am happy right now, (and yes, that includes DS and KM), because TN just lost a Coach that has beaten their team.

Coach Kellie has always done more with less, and anybody who has watched the games knows that, and our roster was improving. The last team to beat TN is now playing in the Final Four, so far. Yeah, we were really bad.

Right now, if I’m an AD from another school who‘s looking for a better Coach, I’m contacting Coach Kellie, holding all the money I can come up with, because, right now, Coach Kellie is one of the best Coaches avaliable.

You wouldn’t be an AD for long.

 

[volfever007]

Home is where wifey is from in this case. North Carolina.

I'm betting wifey would make Knoxville her home with a big contract. ☺

 

[WVU05UT09]

Yep! Here we go. Be careful what you wish for.

Yeah cause UConn folks definitely have the best interest of the program at heart.

GTFOH

 

[CoryDallasLV]

not sure why , shes a great coach but i dont like when people get blinders . Shes a great coach and great recruiter at USC . They will be in the Big ten next year and they will own the west coast recruiting circle with UCLA as they take over the Big10 . Brenda freese is most likely the better candidate to be on her run out lol but i want VIC shaefer or Niele Ivey . Kara if she will have us lol

I’m still not sure she’s a great coach, and I don’t believe Juju would leave USC regardless of the coach. She’s always wanted to be there in Los Angeles and be the star. She doesn’t want to leave LA and doesn’t think any coach can make her better. NIL is also not a concern for her.

 

[volfan__18]

Social media is kinda torn between this decision. i see tons of hate for firing her and then some giving DW credit. This could either be rlly good for this program or be horrible.

 

[ttharp]

Azzi Fudds dad…. Uconn pages are shocked she was fired been on quite a few now

Oh, gosh. Nobody’s asking for a title every year.

Wanting a coach that can *consistently* WIN big games, compete for regular season conference championships, be a lock for S16/E8 (ESP when you have 1st rd draft picks) isn’t asking for a lot at Tennessee, IMO.

Yes, upsets will happen - even to the best of them. Tara lost last year in the 2nd round after winning a natty. In 2022, Mulkey lost in the 2nd round. Pat lost in 1st round. Those situations were an anomaly for these coaches. For Kellie, not so much.

 

[BowlBrother85]

Azzi Fudds dad…. Uconn pages are shocked she was fired been on quite a few now

That's absurd.

1) There is nothing unusual about firing a head coach after 5 seasons. As a matter of fact, there is nothing unusual about firing a head coach after 4 seasons. It happens all the time.

2) Kellie Jolly Harper's recruitment of high school prospects was clearly sub-par .... and don't bring up Finley Chastain - who is still just a freshman.

3) Expectations are not through the roof. KJH was Fulmer's hire. Danny White thinks he can do better, and he is probably right. Unlike Fulmer, White will not restrict his pool of candidates to just former Lady Vol players. That was so stupid.

4) Why the hell are you taking the opinion of the father of a UConn player into such heavy consideration? Has the thought crossed your mind that the guy just doesn't like Tennessee to begin with?

 

[TimR]

Hey Butch long time no talk. Ye


ah a WNBA male coach with WNBA coaching experience is fine with me

So it's settled...we're hiring Bill Laimbeer!

 

[POLOinDC]

Jon bro...man even if she didn't want you to, you tell her your stepping aside to save her job.

Exactly

 

[DooleyOrangePants]

Obviously you are all good with UT athletes flipping off opponent’s fans. Why make this about me. I’m not the coach of the team. Your guy is your guy. I just don’t like my school being embarrassed. Also why do you all think the only people who care about student athletes representing their school with class are old? Is being okay with crass behavior a part of middle age? I am not old but I always want my school to look good in the public eye.

If all you've got is Burke's middle-finger brain fart (which sold a lot of t-shirts for good causes, by the way), then you need to re-evaluate the standards you are holding these athletes to. They will never, ever meet your expectations and you are painting a coach who has done more than almost any other coach in any other sports for this university in quite some time with a broad brush and conveniently ignoring the massive amounts of good and good PR for the ENTIRE university in the process.

Your other comment about the players looking like skateboarders is pure trash, by the way. Looked at any other baseball teams these days? Who cares what they look like? They put the orange on and give their all - that's all that matters.

 

[kell7517]

The day Shea Ralph becomes our head coach is the day i will request my own blockage of Volnation.

I have same opinion on Dawn Staley

 

[boeninghaus]

Azzi Fudds dad…. Uconn pages are shocked she was fired been on quite a few now

67% is atrocious

Holly's WL% the first 3 years with Pat's recruits weren't bad. she posted a respectable 81%, but the 4 years with her own recruits she fell to an abysmal 64%

if Fudd dude thinks thats acceptable then i'm not sure what to tell him.

 

[Orange.]

Okay, here is the worrisome thing. If White presumably said, "hey Kellie I want you back as HC but we have to sack Jon" that offer could mean he did not have a "home run" hire waiting in the wings. Maybe he was surprised that Kellie said no and now we have a dumpster fire.

I would set your mind at rest on that point, if I can. I don't think we can safely conclude from MMC's article that DW is or "must be" in "scramble mode" or that he does not have someone or some few in mind.

I suspect DW always has a basic list at-hand -- on an ongoing basis and for every program -- as a simple matter of prudence. He likely had particular assistants in mind, too. Finally, it would have been terribly imprudent for DW -- a person known for prudence -- to have broached a discussion of a "path" toward a resolution without first having carefully thought out and prepared for either response from Kellie.

We are not told by MMC's article that it was simple "take it or leave it" offer. A "path" sounds like one in a series of matters to be agreed to.

At any rate, this is not an dumpster fire. This is a huge opportunity for the program to reset. And new coaches — when welcomed and enthusiatically supported — have the future to sell without the baggage of the recent past. They often create a recruiting "bump" for their programs.

And Kellie, of course, is a true LVFL and should always be honored as such. She gave her all for Tennessee. Twice.

 

[Dadof2Vols]

If that is true, I am a little disappointed in Kellie. Love may be blind but it was pretty clear she was just a really good offensive minded assistant from being successful. Almost tragic if true...

And a 1.1 second defensive minded coach…

 

[LV renaissance]

I was initially shocked by the news today and saddened for Kellie. The first has been tempered by regaining some hope that the program doesn't have to start to decline further for a year or two before firing Kellie. The writing was mostly on the wall for a lame duck coach next year, so I was actually dreading seeing this happen for all involved. The names are limited for an immediate attention grabbing hire, but that is what will be needed for the program to be good in the short run. If not, it is unlikely we are going to get any top notch transfers and recruits the first few years for a successful mid-major coach turned LV coach We are in desperate need for several high quality players for next year and especially the year after. Mr. White, you have got to aim as high as possible and have the money to back it up.

 

[kell7517]

Azzi Fudds dad…. Uconn pages are shocked she was fired been on quite a few now

Let Geno retire and see what they do up there when they miss the first Tournament

 

[Lucy]

They’re just afraid of us getting a real coach who might beat them lol.

And that’s not exactly an honest graphic both Holly and Kellie were very obviously trending the wrong direction.

And lest they forget that UT ADs hands were almost tied after their fav, Miss Westbrook, made her infamous post game comments.

Fudd is correct. We have really put ourselves in a tough spot. Getting a top tier coach now will require a very big salary jump, a significant (top3) NIL game and a buyout that will make your eyes water. Not saying we can’t do it but I am afraid this time next week some will be saying “Yayyy we got rid of Kellie and we got…….. wait, who?”
A really successful coach at a P5 program would be stupid to come here without all of the above.

 

[VolBall09]

67% is atrocious

Holly's WL% the first 3 years with Pat's recruits weren't bad. she posted a respectable 81%, but the 4 years with her own recruits she fell to an abysmal 64%

if Fudd dude thinks thats acceptable then i'm not sure what to tell him.

Right, especially since Geno has an 88% career win percentage. But sure, Tennessee should be happy with 67%, ok.

 

[SandyO]

Jeff Walz come on down.

Oh yeah since he had such a great season

 

[BowlBrother85]

if Fudd dude thinks thats acceptable then i'm not sure what to tell him.

If Elmer was a fan of Tennessee, would his daughter be at UConn? His opinion should be ignored by this forum .... and we are posting it here. Dumb.

 

[zaqhhh]

Pre transfer portal, she probably gets another year to turn it around.

But we had no real momentum and 5 years in I still don’t really know what the identity of team she led was.

It was a tough call but the right one

Of course we have to make sure we get this hire right but I doubt Danny makes this call without having someone lined up

 

[Dadof2Vols]

That’s why it’s so weird that it’s coming this late in the game, I’ll wait until the hire but I don’t have a good feeling about this.

When should it have happened?

For months people have said no way it would happen before season over.

Now it didn’t happened quick enough?

Had he fired her last Tuesday morning people would have called him an idiot for not saving the 1.1 million in buyout for waiting another week.

I just don’t understand some comments….

 

[YankeeVol]

If I’m an SEC women’s basketball Coach, I am happy right now, (and yes, that includes DS and KM), because TN just lost a Coach that has beaten their team.

Coach Kellie has always done more with less, and anybody who has watched the games knows that, and our roster was improving. The last team to beat TN is now playing in the Final Four, so far. Yeah, we were really bad.

Right now, if I’m an AD from another school who‘s looking for a better Coach, I’m contacting Coach Kellie, holding all the money I can come up with, because, right now, Coach Kellie is one of the best Coaches available.

Yet never made it past the Sweet 16...

 

[cobbwebb0710]

I’m seeing USC’s coach being brought up on FB.

Is JuJu a package deal?