Coach Kellie Harper fired

[spojo13]

Louisville and VA Tech were both #1 seeds, so losing in the S16 isn't a matter of a tough draw as much as it was the round they were seeded to be eliminated in. To a lesser extent, the same is true for NC State as they were still the higher seed. I doubt drawing UConn or LSU would have led to a better result. There's a direct correlation with team's season performance and their seeding/draw, with each loss being to a higher seeded team.

Also add in the fact that we never beat a higher seed in the NCAA. The end result was baked in by the time the season ended usually.

 

[Raebo]

She wasn't. Which is why she was fired. Which is why the next one has to be way better at it. That's why they're getting hired in her place. We'll know pretty quickly by what players they bring and how they address our severe roster needs in the portal.

I don't think it's asking too much at all that the new hire immediately start doing a better job recruiting than Kellie would have done in the portal this year. Isn't that the point of the move?probably already

I agree with 95% of your posts but I think you are being unreasonable here. The top portal players have relationships already built with other schools/teams from their high school recruitment. Most probably already have their choices narrowed down to 1 or 2 teams.many use backdoor channels like there old high school coach to contact the recruiter (or maybe a friend that’s on the team) to see if there is mutual interest before they put their name in the portal.
Our cupboard is bare. I have little hope of salvaging next season. What will be telling is how we recruit in 2025.
PS. Kellie was not fired due to recruiting. She was let go because of a lack of quality wins and nothing indicating it was going to be different next year or the year after IMO.

 

[brittannica]

Good article on the LVs coaching change by michelle voepel on ESPN website.

She notes that the 3 teams who beat the Kellie in the S16 round all made it to the final 4- Louisville, Va Tech and NC St. In hindsight, really tough draws,

In the video embed to this story, FInebaum reports that LV fans are very upset over the decision, Could it be that the VN poll and Xitter noise was not representative of the broader fan base?

Kellie Harper is out at Tennessee: What's next for Lady Vols?

Tennessee's last two coaches all had long ties to the program. Is it time for the school to go in another direction for its next head coach?

www.espn.com

This is also a good case study of risk preference. We all have varying levels of risk tolerance. I, for example, am very risk adverse so you would never want me as your AD because I’d fear losing Nyla Brooks and Finley Chastain too much. Others might be more willing to rip the bandaid off because they’re more comfortable with risk and uncertainty. I’m certain both groups have been very loud on social media at different times, and the truth is probably the fan base is somewhat evenly split or (like me) just very sad it came to this as Kellie is a great lady. I really wanted her to succeed.

 

[Probably_in_Class]

This is also a good case study of risk preference. We all have varying levels of risk tolerance. I, for example, am very risk adverse so you would never want me as your AD because I’d fear losing Nyla Brooks and Finley Chastain too much. Others might be more willing to rip the bandaid off because they’re more comfortable with risk and uncertainty. I’m certain both groups have been very loud on social media at different times, and the truth is probably the fan base is somewhat evenly split or (like me) just very sad it came to this as Kellie is a great lady. I really wanted her to succeed.

That strategy could also backfire. If Kellie has another subpar season, Brooks and Chastain may start looking at championship programs.

 

[brittannica]

That strategy could also backfire. If Kellie has another subpar season, Brooks and Chastain may start looking at championship programs.

Precisely! Being risk adverse doesn’t guarantee success. Nothing does. A good team has a mix of folks so you’re constantly challenging each other to come to the right decision at the right time. My partner is super risk tolerant, and it’s good for us to be checks and balances.

 

[Memvol44]

Kellie should make a VN account

Who says she doesn't already have one?

 

[VolBall09]

That strategy could also backfire. If Kellie has another subpar season, Brooks and Chastain may start looking at championship programs.

That’s basically what was happening to us in recruiting already. We were making great connections with top players. But were not winning the games needed to get them to sign the dotted line.

I think we had a recruits in the house for Ohio State and that was a blood bath. Who wants to jump into that?

 

[brittannica]

Who says she doesn't already have one?

the plot thickens…

 

[Majors]

Kellie should make a VN account

I’d welcome it! We should welcome all views.

 

[Majors]

Who says she doesn't already have one?

Take the mask off Earl and it’s Kellie.

And she would have gotten away with it, if it wasn’t for those pesky kids snooping.

 

[papatomany]

IMO, hotline is a decent hire, Hammon is the hire of the century. She’s an elite Xs and Os coach, and we have money to recruit.

We should never hire another coach just for their recruiting prowess. Our NIL can get us a top 10 roster every single damn year. Hammon would run circles around nearly everyone.

Hell, once Barnes retires, we should interview her for the guys’ job. She’s that good. She’s the most second most impressive coach I’ve ever met. The first was Pat.

While I agree Hammon would be a home run, I'll just have to take your word on this part of your post. I've never actually seen a game she's coached and can't imagine WNBA games reveal a whole lot about Xs and Os, especially when translating said ability to the college game.

 

[travis929]

While I agree Hammon would be a home run, I'll just have to take your word on this part of your post. I've never actually seen a game she's coached and can't imagine WNBA games reveal a whole lot about Xs and Os, especially when translating said ability to the college game.

Hammon has been terrific in the WNBA in terms of Xs and Os (just look at how they won the decisive game 4 of the WNBA finals with Parker, Stokes, and Gray all out injured) and player development (i.e., Jackie Young), but agree that it's hard to know how it would all translate to the college game, not to mention recruiting. Nicki Collen seems to be translating well at Baylor though it's a little early to really say. Stephanie White, on the other hand, really struggled as a college coach but was the WNBA Coach of the Year last year.

 

[Orange.]

And so it begins. Unless DW wants a major rebuild on his hands he had darn better get a coach in the house in the next 2 days....

This is simply incorrect and needless catastrophizing. It is an effort -- with or without self-awareness -- to undermine LV fan support of White (which is a major long-term negative) and to panic LV fans (which is a short-term negative and an ugly thing to do, with the potential for long-term damage). I don't think Pat would counsel panic or catastrophizing.

Here is DW's Tennessee record to this minute. Post-covid = the DW era at UT. And notice this is for all sports. The "everything mantra" is real.



If you follow sports, or when you are more calm, you know that recruits announce that their commitments are reopened every time a coach search commences. There is nothing specific to UT here. They have to be re-recruited. They often but not always do sign with the new coach. Moreover, commitments can change at any time preceding signing day, whoever is the coach. Recruiting never stops.

Also, given the portal, which I think is a big net plus for the LVs (Rickea Jackson) and will get bigger, coaches have to re-recruit their own rosters every year. In addition to identifying and recruiting new talent from other schools.

Now, typically, a new coach does get a first-year recruiting bump and all LV supporters should be hoping for that and excited at that potential outcome. But it doesn't happen in two days.

And NIL donations are expected to pick up with the fresh start. I hope you are a small donor. I see too many people in all the forums claim that small donors don't count. They add up. And the numbers are used to indicate fan support.

 

[kell7517]

This is what a real AD does. Athletics is a money making machine for the school. You win to attract the donations. He’s managed to get more done to Lindsay Nelson stadium than in the previous 30 years.

Agree to an extent. Renovating the stadium I think helped us keep TV and a good product to keep putting on the field. I think whoever the AD was and if it was a decent one. They would’ve met some of TV’s requests if the could see the writing in the wall. TV brought the fans, revenue and good product, before DW was here.

 

[volfan102455]

Is it really your assertion that the head coach of the Lady Vols shouldn't be able to operate in that realm within five years? Do you all remember what school this is, or do we need a history lesson?

I know exactly what this program is about. I don't need a history lesson. I was there in the 1970's when Pat Summitt started coaching and remember all the attempts at a NC before the first one finally came in her 13th year at Tennessee. But this is what 48 years or so later. Much has changed in the landscape of women's basketball. There are other teams that have established their place and Tennessee has been on the outside looking in for over 12 years. It has been 16 years since the Lady Vols won a NC.

 

[volfan102455]

At every stop he’s made hires that elevated programs. Odds and in favor kind of thing.

He has made 1 major hire here! ONE! This is number two.

 

[butchna]

He has made 1 major hire here! ONE! This is number two.

And I SAID “at every stop”! Are you arguing that Leipold, Oates and now Heupel weren’t program lifting in past opportunities?

 

[Orange.]

I do also think the people who wanted a new coach should no longer succumb to the temptation to (in effect) brag or even simply to re-state why they were right or got their way. That, too, is divisive and ugly. And since it is a done deal, there is nothing to gained by it. But there is a lot to be gained by reconciliation.

It's hard to put the brakes on the long-standing acrimony and feud here, but clearly the want-a-coaching-change faction is in a better position to lead by example, since it is easier psychologically to be gracious when one gets what one wants.

And I sure would like to see the wanted-to-keep-Kellie people respond in kind when they see that begin to happen (and maybe just ignore some stray recalcitrants), if people are self-controlled enough to make it happen.

There is also the gigantic circumstance -- not to be ignored -- that Kellie Jollie Harper is a LVFL, a native daughter of our great state, and a Tennessee sports hero. Kellie was one of the starting point guards for the our LVs during 3 consecutive national championships, and was named to a Final Four All Tournament team. That is beyond outstanding!

I would hope that as we move forward there will come a day when the new coach will be highly successful, and that those championship teams will be brought back to be honored and lauded at LV games with big crowds and top-shelf seasons. And that Kellie in particular gets special mention -- not only for her accomplishments as a player -- but praised in addition for her devotion and efforts as a coach. And the crowd goes wild. Wouldn't that be a sight to behold!

 

[madtownvol]

PS. Kellie was not fired due to recruiting. She was let go because of a lack of quality wins and nothing indicating it was going to be different next year or the year after IMO.

Most people assume that there is a strong correlation between those two. But If Kellie had a #1 recruiting class coming in (or just Shaq O'Neil's daughter), I guarantee you she is still in the job.

 

[madtownvol]

This is also a good case study of risk preference. We all have varying levels of risk tolerance. I, for example, am very risk adverse so you would never want me as your AD because I’d fear losing Nyla Brooks and Finley Chastain too much. Others might be more willing to rip the bandaid off because they’re more comfortable with risk and uncertainty. I’m certain both groups have been very loud on social media at different times, and the truth is probably the fan base is somewhat evenly split or (like me) just very sad it came to this as Kellie is a great lady. I really wanted her to succeed.

There is a middle ground and it is the one I hope White is threading. That is, you move on from Kellie if you know you have someone in line who is close to being a sure bet of being a major upgrade. I don't think the change is worth it for "maybe marginally better" or "not proven at this level but we love the potential" types...

On the recruits, in some ways Finley's non-binding commitment was always fairy dust, so much could change before she had to lock in. Losing Brooks would be a major bummer but we are talking about just ONE recruit (and maybe Boyd I suppose). Those low numbers are part of the problem. Kellie was losing ground to other SEC competitors.

 

[ThreatLevelOrange]

Easy to hate Nate?

Same as Final Four Nate

 

[ThreatLevelOrange]

Agree to an extent. Renovating the stadium I think helped us keep TV and a good product to keep putting on the field. I think whoever the AD was and if it was a decent one. They would’ve met some of TV’s requests if the could see the writing in the wall. TV brought the fans, revenue and good product, before DW was here.

We are expanding the renovations, not just doing something to get a regional or help the TV folks.

 

[TrippieRedd]

I don’t want Hammon just because when Vandy hired Stephanie White, I thought they would turn it around…..they didn’t. She couldn’t recruit.

No disrespect to Hammon, she’s a great coach, but the PTSD is real.

 

[madtownvol]

I don’t want Hammon just because when Vandy hired Stephanie White, I thought they would turn it around…..they didn’t.

She couldn’t recruit. No disrespect to Hammon, she’s a great coach, but the PTSD is real.

College recruiting and signing pro players via GMs and agents are entirely different universes and NIL and the transfer portal have made the demands even more all-consuming.

I can't see the top WNBA coach moving to the college ranks,

 

[House|RockyTop]

Most people assume that there is a strong correlation between those two. But If Kellie had a #1 recruiting class coming in (or just Shaq O'Neil's daughter), I guarantee you she is still in the job.

O’Neal #33 Hoopgurlz
Boyd #35 Hoopgurlz

What am I missing?

To me, the reason a change was made is based on the entire season and games against ranked opponents over the course of recent seasons. Tennessee started 2022 ranked #4 and 2023 #11. We can talk roster all we want but I’ve seen less talented teams start the season as a ranked team and end the season as a ranked team. Tennessee started in the Top 15 nationally two years in a row and by the end of non-conference had fallen completely out of the Top 25.