John Brice says

[mike099]

Top assistant at a power 5 school( Ivey and the guy from Oregon) vs KJ Harper. Someone explain how much of a learning curve there would be for the top assistant in managing the program? I feel like some recruits would feel apprehensive of a mid major coach vs a top assistant. Would Ivey or the Oregon assistant really have more basketball knowledge than KJ Harper?

If they choose KJ Harper recruiting may take a hit initially but she should be able to recruit well in the top 25-50 range initially.

 

[SmokyRiverDog]

I would take Nikki over Kellie at this point.

I don’t want either. And neither would get a call if they weren’t alums. But at least Nikki has had some success at two P5 schools.

Nikki was consistently out-coached by Holly. She is a proven P5 failure at this point. Kelly is also, but she still has an heir of mystery in her excuses for failing at NC State. I would take the almost proven failure over the proven failure at this point, if that is the only choice.

 

[GameTime]

KLH...Former Lady Vol and has coached for several years...That has to be worth something.

Kara Lawson.....Fiery personality and former Lady Vol...Has not coached before, but has years of playing experience....Will have to learn the "delicate intricacies" of coaching on the job....Her name alone should be worth a 5 star recruit or two....

Niele Ivey...Not a former Lady Vol...Has years of playing experience and some give her credit for ND reclaiming their place at the top of women's college basketball....It is also said she is waiting for Muffett to retire, so she can take over....I'm not sure she is even in play, except on Vol Nation and the rumor mill.

By Fulmer delaying his choice, until the championship is decided, it is obvious he is trying to not only get the best coach for the Lady Vols, but to also satisfy the paying fans, which is the heartbeat of the program.....

All three of these choices are exciting to me....Each has their pluses, and minuses.

 

[SmokyRiverDog]

Top assistant at a power 5 school( Ivey and the guy from Oregon) vs KJ Harper. Someone explain how much of a learning curve there would be for the top assistant in managing the program? I feel like some recruits would feel apprehensive of a mid major coach vs a top assistant. Would Ivey or the Oregon assistant really have more basketball knowledge than KJ Harper?

If they choose KJ Harper recruiting may take a hit initially but she should be able to recruit well in the top 25-50 range initially.

Top 25-50? There are single digit numbers of competitive women's college basketball teams annually. You have to recruit Top 1-4 at minimum.

 

[VolsFan-TX]

....In WBB, no ‘elite’ coach is going to change jobs without Saban money, and it would be foolish to risk that kind of money with so little financial upside...

The highest paid women’s coach is (I think) Geno at 2.4 million/year. The highest paid SEC women’s coach is Schaefer at 1.6 million/year. Saban makes 8.7 million/year. It wouldn’t take anything close to Saban money to hire an elite coach.

Summitt made 1.4 million/year 10 years ago. Warlick was making 690,000/year. We will have to pay the new coach a lot more than we were paying Warlick to get a better coach.

 

[i2amavol]

Question to those of you carrying the flag for Kara Lawson, if she had played for any other team besides UT, would you be so eager for us to hire her? (Hint, any answer to this question besides no is straight BS). We cannot let the fact that she played here cloud our judgement on whether or not she is truly qualified for this job (and she isnt). I trust/hope Coach Fulmer feels the same way.

My interest in Kara Lawson as Tennessee coach is mostly based on her ability to communicate, and her ability to analyze game situations. The fact that she was a very good player for UT, and that she would be recognized nationally would be icing on the cake.

Now, would her lack of head coaching experience make this a very risky hire? Of course it would! However, I would much rather be swinging for the fences than to hire someone who we would be hoping could get us to an Elite Eight.

Contrary to what some have said, I do not think she would likely come cheaply. You do not hire her if she cannot convey a practical vision for how she is going to get us back to the top.

 

[VolBall09]

My interest in Kara Lawson as Tennessee coach is mostly based on her ability to communicate, and her ability to analyze game situations. The fact that she was a very good player for UT, and that she would be recognized nationally would be icing on the cake.

Now, would her lack of head coaching experience make this a very risky hire? Of course it would! However, I would much rather be swinging for the fences than to hire someone who we would be hoping could get us to an Elite Eight.

Contrary to what some have said, I do not think she would likely come cheaply. You do not hire her if she cannot convey a practical vision for how she is going to get us back to the top.

I like Kara for those reasons as well, but that’s where she has an advantage. We’ve all heard her break down games on air and she sounds confident. Being in the mix and doing the same thing in the middle of the game when your team is getting thumped is completely different though. She may have potential but I would lean toward someone with at least some form of coaching experience at the Power 5 level.

I believe Kara might be the only person with no experience that could make it work, but it’s still a huge gamble.

 

[Franklin Pierce]

Ivey is hands down the best choice.....hope she is among the group. Ivey has been the top assistant at Notre Dame for the past 12-13 years and helped Muffet develop the monster in South Bend. She has done it all at a top level as she recruits and game plans for the Irish. But best of all she hates Uconn and refuses to lose to them. Fargas is OK if she gets the recruits but been unimpressive at LSU where they had success prior to her. Butler, originally from near Nashville, always had tough teams even though she never had any top players at Florida so she would need a top recruiter. Harper seems to have overcome the NC state problems and if she can get that much out of a few unknowns, wow......she would do well at UT. Balcomb would be good if she has a recruiter.

Now looking at the offensive styles of these coaches.............Ivey, an ex-guard, has been credited for the player development of the guards at Notre Dame. Guard play in womens basketball wins most games as the 3 point shot is the killer. Fargis plays defensive game with boring offense.............Butler was a guard so her offense centered on the guards and does develop them well..........Harper seems to have a good offensive plan if she had the taller players to finish the probing offensive style...........Balcomb hands down has the best offensive mind but has she overcome the family health issues in 2017?

Now for the bomb shell, I think there is an unknown that we have not discussed........a male who was a top SMALL COLLEGE coach at a men's program this past year or one that coached a lady's program last year at a small college. Tennessee gets the players so a coach who develops that talent and can game plan is the answer. Who is that person? Ivey is my choice and would keep Westbrook here.

If hiring Ivey would mean keeping Evina and Eva Westbrook on the team, then Ivey's name should be removed from the list of potential hires.

 

[FormerLadyVolFan]

I, of course, didn’t literally mean pay a WBB coach $10 million. But, it would take at least a $10 million commitment over 5 years to hire an ‘elite’ P5 coach. Foolish to risk that kind of money for little financial upside.

The highest paid women’s coach is (I think) Geno at 2.4 million/year. The highest paid SEC women’s coach is Schaefer at 1.6 million/year. Saban makes 8.7 million/year. It wouldn’t take anything close to Saban money to hire an elite coach.

Summitt made 1.4 million/year 10 years ago. Warlick was making 690,000/year. We will have to pay the new coach a lot more than we were paying Warlick to get a better coach.

 

[Memvol44]

I just don't think KJH can recruit in the SEC. The Lady Vols names does not recruit itself anymore.

Let's give her a shot!!! Who on that list can recruit in the s.e.c???

 

[VolBall09]

Ivey is hands down the best choice.....hope she is among the group. Ivey has been the top assistant at Notre Dame for the past 12-13 years and helped Muffet develop the monster in South Bend. She has done it all at a top level as she recruits and game plans for the Irish. But best of all she hates Uconn and refuses to lose to them. Fargas is OK if she gets the recruits but been unimpressive at LSU where they had success prior to her. Butler, originally from near Nashville, always had tough teams even though she never had any top players at Florida so she would need a top recruiter. Harper seems to have overcome the NC state problems and if she can get that much out of a few unknowns, wow......she would do well at UT. Balcomb would be good if she has a recruiter.

Now looking at the offensive styles of these coaches.............Ivey, an ex-guard, has been credited for the player development of the guards at Notre Dame. Guard play in womens basketball wins most games as the 3 point shot is the killer. Fargis plays defensive game with boring offense.............Butler was a guard so her offense centered on the guards and does develop them well..........Harper seems to have a good offensive plan if she had the taller players to finish the probing offensive style...........Balcomb hands down has the best offensive mind but has she overcome the family health issues in 2017?

Now for the bomb shell, I think there is an unknown that we have not discussed........a male who was a top SMALL COLLEGE coach at a men's program this past year or one that coached a lady's program last year at a small college. Tennessee gets the players so a coach who develops that talent and can game plan is the answer. Who is that person? Ivey is my choice and would keep Westbrook here.

I suspect she is definitely interested and in the mix based off of Muffett McGraw’s recent comments about women in coaching. Seems like perfect timing to bring that to the forefront if your top, female, assistant is angling for one of the biggest coaching openings in the history of women’s college basketball.

She was also tossing around Pat’s name, not that it’s uncommon, but the timing is interesting to me.

 

[volman128]

I’d take Nikki McCray over any of the 4 Brice mentioned as finalists.

Same, TBH.

 

[Memvol44]

Top assistant at a power 5 school( Ivey and the guy from Oregon) vs KJ Harper. Someone explain how much of a learning curve there would be for the top assistant in managing the program? I feel like some recruits would feel apprehensive of a mid major coach vs a top assistant. Would Ivey or the Oregon assistant really have more basketball knowledge than KJ Harper?

If they choose KJ Harper recruiting may take a hit initially but she should be able to recruit well in the top 25-50 range initially.

I really think it's going to be Kara.or an announcement would have already been made. Not thrilled but she will have my full support. She is a LVFL !!

 

[volman128]

Nikki was consistently out-coached by Holly. She is a proven P5 failure at this point. Kelly is also, but she still has an heir of mystery in her excuses for failing at NC State. I would take the almost proven failure over the proven failure at this point, if that is the only choice.

Holly consistently out-talented her. Nikki beat Holly a few times with much less talented rosters than Holly. As in, not even in the same stratosphere of talent. I watched it once in person the night Candace's jersey was retired.

I've seen Holly outcoach an opposing coach only a handful of times (notably McGuff in the S16 a few years ago), but it's rare, and Nikki isn't one I would say she ever outcoached.

I'm not saying Nikki is a great coach but she's better than Holly. No doubt in my mind. And she's more proven than KJH.

The program deserves better than either one of them, TBH.

 

[Memvol44]

I really think it's going to be Kara.or an announcement would have already been made. Not thrilled but she will have my full support. She is a LVFL !!

If it was Jolly-Harper, she would already be hired and doing her thing!!!

 

[Memvol44]

How about no

You got something better than that response or are you seven??

 

[leejoek]

Kara Lawson has no experience and I think she would be a flop as Tennessee women's head basketball coach. Every poster on Volnation has an opinion why be snide about me voicing my opinions?

Is Fulmer a flop as an AD? Kara Lawson will succeed

 

[volman128]

You got something better than that response or are you seven??

If you would read my posts/comments on the subject you'd see my picks.

 

[Memvol44]

How about no

 

[Memvol44]

If you would read my posts/comments on the subject you'd see my picks.

Sorry, just try to read intelligent stuff....

 

[Memvol44]

Who ever is hired needs to do two things for assistants. Bring back Kara Elzy from Kentucky to recruit and install the defense. Elzy left the LV staff for Kentucky simply because she did not get along with Coach Harley Warlick. Second keep Shoronna Reaves as the recruiting coordinator. She is directly responsible for these top recruiting classes.

I thought Elzy was let go for lack of recruiting....wasnt one of her years we got nobody??

 

[Smallvol#1]

Ivey is hands down the best choice.....hope she is among the group. Ivey has been the top assistant at Notre Dame for the past 12-13 years and helped Muffet develop the monster in South Bend. She has done it all at a top level as she recruits and game plans for the Irish. But best of all she hates Uconn and refuses to lose to them. Fargas is OK if she gets the recruits but been unimpressive at LSU where they had success prior to her. Butler, originally from near Nashville, always had tough teams even though she never had any top players at Florida so she would need a top recruiter. Harper seems to have overcome the NC state problems and if she can get that much out of a few unknowns, wow......she would do well at UT. Balcomb would be good if she has a recruiter.

Now looking at the offensive styles of these coaches.............Ivey, an ex-guard, has been credited for the player development of the guards at Notre Dame. Guard play in womens basketball wins most games as the 3 point shot is the killer. Fargis plays defensive game with boring offense.............Butler was a guard so her offense centered on the guards and does develop them well..........Harper seems to have a good offensive plan if she had the taller players to finish the probing offensive style...........Balcomb hands down has the best offensive mind but has she overcome the family health issues in 2017?

Now for the bomb shell, I think there is an unknown that we have not discussed........a male who was a top SMALL COLLEGE coach at a men's program this past year or one that coached a lady's program last year at a small college. Tennessee gets the players so a coach who develops that talent and can game plan is the answer. Who is that person? Ivey is my choice and would keep Westbrook here.

You had me at “she hates Uconn (gino) and refuses to lose to them.”; you lost me with your teaser in the last paragraph “now for the bomb shell”. What bomb?

 

[Memvol44]

I suspect she is definitely interested and in the mix based off of Muffett McGraw’s recent comments about women in coaching. Seems like perfect timing to bring that to the forefront if your top, female, assistant is angling for one of the biggest coaching openings in the history of women’s college basketball.

She was also tossing around Pat’s name, not that it’s uncommon, but the timing is interesting to me.

Coach Summitt would never say "I will not hire a Male to be on my staff"

 

[The Crimson Cried]

All you guys predicting how this hire will turn out need to apply your certainty to my bracket next year.

 

[Memvol44]

Take her name off her resume and she wouldn't even get mentioned

Neither would Kara Lawson