Kim Caldwell (Rookie Coach of the Year-WBCA) is named Head Coach of Iconic Lady Vols WBB

[Carp]

Is that what that means? She was my number 1 choice

I have zero clue how much interest either side has in her being our next HC. But I don't know how anyone can read much into that tweet.

 

[TrippieRedd]

I will defend @glv98 on this one. Frese is a hard no for me, she's not been to a Final Four since 2015, no natty since 2006 and despite her "nice" record over the last couple of years, the issues within the Maryland program raise some red flags. I will pass all day on this one. Would I have taken her before Kellie, yes, but not now.

I’d take that every single day of the week considering since then the sport has been dominated by UCONN and South Carolina, I also believe Notre Dame was a powerhouse as well since then.

If you take those.3 teams since 2006 they’ve accounted for 50% of the championships.

So again, with a sport mainly dominated by 3 teams the last 10+ years, I don’t care about the “lack” of final fours and championships

I want a consistent winner first.

 

[Scotty4lvs]

Uh, what? She’s 99-33 the last 4 seasons that’s a 75% win percentage, which is her career win percentage. Again, LOL what.

She loses to the portal, but guess what? SHE. STILL. WINS. Last season she went 28-7, that’s damn good for someone that losses a lot to the portal.

This season is the only “down” season she had.

“Hasn’t won in a minute” by a minute you mean 28-7 last season. Just hilarious

Her last final four was 2015, which yes is great that she has been there, but it was also almost a decade ago. And while she had more wins this past year than Kellie, her trajectory is generally down, seemingly mainly bc her players regularly leave thru the portal. I'm hoping we get someone whose trajectory is upward and who the athletes seem to want to play for.

 

[TrippieRedd]

Her last final four was 2015, which yes is great that she has been there, but it was also almost a decade ago. And while she had more wins this past year than Kellie, her trajectory is generally down, seemingly mainly bc her players regularly leave thru the portal. I'm hoping we get someone whose trajectory is upward and who the athletes seem to want to play for.

Ours was 2008 with better rosters.

 

[YankeeVol]

Watch it, or don’t. Experienced enough or not? Has the Juice or not? Knows Pat Summit philosophy or not?

She makes around $250,000/yr.

We could do worse and yes…I did watch the whole thing. Feel free to say no, yeah or in between.

GBO!!!

Wouldn't hate the hire, but she's down the list a bit

 

[turbovol]

I’ve been following UT sports for decades and only remember two “splash” hires. Household names that made you think “wow” for better or worse. Lane Kiffin and Rick Barnes. One backfired the other has been tremendous. Lots of “meh” hires that failed and a few that hit. Vitello, Heupel, Pearl succeeded beyond “meh” status. Several ways this search could end but it may not send shockwaves across the sport. Make no mistake though, this is a huge hire for Danny White. Probably the biggest of his career thus far. He needs to “stick the landing”.

Heupel has had one good season. He'll need to have lots more than that to be considered an exceptional hire. And no matter who the next coach is, it will be 3 years before we see whether progress is being made.

 

[Scotty4lvs]

Ours was 2008 with better rosters.

Our situation also needs improved, hence our current situation. I can see others wanting her, it's just not where I'm at and would not be thrilled if that's who we land...I'm not sure the recruits would come running to her and that's the position I'm hoping we end up in

 

[TrippieRedd]

Our situation also needs improved, hence our current situation. I can see others wanting her, it's just not where I'm at and would not be thrilled if that's who we land...I'm not sure the recruits would come running to her and that's the position I'm hoping we end up in

She’d also have way more resources here than she would at Maryland. I would love the hire.

If you have a chance to hire a consistent winner, you take it.

 

[SGMVols]

Frese would’ve been a great hire in 2014. I’m not so sure about that in 2024.

 

[glv98]

Heupel has had one good season. He'll need to have lots more than that to be considered an exceptional hire. And no matter who the next coach is, it will be 3 years before we see whether progress is being made.

If it takes 3 years to see if recruiting progress is being made we are a world of hurt. It's a new day. I contain to maintain we'll know a path and timetable very quickly measured by players who come with the coach and player interest from the portal. Of course it will take time to build, but if we don't get significant recruiting moves very soon we'll know we are indeed in for a 3 yr or more process. And I don't think that's what this move was made for.

 

[TrippieRedd]

Frese would’ve been a great hire in 2014. I’m not so sure about that in 2024.

Not saying people are wrong. It may well be past her time.

But I’m taking her over 90% of the people I’ve seen listed here

 

[Clad in Big Orange]

Heupel has had one good season. He'll need to have lots more than that to be considered an exceptional hire. And no matter who the next coach is, it will be 3 years before we see whether progress is being made.

Totally agree, but in the too short sample size he took UT to a number 1 ranking albeit briefly. He was a “meh” hire in every definition that has produced above “meh” results so far.

 

[creekdipper]

Missing context was USC was a bottom feeder, they had nothing to lose. Not all comparisons are equal.

According to the main whiners here, Tennessee has become a "bottom feeder" over the last twelve seasons since Sweet Sixteens and finishing in Top 3 of a top conference are evidence of "no results."

The point stands that the whiners would have given a hard pass to Staley then even though she is their darling now. Unless she has magically completely changed her entire coaching philosophies and practices once first arriving at SC, they would not have even considered her then.

The irony is that some of the "big names" from five years ago have seen their luster fade or have even retired. People have short (or selective) memories.

 

[Majors]

According to the main whiners here, Tennessee has become a "bottom feeder" over the last twelve seasons since Sweet Sixteens and finishing in Top 3 of a top conference are evidence of no results."

The point stands that the whiners would have given a hard pass to Staley then even though she is their darling now. Unless she has magically completely changed her entire coaching philosophies and practices as once first arriving at SC, they would not have even considered her then.

The irony is that some of the "big names" from five years ago have seen their luster fade or have even retired. People have short (or selective) memories.

There’s Tennessee bottom and then there are others bottoms. Not all things equal.

 

[james_govols]

A homerun hire would be nice.

Regardless, White needs to hire a coach that's a winner, has a history of strong recruiting, and then give him/her the resources needed to compete.

 

[creekdipper]

There’s Tennessee bottom and then there are others bottoms. Not all things equal.

Insert Jenn Lawrence gif.

 

[turbovol]

I will defend @glv98 on this one. Frese is a hard no for me, she's not been to a Final Four since 2015, no natty since 2006 and despite her "nice" record over the last couple of years, the issues within the Maryland program raise some red flags. I will pass all day on this one. Would I have taken her before Kellie, yes, but not now.

Frese would be a great hire. She is very competitive, tough-minded, successful. I recall some of the Maryland teams in her first several years as being national-title contenders---and she beat us in an Elite Eight game in Warlick's second or third year, when we collapsed in the 2nd half. A strong program. I haven't heard as much from Maryland in recent years and my vague impression is that the program had fallen off. Wrong. The Terps weren't great this year--but the previous four years were all very strong, with a dominant conference record. She got beat by SC in the NCAA year before last, then the year before that lost to Stanford in the NCAA, and the year before that to Texas. So she's had the Terps in title contention.

She's 53 and might like a change of pace. She'd be an outstanding hire. She's got the personality that we need--meaning pretty tough.

 

[Majors]

Insert Jenn Lawrence gif.

Comparing a program with 8 titles to 0 titles at the time of the hire doesn’t qualify such. Keep trying to make all things equal though.

 

[OrangeBeachVol]

If it takes 3 years to see if recruiting progress is being made we are a world of hurt. It's a new day. I contain to maintain we'll know a path and timetable very quickly measured by players who come with the coach and player interest from the portal. Of course it will take time to build, but if we don't get significant recruiting moves very soon we'll know we are indeed in for a 3 yr or more process. And I don't think that's what this move was made for.

Agree, the good part of BB is you can rebuild quickly with the portal and you only need 5 good starters and 2 elite ones can make a big jump quickly. If it takes a new BB coach 3 yrs to show improvement they were the not the recruiter expected and the hire failed.

 

[turbovol]

Agree, the good part of BB is you can rebuild quickly with the portal and you only need 5 good starters and 2 elite ones can make a big jump quickly. If it takes a new BB coach 3 yrs to show improvement they were the not the recruiter expected and the hire failed.

Please: Nobody comes into a new program, which has needs, and goes to the Final Four in year 1 or 2. Even with the portal it takes a bit of time.

 

[Goladyvols9]

I think Gottlieb at SC is a real possibility because of the travel that's going to be required next year in the BIG 10. She has two young children and the travel would be hard on her family and her players.

 

[glv98]

Please: Nobody comes into a new program, which has needs, and goes to the Final Four in year 1 or 2. Even with the portal it takes a bit of time.

There's alot of ground between showing early recruiting progress and going to the Final Four. IMO it's reasonable to expect recruiting upgrades right off the bat since recruiting is now ongoing and it is portal season. That's all I'm asking.

If the new coach can't preferably bring players or pretty quickly start getting them, then we'll know the timeline is an old school, 3 yr of so slow build. If that's that case of course we'll have to accept it, but it begs the question why did we bother.

 

[creekdipper]

Please: Nobody comes into a new program, which has needs, and goes to the Final Four in year 1 or 2. Even with the portal it takes a bit of time.

That's not what the whiners said when holding up LSU's turnaround in year 2 as what should have happened here.

 

[VolCalls]

Heupel has had one good season. He'll need to have lots more than that to be considered an exceptional hire. And no matter who the next coach is, it will be 3 years before we see whether progress is being made.

We’ll know what we have on our hands in year two, which is often when someone proves their mettle. See Saban, Walz, and Mulkey as examples. Even Heupel, who you aren’t sold on, went 11-2 his second season.

 

[turbovol]

I didn't realize--or had forgotten--that Frese has won a National title. Three final fours. Two times AP national coach of the year.

I guess because they've not made it to the Final Four in several years, she and the Terps haven't been that conspicuous. But they've been good. If she's still motivated and hungry--she's been at Maryland for 20+ years---she's be an A+ hire. A proven winner. But would have to offer her a big package.