Looking like KJH is the play

[clkou]

I mean WTF, she couldn't win at NC State and got demoted. Wes Moore won at Chattanooga AND NC State. Why not go after Wes Moore?! It helps the legacy of Tennessee to hire a good coach NOT to try to hold on to the past. I will be so pissed off if we don't get a coach MINIMUM as good as Wes Moore.

 

[JohnnyD1024]

So Harper has a similar resume. Cal should have never hired Cuonzo just like Tennessee is too big for KJH at this point

Well you didn't ask me if Cal should have hired Cuonzo or not and Harper has accomplished more at Missouri State than what Cuonzo did when he coached there.

 

[Manning Up]

Kellie would do great here as the coach as The Lady Vols.

No. She wouldn't.

 

[VA_VOLFAN]

I mean WTF, she couldn't win at NC State and got demoted. Wes Moore won at Chattanooga AND NC State. Why not go after Wes Moore?! It helps the legacy of Tennessee to hire a good coach NOT to try to hold on to the past. I will be so pissed off if we don't get a coach MINIMUM as good as Wes Moore.

Well be ready to be pissed because he likes NC State ... in all honesty he is a really good coach but being in his 60s I doubt he wants to start over and he knows there is more wiggle room at NC st than UT in comparisons to expectations

N.C. State's Wes Moore not interested in Lady Vols job

 

[VA_VOLFAN]

No. She wouldn't.

 

[VolBall09]

I honestly don't think a player exodus would occur. As for Kellie's record potentially being "considerably worse even than Holly," well, I completely disagree, and you saying that makes me kinda sorta hope she gets an opportunity to prove that statement wrong! Kellie got a team to this year's Sweet 16 with a roster full of no-names, and you could see on their faces that they all respected her, believed in her game plan, and would have walked through fire for her. That was NEVER the case with Holly, and that's why our all-American laden Lady Vols went home after the first game.

I know people keep ignoring the backstory about all that transpired at NCSt. and why that simply wasn't the right fit for her. But none of those issues would hinder Harper at Tennessee.

All I know is, whether it's Harper or someone I've never heard of, I'm just relieved that there will be a fresh start next season. No matter who it is I have a feeling the fans are going to be excited to see how the season plays out. I'll be getting tix no matter who gets to sit in the Big Chair.

There may well have been other factors in play at NC State but the players aren't going to care about that. All they see is Ws and Ls and she has a whole lot more Ls on her resume than anyone should have in order to get this job. Plus, when did we start making excuses for people? I don't care what was going on behind the scenes at NC State, its what happened on the court that matters and it was ugly.

 

[creekdipper]

My argument was that Tennessee doesn't have to hire someone who has already failed in one major head coaching job. I never said they should hire someone without experience.

Well, despite being a "moron," I understand your argument. And I previously said that I didn't know if Kellie was ready to come into such a chaotic situation and that someone with a proven track record such as Wes Moore might be the best fit. I was assuming that all of the "blg names" making far more than we were paying Holly were comfortable and happy where they are without risking starting over. Also assumed that Fulmer is not willing to break the bank to get any of those big names. Those just seem like pipe dreams. If Fulmer is willing to spend heavily, I'm sure he is exploring those possibilities.

I get that people want the best available. "Best fit" can meet a lot of things, though. Bruce Pearl got a second chance at Auburn, and they're still playing. There was no guarantee that he wouldn't commit more rules violations. Barnes got a second chance. Both are a lot older than Harper.

I've said that I would support whoever Fulmer hires (although I'd qualify that by saying as long as they haven't gone out of their way to disrespect our coach and program). I don't understand "fans" who would be willing to undermine a new coach before he/she even gets the chance to prove they are the right hire...simply because the "fans" didn't get their preferred choice.

 

[ksl415]

All bases, options have to be covered.
So I’m not surprised.

They will probably take some time for interviews, etc. so we should all be patient.

 

[mtsuraider06]

Well, despite being a "moron," I understand your argument. And I previously said that I didn't know if Kellie was ready to come into such a chaotic situation and that someone with a proven track record such as Wes Moore might be the best fit. I was assuming that all of the "blg names" making far more than we were paying Holly were comfortable and happy where they are without risking starting over. Also assumed that Fulmer is not willing to break the bank to get any of those big names. Those just seem like pipe dreams. If Fulmer is willing to spend heavily, I'm sure he is exploring those possibilities.

I get that people want the best available. "Best fit" can meet a lot of things, though. Bruce Pearl got a second chance at Auburn, and they're still playing. There was no guarantee that he wouldn't commit more rules violations. Barnes got a second chance. Both are a lot older than Harper.

I've said that I would support whoever Fulmer hires (although I'd qualify that by saying as long as they haven't gone out of their way to disrespect our coach and program). I don't understand "fans" who would be willing to undermine a new coach before he/she even gets the chance to prove they are the right hire...simply because the "fans" didn't get their preferred choice.

It’s because they aren’t fans. They have likely never cared about the Lady Vols until it because the cool thing to hate on them.

 

[VA_VOLFAN]

It’s because they aren’t fans. They have likely never cared about the Lady Vols until it because the cool thing to hate on them.

Who would you like to see or who do you think can lead the LV in the right direction

 

[volman128]

If Kellie is hired, we riot...

I won't riot, but I'll definitely be very disappointed.

 

[VolBall09]

It’s because they aren’t fans. They have likely never cared about the Lady Vols until it because the cool thing to hate on them.

You're literally dead wrong. Just because we don't all agree does not mean we haven't been longtime fans who live and breath Lady Vol basketball. Just like you.

 

[CincyLadyVol]

Excellent

I feel like with the right coaching staff a decent coach could become a good coach and a good coach a great one! While I’m waiting on the HC announcement it will be just as big for that person to set the right people in place to make it happen... if Kelly is hired what if she hired Gail G whose teams were offensively gifted and that was before the players really started coming there.

Gail G, Melanie Balcomb, and Reaves. Or get the post coach from Baylor or the person that worked with Big T from Ms St.

Love this post. This certainly could have applied to Holly. One of the biggest reasons for her downfall was simply because her staff was sub-par in many areas. If she had surrounded herself with better personnel, she might still be on the sidelines.

And btw, this is not an attack on the coaches character off the court. Just stating the program needed coaches who were better at teaching offense and defense than most of those on Holly's staff. That might have helped off-set some of Holly's short-comings as a head coach.

The head coach hire is huge for Tennessee but the staff that person assembles is equally important!

 

[volmanNC]

I won't riot, but I'll definitely be very disappointed.

This would HW Jr.

 

[mtsuraider06]

Who would you like to see or who do you think can lead the LV in the right direction

In a perfect world, I would love to have VanDerveer here. It’s not a perfect world though.

I think Rueck from Oregon State could do very well here. His teams always play great on both sides of the ball.

If I didn’t know what I know about Walz, I think he would be a great hire, because he can coach.

Duke Gail could be huge here. Texas Gail is no better than Holly. It’s a gamble. These recruits weren’t even around when Gail was killing it at Duke, so I don’t know where the idea of she could keep players and recruits from leaving comes from.

I’m not of the opinion that it has to be a former LV or a woman. That being said, with the fanbase than TN has, the history, the expectations, being a former LV does have advantages and provides less of a learning curve. It has to be someone who’s not afraid to walk past Pat’s statue every single day. They have to know what they are getting into because Pat is always going to loom over the program.

 

[creekdipper]

Wishful thinking. She has absolutely no track record of success prior to this season and she still had DOUBLE DIGIT losses this season. We're trying to have 30 win seasons again and she hasn't so much as sniffed that.

That's what the current players will see. She doesn't have the record to back it up, they'll leave.

There's a reason that the Elite Eight was made up (as usual) by #1 and #2 seeds. It's called "talent."

Kellie's nonconference schedule included several ranked opponents. Her team was made up mostly of underclassmen. They took it on the chin early even while being competetive in 3-4 point losses to the likes of Gonzaga and Missouri.

But they kept getting better and only lost two conference games including splitting games with #21 Drake. The second time they played, they were without a key player lost for the season. By the rubber match, they had made adjustments and pounded Drake to win their conference tournament and an automatic berth.

That and the tournament performance finally convinced me that Kellie deserves a shot. Her players and fans believe in her ability. And her recruiting has improved. She is getting talented midmajor-level athletes who are coachable and tough. You can't expect them to compete head-to-head with future WNBA draft picks.

It's like saying Wofford's Fletcher McGhee isn't a good player because he went 0-12 from long range despite holding the NCAA 3-point record. Wofford's regular opponents aren't Kentucky-level talent.

 

[volman128]

I think the job is Kellie’s until she turns it down.

I think Gail is plan B. There’s no guarantee she could replicate what she did at Duke. Her time at Texas showed that. She was never able to make inroads in Texas recruiting circles, which are very fertile. Could she at Tennessee? It remains to be seen.

I think Cori Close at UCLA will get a call to gauge interest.

The reality is that fans want this big name coach, but big name coaches are already established and would take much more than TN is willing to pay to lure them away.

They're fertile and shared with Baylor and A&M. Gail was blackballed at Texas. Everyone knows that. Even with her failures at Texas, she should be the first option ahead of Kellie, so that tells me Fulmer wants someone for cheap. She's a much better choice than Kellie. People are simply wanting another Pat to walk out onto the court at TBA and thinking that it's going to be her. Fans need to get over that. Pat isn't coming back.

I'm sure Kellie will be hired. It remains to be seen if she will be successful. With the right staff, she could be, especially if she were to hire someone who can really coach offense. I have serious doubts given her past, and honestly I would take Nikki Fargas, who has had at least some success at a big school in a big conference no matter how modest, over Kellie. I love her as a player but she's shown very little to no reason to believe she can take us back to prominence.

If we aren't willing to pay for a big time coach, then we may as well just admit now that we are done as a program. No more FFs, no more SEC championships. You get what you pay for.

BTW, Close sucks. May as well hire Holly back. Close, McGuff and Aston are all in that category along with Holly of getting elite classes of players and doing absolutely nothing with them. She is another coach that has done nothing to warrant discussion for this job.

 

[butchna]

I’ll fully back whomever is hired. My optimism towards success is variable based on the name tho.

 

[zaqhhh]

Walz is definitely number 1 for me by in large. I say throw as much money as we can.

Gail G is up there, Frese too as an obtainable option. Lawson probably in that tier too though unproven, I just really like her.

KJH wouldn't be a disaster but I'd be a bit disappointed.

 

[FormerLadyVolFan]

Walz isn’t going anywhere and UT isn’t going to commit $10 million to any coach. He and Frese were practicing underhanded recruiting together at Maryland.

For that matter, Mulkey, Moore, Staley, McGraw, Schaefer or Geno aren’t going anywhere either. So who does that leave? More P5 coaches with more dubious records that will take $1 million a year to hire. Gail Goestenkors apparently doesn’t enjoy coaching anymore. She’s quit the last three coaching jobs she’s had.

Why not hire a rising, mid-major coach with connections to and the steely determination of her coach and mentor Pat Summitt? No $5 or $10 million commitment. If she doesn’t work out, the AD is not stuck in a financial hole that it can’t get out of.

It just makes sense...

 

[backdoorcutvol]

I don’t know enough about the situation to put my two cents in, I will say Harpers record is misleading due to where she has coached. Tennessee has three divisions in basketball, A, AA, and AAA. Suppose you coach at a single A school, there’s only so many Single A schools you can play without lots of travel which either single A schools might not be able to afford or it takes kids out of school too much. So what happens single Amschools end up playing a lot of AA and even some AAA schools and they may win some but they are going to lose a lot it will make them better playing larger school but it will hurt their overall record. That’s why sometimes you might see a good A team in the state tournament with not so great record say 22-12. Well maybe Harper is the same way being at Western NC and Missouri St, she has played bigger and better competition and gotten better as a team, yet a not so great record. Maybe Fulmer should look at the body of work instead of record.look at Pat Fitzgerald at Northwestern a really good football coach playing in the big ten and his school is tough academically and can’t compete with the big boys in recruiting.

 

[Volfan2012]

I don't know if she will get the job but this really gives me the idea that Walz want be in the running. Looks like were not going 1.5 million for a women's basketball coach. He can hire Harper for 700 grand easily and it certainly looks like anyone we go for will be under the 1 million salary.

 

[VA_VOLFAN]

In a perfect world, I would love to have VanDerveer here. It’s not a perfect world though.

I think Rueck from Oregon State could do very well here. His teams always play great on both sides of the ball.

If I didn’t know what I know about Walz, I think he would be a great hire, because he can coach.

Duke Gail could be huge here. Texas Gail is no better than Holly. It’s a gamble. These recruits weren’t even around when Gail was killing it at Duke, so I don’t know where the idea of she could keep players and recruits from leaving comes from.

I’m not of the opinion that it has to be a former LV or a woman. That being said, with the fanbase than TN has, the history, the expectations, being a former LV does have advantages and provides less of a learning curve. It has to be someone who’s not afraid to walk past Pat’s statue every single day. They have to know what they are getting into because Pat is always going to loom over the program.

Thank you ! I think you hit the nail on the head. If it is Rueck I think he would benefit from having BG on staff because the LV tradition is important and she can express those things to the players. Or brining a Demoss back I dunno I just think it takes a person like that to help these ladies get the full LV experience which I think has been missing.

In a perfect world Tara would be SWEET but how about a naming Kellie and Ivey co-coaches Ivey works with the guards and does the Offense... Kelly works the defense and substitutions and bring in the Baylor or Iowa post coach lol . They could split the head coach salary and an assistant salary combined and when Ivey leaves for ND let a new rivalry begin I know not realistic at all but fun to think about

 

[VolBall09]

I don’t know enough about the situation to put my two cents in, I will say Harpers record is misleading due to where she has coached. Tennessee has three divisions in basketball, A, AA, and AAA. Suppose you coach at a single A school, there’s only so many Single A schools you can play without lots of travel which either single A schools might not be able to afford or it takes kids out of school too much. So what happens single Amschools end up playing a lot of AA and even some AAA schools and they may win some but they are going to lose a lot it will make them better playing larger school but it will hurt their overall record. That’s why sometimes you might see a good A team in the state tournament with not so great record say 22-12. Well maybe Harper is the same way being at Western NC and Missouri St, she has played bigger and better competition and gotten better as a team, yet a not so great record. Maybe Fulmer should look at the body of work instead of record.look at Pat Fitzgerald at Northwestern a really good football coach playing in the big ten and his school is tough academically and can’t compete with the big boys in recruiting.

You skipped her stint at NC State where she picked up most of her losses.

 

[VolBall09]

Thank you ! I think you hit the nail on the head. If it is Rueck I think he would benefit from having BG on staff because the LV tradition is important and she can express those things to the players. Or brining a Demoss back I dunno I just think it takes a person like that to help these ladies get the full LV experience which I think has been missing.

In a perfect world Tara would be SWEET but how about a naming Kellie and Ivey co-coaches Ivey works with the guards and does the Offense... Kelly works the defense and substitutions and bring in the Baylor or Iowa post coach lol . They could split the head coach salary and an assistant salary combined and when Ivey leaves for ND let a new rivalry begin I know not realistic at all but fun to think about

Whatever you're smoking, I want some of it.