Next season predictions

[agVOL90]

Too many pieces that have never eaten breakfast together much less step onto a court as a team yet. Until a group practices and plays together for a bit regardless of talent it is hard to tell how they will mesh and perform.

That said,,,, we seem to have a nice group to start with.

 

[Vol49er]

CRB ought to have you on speed dial for those times when he forgot how to manage his players.

Cmon. He had legitimate criticisms that he backed with evidence. It’s possible to critique Barnes and not be a part of the “Fahr Barnes” squadron

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Cmon. He had legitimate criticisms that he backed with evidence. It’s possible to critique Barnes and not be a part of the “Fahr Barnes” squadron

His premise is that the team was mismanaged because Springer and Johnson weren’t brought into the mix fast enough. However there were only 4 loses prior to their huge breakout game at KY and TN went 5 and 5 after they peaked in that game. Johnson had also sat out virtually his entire last year before college with an injury, so the correct strategy should have been to put the team on his back from the beginning? I think opposing coaches figured out how to defend those young players pretty quickly. Throwing them harder into the mix earlier and they might have been figured out before the first SEC game and their confidence crushed. They did not have a pre-season to get acclimated so the answer was to throw them both harder into games earlier?

Springer’s ankle injury had everything to do with him not performing at a higher level down the stretch. He was playing over 20 mpg and scoring in double figures in nearly every game leading up to getting hurt versus Alabama. Keon was playing slightly under 20 minutes most of the early games, but again he was coming off of a missed year with an injury. Neither was ready on Day 1. They were given plenty of opportunities leading up to the SEC schedule.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Impressive and thoughtful reply. Barnes quotes at end of the year speak for themselves. It was a frustrating year for him and he didn’t manage it well. Who thinks he did? Consistently inconsistent and he had no answers, no matter what he tried. A Hall of Fame coach can have bad years. He had one and the results were disappointing. Not the worst ever in UT history as some posters have ridiculously noted but still disappointing. And folks have accused me of being a Barnes homer.

Injuries crippled this season far more than Keon and Springer not taking enough shots. Springer’s lower leg injury on January 2nd had far more to do with his performance the rest of the year than anything that the staff did or didn’t do with him. Keon came into the season after sitting out a year with a serious knee injury. He wasn’t ready to step in like he was Bernard King or Ernie Grunfeld as a true freshman.

 

[Vol49er]

His premise is that the team was mismanaged because Springer and Johnson weren’t brought into the mix fast enough. However there were only 4 loses prior to their huge breakout game at KY and TN went 5 and 5 after they peaked in that game. Johnson had also sat out virtually his entire last year before college with an injury, so the correct strategy should have been to put the team on his back from the beginning? I think opposing coaches figured out how to defend those young players pretty quickly. Throwing them harder into the mix earlier and they might have been figured out before the first SEC game and their confidence crushed. They did not have a pre-season to get acclimated so the answer was to throw them both harder into games earlier?

Springer’s ankle injury had everything to do with him not performing at a higher level down the stretch. He was playing over 20 mpg and scoring in double figures in nearly every game leading up to getting hurt versus Alabama. Keon was playing slightly under 20 minutes most of the early games, but again he was coming off of a missed year with an injury. Neither was ready on Day 1. They were given plenty of opportunities leading up to the SEC schedule.

Well this is a better response than just saying Barnes is above reproach completely. I kinda go back and forth on this particular debate myself

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Well this is a better response than just saying Barnes is above reproach completely. I kinda go back and forth on this particular debate myself

I don’t think that Barnes is beyond reproach. I just haven’t seen criticism that I buy into from the Bashers on VN.

CRB has his philosophy. I’m perfectly fine with him saving timeouts, putting certain players into games, not having an offense so complex that new players have to take all season to learn it, that he refuses to put up with crap from any player on the roster, that he criticizes their play when it’s poor, that UCLA created a financial windfall for him, or most any other simple minded criticism constructed by the board dolts. I don’t even care about the whine that he underachieves in the post season (which is a lie since he’s 7-5 in the SECT) because he created the high expectations. Barnes is more of a coach that prepares players and rolls out the ball rather than one that demonstratively acts like a sideline clown drawing attention to himself all game instead of letting the players crash and burn if they fail to follow the game plan. The program is in the best shape that it’s been in since the mid 70s.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

If I thought that I knew how he could better run the program I’d say that more of a separation of church and basketball was appropriate. But it’s his culture and it seems to be very effective. I don’t miss the thug element that some of the previous coaches ignored.

 

[VolArmy74]

I don’t think that Barnes is beyond reproach. I just haven’t seen criticism that I buy into from the Bashers on VN.

CRB has his philosophy. I’m perfectly fine with him saving timeouts, putting certain players into games, not having an offense so complex that new players have to take all season to learn it, that he refuses to put up with crap from any player on the roster, that he criticizes their play when it’s poor, that UCLA created a financial windfall for him, or most any other simple minded criticism constructed by the board dolts. I don’t even care about the whine that he underachieves in the post season (which is a lie since he’s 7-5 in the SECT) because he created the high expectations. Barnes is more of a coach that prepares players and rolls out the ball rather than one that demonstratively acts like a sideline clown drawing attention to himself all game instead of letting the players crash and burn if they fail to follow the game plan. The program is in the best shape that it’s been in since the mid 70s.

I am curious, what are your expectations for Barnes/Tennessee as a program. You indicate that you don't care about post season success, so really, what are your goals for the UT program?

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

I am curious, what are your expectations for Barnes/Tennessee as a program. You indicate that you don't care about post season success, so really, what are your goals for the UT program?

I didn’t say that I don’t care about post season success. I understand that there are many factors involved and I don’t write off the program when one bad game in the NCAAT will end the season. It’s important that TN now gets to the NCAAT more often than not and that is not TN’s history. If TN is in the field nearly every year then a breakthrough run can happen in any year.

I’m not hung up on the making it to the Sweet 16 being the minimum acceptable result. Fewer than 5% of eligible teams make the Sweet 16. TN has only been to 8x Sweet 16s in its history (many of those in a smaller field) and the VN Bashers act like THAT IS the minimum acceptable result. TN is in position to add several more Sweet 16s as the program stands today. TN has gone decades without even being competitive at being invited.

 

[Volitaire]

His premise is that the team was mismanaged because Springer and Johnson weren’t brought into the mix fast enough. However there were only 4 loses prior to their huge breakout game at KY and TN went 5 and 5 after they peaked in that game. Johnson had also sat out virtually his entire last year before college with an injury, so the correct strategy should have been to put the team on his back from the beginning? I think opposing coaches figured out how to defend those young players pretty quickly. Throwing them harder into the mix earlier and they might have been figured out before the first SEC game and their confidence crushed. They did not have a pre-season to get acclimated so the answer was to throw them both harder into games earlier?

Springer’s ankle injury had everything to do with him not performing at a higher level down the stretch. He was playing over 20 mpg and scoring in double figures in nearly every game leading up to getting hurt versus Alabama. Keon was playing slightly under 20 minutes most of the early games, but again he was coming off of a missed year with an injury. Neither was ready on Day 1. They were given plenty of opportunities leading up to the SEC schedule.

So tired of the fanbase pretty much blaming the freshman for our late season failure when guys like vescovi, Bailey, pons and Fulky were ghosts in a lot of our losses. We lost during the back stretch because those guys forgot how to make shots plain and simple...

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

So tired of the fanbase pretty much blaming the freshman for our late season failure when guys like vescovi, Bailey, pons and Fulky were ghosts in a lot of our losses. We lost during the back stretch because those guys forgot how to make shots plain and simple...

I’m most disappointed in how Pons closed out his career and Bailey not recognizing when he wasn’t going to shoot TN out of a deficit. I’m not too down on Pons though. He had to sit down often due to cheap fouls and didn’t have consistent help in the paint with Fulkerson’s staggering number of health issues, no off season to work with the one-and-done talent, and the way that SEC refs let anything go in the paint (odd that they still managed to put TN in foul trouble on a regular basis though). I wish that Pons would have embraced the opportunity to live in the paint instead of being a mediocre offensive threat on the perimeter. Perhaps Barnes promised him the chance to spend most of his time on the perimeter in exchange for returning after his junior year. I think that there would have been better looks for everybody if Pons had stayed near the basket.

 

[Catbone]

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[hUTch2002]

With the addition of BHH official, answer these 3 questions:
1) Preseason rank
2) Starting rotation
3) NCAA tourney seed

1) 13th
2) Chandler
Vescovi (Possible Powell instead)
Powell (Possible JJJ instead)
Fulkerson
BHH
Day 1 starting 5 anyway. Hopefully Mashack or Aidoo will end up replacing Fulky because that likely means they are playing pretty good ball.
3) Tough to say without seeing the schedule but I’ll go 4.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

1) 13th
2) Chandler
Vescovi
Powell
Fulkerson
BHH
Day 1 starting 5 anyway. Hopefully Mashack or Aidoo will end up replacing Fulky because that likely means they are playing pretty good ball.
3) Tough to say without seeing the schedule but I’ll go 4.

I’ll be surprised if JJJ isn’t in the first 5. He hasn’t even been through an off season development program at TN yet and he was filling up stat sheets top to bottom most games. He probably goes in the NBA draft a year from now.

 

[hUTch2002]

Y’all arguing about Vescovi starting? He very well could, but let’s be honest, some of us are attached to the kid because of what he flashed his first season. No offense to him, but we need a more athletic guard that has immediate eligibility.

As for the Vescovi/Powell debate. Powell gives you more of what I said above. He can shoot just as well as Vescovi, is more athletic, and has more length. Regardless, both will play a ton.

Some of the reasons you list is why I actually think Powell could start at the 3 with Vescovi starting at the 2.

 

[Volfan1000]

With this roster we have a chance at a Sweet 16 to Elite 8 run next season.

 

[hUTch2002]

I’ll be surprised if JJJ isn’t in the first 5. He hasn’t even been through an off season development program at TN yet and he was filling up stat sheets top to bottom most games. He probably goes in the NBA draft a year from now.

Yeah, I forgot about him when I first replied. Won’t shock me if he starts at 3 to start with V at the 2. This team does have some talent for sure.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

1) 20th preseason

3) 4 seed

2) Game 1 starters:
Chandler
Vescovi
JJJ
Fulkerson
BHH

 

[VolArmy74]

I didn’t say that I don’t care about post season success. I understand that there are many factors involved and I don’t write off the program when one bad game in the NCAAT will end the season. It’s important that TN now gets to the NCAAT more often than not and that is not TN’s history. If TN is in the field nearly every year then a breakthrough run can happen in any year.

I’m not hung up on the making it to the Sweet 16 being the minimum acceptable result. Fewer than 5% of eligible teams make the Sweet 16. TN has only been to 8x Sweet 16s in its history (many of those in a smaller field) and the VN Bashers act like THAT IS the minimum acceptable result. TN is in position to add several more Sweet 16s as the program stands today. TN has gone decades without even being competitive at being invited.

I base it on the talent. Some years the sweet 16 should be the floor. Next season being one of those. 2 years ago I'd have been happy just making it.

 

[Rrcox1951]

I’m not quite ready to pick a starting five yet, but looking at some names you guys are not choosing, I think the Vols may have the best “second” unit that I can remember. Aidoo, Mashack, Vescovi, Nkamhoua, and Bailey (plus possible additions to the team), would be a pretty talented group in its own right. They could beat some of our non conference opponents by themselves.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

I base it on the talent. Some years the sweet 16 should be the floor. Next season being one of those. 2 years ago I'd have been happy just making it.

So you are ignoring that bringing in the talent is the most important variable in the equation.

 

[VolArmy74]

So you are ignoring that bringing in the talent is the most important variable in the equation.

What you do with the talent is most important. See the pitchfork brigade chasing Calipari around Lexington these days for an example. Bringing in talent is pointless if you do nothing of note with it but it does raise expectations.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

1) 20th preseason

3) 4 seed

2) Game 1 starters:
Chandler
Vescovi
JJJ
Fulkerson
BHH

From what I've read about him, BHH wants to play the four. I don't know whether Barnes pledged him that, though. And I don't know if he would be adamantly opposed to playing the five. If so, if would be BHH at the 4, Fulky at the five. But I'm with you that I would rather see Fulky at the 4 than the five if that could happen. Let's hope for Uros to step it up for significant minutes at the 5 and/or we get a good 5 out of the portal.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

What you do with the talent is most important. See the pitchfork brigade chasing Calipari around Lexington these days for an example. Bringing in talent is pointless if you do nothing of note with it but it does raise expectations.

KY always brings in talent no matter the coach. Not so with TN so you are making a faulty analogy.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

From what I've read about him, BHH wants to play the four. I don't know whether Barnes pledged him that, though. And I don't know if he would be adamantly opposed to playing the five. If so, if would be BHH at the 4, Fulky at the five. But I'm with you that I would rather see Fulky at the 4 than the five if that could happen. Let's hope for Uros to step it up for significant minutes at the 5 and/or we get a good 5 out of the portal.

I wasn’t listing them by position. But it may not really matter... both Fulk and BHH down low and how they are defended should dictate who gets the ball in the paint. I really haven’t watched BHH video, but he reminds me of Bernard just a bit.