Official: UT hires Kim Caldwell as the new coach for Lady Vols basketball

[Orange007]

let's be real here though. now, this is ALL about money for recruiting. End of story.

 

[Score50]

Go Lady Vols. I think Danny did his due diligence. She is definitely an upgrade over the last two coaches we have had. She can coach and she’s a winner at every division she has coached. Let’s get behind this coach. It really can’t be any worse than we have seen the past few years. Go Vols.

 

[Good2bavol]

In as much that none of us here has a say so, we will just have to see how she does and hope for the best.

We do need someone that can recruit on the elite level. I am wondering if the LV's can hire a Parker or a Catchings or both in some temporary capacity that so they can visit the top recruits?

 

[lfvol]

let's be real here though. now, this is ALL about money for recruiting. End of story.

And top recruiters on her staff.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

Go Lady Vols. I think Danny did his due diligence. She is definitely an upgrade over the last two coaches we have had. She can coach and she’s a winner at every division she has coached. Let’s get behind this coach. It really can’t be any worse than we have seen the past few years. Go Vols.

How does he know if she will attract elite recruits?

 

[JohnWardForever]

It takes Talent to win at Big schools like UT, LSU, SC, UCONN, But, It takes Coaching to win at Division 2 schools & Marshall.

 

[spojo13]

In as much that none of us here has a say so, we will just have to see how she does and hope for the best.

We do need someone that can recruit on the elite level. I am wondering if the LV's can hire a Parker or a Catchings or both in some temporary capacity that so they can visit the top recruits?

Why would any high assistant come here? You can’t throw money at them bc the head coach is only making $750,000. They wouldn’t be part of her system either. Parker and Catchings probably had never heard of her before day. It’s going to be her Marshall staff.

 

[Ritzwatch]

In context, she was speaking about the transition from D2 to D1 and how its a completely different approach to recruiting, but highlights she has no idea how it works at somewhere like TN. Going to need some high level assistants who can help her navigate that or it's not going to be a pretty first few years.

I think this is the plan.

How can she know how to recruit at this level; she’s never had the budget and resources. Of course there will be a learning curve. I just have to believe the admin support has been promised. Let’s face it, NIL is the game-changer here. The bag can equalize the star power of a “known” coach in the living room.

On another note XX, W’s this the “litter pick?” I can’t recall. If yes, sent me the time and the link.

 

[Volfan2012]

750k for five seasons. A lot of chances to make a lot more if the team does well. Tennessee is already saving 350k from what they were paying Kellie. We should be able to get a couple excellent players for that kind of money.

 

[JohnWardForever]

Seems likeable, articulate about the game, players themselves seem articulate about the game, and strikes me as personable toward her players

WOW! I'm sold! How refreshing ! Let's GO!

 

[HuntlandVolinColo]

She doesn’t even think she can recruit, so why should we?

Players are drawn to coaches that know how to win and UT has a top tier NIL program. So she'll do fine with recruiting too.

 

[Wilkus]

This is division 1, the SEC - get a grip. Not the same thing. This is like hiring Butch Jones again but for the Lady Vols. Promised success based on wins in a lessor division.

Bruce Pearl come to mind?

 

[airvols]

Nobody and I mean nobody is talking about this hire outside Tennessee fans and that speaks volumes. I think it’s fair to question the value the administration places on women’s basketball.

 

[spojo13]

750k for five seasons. A lot of chances to make a lot more if the team does well. Tennessee is already saving 350k from what they were paying Kellie. We should be able to get a couple excellent players for that kind of money.

Yep! Better start dropping off those massive bags that we are going to have lining up for women’s basketball players….

 

[RAVOL]

If Coach Caldwell had coached Horston and Jackson together she would have had them in Final 4. She wouldn't waste that talent. In CHRIST Alone

 

[AllThingsTN]

Man I thought the football and men’s basketball forums were negative. I remember now why I never usually check this forum. Everyone in here is a miserable genius who would be the top AD in the country . I’ll have to go back to watching the games but staying out of here. Y’all have fun (if that’s possible ).

 

[POLOinDC]

So basically hire any coach that's a female, no matter how mediocre.

 

[Toujours Pret]

The drama queen doomsdayers coming out in full force

I get being shocked or even slightly disappointed, but this is overkill. Lol

These are the same people who were mad that we didn't hire Gene Chizik.

Playing it safe rarely pays off.

 

[VolBall09]

I do wonder what happened to Darthie in times like these. He would have loved the melee and chaos the last week on here

 

[zaqhhh]

One of the key things will be to figure out how much a target she was from the start and who said no before her.

I am looking forward to team speed improved at least. So sick of players that cannot move out there. There’s my silver lining to this hire.

 

[ACvol3]

I’m sorry but this just isn’t a good hire. I cannot wrap my head around firing kellie who has proven she can atleast win for this. It’s a slap in the face.

Posts like these always remind me of the Heupel hire and all of those negative comments… maybe just leave it to the guy whose job is on the line to make the right hire.

 

[GoVols9800]

I do chuckle at the posters who say, with great enthusiasm, "She's won everywhere she's been!!"

She's been to Glenville State College--located somewhere in the hollers of West Virginia, no one is sure where---and Marshall (also in WVA)
for a year. That's where she's been.

It IS a crazy hire.

I also chuckle when posters who say, with great enthusiasm, “It IS a crazy hire!!”

 

[Score50]

How does he know if she will attract elite recruits?

He doesn’t but he has to hope. Who in the women’s game would you have had him hire? In the big scheme of things, there are 6 teams in the women’s game that can even win the championship. The rest of the teams are just also rans. We have to hope she can coach and recruit. We haven’t had that the last 12 years. We have to hope some good players want to come and restore the name of Lady Vols. I am hopeful and I will cheer on the next coach until she shows me otherwise. Go Vols.

 

[volfeeva]

what the heck. this is seriously the best we could do? a coach with one year of D1 experience….

We should have learned from the past that you don't cut a decent coach unless you got a better one to replace them with ( see Phil Fulmer, Dooley, Kiffin, Cornbread, etc ) We traded a proven winning coach for a maybe good/maybe not so good--lets give her 4 years coach. Not good.

 

[LookoutforVols]

Nobody and I mean nobody is talking about this hire outside Tennessee fans and that speaks volumes. I think it’s fair to question the value the administration places on women’s basketball.

It's only the top story on ESPN's Home page.....