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

I hated when Kellie would sub players out left and right even when a group is doing well. The thoughts of 5 in and 5 out makes me nervous. I don’t know if you are getting 10 quality players with no drop off unless you are Dawn Staley.

I think it’s fine as long as it suits your system. The subs Kellie ran made no sense and were usually paint by numbers. I swear she decided who and when she was going to sub before the games.

Caldwell’s subs are done like that because of how hard her players are playing. Kellie wasn’t subbing to give anyone a blow they needed, she was just running players in and out for no particular reason.
 
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He will be back in 2 to 3 years doing this again. I have no idea why this has to be pointed out but DW has a wife and 2 daughters. His boss is a women who has always had an eye on all UT sports including the women's program. Randy and Jennie have supported the track and field program at UT and the baseball and softball programs. All the above have skin in the game of women's sports. Our new coach may well be a moneyball hire, but she needs resources. Powell Rickea and Key are gone and this does open up Booster Her money and NIL opportunity. Positive support is NIL and collective resources to recruit. The level expected and DEMANDED even in her first year is a NCAA berth. If she is as competitive as we are told she is, she knows this. The timing of this change in my opinion has much to do with Barnes and realizing the end is near as he rides off into the sunset. His last class he really has a real tie with will be sr's next year. No way DW wanted to make two hires in one cycle. So in DW's best interest he makes sure she is successful so the trust is present with the UT hierarchy when he starts the search for the next men's bb coach. JMO
 
Actually, Nate Oates spent 6 years at the D1 university, 2 as an assistant. Still not the same thing - he had 6 years' experience at a D1 school.
 
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It is not just the Kellie supporters but fans in general - that is why the publicity push is over the top right now to make this seem like the best hire and the only one that should have been considered. It isn't and it should not have been. And based on reports that are now surfacing, there was consideration given to successful and seasoned D1 coaches that said no.

I have never gotten special treatment and I am baffled as well, so to toss this off as if it is some special society of fans is just avoiding the conversation that needs to play out for folks to accept this and move on. Many fans are in the WTH mode right now.

You said the basketball world at large seems to think this was a good hire. Where have you seen that because I haven't? Have you seen any former Lady Vols comment on this yet?

The first thing though she needs to do is learn how to recruit at the D1 level. She has yet to sign / recruit any player for a D1 school. She signed no one at Marshall. Even she admits she doesn't know how to recruit at this level. That is a big learning curve for her.
I mean she would’ve been completely FOS if she said she did know how to recruit at this level. The fact that she’s aware it’s an area she must focus on is encouraging to me.
 
We really just Kiffin’d her from Marshall . 😆

She was there one year , had success, and left for a job with more prestige and money .
Cept Kiffin had time and experience at USC…that was going home more than prestige/bucks.
 
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I hated when Kellie would sub players out left and right even when a group is doing well. The thoughts of 5 in and 5 out makes me nervous. I don’t know if you are getting 10 quality players with no drop off unless you are Dawn Staley.
Like Kellie, Kim will have to rethink some of her strategies to update them to SEC skill-levels.

An elite SunBelt athlete versus the elite athlete in SEC is far away a different skill level....also strategies don't readily transfer from a non-P5 to a power P5 university bc of the skill level of the athletes and the athletes you are playing against

I personally believe that Kellie wanted to try to mirror her success in the MVC to the SEC using MVC level players/recruits.....and it just doesn't work like that.
 
Because absent an absolute recruiting miracle from a coach who just told us she doesn’t know how to recruit at this level, our roster has deep holes that a coach with no experience at this level has very minimal realistic chances of covering. Other than that. . .
I, too, have concerns about recruiting with Coach Caldwell. That said, I hope her first interview is with Coach Sam and she retains her on the staff. If that happens, we have someone who,at least, has contact and familiarity, if not a full blown relationship, with the recruits she will likely need.
I think people are putting too much into a comment from a year ago. Once Coach Caldwell gets in the door, I will bet she knows how to close!

Jim
 
I, too, have concerns about recruiting with Coach Caldwell. That said, I hope her first interview is with Coach Sam and she retains her on the staff. If that happens, we have someone who,at least, has contact and familiarity, if not a full blown relationship, with the recruits she will likely need.
I think people are putting too much into a comment from a year ago. Once Coach Caldwell gets in the door, I will bet she knows how to close!

Jim
You kinda get the feeling from watching and listening to her that she can certainly get the attention of those around her when she needs to. I think maybe her personality will be attractive to players if, like you said, she gets the opportunities to meet in person with players. Her energy is both warm AND strong, which is a good combo.
 
Here's what bothered me about Kellie. Her teams finished the first quarter usually down double digits some times 20 points down in the early second only to come back to close to winning. She wasn't a bad coach, just didn't get the most out of the players she had.
The other thing I noticed was a lot of stagnant play where players were relying on someone else to make a play. Watch the really good teams and there is more than 1 player making a play. Good teams know if there's 1 player all they have to do is shut her down and they win.
For the new coach to be successful she will need to win against some ranked opponents above us (think Heupel against Bama) and our team will need to show massive improvement offensively and defensively so no 20-30 points blow outs at home. She will also have to take us to a minimum of Sweet 16 her first year. That's the standard. It also wouldn't hurt for her to take us into the elite 8 and a Final Four.
 
Here's what bothered me about Kellie. Her teams finished the first quarter usually down double digits some times 20 points down in the early second only to come back to close to winning. She wasn't a bad coach, just didn't get the most out of the players she had.
The other thing I noticed was a lot of stagnant play where players were relying on someone else to make a play. Watch the really good teams and there is more than 1 player making a play. Good teams know if there's 1 player all they have to do is shut her down and they win.
For the new coach to be successful she will need to win against some ranked opponents above us (think Heupel against Bama) and our team will need to show massive improvement offensively and defensively so no 20-30 points blow outs at home. She will also have to take us to a minimum of Sweet 16 her first year. That's the standard. It also wouldn't hurt for her to take us into the elite 8 and a Final Four.
You’re drunk with perceived power. If the old coach would have delivered the same results with all her players none of this would be happening.

Let’s see who stays on the Team and what they can do. I expect they will compete at a new level but it’s a tough league.
 
Heupel has "killed it"? Please. He's had one good year in 3. I like the guy--but don't be ridiculous. Butch Jones had good years, too. And Caldwell "has won everywhere she's been"? Also ridiculous: Here's where she's been: Glenville State and 1 year at Marshall.
SEC: 14-10

Georgia 0-3

Florida 1-2

Alabama 1-2
 
Like Kellie, Kim will have to rethink some of her strategies to update them to SEC skill-levels.

An elite SunBelt athlete versus the elite athlete in SEC is far away a different skill level....also strategies don't readily transfer from a non-P5 to a power P5 university bc of the skill level of the athletes and the athletes you are playing against

I personally believe that Kellie wanted to try to mirror her success in the MVC to the SEC using MVC level players/recruits.....and it just doesn't work like that.
That first class was ominous
 
Heupel has "killed it"? Please. He's had one good year in 3. I like the guy--but don't be ridiculous. Butch Jones had good years, too. And Caldwell "has won everywhere she's been"? Also ridiculous: Here's where she's been: Glenville State and 1 year at Marshall.
I appreciate your earlier post which tracked the history of White hires. He seems to be a high roller type who wins some and looses some at around the rate of chance. So long as folks only remember the wins and forget or excuse the losses, he can be THE GOAT OF ADs. I get the Heupel love. He took over a moribund program. Had a magical season (albeit which fizzled toward the end) and got the signature win against Saban and his evil empire. All great stuff but last season raises some questions about how sustainable this will be and if the Vols can stay near the top or if they become middle of the pack in an even more competitive conference. I agree with you that it is a little early to declare him the homerun hire of the century. The next 2 seasons will sort that out.

Long way of saying, I hoping the bet on Coach Caldwell pays off.
 
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I appreciate your earlier post which tracked the history of White hires. He seems to be a high roller type who wins some and looses some at around the rate of chance. So long as folks only remember the wins and forget or excuse the losses, he can be THE GOAT OF ADs. I get the Heupel love. He took over a moribund program. Had a magical season (albeit which fizzled toward the end) and got the signature win against Saban and his evil empire. All great stuff but last season raises some questions about how sustainable this will be and if the Vols can stay near the top or if they become middle of the pack in an even more competitive conference. I agree with you that it is a little early to declare him the homerun hire of the century. The next 2 seasons will sort that out.

Long way of saying, I hoping the bet on Coach Caldwell pays off.
Gotta have the horses. Heupel probably figured the Milton year would be…challenging. At least two more years with a thoroughbred.
 
SEC: 14-10

Georgia 0-3

Florida 1-2

Alabama 1-2

Interesting - I thought he had more overall SEC wins than that. Agree he is a better coach than the last few, but jury is out on great. The coming years with the recruits being totally his will be a better indication. Hooker was one of those once in a lifetime players where you had the right player in the right offense.
 

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