Poor roster management by Barnes

[wmcovol]

Best 5 or 6 players next year may be the same type or similar type player

JJJ
SV
KJohnson
Springer
Oregon transfer
Gaines

None are true point guards. All are combo type. Only Springer & SV appears to be great shooters. Meanwhile very little big post presence. Walker more a swing guy

Program desperately needs some 6-9+ post presence. Uros & Fulk appears to be it. Pember needs a redshirt yr

 

[i2amavol]

Vescovi may be one of those players you take regardless of position. Certainly, he was a player of need, coming in at a time of desperation.

I am pretty sure that we will have at least one more post player by next season, but Uros would have taken care of that issue nicely this year. In today's game, I would rather risk being thin at the Center position than any other position on the court. Obviously, the gamble isn't paying off at this time.

 

[Namorto1]

Best 5 or 6 players next year may be the same type or similar type player

JJJ
SV
KJohnson
Springer
Oregon transfer
Gaines

None are true point guards. All are combo type. Only Springer & SV appears to be great shooters. Meanwhile very little big post presence. Walker more a swing guy

Program desperately needs some 6-9+ post presence. Uros & Fulk appears to be it. Pember needs a redshirt yr

Definitely need another post player but those are increasingly hard to find. Even 6’10 players are jacking up 3’s in today’s game. I hope we can figure out a way to get Caldwell or a graduate transfer big. I do think Walker will be positioned as a very skilled 4 next year. He has frame to gain weight and despite his height seems to have long arms so may play bigger than what he is with more strength. He definitely has an old school game. Not a classic back to the basket player but he appears to have a good mid-range game. Give him the ball at the elbow and let him work type of player. (Honestly Fulky needs to develop this part of his game drastically himself).

 

[ReBellVol]

I think letting DJ Burns get away was a major mistake.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Best 5 or 6 players next year may be the same type or similar type player

JJJ
SV
KJohnson
Springer
Oregon transfer
Gaines

None are true point guards. All are combo type. Only Springer & SV appears to be great shooters. Meanwhile very little big post presence. Walker more a swing guy

Program desperately needs some 6-9+ post presence. Uros & Fulk appears to be it. Pember needs a redshirt yr

Olivier is another post.

JJJ is a HS PG learning to be a wing. It won't surprise me to see him play more and more PG over time at UT. He played a lot of PG today.

Most HS PGs are too small to be P-6 PGs.

Vescovi looks like a PG to me. Did you miss the behind the back pass to a baseline cutter in the 2nd half? He's going to get better the more he plays.

 

[wmcovol]

Olivier is another post.

JJJ is a HS PG learning to be a wing. It won't surprise me to see him play more and more PG over time at UT. He played a lot of PG today.

Most HS PGs are too small to be P-6 PGs.

Vescovi looks like a PG to me. Did you miss the behind the back pass to a baseline cutter in the 2nd half? He's going to get better the more he plays.

Yes I saw the pass to Pons. Very nice. I just see him as a combo guy who could play some point but not completely.

 

[VolGee4]

You don’t need as many posts in today’s game. We will be fine next year because we get two elite players who can use their athleticism to get a shot or to the rim. This team would probably be 10-3 or better if they had someone who is aggressive and is an elite athlete getting his shot. We simply need posts this year because we don’t have an elite scorer.

That said, we will probably add a post. I haven’t given up on ON either. He will get better.

 

[Roustabout]

Yes I saw the pass to Pons. Very nice. I just see him as a combo guy who could play some point but not completely.

Uh, no, dude is PG all the way. Once he settled in to the SEC pace and defense he’ll be fine. He probably saw more defense in one game than his whole life.

Let me add that Springer is the alpha score this team needs. He’ll light it up and he is absolutely able to play PG. great ball handler

 

[BowlBrother85]

I think letting DJ Burns get away was a major mistake.

How do you know they didn't try to keep him from leaving? I think he is the one who made a mistake if it was over playing time. He would have gotten a shot this season. We will be fine next year.

 

[Namorto1]

Uh, no, dude is PG all the way. Once he settled in to the SEC pace and defense he’ll be fine. He probably saw more defense in one game than his whole life.

Let me add that Springer is the alpha score this team needs. He’ll light it up and he is absolutely able to play PG. great ball handler

Agree completely. Springer is the number 1 option as soon as he steps on campus and seems to be able to do it all offensively. Likewise, Keon Johnson may be our best perimeter defender as soon as he walks on campus too. The mystery to me is Plavsic. I’ve read the speculation (supposedly the best post player on the roster already) but I still am anxious to see him play.

 

[Roustabout]

How do you know they didn't try to keep him from leaving? I think he is the one who made a mistake if it was over playing time. He would have gotten a shot this season. We will be fine next year.

Playing time? He redshirted. If you read the rumors that were floated on this board it was a character assassination. My guess is he wasn’t a Barnes choir boy and was invited to leave. Word was they were recruiting Blackshear and nudging him out.

 

[BowlBrother85]

Best 5 or 6 players next year may be the same type or similar type player

JJJ
SV
KJohnson
Springer
Oregon transfer
Gaines

None are true point guards. All are combo type. Only Springer & SV appears to be great shooters. Meanwhile very little big post presence. Walker more a swing guy

Program desperately needs some 6-9+ post presence. Uros & Fulk appears to be it. Pember needs a redshirt yr

I was watching highlights of Corey Walker and Keon Johnson earlier. I don't see what you mean by calling Walker "more a swing guy". There are many plays of him posting up strong and scoring down low... and based on what I've seen, Keon Johnson has a very nice stroke. I haven't examined his stats. Springer, Johnson and Walker combine to make the most athletic group I have ever seen from a Tennessee signing class. This thread title could possibly be fair criticism if you were talking only about THIS season's team... but if you are talking about NEXT season, I think you are wrong. We are gonna be good.

 

[Roustabout]

Agree completely. Springer is the number 1 option as soon as he steps on campus and seems to be able to do it all offensively. Likewise, Keon Johnson may be our best perimeter defender as soon as he walks on campus too. The mystery to me is Plavsic. I’ve read the speculation (supposedly the best post player on the roster already) but I still am anxious to see him play.

Yes, hopefully Keon heals up quick.
UP won’t have to do much on the offensive end. Clean up garbage, rebound and defend. Plenty of scorers coming in.
With Vescovi they should have a sick guard rotation. I could see them playing four guards and a post at times.

 

[wmcovol]

I was watching highlights of Corey Walker and Keon Johnson earlier. I don't see what you mean by calling Walker "more a swing guy". There are many plays of him posting up strong and scoring down low... and based on what I've seen, Keon Johnson has a very nice stroke. I haven't examined his stats. Springer, Johnson and Walker combine to make the most athletic group I have ever seen from a Tennessee signing class. This thread title could possibly be fair criticism if you were talking only about THIS season's team... but if you are talking about NEXT season, I think you are wrong. We are gonna be good.

I’ve seen Walker listed at 6-6, 6-7 range. Of. course he’s a post in high school. He’s about 2-3 inches short for a strong 4 in college. I’ve heard he’s a wing from college recruiting gurus.

 

[BowlBrother85]

I’ve seen Walker listed at 6-6, 6-7 range. Of. course he’s a post in high school. He’s about 2-3 inches short for a strong 4 in college. I’ve heard he’s a wing from college recruiting gurus.

Isn't that what two time SEC Player of the Year Grant Williams was? Walker needs a little more size, but he appears to have the frame to support it. I wouldn't worry about it. We will be good next year.

 

[wmcovol]

Isn't that what two time SEC Player of the Year Grant Williams was? Walker needs a little more size, but he appears to have the frame to support it. I wouldn't worry about it. We will be good next year.

Yeah. He’s same height as Grant. What was I thinking.

 

[Roustabout]

Yeah. He’s same height as Grant. What was I thinking.

Yes, but very different players. ON is much more like Grant.

 

[VolSkeet83]

We know we will be bigger (and stronger) next year with our current players on campus (redshirts including) getting a full cycle of off-season training and development. Throw in our current recruits & additional help on the way (At least 1 grad transfer forward/center and another solid Freshman), we'll be fine next year.

Height is important, but not necessarily what wins championships in this era of college bball. Case and point: Below is the starting lineups in last season's final four, including position and height of each starter:

Texas Tech
F Norense Odiase: 6-8
F Tariq Owens: 6-10
G Matt Mooney: 6-3
G Davide Moretti: 6-3
G Jarrett Culver: 6-7

Virginia
F Mamadi Diakite: 6-9
F De’Andre Hunter: 6-7
G Ty Jerome: 6-5
G Kyle Guy: 6-3
G Kihei Clark: 5-9

Auburn
F Anfernee McLemore: 6-7
F Danjel Purifoy: 6-7
G Malik Dunbar: 6-6
G Bryce Brown: 6-3
G Jared Harper: 5-11

Michigan State
F Kenny Goins: 6-7
F Aaron Henry: 6-6
F Xavier Tillman: 6-8
G Matt McQuaid: 6-6
G Cassius Winston: 6-1

 

[RollerVol]

just wait till next year...

 

[JoAllan]

Best 5 or 6 players next year may be the same type or similar type player

JJJ
SV
KJohnson
Springer
Oregon transfer
Gaines

None are true point guards. All are combo type. Only Springer & SV appears to be great shooters. Meanwhile very little big post presence. Walker more a swing guy

Program desperately needs some 6-9+ post presence. Uros & Fulk appears to be it. Pember needs a redshirt yr

Not sure what kind of “point guard” your looking for, but SV is a point, Bailey was the 19th rated point guard in the nation (not combo but point), then you will have a few others that have played point.......again, not sure what your talking about.

Down low Tennessee will have Fulk, Pons, Plavsic, Olivier, Pember, and Corey Walker is the 6th ranked power forward.......and they may pick up someone else.

Again not sure what your so concerned about (for next year).