Tennessee drops from AP Top 25
- Thread starter th2421
- Start date
Pat's last season the LV's were 27-9.
Holly's first season they were 27-8.
Holly's second season the LV's were 29-6.
Holly's third season the LV's were 30-6.
You can claim that's not an improvement if you want.
This is the "bit of mystery" I referred to. Darth explains it took 4 seasons for Pat's magic to wear off - in spite of the fact Pat's last season being worse than the next three under Holly. What's your explanation?
And she still racked up quite a few assists playing off the ball in a crappy offense that demands that you dump it into the post player.
Ariel was the only PG in Holly's tenure who had the simple skill of attacking her defender off the dribble, drawing the help defense and kicking the ball out to an open teammate. I didn't see Jordan, Te'a or Andraya do that at all last year. Diamond is the only player on the team who possesses that ability, and she's handcuffed by day dreaming teammates who don't realize that they actually pass the ball to one another instead of just jacking up a shot.
That Ariel, Cierra and Izzy masked a lot of Holly's inefficiencies as a coach because they had high basketball IQ or were already good players, at least at the collegiate level (less the case for Cierra until she picked it up midway through her senior season).
Once those players were gone (and let's not forget how much Ariel was derided on this board), then any semblance of team cohesiveness left with them. No vocal presence, no leadership, just a bunch of individual players playing individual basketball. No team effort.
Holly improved on Pat's last season, but that's not saying much given that Pat was struggling with early onset of Alzheimer's and basically had no choice to resign. Her last season was a disappointment as far as results go, but that's to be understood given the circumstances the team was facing.
Holly barely did better than a coach with Alzheimer's her first year, and has gotten steadily worse. I wouldn't call that an accomplishment on her part.
Last edited:
So these players with high basketball IQ's who were top 5 recruits kept the LV's afloat despite being handcuffed by Holly yet they can't make a WNBA team where they have "real" coaching. Never mind that those same players were present during Pat's last season. You know - the season that was worse than the next three with Holly. Yeah. You stick with that.
I freely admit to all reading I have no answers and know very little. I log onto this board daily looking for knowledge and new information.
One day I just might find it.
There's a difference between a good college player and a WNBA-caliber player. There's no secret to that. There have been plenty of college AAs who didn't make the pros because they basically came into college at a college-ready level, and finished at the same level. Then you have players that get pushed to the next level because they have coaches that know what they're doing. Clearly not Holly.
But you can go ahead and believe that she's not that bad. Hey, maybe Sweet 16 can become the new standard.
If you want knowledge, try the library.
Yeah MeMe Alexa and Kortney will be hard to beat out😈 Cooper will start at the beginning of season because of experience! But she can only shoot her set shot when left alone.... Hayes and Westbrook will be able to create there own shots and complement DD on offense! Nared will start over Davis till she misses the three pointer or does not rebound! KK will learn under Mercedes and Green.
I think starters will be:
Westbrook, (Cooper) DD, Nared, Green, Mercedes ?
Subs will be:
Hayes. Alexa, Davis. KK
MeMe ????
Cortney ????
J.M.O 🤔
Nute Gunray
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2015
- Messages
- 1,292
- Likes
- 2,105
Nute Gunray
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2015
- Messages
- 1,292
- Likes
- 2,105
Both Muffett and VanDerveer were born to coach where they each are currently successful, so I can't imagine a circumstance under which either of those two would take any other job offer.
I personally wouldn't be fond of the choice of Walz. Something about him sets off negative alarms for me. I worry about shenanigans with him.
I like Staley and think she has performed a miracle getting the former perennially bad South Carolina all the way to the top of the SEC in a relatively short time, along with doing an outstanding job recruiting new loyal fans. That said, even she falls short (so far) of being able to put together a strong offense that adequately takes advantage of the top-notch talent she has brought in.
Hard "no"s to Mitchell and Frese for my taste, even though both are big names that I think could be convinced to leave their current situations.
Out of all your possibles, I'd choose Mulkey. She has a well-known, healthy respect for Pat's legacy, and I think she'd fit in well in Knoxville.
I could be extremely happy with Gary Blair, or if Leon Barmore could be coaxed out of retirement, that would work for me, too.
I'm going back into this to say that even though I respect and admire the seasoned coaches I mentioned above, I suppose the ideal situation would be if there were a big-name younger coach out there. Someone with energy (like Staley) but with a creative mind.
There are those who would disagree strongly with me based on their lukewarm success with other programs, but I feel that both Jolly-Harper and Caldwell-Fargas have the potential to find FAR more success at Tennessee than anywhere else either of them has been. Let me explain.
At those other places, the recruiting basket for both of them was far less filled with tempting goodies than it would be for an exciting young coach at Tennessee. If Harper, a Tennessee native and beloved former Lady Vol with actual head coaching experience, were to take over, she'd have an easier time convincing young players to come to Tennessee to help her fulfill lots of peoples' dreams than she has ever had anywhere else.
Caldwell was well on her way to becoming a UCLA legend when she answered the call to come back South to be closer to family. Pat once commented that Nikki was the closest to being like her than anyone else she's ever coached with, and that was telling.
Given the money and the freedom to hire WELL, I don't think either Kelley or Nikki would be dumb enough to not hire a brilliant offense-minded assistant. I just don't.
So I could be happy with either of them because, again, recruiting to Tennessee would be an easier job for either of them than they've had elsewhere.
This a well thought out analysis of the LV situation. The only thing that I would add is to consider Kyra Elzy as HC.
LasVegasBill23
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 30, 2014
- Messages
- 1,292
- Likes
- 1,602
Coach Jumper
"the right words"
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2016
- Messages
- 15,814
- Likes
- 26,382
All this team needs is an influence that knows what buttons to push to get the best out of these kids individually and one who can also instill some movement and offensive flow into this group.
I stand ready to the task. . . I know how to get the best out of female BB players and I know how to teach offense-continuity.
PointGuard
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2016
- Messages
- 3,466
- Likes
- 1,486
When Cooper committed to Tennessee, I was so happy that they would finally have an offensive-minded PG who could play. I have never been a fan of Jordan or Andraya as PG, and was happy that they would be relegated to a backup roles. To my horror, Te'a never showed the consistency or ability to take away the starting guard spot, and either Jordan or Andraya started most games or played the bulk of the minutes over Te'a.
I'm excited that they have 2 dynamic recruits coming in, but am bracing myself for a repeat of last season. As frightening as it may be, there's a chance that Jackson or Middleton might be getting the starting nod over the two freshmen if they take time to get used to the college game.
There's a premier game on ESPN2 tonight.
UConn v Notre Dame.
Tennessee is not even in the discussion of the best that wcbball has to offer.
After the James Madison win I read an article that had Holly stating she was nervous heading into that game.
I knew then that my hopes of an exciting season was shot out the window! CHW had no confidence going into the JMU game? That's telling.
UConn v Notre Dame.
Tennessee is not even in the discussion of the best that wcbball has to offer.
After the James Madison win I read an article that had Holly stating she was nervous heading into that game.
I knew then that my hopes of an exciting season was shot out the window! CHW had no confidence going into the JMU game? That's telling.
Everyone always hopes for a Connecticut loss, but in the last few years, them losing is nearly as rare as spotting a bald eagle in the shoe department at J.C. Penney. UC players are simply too well coached and too willing to put in as many extra hours at the gym as necessary to be the best.
But if any team can pull it off, it's usually a Muffett McGraw-coached Notre Dame that can do it. She really is a fine coach, and Notre Dame is lucky to have her.
But if any team can pull it off, it's usually a Muffett McGraw-coached Notre Dame that can do it. She really is a fine coach, and Notre Dame is lucky to have her.
IIRC, Holly took over in 2012. 2013 was 3 of Pat's classes and 1 of Holly's. 2014 was 2 of Pat's classes and 2 of Holly's. 2015 was 1 (and last) of Pat's class and 3 of Holly's. Last season was the first full season of JUST Holly's players, system, culture, or whatever you want to call it. So, when we're grading Holly, last season and this season are the most telling IMO because some of her success before then could have just been riding off Pat's coattails.
I personally am NOT impressed with last year and this year at all. We were LUCKY (happy) to make the Elite 8 last year and had a bad overall record and didn't even have a winning SEC record. We lost to unranked teams and we're still losing to unranked teams and OH, by the way, WE are now an unranked team.
We could do a LOT better with good coaching IMO.
Coach Jumper
"the right words"
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2016
- Messages
- 15,814
- Likes
- 26,382
If you want to say that after her third season, yes. Last year wasn't very good and this year isn't starting any better.
But the claim I was referencing was after her first season and not her third. To claim that it was getting steadily worse after her first season when the record was improving is simply foolish.
VN Store
