Tennessee Lady Vol News

[knoxvol52]

I could be there tomorrow.

Your hired.

$50,000 a year plus Denny's Grand Slam breakfast as long as you're the Head Coach.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

I might have been more willing to buy the argument for keeping Kellie because of Brooks/Chastain if she hadn’t already failed to get Horston and Jackson past the Sweet 16.

It’s not worth sitting through 3 more years of mid basketball waiting for them, IMO, and obviously Danny White agreed. (And besides, there’s no guarantee they would’ve stayed committed anyway.)

We didn’t have enough at that time either, and I even said that during that time. Right now we are building the type of supporting cast we needed around them, but we just don’t have a Rickea type player yet. It’s like we just can’t have both at the same time.

 

[Golfteacher]

NO good coach would want to play from being down!!! That is just dumb!

It is strange that CKC would say she prefers for her team to be down, but let's hope she was trying to say she felt comfortable when she was down; some coaches do not get excited when they are down unless it is a bunch or late in the game. When I coached, I never felt comfortable when my team was down. However, some people have different points of view about various situations. We need to give CKC a chance and see if her coaching philosophy works for the Lady Vols. I would imagine she has a shorter leash than Holly or Kelly to turn this program around. I am sure that she is aware of her situation.

 

[th2421]

No points for bravery of scheduling nor moral victories.

Actually, there literally are through the NET and SOS (both part of the NCAA selection committee's selection and seeding criteria).

 

[Lucy]

It is strange that CKC would say she prefers for her team to be down, but let's hope she was trying to say she felt comfortable when she was down; some coaches do not get excited when they are down unless it is a bunch or late in the game. When I coached, I never felt comfortable when my team was down. However, some people have different points of view about various situations. We need to give CKC a chance and see if her coaching philosophy works for the Lady Vols. I would imagine she has a shorter leash than Holly or Kelly to turn this program around. I am sure that she is aware of her situation.

I’m not sure she meant she likes to be down or she is fine with being down be cause her teams can fight back. I don’t know, maybe I’m just rationalizing her statement to fit my own comfort zone.
Regarding leash, I think ADs tend to give their own hires more of the benefit of the doubt. I believe CKC will get the traditional five years to prove herself unless the first two years are absolute dumpster fires.

 

[Coach Jumper]

I’m not sure she meant she likes to be down or she is fine with being down be cause her teams can fight back. I don’t know, maybe I’m just rationalizing her statement to fit my own comfort zone.
Regarding leash, I think ADs tend to give their own hires more of the benefit of the doubt. I believe CKC will get the traditional five years to prove herself unless the first two years are absolute dumpster fires.

What she means, And she is totally right,, It is harder to maintain a 2 or 3 point lead than it is to come from behind five or six points down... Teams get comfortable when they have a 2 or 3 point lead. No matter how hard you try and push them , sometimes they just think they've got the game in the bag... I totally understand where she's coming from.... It is harder to inspire a team with a lead than it is one that has the potential to come from behind....its easier to start a fire than it is to reignite one


That said, when you have a coach/team with the killer instinct that never takes their foot off of the gas,,,that there's a real coach

 

[brittannica]

I’m not sure she meant she likes to be down or she is fine with being down be cause her teams can fight back. I don’t know, maybe I’m just rationalizing her statement to fit my own comfort zone.
Regarding leash, I think ADs tend to give their own hires more of the benefit of the doubt. I believe CKC will get the traditional five years to prove herself unless the first two years are absolute dumpster fires.

does missing the tournament constitute a dumpster fire?

 

[Golfteacher]

I’m unsure if she meant she likes to be down or is okay with being down because her teams can fight back. I don’t know; maybe I’m just rationalizing her statement to fit my comfort zone.
Regarding leash, I think ADs tend to give their own hires more of the benefit of the doubt. I believe CKC will get the traditional five years to prove herself unless the first two years are absolute dumpster fires.

Believe me I want CKC to be successful the same way I wanted Holly and Kelli to be successful. That is why I refuse to nitpick what CKC says in interviews or try to find other reasons she might not be successful. I believe that she will be a very good coach until she proves otherwise. She has a successful background as a coach and I believe that will help her turn the LVs into a successful program. She seems to be full of hope and desire to be one of the best. History will be the true teller of her success or lack thereof.

 

[AllVols3]

Believe me I want CKC to be successful the same way I wanted Holly and Kelli to be successful. That is why I refuse to nitpick what CKC says in interviews or try to find other reasons she might not be successful. I believe that she will be a very good coach until she proves otherwise. She has a successful background as a coach and I believe that will help her turn the LVs into a successful program. She seems to be full of hope and desire to be one of the best. History will be the true teller of her success or lack thereof.

What constitutes a successful program, iyo?

 

[glv98]

does missing the tournament constitute a dumpster fire?

IMO not necessarily, not the first year. Only way they miss the tourney is a close miss. I think there's enough talent they'll be a decent team and will at least be under consideration. It would suck for sure though.

I think CKC will get a bit of a pass the first year bc everything will be blamed on Kellie's roster, or lack of. And it is Kellie's fault; this is the year the roster holes really caught up. No excuses for her high school recruiting though. CKC could help herself for whatever happens next year by showing help is on the way. Nyla could be her cornerstone.

 

[glv98]

What constitutes a successful program, iyo?

Steady improvement and occassional championships IMO. And an entertaining product.

 

[madtownvol]

IMO not necessarily, not the first year. Only way they miss the tourney is a close miss. I think there's enough talent they'll be a decent team and will at least be under consideration. It would suck for sure though.

I think CKC will get a bit of a pass the first year bc everything will be blamed on Kellie's roster, or lack of. And it is Kellie's fault; this is the year the roster holes really caught up. No excuses for her high school recruiting though. CKC could help herself for whatever happens next year by showing help is on the way. Nyla could be her cornerstone.

I think missing the tourney is the one that can't happen. Cora, Adams and their podcast buddy are predicting that arguing that the LVs have actually lost ground in the transfer portal (that is without Ruby of course) are likely to finish 10th or lower.

Some to many on this board, reveling in a delirious honeymoon phase, have CKC winning the national title. But she needs to finish relatively closer to the giddy optimist prediction than the grim realist ones.

She does not have the national rep of say Kim Mulkey, who could have a blah first season at LSU and then bring in a championship roster through the portal.

If Tennessee were to be a bottom feeder in the SEC, one narrative would be that the unproven D1 is still very unproven and the elite talent will look else where. If the LVs are actual forces in the conference and make a little noise in the NCAA tournament, I would jump on the sky is the limit bandwagon because the LVs would be very attractive to a lot of recruits.

If we recall how CKC's buyout is structured, it does not seem that DW is prepared to give her a long leach. You simply can't go from we are ready to compete for titles next year to oops we missed the tournament for the first time in conference history.

Before I get flamed, I am betting on CKC beating the odds here but I also think she has to make the tourney just to survive.

 

[Luckyherd]

It is strange that CKC would say she prefers for her team to be down, but let's hope she was trying to say she felt comfortable when she was down; some coaches do not get excited when they are down unless it is a bunch or late in the game. When I coached, I never felt comfortable when my team was down. However, some people have different points of view about various situations. We need to give CKC a chance and see if her coaching philosophy works for the Lady Vols. I would imagine she has a shorter leash than Holly or Kelly to turn this program around. I am sure that she is aware of her situation.

Her quote about preferring to play from behind instead of maintaining a big lead was during this past season and pertained to only this specific Herd team. During the conference season the Herd team regularly dug themselves into a hole only to go on big runs and take large leads. However, they had a hard time maintaining a big lead in some games. It wasn't that CKC was trying to protect a big lead. The players just didn't execute. She stated that she preferred to build and maintain a big lead throughout which did occur later in the season.

For examples. 1. JMU first of 3 games against Marshall. Herd fell behind 29-15 in the second qtr on the road, went on a 60-28 run with 4:52 left in game for a 75-57 lead, but only won 77-70. 2. On the road at ULM game they trailed by 17 midway through the second qtr only to turn around and take a 18 point lead early in the 4th. That lead was cut to 5 points before winning 99-90.

There were other times when they did comeback and put the foot on the gas. In the home game versus ODU, they trailed by 13 in the second quarter but blew them out in the second half for a 90-60 win.

All 3 SB teams mentioned above finished 3rd, 4th, and 5th in the 14 team conference.

There is a lot discussion whether or not her coaching / style of play will translate well for the SEC. I think it will for numerous reasons.
1. It doesn't need top ten talent to be successful. It needs quick, athletic players who want to play extremely hard and together as a team. She is building a team now that fits that criteria. As time goes on she should be able to bring in elite talent as recruits will see and love the winning, fast pace style. Marshall won with average talent for the Sun Belt and did so for most of the conference season with no one taller than 6 foot. The two leading, scoring 5'4" point guards were former Division II players.
2. No one has talked about this but all opponents including SEC teams will only play the LadyVols once during the regular season. It is very difficult to prepare a team to face the intensity, pace, and style of a CKC squad just once. Marshall played 6 conference teams at least twice. JMU was the only conference team to beat Marshall in their second of three matchups due in large part to time between games to make adjustments. The JMU coach admitted after the conference tournament final loss that one day between the tournament games was not enough time to prepare for Marshall. So outside of the first SEC tournament game, no one should have a day of prep and rest before playing the LadyVols.
3. CKC is a great coach. Winning, championships, motivation, teaching, personality, character, Xs and Os, in game adjustments, fan engagement, etc. are all top notch. She is better in my opinion than say Billy Donovan who also was a young Marshall head coach for 2 seasons in the mid 90s before heading to Florida for 4 Final Fours and 2 championships. Similar to CKC, he too implemented at Marshall a fast, full court basketball style brought with him from UK under Pitino. He had above average talent for the Southern Conference (SC) including future NBA player Jason "White Chocolate" Williams, but with a 35-20 overall record, didn't win a SC conference title in his tenure. This will laughed at by many, but she should be more successful at UT than Donovan was at Florida.

 

[brittannica]

 

[LV renaissance]

I think missing the tourney is the one that can't happen. Cora, Adams and their podcast buddy are predicting that arguing that the LVs have actually lost ground in the transfer portal (that is without Ruby of course) are likely to finish 10th or lower.

Some to many on this board, reveling in a delirious honeymoon phase, have CKC winning the national title. But she needs to finish relatively closer to the giddy optimist prediction than the grim realist ones.

She does not have the national rep of say Kim Mulkey, who could have a blah first season at LSU and then bring in a championship roster through the portal.

If Tennessee were to be a bottom feeder in the SEC, one narrative would be that the unproven D1 is still very unproven and the elite talent will look else where. If the LVs are actual forces in the conference and make a little noise in the NCAA tournament, I would jump on the sky is the limit bandwagon because the LVs would be very attractive to a lot of recruits.

If we recall how CKC's buyout is structured, it does not seem that DW is prepared to give her a long leach. You simply can't go from we are ready to compete for titles next year to oops we missed the tournament for the first time in conference history.

Before I get flamed, I am betting on CKC beating the odds here but I also think she has to make the tourney just to survive.

I think she would still get another year even in she doesn't make the NCAAs, as White really doesn't want this to be seen as a mistake. Other factors include getting much better during the year as the players start to jell into the new system, a big upset or two, and/or a big HS recruit or two. All these would help her withstand not making the tournament the first year. Of course, that doesn't mean that most LV fans wouldn't be up in arms.
For me, I would hope she would be given some time to get players who fit her system, tinker with her system as indicated to best fit the SEC, and have returning players who already know the system.

 

[Rooster1]

I think she would still get another year even in she doesn't make the NCAAs, as White really doesn't want this to be seen as a mistake. Other factors include getting much better during the year as the players start to jell into the new system, a big upset or two, and/or a big HS recruit or two. All these would help her withstand not making the tournament the first year. Of course, that doesn't mean that most LV fans wouldn't be up in arms.
For me, I would hope she would be given some time to get players who fit her system, tinker with her system as indicated to best fit the SEC, and have returning players who already know the system.

She is going to get a pretty long leash unless (it won’t be) it’s just a disastrous first 3 seasons. AD’s give their own hires time to put it together

 

[Golfteacher]

Her quote about preferring to play from behind instead of maintaining a big lead was during this past season and pertained to only this specific Herd team. During the conference season the Herd team regularly dug themselves into a hole only to go on big runs and take significant leads. However, they had a hard time maintaining a big lead in some games. It wasn't that CKC was trying to protect a big lead. The players just didn't execute. She stated that she preferred to build and maintain a big lead throughout, which occurred later in the season.

For examples. 1. JMU first of 3 games against Marshall. Herd fell behind 29-15 in the second qtr on the road, went on a 60-28 run with 4:52 left in game for a 75-57 lead, but only won 77-70. 2. On the road at ULM game they trailed by 17 midway through the second qtr only to turn around and take a 18 point lead early in the 4th. That lead was cut to 5 points before winning 99-90.

There were other times when they did come back and put their foot on the gas. In the home game versus ODU, they trailed by 13 in the second quarter but blew them out in the second half for a 90-60 win.

All 3 SB teams mentioned above finished 3rd, 4th, and 5th in the 14 team conference.

There is a lot discussion whether or not her coaching / style of play will translate well for the SEC. I think it will for numerous reasons.
1. It doesn't need top ten talent to be successful. It needs quick, athletic players who want to play extremely hard and together as a team. She is building a team now that fits that criteria. As time goes on she should be able to bring in elite talent as recruits will see and love the winning, fast pace style. Marshall won with average talent for the Sun Belt and did so for most of the conference season with no one taller than 6 foot. The two leading, scoring 5'4" point guards were former Division II players.
2. No one has talked about this but all opponents including SEC teams will only play the LadyVols once during the regular season. It is very difficult to prepare a team to face the intensity, pace, and style of a CKC squad just once. Marshall played 6 conference teams at least twice. JMU was the only conference team to beat Marshall in their second of three matchups due in large part to time between games to make adjustments. The JMU coach admitted after the conference tournament final loss that one day between the tournament games was not enough time to prepare for Marshall. So outside of the first SEC tournament game, no one should have a day of prep and rest before playing the LadyVols.
3. CKC is a great coach. Winning, championships, motivation, teaching, personality, character, Xs and Os, in game adjustments, fan engagement, etc. are all top notch. She is better in my opinion than say Billy Donovan who also was a young Marshall head coach for 2 seasons in the mid 90s before heading to Florida for 4 Final Fours and 2 championships. Similar to CKC, he too implemented at Marshall a fast, full court basketball style brought with him from UK under Pitino. He had above average talent for the Southern Conference (SC) including future NBA player Jason "White Chocolate" Williams, but with a 35-20 overall record, didn't win a SC conference title in his tenure. This will laughed at by many, but she should be more successful at UT than Donovan was at Florida.

Well I am highly impressed how CKC took Marshall to the NCAAs in her first year as HC. Marshall was not highly ranked during their conference preseason. I am excited to see what she can do with the LVs.

 

[Golfteacher]

I think missing the tourney is the one that can't happen. Cora, Adams and their podcast buddy are predicting that arguing that the LVs have actually lost ground in the transfer portal (that is without Ruby of course) are likely to finish 10th or lower.

Some to many on this board, reveling in a delirious honeymoon phase, have CKC winning the national title. But she needs to finish relatively closer to the giddy optimist prediction than the grim realist ones.

She does not have the national rep of say Kim Mulkey, who could have a blah first season at LSU and then bring in a championship roster through the portal.

If Tennessee were to be a bottom feeder in the SEC, one narrative would be that the unproven D1 is still very unproven and the elite talent will look else where. If the LVs are actual forces in the conference and make a little noise in the NCAA tournament, I would jump on the sky is the limit bandwagon because the LVs would be very attractive to a lot of recruits.

If we recall how CKC's buyout is structured, it does not seem that DW is prepared to give her a long leach. You simply can't go from we are ready to compete for titles next year to oops we missed the tournament for the first time in conference history.

Before I get flamed, I am betting on CKC beating the odds here but I also think she has to make the tourney just to survive.

None of us pundits really know what CKC can and will do in the upcoming year. To advocate that the sky is falling at this time of year is just as insane as predicting that CKC will lead the LVs to the final four her first year. I just wish CKC and the team all the best and that previous successes follows her to Rocky Top.

 

[Orange.]

Vols women tennis just knocked off 1-seed Oklahoma State (previously undefeated at 29-0) to win their Super Regional and advance to the Elite Eight at Nationals. I don't follow this closely but I'm hearing people say this is the biggest win in program history for LV Tennis. (The men also won their Super Regional over Florida State and advance to the EE at Nationals.)

 

[Dak1219]

IMO not necessarily, not the first year. Only way they miss the tourney is a close miss. I think there's enough talent they'll be a decent team and will at least be under consideration. It would suck for sure though.

I think CKC will get a bit of a pass the first year bc everything will be blamed on Kellie's roster, or lack of. And it is Kellie's fault; this is the year the roster holes really caught up. No excuses for her high school recruiting though. CKC could help herself for whatever happens next year by showing help is on the way. Nyla could be her cornerstone.

Everyone talks about how great of a coach Dawn Staley is etc. Let's remember it took Dawn 6 years to begin competing at the Top of the SEC and get past the 2nd round of the NCAA tournament and 9 years to get a national championship. Granted she had nothing coming into her program and had to build from scratch. It took Pat 11 years to win her first National Championship.

Kim Caldwell is not taking over a program and building from scratch. Tennessee has not been lower than 4th place in the last 5 years and has made the Sweet Sixteen 2 of the last 3 years and you don't do that with just one player. It is not like she is doing a complete rebuild starting with nothing. These players are used to winning a lot of games and there is a culture of winning here even if they have not won a championship in some time. 20 plus wins a year is tough for most programs to do, yet Tennessee has continued to do this consistently. All of the players on this team have all won 20-plus games a year during their time at Tennessee and new star players and team leaders emerge when former star players move on to the next level. We always hear, "How are we gonna compete with the loss of this player or that player," but Tennessee has always done just that and has always stayed at the top of the SEC minus that one season with Holly (8th and a First round NCAA tournament loss), but I regress.

I don't think there is a pass if the season is a dumpster fire. Danny White's reputation would take just as much of a hit as Caldwell's should that happen. I would imagine that the non-conference schedule that Kim is getting dealt with is Kellie's schedule for the most part because those games are scheduled 1 & 2 years ahead. If it looks anything like last year's schedule, we are going to know a lot about this team pretty early into the season.

 

[Coach Jumper]

....I don't think there is a pass if the season is a dumpster fire. Danny White's reputation would take just as much of a hit as Caldwell's should that happen. I would imagine that the non-conference schedule that Kim is getting dealt with is Kellie's schedule for the most part because those games are scheduled 1 & 2 years ahead. If it looks anything like last year's schedule, we are going to know a lot about this team pretty early into the season.

I agree with this part.
If this venture truly is a catastrophe I wouldn't be surprised at all if it is a one and done.

And if it is by design, by DW, it is really quite brilliant, in that by hiring a non-D1 recognized elite coach, he has opened the door to go outside of the Tennessee tree and spend big money on a "named coach".

He opened the door to do so by putting a clause in the contract for the next Lady Vols basketball coach before he knew the person to whom he would offer that contract. That contract clause chosen by the Tennessee athletics director offers the opportunity to become the highest-paid coach in the country by winning a national title.

By doing this he has more or less given himself permission and by proxy, the TN fanbase, to spend the highest dollar to get a Nationally competitive coach.

 

[lvocd]

This is AWESOME! I hope this means we'll be seeing some of these Lady Vols at the upcoming Olympic Games. The 4x100 is my favorite race to watch.

 

[brittannica]

This is AWESOME! I hope this means we'll be seeing some of these Lady Vols at the upcoming Olympic Games. The 4x100 is my favorite race to watch.

Looks like Jacious Sears had an injury in the individual race, which is a shame because she was on track to win by a sizable margin. Hope we see her at the trials and that it was just a cramp! 🩵

 

[knoxvol52]

This is AWESOME! I hope this means we'll be seeing some of these Lady Vols at the upcoming Olympic Games. The 4x100 is my favorite race to watch.

Everything school..

 

[Orange.]

Looks like Jacious Sears had an injury in the individual race, which is a shame because she was on track to win by a sizable margin. Hope we see her at the trials and that it was just a cramp! 🩵

Someone in the RF said she tweaked a hamstring. If that is right, the recovery time could vary widely. Idk if that is right, and I doubt there will be information about it. We all hope she is ready for the trials. She's all that.

As you know (#9,616), she recorded the fasted time in the world in 100m earlier this year (10.77), only 0.02 off from the NCAA record. (In case anyone missed it.)