The Official Rick Barnes discussion thread

[Just a VolinTears]

Let's not forget the wilderness we were in before Barnes arrived. We have the second longest active AP poll streak, constantly in the top 10, sec regular season and tournament champs, All-americans, and excitement around the program with sellouts every game. I, for one, appreciate Barnes for his work at UT up to this point. Be careful what you wish for...

 

[Volinnooga]

My sense is that CRB will know when it’s time to hang it up.

 

[Volinnooga]

Is it a different season if Cam Carr doesn’t transfer, JP is healthy, and D Stone isn’t a bust? As a fan who watched Jerry Green, Buzz, Martin, Donnie, I say be careful of what we wish for. Texas still hasn’t found a replacement for Barnes.

Nor did we find a replacement for Fulmer for many desolate years.

 

[Butch s]

Love CRB,but I do think the game is passing him by. Happens to all coaches at some point. His philosophy has always been defense. The game now is offense. Not sure he can accept and adapt to that

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Love CRB,but I do think the game is passing him by. Happens to all coaches at some point. His philosophy has always been defense. The game now is offense. Not sure he can accept and adapt to that

The game now is offense? Show your work please.

 

[Butch s]

The game now is offense? Show your work please.

. How’s that

 

[VolsSportsFan]

Not on the same level with Pearl?

Hope you weren't trying to sound credible

Apparently having to shoehorn in he’s a born again Christian was the part that made him credible.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

. How’s that

It’s defective.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

Apparently having to shoehorn in he’s a born again Christian was the part that made him credible.

It's a reasonable opinion that Bruce MIGHT be a better coach. It's remarkably ignorant to suggest Pearl is another level better

 

[VolGee4]

I've just grown tired of the same ol' same ol'; better than expected results leading up to March followed by a March meltdown ending in an earlier than necessary or expected exit from the Big Dance. There's nothing to indicate that this season is not going to end the exact same way.
I don't see any way to alter expectations other than Barnes leaving the program and he and his staff being replaced by whatever program-changing / improving staff Danny White can dredge up for us. I have faith in White that he won't disappoint when the time for regime change is upon us.

We made the EE last year. That wasn’t a disappointment.

 

[Butch s]

It’s defective.

If it is it’s self inflicted

 

[VolGee4]

Love CRB,but I do think the game is passing him by. Happens to all coaches at some point. His philosophy has always been defense. The game now is offense. Not sure he can accept and adapt to that

He’s already adjusted to that by taking transfers that are better offensively. Lanier, Milicic, and Dubar weren’t defensive stalwarts. His teams sometimes shoot many more three’s than he did in the past. Just need players to execute and keep developing young players.

 

[Butch s]

The game now is offense? Show your work please.

 

[Butch s]

Lots of good teams with high scoring offense. Not many good teams with defense. We don’t have the shooters to compete in this game today

 

[Butch s]

He’s already adjusted to that by taking transfers that are better offensively. Lanier, Milicic, and Dubar weren’t defensive stalwarts. His teams sometimes shoot many more three’s than he did in the past. Just need players to execute and keep developing young players.

They are better offensively than who. Maybe Milicic is, other than that not sure

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Failed logic.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

Lots of good teams with high scoring offense. Not many good teams with defense. We don’t have the shooters to compete in this game today

20-5 totally discredits your silly opinion

 

[driscokid]

Considering the shooter they have is not consistent yet they still have been a top 10 team all season I’d say Barnes is doing just fine.

 

[CAVPUT]

I’m one for a change. I like Barnes but his system without shooters can’t work.

It works, but it has a hard ceiling.

 

[CAVPUT]

He’s already adjusted to that by taking transfers that are better offensively. Lanier, Milicic, and Dubar weren’t defensive stalwarts. His teams sometimes shoot many more three’s than he did in the past. Just need players to execute and keep developing young players.

Yep. It always seems that the "shooters" we get somehow struggle once they get to campus. I still think there's a fatigue factor involved. Barnes doesn't go deep on his bench and the effort these guys expend on defense is going to impact your legs at some/various points during the season. It seems to be the one constant in our shooters struggles over the Barnes era. At least that's my theory.

 

[LegionnaireOfTheMiserable]

We’ve won 80% of our games this year as a program that has historically won 61%

I would not be happy at all with moving on from Barnes, but I hate arguments that use this logic. This was the same logic that said people should be happy with Butch Jones because 9-4 is right about our average in football historically.

Rick has his issues but has us competing at a more consistent level than we ever have. He won’t be around much longer, and odds are we are gonna take a step back with the next guy. If the next guy is an improvement, I’d be stunned and elated, because he would have to have a consistently elite team to improve on Barnes. But we should appreciate Barnes for what he is while still being able to discuss things objectively. For me that is not an impossible thing to do, but for some, it is.

 

[VolGee4]

They are better offensively than who. Maybe Milicic is, other than that not sure

Lanier has been top 5 in the SEC in scoring. Than who? A whole bunch of players.

 

[CINCYVOL]

My critique of Barnes this season is that we have a team full of role players and none of those roles apparently include creating their own shot.

The coaching staff needs to look at how they're developing players and stop relying on the portal to find an offensive spark every season and hoping that it works out well.

Yes, I know that we're currently a top 5 team but this team with its many deficiencies is getting exposed quite a bit during the SEC schedule.

Every team is getting better exposed in the SEC, this is the best that SEC bball has ever been

 

[SGMVols]

I would not be happy at all with moving on from Barnes, but I hate arguments that use this logic. This was the same logic that said people should be happy with Butch Jones because 9-4 is right about our average in football historically.

Rick has his issues but has us competing at a more consistent level than we ever have. He won’t be around much longer, and odds are we are gonna take a step back with the next guy. If the next guy is an improvement, I’d be stunned and elated, because he would have to have a consistently elite team to improve on Barnes. But we should appreciate Barnes for what he is while still being able to discuss things objectively. For me that is not an impossible thing to do, but for some, it is.

We didn’t fire Butch because of the two 9-4s

We fired him because he posted the first ever winless SEC season in school history after that.

 

[VolGee4]

Yep. It always seems that the "shooters" we get somehow struggle once they get to campus. I still think there's a fatigue factor involved. Barnes doesn't go deep on his bench and the effort these guys expend on defense is going to impact your legs at some/various points during the season. It seems to be the one constant in our shooters struggles over the Barnes era. At least that's my theory.

To be fair, Lanier was shooting close to 42% from 3. I will take that all day, every day. Milicic isn’t as good of a 3 point shooter but can create a shot.