Transfer Portal Thread

[cncchris33]

If anything, he doesn’t fit our system considering Barnes wants to run an uptempo offense.

We need big guys who are agile and can shoot the ball.

BHH & Aidoo fit that mold perfectly.

I mean if across 12 seasons Nick Richards, Nerlens Noel, Demarcus Cousins, Daniel Orton, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Bam Adebayo fit Cal's scheme, how does Cockburn not?

Any coach would be a fool not to take him, Barnes included. You make your system fit a guy like that. No reason he couldn't play the Grant Williams role. Barnes took Uros and Cockburn is infinitely more agile and athletic...no offense to Plav.

 

[golfballs]

If anything, he doesn’t fit our system considering Barnes wants to run an uptempo offense.

We need big guys who are agile and can shoot the ball.

BHH & Aidoo fit that mold perfectly.

What coach in America claims to not want to run an uptempo offense? Except for maybe Tony Bennett

 

[VolFreakJosh]

What coach in America claims to not want to run an uptempo offense? Except for maybe Tony Bennett

Cal’s system isn’t really up tempo though.

It’s a dribble-drive offense that requires good ball handlers and good spacing.

 

[golfballs]

Cal’s system isn’t really up tempo though.

It’s a dribble-drive offense that requires good ball handlers and good spacing.

Barnes doesn’t really run uptempo either. Throughout his career his teams have generally been pretty middle of the road

 

[VolFreakJosh]

Barnes doesn’t really run uptempo either. Throughout his career his teams have generally been pretty middle of the road

Barnes wanted to run an uptempo last year but we didn’t have a primary ball handler in order for it to work.

SV wasn’t a threat to bring the ball up and opposing teams knew that.

 

[wtmvol]

Cal’s system isn’t really up tempo though.

It’s a dribble-drive offense that requires good ball handlers and good spacing.

Neither Kentucky or Tennessee run an up-tempo offense. Since 2002, a team led by Rick Barnes has been in the top 50 of tempo exactly once. Over the last 4 years, including the 2019 season when we finished 3rd in Adj O, we've averaged being around #250 in tempo. You're right that Kentucky doesn't play fast, but they're about 40 spots higher than us in tempo over that timeframe. Maybe we suddenly play really fast this year with Chandler, but I doubt it.

 

[zjcvols]

If anything, he doesn’t fit our system considering Barnes wants to run an uptempo offense.

We need big guys who are agile and can shoot the ball.

BHH & Aidoo fit that mold perfectly.

Since when? Our highest adjusted tempo in six years under Barnes is 100th and the last four years 164th

 

[zjcvols]

This is legitimately how every year goes under Barnes.

September
Rick: “We want to run and push the tempo.”
Fans: “YAY!!!”

December
Fans: “YAY!!! We are pushing the pace!!”

January (conference play starts)
Rick: “Well we need to get good shots and rely on halfcourt offense.”

Tennessee plummets in tempo, plays half court game.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

TN plays intense defense which reduces scoring. That doesn’t mean that TN runs a plodding offense. Opposing teams knew that TN wanted to push the ball so they focused heavily in their game plans on preventing TN from pushing the pace.

 

[kckempf]

This is legitimately how every year goes under Barnes.

September
Rick: “We want to run and push the tempo.”
Fans: “YAY!!!”

December
Fans: “YAY!!! We are pushing the pace!!”

January (conference play starts)
Rick: “Well we need to get good shots and rely on halfcourt offense.”

Tennessee plummets in tempo, plays half court game.

How do you play up-tempo without hitting your shots? This wasn't a pressing team in the early season. It's not a mystery that you play worse when your competition is stronger.

 

[ricepatty]

The only negative thing I can really say about Barnes is his tournament success but as for stabilizing the program, recruiting, and putting us back on a respectable level, he’s done an absolutely incredible job.

Tennessee wasn’t in a great spot before Barnes took over.

I agree with this 100%. I don’t judge programs by tournament success as much as tournament appearances. As long as we are a consistent top 6 seed team then I’m sure one of these tournaments will go our way. I just hate how we just can’t get that one magical run under Barnes just yet. But he is absolutely the best thing to happen to UT athletics in the last 15 years. Vitello is also up there but also too early for me to say.

 

[Vols8086]

TN plays intense defense which reduces scoring. That doesn’t mean that TN runs a plodding offense. Opposing teams knew that TN wanted to push the ball so they focused heavily in their game plans on preventing TN from pushing the pace.

When our highest adjusted tempo under Barnes is 100th there are only 2 explanations.

Either Barnes doesn't run an uptempo offense or our uptempo offense is so bad that we have been unable to play with pace for the last 6 years.

 

[i2amavol]

Neither Kentucky or Tennessee run an up-tempo offense. Since 2002, a team led by Rick Barnes has been in the top 50 of tempo exactly once. Over the last 4 years, including the 2019 season when we finished 3rd in Adj O, we've averaged being around #250 in tempo. You're right that Kentucky doesn't play fast, but they're about 40 spots higher than us in tempo over that timeframe. Maybe we suddenly play really fast this year with Chandler, but I doubt it.

It will be interesting to see.

I think it takes more than one player who is good at it, but it certainly starts with him.

 

[zjcvols]

TN plays intense defense which reduces scoring. That doesn’t mean that TN runs a plodding offense. Opposing teams knew that TN wanted to push the ball so they focused heavily in their game plans on preventing TN from pushing the pace.

Nobody says that Tennessee is plodding.

But we have not been a team that pushes the pace under Barnes.

And you’re telling me that for six years Tennessee has tried to push the pace and just can’t? Sounds like we really suck at it and we need a different gameplan.

 

[zjcvols]

There will be times when a team controls the tempo and you can’t push the pace. That happens.

Having adjusted tempo for 232nd in the country is a deliberate attempt to play half court basketball.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

When our highest adjusted tempo under Barnes is 100th there are only 2 explanations.

Either Barnes doesn't run an uptempo offense or our uptempo offense is so bad that we have been unable to play with pace for the last 6 years.

Or the one that you ignored. Play up tempo defense all the way through to the shot clock and the opponents’ defensive game plans are centered around shutting down every fast break opportunity and forcing TN into the half court.

When Barnes has a PG that is capable of pushing the ball he will exploit it if the complementary personnel is there. Bone could. Nobody on last year’s team was that fast and getting the ball across mid court was often a challenge. A PG that exploits defenses that are slow to get back is a necessary ingredient. TN should have that part covered for the next several years and it will be complemented with more than one trailer that will creat havoc by draining 3s.

Also, when Grant Williams is your best weapon on offense it would be stupid to push a fast pace rather than giving him opportunities in the half court.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

It should be obvious that when a team like TN plays intense defense for opponents’ entire possessions that there are going to be fewer possessions in the box score.

There are about 350 teams. 100 is in the top one-third.

A fast pace without an experienced or very highly skilled PG results in lots of turnovers. Barnes hates turnovers.

 

[Vols8086]

Or the one that you ignored. Play up tempo defense all the way through to the shot clock and the opponents’ defensive game plans are centered around shutting down every fast break opportunity and forcing TN into the half court.

When Barnes has a PG that is capable of pushing the ball he will exploit it if the complementary personnel is there. Bone could. Nobody on last year’s team was that fast and getting the ball across mid court was often a challenge. A PG that exploits defenses that are slow to get back is a necessary ingredient. TN should have that part covered for the next several years and it will be complemented with more than one trailer that will creat havoc by draining 3s.

Also, when Grant Williams is your best weapon on offense it would be stupid to push a fast pace rather than giving him opportunities in the half court.

So you think we run an uptempo offense that has just been stymied by all of our opponents for the last 6 years? If that is true, then our offensive gameplan is absolute garbage since we have been unable to execute it for 6 years.

If we still don't crack the top 100 in tempo next year, will you just chalk that up to everyone having great gameplans against us again for the 7th year in a row?

Also I haven't seen anybody argue that we should have sped the game up with Grant Williams. Now you are arguing against a stance that you made up yourself.

The only disagreement has been with people touting we run an uptempo offense and then others showing you every meaningful stat that says we don't.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

So you think we run an uptempo offense that has just been stymied by all of our opponents for the last 6 years? If that is true, then our offensive gameplan is absolute garbage since we have been unable to execute it for 6 years.

If we still don't crack the top 100 in tempo next year, will you just chalk that up to everyone having great gameplans against us again for the 7th year in a row?

Also I haven't seen anybody argue that we should have sped the game up with Grant Williams. Now you are arguing against a stance that you made up yourself.

The only disagreement has been with people touting we run an uptempo offense and then others showing you every meaningful stat that says we don't.

You keep ignoring parts. Playing defense the way that TN plays is going to decrease the number of possessions. That has nothing to do with the pace of offensive play during offensive opportunities.

You’ve also completely missed the point with Grant Williams. Scoring on a high percentage of possessions leads directly to wins. When you have Grant Williams on the roster in an NCAA game you don’t waste opportunities and decrease your offensive scoring efficiency by speeding up the pace and not exploiting defenses that cannot stop him in the paint.

TN has had one of the best defenses statistically. That penalizes them from having higher numbers in some obscure offensive stat based on possessions.

 

[zjcvols]

It should be obvious that when a team like TN plays intense defense for opponents’ entire possessions that there are going to be fewer possessions in the box score.

There are about 350 teams. 100 is in the top one-third.

A fast pace without an experienced or very highly skilled PG results in lots of turnovers. Barnes hates turnovers.

That was five years ago. We’ve been below average every year since

 

[zjcvols]

The two years we had Barnes, Turner and James Daniel at point we were 282nd and 164th in the country in adjusted tempo. The last two years we have been 313th (!!!) and 282nd in the country. We don’t play up tempo. We don’t push the pace. We don’t have game plan for fast break opportunities. Suggesting anything else is simple fallacy. Barnes can say whatever he wants about playing fast but six years of evidence suggests otherwise.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

I clearly remember Barnes getting in Bones’ face demanding that he push the offensive pace. He knew what he had. But Barnes also demands that turnovers are minimized. He isn’t going to settle for recklessness on offense. He will adjust to the strengths of his lineup.

A few years ago Barnes spent time with Paul Westhead. It wasn’t to pick his brain about defensive philosophy.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

The two years we had Barnes, Turner and James Daniel at point we were 282nd and 164th in the country in adjusted tempo. The last two years we have been 313th (!!!) and 282nd in the country. We don’t play up tempo. We don’t push the pace. We don’t have game plan for fast break opportunities. Suggesting anything else is simple fallacy. Barnes can say whatever he wants about playing fast but six years of evidence suggests otherwise.

Barnes has emphasized defense for 6 years. Adjusted tempo does not factor that into the equation.

Put the defensive stats side-by-side with the adjusted tempo nonsense.

 

[zjcvols]

You keep ignoring parts. Playing defense the way that TN plays is going to decrease the number of possessions. That has nothing to do with the pace of offensive play during offensive opportunities.

You’ve also completely missed the point with Grant Williams. Scoring on a high percentage of possessions leads directly to wins. When you have Grant Williams on the roster in an NCAA game you don’t waste opportunities and decrease your offensive scoring efficiency by speeding up the pace and not exploiting defenses that cannot stop him in the paint.

TN has had one of the best defenses statistically. That penalizes them from having higher numbers in some obscure offensive stat based on possessions.

Bold #1: “I’d rather play tough halfcourt defense and rebound then try and leak guys to push the pace.”

Bold #2: “I’d rather slow the pace and work through Grant Williams than try and push the pace.”

Bold #3: “I’d rather slow the game down and focus on defense than push the pace and try to create fast break point.”

You’re missing the entire point of the argument. We aren’t arguing whether the strategy if effective or not. We are talking about whether Tennessee game plans to push the pace and the evidence says that we don’t.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

The two years we had Barnes, Turner and James Daniel at point we were 282nd and 164th in the country in adjusted tempo. The last two years we have been 313th (!!!) and 282nd in the country. We don’t play up tempo. We don’t push the pace. We don’t have game plan for fast break opportunities. Suggesting anything else is simple fallacy. Barnes can say whatever he wants about playing fast but six years of evidence suggests otherwise.

282nd and 164th are impressive with Barnes running the point. Especially with his hip replacement surgery.