Official: UT hires Kim Caldwell as the new coach for Lady Vols basketball

Good stat line. Dime a dozen player on a National Championship team. 3 pts, 3 assist, 5 boards and 4 steals is productive

CC dropped 30 for the game
Once again showing true ignorance. That “dime a dozen” player led the conference in assist-turnover ratio by a large margin, with 179 assists to only 57 turnovers on the season. 57 turnovers for a starting PG in an entire season, and one of the best floor generals in the nation with elite dribbling, defense and passing, but she is a dime a dozen player. #2 player in her class, member of team USA squad but a “dime a dozen” player. She was a terror on defense guarding Clark in the NC game btw, when she was guarding her Clark scored 7 in 3 quarters against her and was stripped 3 times. Maybe you should, you know, actually watch the game before spouting garbage. She was the unquestioned leader of an undefeated team, but those type players are a dime a dozen apparently.

And if you don’t think Cardoso is elite you must be smarter than everyone else in the basketball world, she was National DPOY and will be drafted top 4, led her conference in FG% and blocked shots. Nothing elite there.

You are either just flat out ignorant about basketball or a troll, you pick. Thanks for taking up the void from WC’s absence, this board needs some laughs occasionally and you are a great source. Don't go feeling special, every board I’ve ever been on has a poster like you, some delight in being that guy.
 
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Once again showing true ignorance. That “dime a dozen” player led the conference in assist-turnover ratio by a large margin, with 179 assists to only 57 turnovers on the season. 57 turnovers for a starting PG in an entire season, and one of the best floor generals in the nation with elite dribbling, defense and passing, but she is a dime a dozen player. #2 player in her class, member of team USA squad but a “dime a dozen” player. She was a terror on defense guarding Clark in the NC game btw, when she was guarding her Clark scored 7 in 3 quarters against her and was stripped 3 times. Maybe you should, you know, actually watch the game before spouting garbage. She was the unquestioned leader of an undefeated team, but those type players are a dime a dozen apparently.

And if you don’t think Cardoso is elite you must be smarter than everyone else in the basketball world, she was National DPOY and will be drafted top 4, led her conference in FG% and blocked shots. Nothing elite there.

You are either just flat out ignorant about basketball or a troll, you pick. Thanks for taking up the void from WC’s absence, this board needs some laughs occasionally and you are a great source. Don't go feeling special, every board I’ve ever been on has a poster like you, some delight in being that guy.
Solid player, solid game on the best team…. a lot of solid players. As you said “one of the best” meaning not the best. Remember who’s board you’re on when you want to discuss trolling. I’m not looking for an opposing fans views to align with mine on a Tennessee board.

And no I don’t thing Cardosa is “elite” as you missed the term is watered down here by posters. Candace Parker is “elite”. But I did state it’s hard for posters here to claim she’s “elite” and then say she made a fluke shot. Can’t have it both ways. But thank you for your service.
 
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I also think reality will change the subbing pattern. Which btw is quite ironic since too much subbing was one of Kellie's big siins. But they need to change this narrative now bc limited playing time and not being allowed to get into a rythmn will be a recruiting killer. And recruiting is everything right now.

Fans are concerned about player rotation in a fast paced style of play but no issues with standing in the corner waiting.
One game senerios is not a pattern. Compare to UT's min/game. There's not that big of difference. Nolan Richardson won a Natty playing this style. You win with jimmies and joes not x's and o's. Elite players win championships , no matter the style of play..
I agree with all of these takes. Yes, I have just as big of an issue with players standing around. It's terrible to watch and difficult to score. Plus, the opponent spends no energy on the defensive end. But you can have movement without subbing players out every 90 seconds. There are plenty of teams with great movement who don't sub until 8 minutes or longer into the game. And movement for the sake of movement doesn't work either. You ABSOLUTELY cannot succeed at the highest levels by pressing full court for an entire game. An occasional surprise, sure. But Va Tech showed what happens when you know it's coming and are prepared. And they were missing their best player and couldn't get past the next round. It'll work against less talented teams out of conference and at the bottom of the SEC, but that's it. There's a reason you rarely see pressing in the NBA, WNBA or sweet 16 and beyond in NCAA. Unless your take is that KC is just smarter than every Pro or P5 coach out there and has come up with a way to press for 40 minutes when no one else has figured out how to do it.

Changing the narrative, as glv98 put it, is my main point with this. AllVols3, you're right. It does take Jimmy's and Joe's and you won't get them if KC continues to act stubborn. Those were legitimate questions she faced about her style working in the SEC. Especially since the only time Marshall faced good comp it resulted in a 92-49 beating where Va Tech passed all over and around the press. All she had to say was her program is proven, but she might have to make some adjustments for elite players, both for and against UT. Instead, she gave the impression it was her way or else. Club coaches are saying other schools will and already are using this perceived style against UT when they talk to recruits. If she doesn't change the narrative then other coaches will make it up as they go. She needs to get on record in saying that she believes in her system but understands she has learning to do at the highest level. Say in an interview why elite players will succeed in this style and won't be limited to playing in 90 second bursts. Because you can preach about total minutes all you want, even though 4-5 minutes less per game is a bigger deal to most kids that some on this board want to admit, but even with the same minutes there are zero elite players willing to sub out every 2 minutes. Promote the style without the constant subbing.

For the record, if you look at the box score in Nolan's championship game versus Duke, he only had 6 players play 10+ minutes and one of them played 12. His top 5 players played 29-36 minutes each. Yes, he played 40 minutes of hell, but he leaned on his stars. The bench got got their season minutes during the blowout wins. Pretty sure if the guys who played 3, 5 and 8 minutes off the bench would've seen the court 11-15 minutes Duke would have blown them out. Well, they probably would've been eliminated much soon.
 
Actually I’m not. I personally don’t value the term “elite” in the same category of just really good players. Majority of D1 in any sport is really good vs. 1%
I actually agree with this assessment. Elite merely correlates to hype and media attention for most. They think many are Elite

At this level there are more really good players than people want to admit.

Elite is someone like CC
 
Clark scored 30 for the game. Thanks for playing

Majors: “And no I don’t thing Cardosa is “elite” as you missed the term is watered down here by posters. Candace Parker is “elite”. But I did state it’s hard for posters here to claim she’s “elite”

You say 1% of D1 players should be considered elite. That would be around 46 players +/-. If Cardoso is not elite in your book, why was she voted national DPOY among the 4,600 D1 players and most likely a top 3-4 pick in the draft? You think there were 46 better players in WBB? As for centers, I don’t disagree with those saying Brink was an elite player, but tbh Cardoso is equally as dominant at that position in all around play. The separation between those two seems small, different styles, both effective. I guess we will see which one has the better career in the WNBA soon.

If we were talking all time elite players nobody questions you. But that wasn’t the topic. We were talking about elite players for any given season, I think national DPOY qualifies as elite for that year. And she is no slouch offensively either.
 
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i see it differently in regard to Rickea. She had a big improvement on the defensive end and rebounding aspects. She also become better at the 3 and off the dribble.

Wynn also took a big step forward. She was very, very raw as freshman and a sophomore. It would have been impossible for her to have any passable minutes at PG in those first two years.

Jillian is one who stands out as having plateaued. I really thought she would have done more this season. I saw some mention that she was struggling with injuries but not confirmed.
You make good points with Wynn and Rickea. I also believe they have improved, and I'm sure the coaches have helped. But I don't see major, "wow", game changing development.

Jillian may be 6-5, but she isn't a back-to-the-basket post. She was used as that the entire time here. Her teammates call her 'big guard'. She should have been a four in a half-court game, not a five. If she is allowed to run in a Caldwell scheme, she could excel, either as a four or five.
 
You make good points with Wynn and Rickea. I also believe they have improved, and I'm sure the coaches have helped. But I don't see major, "wow", game changing development.

Jillian may be 6-5, but she isn't a back-to-the-basket post. She was used as that the entire time here. Her teammates call her 'big guard'. She should have been a four in a half-court game, not a five. If she is allowed to run in a Caldwell scheme, she could excel, either as a four or five.
Striplin should fare better in the new system as well. She has some wheels to rim run and she has a nice outside shot. Playing the 5 in a half court system wasn’t ideal for her.
 
then you tell me a more believable scenario

Look at that 23-24 roster and tell me you see more than 5 SEC caliber athletes.
Coach Sam put a ton of worthy recruits in front of her,,,she couldn't close them.

Question,,,under Kellie who grew the most over their time here
Puckett, Jackson, Wynn,,,would be my picks
You and I are in agreement - She could not recruit top players out of the high school ranks even though she did get a few out of the portal, like Rickea. As a result, there were no star quality developed sophomores and juniors which could step in and help this coming season. She would have had to hit a few home runs in the portal. Such was looking like the case every year. So, what happens when a year comes along she doesn't mine gold out of the portal? She was running to program on a wing and a prayer for quality players. That's one of the reasons she was fired.

Jackson was a star player before she got here. Kellie did help her develop further in her weaker areas. Puckett and Wynn have developed into decent supporting role players, not star roles.
 
Jillian may be 6-5, but she isn't a back-to-the-basket post. She was used as that the entire time here. Her teammates call her 'big guard'. She should have been a four in a half-court game, not a five. If she is allowed to run in a Caldwell scheme, she could excel, either as a four or five.
Jill and Strip played post out of necessity, not by choice. Injury to Key and her slow recovery dictated that. It was not a coaching choice.
 
Jill and Strip played post out of necessity, not by choice. Injury to Key and her slow recovery dictated that. It was not a coaching choice.
Well they will be there again. If u can’t dribble u ain’t playing the 4
 
You and I are in agreement - She could not recruit top players out of the high school ranks even though she did get a few out of the portal, like Rickea. As a result, there were no star quality developed sophomores and juniors which could step in and help this coming season. She would have had to hit a few home runs in the portal. Such was looking like the case every year. So, what happens when a year comes along she doesn't mine gold out of the portal? She was running to program on a wing and a prayer for quality players. That's one of the reasons she was fired.

Jackson was a star player before she got here. Kellie did help her develop further in her weaker areas. Puckett and Wynn have developed into decent supporting role players, not star roles.
I wonder who their instructional/training coach was?
 
I agree with all of these takes. Yes, I have just as big of an issue with players standing around. It's terrible to watch and difficult to score. Plus, the opponent spends no energy on the defensive end. But you can have movement without subbing players out every 90 seconds. There are plenty of teams with great movement who don't sub until 8 minutes or longer into the game. And movement for the sake of movement doesn't work either. You ABSOLUTELY cannot succeed at the highest levels by pressing full court for an entire game. An occasional surprise, sure. But Va Tech showed what happens when you know it's coming and are prepared. And they were missing their best player and couldn't get past the next round. It'll work against less talented teams out of conference and at the bottom of the SEC, but that's it. There's a reason you rarely see pressing in the NBA, WNBA or sweet 16 and beyond in NCAA. Unless your take is that KC is just smarter than every Pro or P5 coach out there and has come up with a way to press for 40 minutes when no one else has figured out how to do it.

Changing the narrative, as glv98 put it, is my main point with this. AllVols3, you're right. It does take Jimmy's and Joe's and you won't get them if KC continues to act stubborn. Those were legitimate questions she faced about her style working in the SEC. Especially since the only time Marshall faced good comp it resulted in a 92-49 beating where Va Tech passed all over and around the press. All she had to say was her program is proven, but she might have to make some adjustments for elite players, both for and against UT. Instead, she gave the impression it was her way or else. Club coaches are saying other schools will and already are using this perceived style against UT when they talk to recruits. If she doesn't change the narrative then other coaches will make it up as they go. She needs to get on record in saying that she believes in her system but understands she has learning to do at the highest level. Say in an interview why elite players will succeed in this style and won't be limited to playing in 90 second bursts. Because you can preach about total minutes all you want, even though 4-5 minutes less per game is a bigger deal to most kids that some on this board want to admit, but even with the same minutes there are zero elite players willing to sub out every 2 minutes. Promote the style without the constant subbing.

For the record, if you look at the box score in Nolan's championship game versus Duke, he only had 6 players play 10+ minutes and one of them played 12. His top 5 players played 29-36 minutes each. Yes, he played 40 minutes of hell, but he leaned on his stars. The bench got got their season minutes during the blowout wins. Pretty sure if the guys who played 3, 5 and 8 minutes off the bench would've seen the court 11-15 minutes Duke would have blown them out. Well, they probably would've been eliminated much soon.
Rick Pitino has done quite well with pressure his entire career, even in the SEC at UK. Won't work in the NBA because no NBA player wants to work
that hard on defense and they also have the most elite guards in the world which makes it hard to pressure them. Also NBA teams don't have a bit of problem speeding up while a lot of college teams do. Just suggesting to keep an open mind because Pressure has worked in the SEC with Pitino, Richardson, and Pat Summit in the past.
 
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Rick Pitino has done quite well with pressure his entire career, even in the SEC at UK. Won't work in the NBA because no NBA player wants to work
that hard on defense and they also have the most elite guards in the world which makes it hard to pressure them. Also NBA teams don't have a bit of problem speeding up while a lot of college teams do. Just suggesting to keep an open mind because Pressure has worked in the SEC with Pitino, Richardson, and Pat Summit in the past.

Pressure at key points in the game works well - always has. Good coaches have other things in their toolbox and if something isn't working adapt and change during the game. And it is not so much the pressure as it is the ice hockey like approach of substituting every 1 to 2 minutes.
 
Clark scored 30 for the game. Thanks for playing
Such ignorance. It’s like talking to a wall, last time, when Raven guarded Clark she scored 7 points. Raven was not on Clark the whole game, CDS rotated defenders a bit in first half but by second half she had Raven on Clark most of the time. You can question CDS’s defensive strategy all you want, I’m sure you could coach a team to an u defeated season being such an expert.
 

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