Keys to ending our Final Four drought

[LadyVol1908]

What do you all think is the most important thing that needs to happen next season in order for us to end our dreaded FF drought?

 

[Mike1967]

Better coaching in the big games would help a lot.

 

[volsfan24017]

Win!

 

[movinonup]

The number 1 thing we need is to stay healthy!

All the other components are in place......including coaching.

 

[Ladyvol777]

Te'a emerges as a bonafide PG

 

[Tenacguy50]

Other...I needed a "all of the above option".

 

[Ladyvolfan4ever]

I want "ALL THE ABOVE TOO"

 

[508mikey]

UConn gets probation and post season ban

 

[Volfan2012]

Everyone stays healthy especially Russell and Graves.

 

[dapeak]

If Diamond plays like Diamond and Russell continues to get better and we are healthy we are a top three team. The players on this team are great complimentary pieces. Even Harrison was a great complimentary piece but she never played alongside a dominant player so she stepped up but she honestly could only do so much. Diamond is a dominant player in the same way Maya Moore was. With her being the centerpiece of this team holly will look like a genius. Imagine uconn with no stewie they would've been good but very beatable as we were

 

[GameTime]

The primary key is the heath and play of Diamond DeShields...

She, and she alone, will be the centerpiece to the Lady Vols. Her charisma and talent will propel them forward...If she is not well from her more than a year long injury, then the season will resemble season's past.

 

[gule]

magical cure for dementia & the fountain of youth is found in Summitt's backyard would do it.

 

[armchair]

DeShields will help this team, maybe quite a bit--but we've got a number of good players and so we don't need her to take 30 shots a game and dominate the ball. We still need to play good /team/ offense--and while everything listed is important, what the Vols really need to do to win another title is stop choking offensively in big games, as we've twice in the elite 8 in four years. Play solid offensively, make some shots, stop with the panicky play (which I think is a function of coaching). You don't need to shoot 50 percent to beat a good opponent--but you can't shoot 30 either. WE really haven't beaten a tough, good opponent in a LONG time.

 

[GameTime]

armchair, Diamond will be like Achilles of Greek Mythology....Her presence will give the team the boost they will need to compete with South Carolina and others. Her health is paramount.

 

[governmentmule]

hit some 3's and open up the paint

 

[Hoya Saxa]

We definitely need better coaching. We get great talent every year, but the coaching hasn't been good since the onset of Pat's illness.

 

[508mikey]

Holly gets a new (and upscale) wardrobe

 

[gule]

2 words .... Al Brown

 

[j'adorevol89]

Health and Consistency are the main components. They need to play aggressive from beginning to end never let up play hard even if you are up 20 play like you are up by a point. Also the emergence of players we know what Bash is like at full force and a healthy Jasmine is a deadly Jasmine but lets see what Jaime can do she was the #1 wing and 6th over all prospect of 2014 the I called her baby Chamique because every time she shot the ball in HS it went in she had that consistency and presence to take over a game, Get stronger get some aggression play like you wanna win. Furthermore play Kortney get her some reps I heard that at 6'2/6'3 that she can flat our nail it from 3 pretty much she can become another Sidney Spencer. Bottom line this entire team needs to step up, I understand that this is Holly's Tennessee and not Pat's Tennessee but either way you put it Tennessee wins bottom line this is a program built on dominance Final Fours and National Championships.. Let's not become a LaTech or ODU

 

[kvol1987]

Health is the Key. People can talk about Holly this or Holly that but without the players on the floor you are limited when you get to the big games deep in the tournament. Two years ago they lost their PG in February for the rest of the season and this past year you loss your 4 - Jasmine Jones and 5 - Izzy Harrison and still get to the Elite 8. With the returning team and redshirts healthy, there is no reason to not make a Final Four or Championship game this year and the next several years.

 

[Linda Lee]

I would have to say that Diamond has to dominate! We also have to go into games with healthy players and a great deal of confidence. I think Mercedes will do a great job. She seems to be strong and ready to go!!

I just hope we can keep it together! Would love to see this team go all the way! Maybe it is our time!!

 

[Putbacks]

The key to making the Final Four is to win a Regional Final.

 

[teacherdean]

Baring injury, this team has the pieces to make it into the final four. A lot will depend upon coaching. We have to have consistent offense to go with our defense. Baring injury, if we cannot respond in big games and fail to make it into the final four, and/or recruitment fails to net us at least two top recruits, at least one post player, we need to seriously consider if Holly is the coach for the Lady Vols. Yes she is a nice person and has more class than a lot of coaches, but in coaching it is all about staying at the top of the food chain. We can't just be happy with making it into the elite eight. Baring the injuries, making it to the elite eight, with our talent, should not be acceptable, especially if we lose to the likes of Maryland.

 

[xanamanax]

Other - staying healthy. How many years have we lost starters to injury? Seems like every year. Yeah, we've got talent on the bench but when some of your best and/or more experienced get injured, it takes a toll.

 

[Amb3096]

DeShields will help this team, maybe quite a bit--but we've got a number of good players and so we don't need her to take 30 shots a game and dominate the ball. We still need to play good /team/ offense--and while everything listed is important, what the Vols really need to do to win another title is stop choking offensively in big games, as we've twice in the elite 8 in four years. Play solid offensively, make some shots, stop with the panicky play (which I think is a function of coaching). You don't need to shoot 50 percent to beat a good opponent--but you can't shoot 30 either. WE really haven't beaten a tough, good opponent in a LONG time.

I think we need to temper expectations. Diamond is coming to a less talented team than what she left at UNC. She's a phenomenal player, but she won't always be able to carry the team and other players need to step up. I think Graves and Russell will provide a strong inside presence, but they need a huge upgrade at the two starting guard positions. Either Cooper needs to come in and live up to her reputation, or Reynolds/Carter (or Middleton) need to come back as different players.

Expecting DeShields to compensate for the rest of the team's shortcomings is too much to ask.

My answer to the poll is that Tennessee needs to have solid perimeter shooting from 15 feet to beyond the arc from all three perimeter positions. You can't have the two posts smothered and Diamond being the only reliable scorer from the backcourt.