Cameron Tatum 2011-12

#1
Chris4Vols22

Chris4Vols22

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#1
There's no doubt that Cam hit the wall after the first few games of last season. I know a lot of people are down on him, but I'm curious as to what people are expecting of him next season.

If I'm not mistaking, Cam will be our most experienced senior. He hasn't really shown any signs of being a leader thus far, but will he change his mentality and fill in that role? I feel that he is absolutely obligated to do so, especially if he is starting.

So, what do you guys think? My optimistic side says he puts forth the extra effort to be a decent contributor. My pessimistic side says says he just doesn't lock in and he loses his starting position.
 
#2
#2
i hope he loses his starting position to McRae but i seriously doubt that would happen... he'll probably start again and suck just as bad as he did last year
 
#3
#3
I really hope he finds his groove, but my gut says he plays just good enough to keep his starting job. Something like 9.1 points a game.
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#4
#4
7thgroupvolfan said:
I really hope he finds his groove, but my gut says he plays just good enough to keep his starting job. Something like 9.1 points a game.
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I would take that last year with Hopson and Harris. Now, he needs to step up and be the leader.
 
#5
#5
After Prince's senior season, I'd like to think Tatum can have a solid senior season as well. I recall JP being pretty inconsistent up until that point. I would like to see Tatum slash more like Prince but if he feels the need to chuck it, he needs to focus on that and take a couple hundred 3's a day. Then he just needs to play lock down defense. I'd take a 3 point specialist that can play d. Prince's ball handling skills and passing ability were alright but he had a good senior year by being good at two things. I'll take the same from Tatum.
 
#7
#7
It would be nice to see him step up and be a leader his senior season. I think it'd be huge for him to, especially with the coaching change.
 
#8
#8
It would be nice to see him step up and be a leader next season. I just don't think he can lay down the blunt long enough to become a leader, we can only hope though.
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#9
#9
Cam should benefit from actually running a half-court offense. I'd be surprised if his shooting percentage didn't increase pretty significantly.
 
#10
#10
The_Orange_Pearl said:
After Prince's senior season, I'd like to think Tatum can have a solid senior season as well. I recall JP being pretty inconsistent up until that point. I would like to see Tatum slash more like Prince but if he feels the need to chuck it, he needs to focus on that and take a couple hundred 3's a day. Then he just needs to play lock down defense. I'd take a 3 point specialist that can play d. Prince's ball handling skills and passing ability were alright but he had a good senior year by being good at two things. I'll take the same from Tatum.
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Prince had a better Jr. season than Sr. season productivity wise for what it's worth. Both seasons were better than Tatum's last season.

Prince's impact the last half of his senior year was due mainly to eliminating the mistakes that had plagued him. He had always shown he had solid understanding of the game and willingness to do the dirty work (charges, diving on the floor), but mistakes were canceling out his productivity up until January of last year. Go back and watch that Ohio State Sweet 16 game, Tatum has done nothing to show he can affect a game at anywhere close to that level.

Tennessee vs. Ohio State, 2010
 
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#11
#11
Maybe some new coaching and system will help him. He has talent, but has not played up to the level that he could.
 
#12
#12
Chris4Vols22 said:
There's no doubt that Cam hit the wall after the first few games of last season. I know a lot of people are down on him, but I'm curious as to what people are expecting of him next season.

If I'm not mistaking, Cam will be our most experienced senior. He hasn't really shown any signs of being a leader thus far, but will he change his mentality and fill in that role? I feel that he is absolutely obligated to do so, especially if he is starting.

So, what do you guys think? My optimistic side says he puts forth the extra effort to be a decent contributor. My pessimistic side says says he just doesn't lock in and he loses his starting position.
Click to expand...

I don't think anybody will really know until we get there, but I think he stuck in the rotation so long, because of how hard he works! He came to UT with a reputation as a hard working defender and there's a reason I don't remember complaining about his defense once this past season. If anybody could be the right coach for him than it's Cuonzo. Tatum lost some of his explosiveness to knee surgeries and CCM can definitely relate and give him tips on how to adjust his game. I have a feeling you'll see Tatum really show off a mid range game next year, because CCM will make him work on it like his life depends on it. That was what Cam needed this year and it's a shame our last staff didn't have enough of our players work on that. Our biggest problem offensively was it was three point shot or drive all the way to the rim. For a guy like Cam who has lost explosiveness or Trae who just isn't that explosive type guy they should be killing themselves working on their midrange game and floaters. Once you make teams respect that then they have to rotate harder and that will open up dishes to big men and the lanes to rim.

Btw, if he works hard enough, don't be surprised if Trae ends up being a Kemba Walker type player. He has a very similar body type and just needs to work as hard as Kemba did to be great! There is talent in the building! Don't believe anything different!
 
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#13
#13
LawVol13 said:
Cam should benefit from actually running a half-court offense. I'd be surprised if his shooting percentage didn't increase pretty significantly.
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That's being optimistic. He has the ability to be all-conference, but the mental mindset of a five year old.
 
#14
#14
oryankees said:
i hope he loses his starting position to McRae but i seriously doubt that would happen... he'll probably start again and suck just as bad as he did last year
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Cam had a horrible year, lost confidence, and needed to sit, but in watching sports for 30+ years I haven't hoped for failure for a vol. You eclipsed that pretty quickly
 
#18
#18
I wouldn't be too optimistic. Just being real.
 
#19
#19
volwarrior33 said:
Prince had a better Jr. season than Sr. season productivity wise for what it's worth. Both seasons were better than Tatum's last season.

Prince's impact the last half of his senior year was due mainly to eliminating the mistakes that had plagued him. He had always shown he had solid understanding of the game and willingness to do the dirty work (charges, diving on the floor), but mistakes were canceling out his productivity up until January of last year. Go back and watch that Ohio State Sweet 16 game, Tatum has done nothing to show he can affect a game at anywhere close to that level.

Tennessee vs. Ohio State, 2010
Click to expand...

I'll agree to the premise that JP was more consistent his Jr. season than Cam was without any argument, and I said several times that all those people that hated JP because of letting his emotions get the best of him, talking smack, his salutes, etc would realize once he was gone how much he impacted the game for us. His slashing, ball handling, his bball IQ, and he was hands down the best at feeding the post that I have seen in a LONG, LONG time from the wing.

I can't say the same about Cam. He is a solid role player that has the ability to do more, has the ability to get hot from outside, but he doesn't provide any spark that isn't in conjunction with a blunt. He doesn't become more aggressive in crunch time, he disappears.

As for the OH ST game that Prince held Evan Turner in check, Tatum absolutely crushed Georgetown for us in the pre-season tourney his Soph season. He bombed 3's and crushed Georgetown's will. That is the only game in 3 seasons I would say that Tatum carried our team, and JP carried our team more than the average fan realized. Him and Chism were the heart and soul of our team and they were the players the younger kids had to answer to in the locker room.

IMO Hopson would be a different player this past season if we had a strong Sr leader last season to give Hopson a peer to hold him accountable. Hopson was somewhere in transitional status between being a leader and trying to shine personally and trying to do too much at times. If he can either learn to handle the ball well or not play outside his means, he can be a very effective player in the SEC, or even in the NBA IMO.
 
#20
#20
VolsFan4Ever-11 said:
It would be nice to see him step up and be a leader next season. I just don't think he can lay down the blunt long enough to become a leader, we can only hope though.
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Why would you say that? Do just like to slander UT players? Cam passed his drug tests after the car ride and always stated that he was not using, which the other players verified.
 
#21
#21
TNBV said:
Why would you say that? Do just like to slander UT players? Cam passed his drug tests after the car ride and always stated that he was not using, which the other players verified.
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Dude is obviously racist so don't get mad. :good!:
 
#22
#22
volwarrior33 said:
Prince had a better Jr. season than Sr. season productivity wise for what it's worth. Both seasons were better than Tatum's last season.

Prince's impact the last half of his senior year was due mainly to eliminating the mistakes that had plagued him. He had always shown he had solid understanding of the game and willingness to do the dirty work (charges, diving on the floor), but mistakes were canceling out his productivity up until January of last year. Go back and watch that Ohio State Sweet 16 game, Tatum has done nothing to show he can affect a game at anywhere close to that level.

Tennessee vs. Ohio State, 2010
Click to expand...

The numbers were virtually identical and he played fewer minutes his senior year. I don't know, I just remember him being more clutch his senior season. The team had Tyler Smith to make big plays his junior year. With the game on the line, it was usually going to Tyler Smith. He was given more opportunities to be the man in crucial moments his senior season. Maybe that's why I thought his last year was his best.

You are right that his field goal percentage was higher his junior year. So I don't know why I thought his senior year was better. I guess it's just because he was more valuable. :hi:
 
#23
#23
GBO18 said:
Haha don't see how they could after his piss poor season.
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After his 17 points vs Nova some boosters told him he should be the number one option not the third. Therefore his head got big. Plus smoking fat blunts everyday doesn't help.



 
#25
#25
IMO cam is one of those guys that just fills in a spot on the floor and like some of yall said just does enough to get to play.. yeah he can shoot the 3 DECENT and idc if he shoots but thats why im worried cause at the college level its more than shooting 3's.. if thats what our senior leader is going to be like then someone else needs to step up even if theyre not a senior like harris
 
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