Next Years Team

[Volunteer country]

This loss got me thinking tonight about next years team. This season is a rebuilding year and a nit trip is a long shot.

Looking at the roster a recruits coming in, we may be worse next year. Turner will help but who is going to step and score? And it looks like we will not have a solid big man again unless we get a transfer or Alexander gains some serious weight.

What do you guys think? I think if we struggle again next year the heat could be turned up on Barnes and he is at the stage in his career where he may just say screw this I'm done. Then we are starting all over again. Cuozno leaving was the worst thing for this program since the whole Pearl blowout. We would have a solid program if he was still here.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Sometimes when there is a prolific scorer like Punter, the other 4 just stand around and watch. They'll be fine. The addition of true point guards will mean Hubbs, Mostella, Phillips, Schofield, Alexander, and whichever new guys step up will get better looks. Kasongo might even be productive on offense if he can catch the ball and finish.

 

[Volunteer country]

Sometimes when there is a prolific scorer like Punter, the other 4 just stand around and watch. They'll be fine. The addition of true point guards will mean Hubbs, Mostella, Phillips, Schofield, Alexander, and whichever new guys step up will get better looks. Kasongo might even be productive on offense if he can catch the ball and finish.

Yeah we just need a serious big guy. Most nights in the sec we are going up against 6-10 7-0 guys who can actually produce and it seems like we can't get a guy over 6-8 who can produce. Because even stokes was just 6-8, but he could still dominate the paint.

 

[LittleCat]

This loss got me thinking tonight about next years team. This season is a rebuilding year and a nit trip is a long shot.

Looking at the roster a recruits coming in, we may be worse next year. Turner will help but who is going to step and score? And it looks like we will not have a solid big man again unless we get a transfer or Alexander gains some serious weight.

What do you guys think? I think if we struggle again next year the heat could be turned up on Barnes and he is at the stage in his career where he may just say screw this I'm done. Then we are starting all over again. Cuozno leaving was the worst thing for this program since the whole Pearl blowout. We would have a solid program if he was still here.

You serious? I like the 2016 class a lot. Some seriously underrated talent UT has signed. My biggest hope though is that Hubbs takes a massive step forward and becomes a leader.

 

[Volunteer country]

You serious? I like the 2016 class a lot. Some seriously underrated talent UT has signed. My biggest hope though is that Hubbs takes a massive step forward and becomes a leader.

We are still missing an inside presence. I think hubs is just going to be an average guy. 10-15 a night with a few bone head plays. He is a little lazy and looks and plays real stiff.

It will be interesting especially if we struggle again next year but hopefully we will get going in the right direction!

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

We are still missing an inside presence. I think hubs is just going to be an average guy. 10-15 a night with a few bone head plays. He is a little lazy and looks and plays real stiff.

It will be interesting especially if we struggle again next year but hopefully we will get going in the right direction!

You push the pace and press without big guys. 6-10 and above guys that are worth a damn aren't that common.

 

[cwbytruckers]

You push the pace and press without big guys. 6-10 and above guys that are worth a damn aren't that common.

Then explain why there are 6'10 guys all over college basketball especially mid major programs that can score. Not dominate. But score and rebound. We don't need a 20 point 15 rebound guy. We just need a 28 to 30 minutes guy who can get 8 to 10 points and 10 rebounds a game. And protect the rim. But all we ever get are 6'7 and 6'8 exaggerated height types.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Then explain why there are 6'10 guys all over college basketball especially mid major programs that can score. Not dominate. But score and rebound. We don't need a 20 point 15 rebound guy. We just need a 28 to 30 minutes guy who can get 8 to 10 points and 10 rebounds a game. And protect the rim. But all we ever get are 6'7 and 6'8 exaggerated height types.

6'10" guys that do well at mid-majors aren't necessarily going to be able to perform at high majors over a two month conference grind. Alexander is 6'10". Tariq Owens is 6'10". Kasongo is just under 6'10".

Had another last year in Woodson that washed out at Memphis and TN.

Lots of guys are that size. Not a lot of those can play in major conferences.

 

[golf437]

This loss got me thinking tonight about next years team. This season is a rebuilding year and a nit trip is a long shot.

Looking at the roster a recruits coming in, we may be worse next year. Turner will help but who is going to step and score? And it looks like we will not have a solid big man again unless we get a transfer or Alexander gains some serious weight.

What do you guys think? I think if we struggle again next year the heat could be turned up on Barnes and he is at the stage in his career where he may just say screw this I'm done. Then we are starting all over again. Cuozno leaving was the worst thing for this program since the whole Pearl blowout. We would have a solid program if he was still here.

Wrong. There will be no heat Fans like you that want instant wins. Will have to wait a couple of years,

 

[BigZiti09]

This loss got me thinking tonight about next years team. This season is a rebuilding year and a nit trip is a long shot.

Looking at the roster a recruits coming in, we may be worse next year. Turner will help but who is going to step and score? And it looks like we will not have a solid big man again unless we get a transfer or Alexander gains some serious weight.

What do you guys think? I think if we struggle again next year the heat could be turned up on Barnes and he is at the stage in his career where he may just say screw this I'm done. Then we are starting all over again. Cuozno leaving was the worst thing for this program since the whole Pearl blowout. We would have a solid program if he was still here.

There's a lot of things I wish were different about this program. Cuonzo still being here isn't one of them.

 

[JustWin1]

This loss got me thinking tonight about next years team. This season is a rebuilding year and a nit trip is a long shot.

Looking at the roster a recruits coming in, we may be worse next year. Turner will help but who is going to step and score? And it looks like we will not have a solid big man again unless we get a transfer or Alexander gains some serious weight.

What do you guys think? I think if we struggle again next year the heat could be turned up on Barnes and he is at the stage in his career where he may just say screw this I'm done. Then we are starting all over again. Cuozno leaving was the worst thing for this program since the whole Pearl blowout. We would have a solid program if he was still here.

Cuonzo would have us in the 10-14 range in the SEC if he were still here. Look at his Cal team - Lots of talent and arguably 2 1st round draft pics and his team isn't even ranked. And how did Cuonzo let Shannon Hale out of the East Tennesse - Probably the highest rated kid in this area in 10 years and he went to Alabama.

Next years team will be very very young - you will have:

5 Freshman
6 Sophmores (including Walkons)
2 JR
1 Senior

Its hard to compete in any league with that much youth ask Butch Jones. So I think the reality of the situation is this Program was not in a position to be fixed in 1 or 2 years I think the reality is its 3-4 years IMO

 

[BruinVol]

No doubt next years team will be worse

 

[TMvol10]

I wouldn't call this year a rebuilding year. We have 4 seniors that play big minutes and provide the bulk of our production. Now next year I would consider a rebuilding year. Hubbs will be our only senior and I like next years class alot. Not that rankings mean anything, but we have three 4* players coming in which just means that there is some talent. Throw in Turner (a true pg), a stronger and improved Alexander, plus individual improvement from Mostella, Hubbs, Admiral and Phillips and I think we'll have a decent NIT type squad.

 

[Otis07]

They will be terrible, well at least we have the lady Vols to fall back on...........Ooops

 

[JohnMcA60]

2017-2018 will be when we see what we have. 2016-2017 may be worse than this year because of the loss of guys like Moore and Punter. Hopefully Hubbs really steps up and Mostella keeps his scoring touch. Either way I'll be watching and cheering on these guys.

 

[pdogg]

Cuonzo would have us in the 10-14 range in the SEC if he were still here. Look at his Cal team - Lots of talent and arguably 2 1st round draft pics and his team isn't even ranked. And how did Cuonzo let Shannon Hale out of the East Tennesse - Probably the highest rated kid in this area in 10 years and he went to Alabama.

Next years team will be very very young - you will have:

5 Freshman
6 Sophmores (including Walkons)
2 JR
1 Senior

Its hard to compete in any league with that much youth ask Butch Jones. So I think the reality of the situation is this Program was not in a position to be fixed in 1 or 2 years I think the reality is its 3-4 years IMO

Actually 2 of his Cal players are projected Top 10! in the next NBA draft and another player who is currently injured is projected 2nd round. That doesn't inlcude Jabari Bird, a player he inherited who was a McDonald's All-American and rated a 5 star by many recruitng services.

 

[LordBolton]

This loss got me thinking tonight about next years team. This season is a rebuilding year and a nit trip is a long shot.

Looking at the roster a recruits coming in, we may be worse next year. Turner will help but who is going to step and score? And it looks like we will not have a solid big man again unless we get a transfer or Alexander gains some serious weight.

What do you guys think? I think if we struggle again next year the heat could be turned up on Barnes and he is at the stage in his career where he may just say screw this I'm done. Then we are starting all over again. Cuozno leaving was the worst thing for this program since the whole Pearl blowout. We would have a solid program if he was still here.

Or if we had made sure Pearl knew he had a job waiting when Cuonzo bailed. I find it hard to believe they had no clue it was coming. He had to interview at Cal some time, nobody noticed he was missing for a few days? Perhaps he Skyped the interview. I don't think Cuonzo liked it here or wanted to be here after one year. Perhaps he knew UT fans were waiting on that 3 year ban to be up for Pearl. Sadly he chose to hold out on making his plans public till Pearl took another gig so he could screw UT as much as possible, for whatever inscrutable reasons.

In a year or two, when Auburn is winning the SEC and ranked #1 or 2 like we were not that long ago, then perhaps we will all realize the depths to which that jackass consigned us.

 

[Stoked]

Or if we had made sure Pearl knew he had a job waiting when Cuonzo bailed. I find it hard to believe they had no clue it was coming. He had to interview at Cal some time, nobody noticed he was missing for a few days? Perhaps he Skyped the interview. I don't think Cuonzo liked it here or wanted to be here after one year. Perhaps he knew UT fans were waiting on that 3 year ban to be up for Pearl. Sadly he chose to hold out on making his plans public till Pearl took another gig so he could screw UT as much as possible, for whatever inscrutable reasons.

In a year or two, when Auburn is winning the SEC and ranked #1 or 2 like we were not that long ago, then perhaps we will all realize the depths to which that jackass consigned us.

I wish I lived in a fantasy land like you. Pearl wanted to be here but the higher up's didn't. It didn't matter when the opening was made available, they were never going to hire him back unfortunately.

 

[jeff1vol]

Can Barnes get the best out of his players? THAT should be the question.

Certainly cant do it with upperclassmen. Won't put any money on him doing anything with Freshmen next year.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

I'm very interested to see how we play with actual PG's on the roster, and pretty good ones at that. I think I was in the crowd previously that said Turner would only be the difference in maybe winning 2 more games, after watching 20 games I think I sold that way short. Now obviously it would depend on how good he is, but I think we probably have 3 more wins already if we have Turner. Going without a PG for 10 minutes in the first half hurt us, and then down the stretch with turnovers it would've helped having that extra ball handler.

I know everyone looks at next years team and says "we lose punter how do we replace that", well I remember 8 months ago people saying "we lose Richardson how do we replace that", nobody expected this from punter. I think a lack of a big man will again hurt us next year, I think Alexander will improve but it will still be a weakness, however I'm excited to have some guys who can run PG. If Barnes can add a grad transfer big for next year that would be ideal, not sure how likely that is though.

 

[edyeary]

Frankly, next year can't get here soon enough for me.

 

[orbs son]

I honestly think next years team will do better than this years. Hubbs, Mostella and the Admiral will provide a lift in scoring. Hopefully Alexander will more comfortable in the defense instead of being scared of messing up. The 4 seniors that people are mentioning aren't going to be that big of a loss. I love them, but they aren't the best players on this team.

 

[vols 30]

Unfortunately, it's going to get worse. The man they should've hired is 15-5 right now at VCU

 

[LordBolton]

I wish I lived in a fantasy land like you. Pearl wanted to be here but the higher up's didn't. It didn't matter when the opening was made available, they were never going to hire him back unfortunately.

Well since we never will get him back, you may as well come on over and live in Fantasyland with me. Over here the administrators have cajones and brains. It's so much nicer than the real world. I hear that my $2500 ACA savings check is being personally delivered to me this week by Obama himself.

 

[VolFreakJosh]

Ya'll might not want to hear this again but firing Bruce Pearl is probably one of the biggest mistakes Tennessee basketball has ever made. Look where we are without him? That's all you need to know.