What lessons could the football program learn from the basketball program

[BruisedOrange]

This is not an attempt to talk football in our forum, but an excuse to reconsider how U.T. basketball got to where it is today.

I think we're all feeling much better about the health, stability and direction of UT Basketball. It's certainly fun to be a Big Orange men's basketball fan again. But there's no denying both programs have stumbled down similar paths during the past several years.

So with the advantage of hindsight, what's been learned in TBA that has legitimate application to the dumpster fire burning a couple blocks down Phillip Fulmer Way? :question:

 

[OrangeAllDay]

This is not an attempt to talk football in our forum, but an excuse to reconsider how U.T. basketball got to where it is today.

I think we're all feeling much better about the health, stability and direction of UT Basketball. It's certainly fun to be a Big Orange men's basketball fan again. But there's no denying both programs have stumbled down similar paths during the past several years.

So with the advantage of hindsight, what's been learned in TBA that has legitimate application to the dumpster fire burning a couple blocks down Phillip Fulmer Way? :question:

Got lucky Rick Barnes fell in our lap. It was more of a dumpster fire than football after the Cuonzo and Donnie T fiasco.

 

[VolGee4]

Got lucky Rick Barnes fell in our lap. It was more of a dumpster fire than football after the Cuonzo and Donnie T fiasco.

Rick Barnes was perfect for what we needed. I said it then and will say it now- instant credibility. There will always be people who complain about his lack of titles or average recruiting, but basketball is fun again. UT has never won a title, so that expectation is extreme. Develop players, recruit good talent, and play fun basketball. That's what we have started to do.

 

[OrangeAllDay]

Rick Barnes was perfect for what we needed. I said it then and will say it now- instant credibility. There will always be people who complain about his lack of titles or average recruiting, but basketball is fun again. UT has never won a title, so that expectation is extreme. Develop players, recruit good talent, and play fun basketball. That's what we have started to do.

Agree 100%

 

[RollerVol]

had to go through a healing process for both...

GO COACH BARNES, AD FULMER AND ALL VOLS EVERYWHERE...epper:epper::yahoo:

 

[golfballs]

Rick Barnes was perfect for what we needed. I said it then and will say it now- instant credibility. There will always be people who complain about his lack of titles or average recruiting, but basketball is fun again. UT has never won a title, so that expectation is extreme. Develop players, recruit good talent, and play fun basketball. That's what we have started to do.

Yep

 

[StrangeVol]

Find a coach that has proven success, knows what he is doing and, and will stick to his guns while rebuilding the program. Support his efforts even when the vocal minority criticizes his every move, and by all means show up and cheer for the Big Orange!

 

[ProfessorD]

So could les miles be our rick Barnes for the football program. I know his last season sucked but up to that point all he did was win in a far superior sec West.


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[BruisedOrange]

So could les miles be our rick Barnes for the football program. I know his last season sucked but up to that point all he did was win in a far superior sec West.

Gotta admit, when I framed the question in my head, "Who's the gridiron Rick Barnes out there today?" Miles is who came to mind.

I also imagine he and Fulmer feel some kinship from the way their last coaching jobs ended.

Anyone know the inside story on why Barnes chose us? Was it as simple as he wasn't ready to retire, and what we had to offer (program-wise) was not going to be a step down in resources, facilities, or competition?

I always wondered if maybe he was tired of coaching against Texas fans' expectations, rather than against other coaches' teams.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

So could les miles be our rick Barnes for the football program. I know his last season sucked but up to that point all he did was win in a far superior sec West.

Unless it's simply an aw shucks persona that Miles has cultivated, Barnes is far more proficient with the gray matter than Les. Miles repeatedly pulled stupid crap strategically and benefited more often than not due to pure luck. Miles could never get a great QB signed or develop a good one and Barnes would never taste turf. The similarity, IMO, ends with the decade of their births.

But you are correct in that the discarded Miles could be TN's football version of the discarded Barnes. Texas was just far more idiotic than LSU. But at least Texas knew where they were going with the successor.

 

[Beer*Guns*Vols]

Don't double dribble on 3rd down! :crazy:

 

[StrangeVol]

Gotta admit, when I framed the question in my head, "Who's the gridiron Rick Barnes out there today?" Miles is who came to mind.

I also imagine he and Fulmer feel some kinship from the way their last coaching jobs ended.

Anyone know the inside story on why Barnes chose us? Was it as simple as he wasn't ready to retire, and what we had to offer (program-wise) was not going to be a step down in resources, facilities, or competition?

I always wondered if maybe he was tired of coaching against Texas fans' expectations, rather than against other coaches' teams.

Count me among those that think Les Miles could be a solid hire. Couple him with Tee as OC and Steele as DC, hire a first rate QB coach and O and D line coaches and we might have something cooking. :twocents:

P.S. Rick was fired by a new AD (who was in less than a year later fired himself for being a complete idiot) because Rick wouldn't let the AD and a few boosters tell him how to run the team and who he should have on staff. We just happened to desperately need a coach to salvage our sinking basketball ship and Dave Hart was smart enough to pick up the phone and make him an offer to "come home." Rick accepted and the rest will soon be history. Lucky us!

 

[iKrager]

Got lucky Rick Barnes fell in our lap. It was more of a dumpster fire than football after the Cuonzo and Donnie T fiasco.

Ahhh how the tune has changed after beating on top 25 team, remarkable. Not a jab at you, but all of sudden we have “basketball fans” again. Lol.

 

[OrangeAllDay]

Ahhh how the tune has changed after beating on top 25 team, remarkable. Not a jab at you, but all of sudden we have “basketball fans” again. Lol.

I’m not a “basketball” fan? News to me

 

[cncchris33]

Rick Barnes was perfect for what we needed. I said it then and will say it now- instant credibility. There will always be people who complain about his lack of titles or average recruiting, but basketball is fun again. UT has never won a title, so that expectation is extreme. Develop players, recruit good talent, and play fun basketball. That's what we have started to do.

When he was hired, I was indifferent to him. I questioned his coaching ability given his great deal of talent, yet little to show for it in terms of titles. I felt, like you, he gave us instant credibility and name recognition as a program. He was a safe hire, and about the best we could hope for given the perceived toxicity of our program. I am thrilled to say again, I was wrong about his coaching ability. He proved in year 1 he could coach up underrated talent, and that he and his staff also have an eye for talent, not just recruiting rankings. Basketball is exciting, he's built a great young nucleus of talented players who know and accept their roles. Sometimes, that trumps talent.

Now to relate that to the football program. The program is at an all-time low. To call it toxic is probably an insult to toxic things. But, in the same case, a hire of Les Miles or Kevin Sumlin would be nearly identical parallels to the Barnes hire. Instant credibility and name recognition. Safe hires. And probably best case scenarios at this point. Maybe Fulmer shocks us with a big name, sexy hire, but my bet is on a safe hire.

 

[TennTom]

You're making a good argument to hire Les Miles, which at this point I'd be fine with.

 

[vols 30]

Play tougher and not be so soft . talking about d-line.


Inb4 " I bet you wouldn't say that to their face"

 

[iKrager]

I’m not a “basketball” fan? News to me

Nah, not you Orange, but it’s ironically funny how the tune changes when we start winning. Barnes’ first two years were mediocre and fans vastly underappreciated Barnes. We beat Purdue and all of a sudden we “have a guy who knows what he’s doing” “finally a good coach” - type of comments are coming lol. No praise for Barnes when he goes .500 or worse with awful roster.

 

[OrangeAllDay]

Nah, not you Orange, but it’s ironically funny how the tune changes when we start winning. Barnes’ first two years were mediocre and fans vastly underappreciated Barnes. We beat Purdue and all of a sudden we “have a guy who knows what he’s doing” “finally a good coach” - type of comments are coming lol. No praise for Barnes when he goes .500 or worse with awful roster.

Ah Krager. I thought I was gonna have to bring up Derek Reese on ya. I thought you were taking swings at me. My bad bro 😂

 

[VOLINVONORE]

Play tougher and not be so soft . talking about d-line.


Inb4 " I bet you wouldn't say that to their face"

Barns has been given time to develop his team and not pressured to produce a championship team in his first 2-3 years. Basketball is a sport which can be formed into a top ten teams in 1-2 years. Uk recruits almost a new team every year and has been able to win championships. A couple of 5 star recruits at 1 and 5 positions with adequate role players at the other positions often results in winners.

On the other hand, putting together a championship football team takes a much longer time and requires star players at almost every position. One must also have talent and depth and experience at every position. An exceptional QB, wide receivers plus an offensive line is also required for an offense to be productive. On defense, even more talented players are required at every position as well as more depth than the offense. Bottom line is, Barns has been able to recruit and teach players how to play the game of basketball. He was/is an exceptional hire and he will continue to build our basketball program. I just hope Tennessee fans will give our new football staff the opportunity to do the same.

 

[Roustabout]

Take a similar approach.

Recruit hard working 3 stars who will be coachable and put in the work. Hire a coach and staff that are mature, great teachers and tacticians. Build a foundation then get back to worrying about top 10 classes.

 

[VEKZY]

Barns has been given time to develop his team and not pressured to produce a championship team in his first 2-3 years. Basketball is a sport which can be formed into a top ten teams in 1-2 years. Uk recruits almost a new team every year and has been able to win championships. A couple of 5 star recruits at 1 and 5 positions with adequate role players at the other positions often results in winners.

On the other hand, putting together a championship football team takes a much longer time and requires star players at almost every position. One must also have talent and depth and experience at every position. An exceptional QB, wide receivers plus an offensive line is also required for an offense to be productive. On defense, even more talented players are required at every position as well as more depth than the offense. Bottom line is, Barns has been able to recruit and teach players how to play the game of basketball. He was/is an exceptional hire and he will continue to build our basketball program. I just hope Tennessee fans will give our new football staff the opportunity to do the same.

You are vastly over-simplifying what it requires to be a top 10 basketball team.

 

[i2amavol]

So could les miles be our rick Barnes for the football program. I know his last season sucked but up to that point all he did was win in a far superior sec West.

We could do worse.

 

[iKrager]

Ah Krager. I thought I was gonna have to bring up Derek Reese on ya. I thought you were taking swings at me. My bad bro 😂

Those were some dark times😂.. I think Kyle Alexander is our Derek Reese now (but having a way bigger impact than Reese).

 

[roddo518]

Not much. The basketball team has been a trainwreck for awhile, too. The best thing that any school can learn is that if you hire very good coaches you usually get good results.