Recruiting Forum Football Talk [RIP 9.3.2019]

[UTSuave’]

i saw that interview and i didn't take it as throwing shade...he was paying him a compliment. context is all wrong in this....

could have used a different word than flopping, but i didn't take it as shade.

“Back handed compliment”

 

[LA Vol]

If I'm being super critical, here's my biggest complaint with this season and how it unfolded. Earlier in the year I was harping on this too. Only 6 players who averaged more than 15 minutes per game, and Pons hit 12.5...so that's bloated since he was starting for a few games.

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Duke a team who is not very deep had 7 guys over 15mpg and an 8th guy who was near 15mpg with 13.8. Maybe those 8-14 guys didn't "earn" the time, but I'm a big believer that the season should be where you really find out who can play cause practice isn't always a great indicator (Peterman vs Dobbs for example one always looked great in practice and the other didn't but when it's game time the separation of talent was different).

Yep. At the beginning of the season, we knew that how far this team could go depended on how much production we could get from the bench. We need Pons, Fulkerson, Walker and Johnson to play quality minutes. Bowden is a solid sixth man and Fulk has come along, but Walker and Johnson haven't developed like we hoped. It looked like Pons would take the next step, but that stalled. Maybe some of them will seize the opportunity and break out at the NCAAT.

 

[JCP201]

 

[jakez4ut]

Good post. I would've loved to see more of Jalen, Fulky, and Walker through the regular season.

Their development might have been greatly expedited.

Does some of that boil down to those guys in the top 6 not closing out games? Perhaps.

But with more rest, maybe that wouldn't have been a problem.

Chicken or the egg?

yeah, and i think fulky is probably getting the max minutes he should get. i do think we could rest Grant and Admiral more during games and get Walker out there....he definitley needs to develop. Johnson looks like he could really be something, but he needs to play more....i'm glad he's seen the court more of late, but i don't know how much of a factor he can really be at this point.

even if he were a specialist as a shooter or defender, it's a wrinkle that's easily accounted for by the opponent....lik Pons is now. when he's out there, offensively, it's 4 on 5.

this team boils down to how Grant and Admiral do, and whether or not one of the guards can get it going offensively. KA is a defensive presence, but has at times disappeared as a rebounder and as an offensive contributor.

this team has improved devensively of late, but we have missed way too many open looks at the basket and way too many layups for a team that boasts the 3, 4, and 5 we have on the floor most of the time.

part of the problem is as good as we are offensively as a unit, we don't do all that well at 'creating' shots individually. KA has had moments where he was automatic with that hook, GW has his spin, and that elbow jumper that are pretty automatic, Bone from the foule line jumper....outside of that, we have struggled getting to the rim and making the shot and/or getting enough contact to get a foul called.

AD, GW and KA need to be more aggressive about getting to the rim and making the other team defend or foul....and you don't always have to get that extra pass in......

 

[jakez4ut]

Yep. At the beginning of the season, we knew that how far this team could go depended on how much production we could get from the bench. We need Pons, Fulkerson, Walker and Johnson to play quality minutes. Bowden is a solid sixth man and Fulk has come along, but Walker and Johnson haven't developed like we hoped. It looked like Pons would take the next step, but that stalled. Maybe some of them will seize the opportunity and break out at the NCAAT.

big off season for all those guys coming up.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

Yeah, it is a great season regardless of what happens in the NCAA. We as fans obviously want more, for us as well as the team/coaches. They did win 19 straight, sat at number 1 for quite a few weeks and 15-3 any other year wins the SEC regular season title, and going to their 2nd straight SEC championship game and beating UK twice within 14 days to do it is impressive. I'm VERY PROUD of this season.

I just want to see us string together our best ball for 4-6 games and let's see who can really hang with us, cause I'm sure my orange bias is showing but if we play dialed in basketball like we did against UK here at home there isn't a single team that's going to beat us -not a single team- Zion can't carry Duke against these boys when they are all playing on the same page and hard, period.

 

[blondie]

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I sure am grateful for the posters here that breakdown the egregious flaws in our team that allowed the losses to a No. 1 team and the 2, 3 and 5 seeds to happen.

I just thought that sometimes you just get beat by a good team - so glad my eyes have been opened to the truth.

 

[jakez4ut]

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I sure am grateful for the posters here that breakdown the egregious flaws in our team that allowed the losses to 1, 2, 3 and 5 seeds to happen.

I just thought that sometimes you just get beat by a good team - so glad my eyes have been opened to the truth.

you're welcome.

 

[Ulysees E. McGill]

That's true if you judge the season based on a conference championship. I don't, there has been so many accomplishments this year, so many great times. I agree, the championships, SEC, National was their goal but it won't be a failure if they don't achieve either, at least in my mind.

I don't know..I don't want to call them failures, so I'm not, but using the football teams fortunes to make a point here...
If the FootVols go 8-4 this year, I think most people would call that a success based on ability and expectations, but the BasketVols were expected to, and should have won either a regular season or tourney SEC title...they have neither.

All they have..at least to this point..is 29 wins and a #2 seed in the Dance to show for it.

You could say last years team was more successful..atbleast to this point...because at least they owned a share of the regular season title...last season.

Now if they could get to the Elite Eight or Final Four...then that would be something..A Sweet Sixteen or worse is going to be viewed as a failure like it or not..

I do not see them as failures, but it is hard to call them really successful so far..if you know what I mean...

I love this team though, it is the best and most fun team I have ever been blessed to watch at UT, and I thank them for far exceeding my personal expectations that I had for this group before last season started...that is a success IMO.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I sure am grateful for the posters here that breakdown the egregious flaws in our team that allowed the losses to a No. 1 team and the 2, 3 and 5 seeds to happen.

I just thought that sometimes you just get beat by a good team - so glad my eyes have been opened to the truth.

Like do you "get" what a forum is exactly?

 

[Ulysees E. McGill]

Men's and women's BB have some of the same issues-- inconsistent effort, a sporadic lack of intensity and the occasional no-show from key players. Some days, both teams feel like they can come out, give half-effort and still win-- and a less-talented opponent proves them wrong. The men's team has been fortunate to salvage some near-losses when that happens; the women's team generally has not.

That's what the players and coaches say. Barnes, GW and AD have been candid about it. If it continues to happen, they'll continue to have tough losses. But it doesn't have to happen and they know how to fix it. Learn from yesterday and flush it.

I think that close loss to AU on their court caused more harm than if AU had beaten them badly in that game...you know what I mean?

 

[jakez4ut]

That's true if you judge the season based on a conference championship. I don't, there has been so many accomplishments this year, so many great times. I agree, the championships, SEC, National was their goal but it won't be a failure if they don't achieve either, at least in my mind.

agreed. i think for me, obviously as a fan, i'm disappointed...but i acutally feel worse for the players, cause i know that "unfinished business" was part of the deal going in to this year, with everyone coming back.

aside from all the gnashing of teeth about what is bad, good, needs improvement etc.....i can tell you this, it's been a long time (probably since Pearl) that i've watched every single basketball game for two years straight.

it's been a helluva ride, and helluva lot of fun to watch. i had so much fun watching that UK game Saturday night and MSU the night before.....

i think the hard part for all of us is that we're now to the point where 1 loss ends it.

and that would suck.....

 

[VolGee4]

Obviously I'm just a fan, and it's easy to armchair coach. But I don't think there is enough separation of talent between Turner/Bowden/Kyle that they dominate that many more minutes than Fulkerson/Walker/Pons/Jalen.

We have 3 elite players imo, guys who can play with any team and be starters anywhere in the country. Grant/Bone/Admiral then next 3 guys are very solid and good players, but the next 3-4 guys aren't that far off the 2nd group and I think you can find the fire by putting them in game time situations.

How can a guy like Jalen or Walker learn to play through foul trouble or poor shooting nights when they get pulled so soon? There was times (TTU etc.) when you could just let these guys "figure it out" a bit on the court, and nothing they do in practice will ever give them that same sort of opportunity as if they were in a game and facing opponents who are going as hard as they can to take it to you.

I agree that Barnes needed to get more playing time for Fulkerson, Pons, Walker, and Johnson. However, I don’t agree that Bowden, Turner, and Alexander are about even with them. Those last 3 players have won games for us with individual efforts. They have to be playing in crunch time.

 

[blondie]

Like do you "get" what a forum is exactly?

Like, I totally do. It’s a place where idiots can offer up their stupid opinions about why a great team sucks. And then I can call said opinions, like, stupid.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

What this year highlighted to me is how good the SEC is in basketball, and how bad the rest of the country is at seeing it.

Look at the records and the Head Coaches...
Bruce Pearl at Auburn (we all know he's a quality coach)
Tom Crean at Georgia (He's going to build a stout team guy has a Final Four appearance and been to 4 Sweet Sixteens)
Frank Martin at South Carolina (Has been to the Final Four, may never be a power but a team that won't be an easy win ever)
Kermit Davis at Ole Miss (if this year is any indication this guy is going to be strong)
Ben Howland at Mississippi State(3 straight Final Fours)
Mike White at Florida (YOUNG, but career 67% win percentage and we know Florida can be a power and has talent in state)

Then of course Barnes & Calipari this conference is getting slept on a lot and that's soon to be changing.

 

[JohnnyD1024]

What will be The Lady Vols fate this evening? I know women's basketball isn't the most popular in this thread but it's still hard to fathom watching the selection show to see if The Lady Vols make it in or not.

 

[InVOLuntary]

I hope we can get a lead early against Colgate and we can rest Grant, Admiral etc. Give some valuable tournament minutes to fulkerson, Walker, and Johnson.

 

[VolGee4]

What will be The Lady Vols fate this evening? I know women's basketball isn't the most popular in this thread but it's still hard to fathom watching the selection show to see if The Lady Vols make it in or not.

I think they get in. Apparently the women’s committee releases a “Debatable Eight,” which reveal the last 4 in and the first 4 out. The Lady Vols were one of the teams. I saw commentary on ESPN saying the Lady Vols should be in based on the comparable teams.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

I agree that Barnes needed to get more playing time for Fulkerson, Pons, Walker, and Johnson. However, I don’t agree that Bowden, Turner, and Alexander are about even with them. Those last 3 players have won games for us with individual efforts. They have to be playing in crunch time.

But in 20 of our 29 wins we won comfortably by double digits...I feel like winning by 20 doesn't help as much as getting Jalen or Walker 6 extra minutes of game time. My opinion at least.

 

[JohnnyD1024]

I think they get in. Apparently the women’s committee releases a “Debatable Eight,” which reveal the last 4 in and the first 4 out. The Lady Vols were one of the teams. I saw commentary on ESPN saying the Lady Vols should be in based on the comparable teams.

Missouri State who is coached by former Lady Vol Kellie Jolly Harper stole a bid yesterday by defeating Drake in their conference tournament final.

 

[LA Vol]

Thanks again to Freak for adding the Like feature. If we're unsure whose posts to skip over, the likes confirm it so we can effectively use the Ignore feature. Synergy.

 

[JohnnyD1024]

I could see Kellie Jolly Harper being the next head coach of The Lady Vols.

 

[Vfl2407]

What will be The Lady Vols fate this evening? I know women's basketball isn't the most popular in this thread but it's still hard to fathom watching the selection show to see if The Lady Vols make it in or not.

Best case scenario
No bid
Phil walks in and hands Holly something pink.

 

[Rishvol]

I think they get in. Apparently the women’s committee releases a “Debatable Eight,” which reveal the last 4 in and the first 4 out. The Lady Vols were one of the teams. I saw commentary on ESPN saying the Lady Vols should be in based on the comparable teams.

Aka. they're the first women's basketball Blueblood so they need to be in the tournament

 

[LA Vol]

No matter how anyone feels about Holly or the team, the LVs making the NCAAT benefits UT and UTAD. The legacy is good for future teams and the future of the program.