Tennessee Lady Vols Softball 2022.

[turbovol]

If the team presses and plays tight in big games, then that is on the coaches. You have to be both focused and relaxed as a player, and as a coach you have to be careful not to over-coach. You don't want players/hitters thinking too much. You want them to relax and play. I'm not saying Weekly over-coaches, though I have had a vague sense of that in recent years. But that's mostly because of our post-season struggles and the fact that our hitters just don't get it done in big games. I don't know whether it's true or not.

 

[OrangeBeachVol]

If the team presses and plays tight in big games, then that is on the coaches. You have to be both focused and relaxed as a player, and as a coach you have to be careful not to over-coach. You don't want players/hitters thinking too much. You want them to relax and play. I'm not saying Weekly over-coaches, though I have had a vague sense of that in recent years. But that's mostly because of our post-season struggles and the fact that our hitters just don't get it done in big games. I don't know whether it's true or not.

Yeah the hitters do seem to bat scared in the post season and since its all of them, there is a reason for that. Has to be something from the coaching that has them that way, as its just a post a season thing. I know their seeing good pitchers but you can adjust as the game goes on and they don't to be able to do that.

 

[Volfaninfl2]

When it didn’t count. Weekly stinks

TN beat MS ST 2 out of 3 games in season. The 3rd win was in the SEC Tournament.

 

[OrangeBeachVol]

NA

 

[DeerPark12]

Contracts are meaningless in college football and men's basketball. Find me a coach in a non-revenue sport that's fired with more than a year left on his/her deal that wasn't involved in gross misconduct. I'll wait. It's why White waited until this year to fire the track coach that everyone expected to be gone after last year, he wasn't paying a buyout for a coach outside the big three sports. You can believe me or not on anything else I've posted, but my career is coaching and entertainment contracts. Schools don't buy out coaches outside of football and men's and women's basketball.

There is going to be some pretty significant coaching turnover in SEC softball this offseason, but none of it is going to be in Knoxville.

Coaching turnover in the SEC, part one: Jo Evans Departing as Texas A&M Head Coach - Extra Inning Softball

 

[volman128]

In order for her schooling to be paid for she has to play.

Weird response. I said nothing about the schooling being paid via athletic scholarship.

 

[volman128]

I don't believe talent was the issue this year. We have a lot of talent, in my view. Ayala and Milloy are two good/very good players--and excellent athletes as well, Davis, Morgan, Rogers, Puni, Gibson, Beautea, etc--all talented. Our problem--in the nutshell-- is that our talent doesn't perform in the big games, in the big games. Our hitters don't perform....

I didn't say talent was the issue. Talent-wise, we're definitely a top 8-10 team in the country. But we aren't getting the amount of top players we used to, when we were top 5 in talent basically every season. We get top 5-10 recruits here and there (i.e. Rogers, Milloy, Pickens), but we used to get them pretty regularly, like when we got Gibson and Chavanne in the same year, and then (Madison) Shipman the next. That's all I'm saying. We're still getting good classes but they aren't the level they were at one point. When you don't have good coaching, you need top level talent to help overcome that. When the talent slips down a spot, it's more noticeable when your coaching isn't up to par.

The coaches definitely have some head scratching choices in terms of scouting. There are a few players on the roster that aren't walk-ons that never should've been offered.

 

[volman128]

Since they went to this regional format in 2005, I can't think of another Vols team that has outachieved the softball program.

Not football, neither basketball team, not baseball,

That speaks more to the sad state of our athletic program in that time period more than anything.

Also the WBB program won two NCs in that time, so. And we *should* have won the NC in both WBB and softball in 2007.

 

[Majors]

In order for her schooling to be paid for she has to play.

Not necessarily, she could for an example be a graduate assistant and have her final year covered. Now, I’m not saying that is what will happen but that is a way for to get her school paid for and be part of the team.

 

[OrangeBeachVol]

Softball cannot hold a candle to the WBB team when it comes to playoffs. BB team just didn't make the NCAA playoffs every yr they have been in many final 4's and as stated above, won NC's. While getting in the regionals every year is an accomplishment to be praised for the softball team, not advancing to the CWS is a rarity.

And yes you can argue not too many teams ever make the CWS but LV softball is not many teams. Just like the LV BB team, they have higher stds. But if most of the fans and the AD are happy with a regional appearance every yr then all is fine. A CWS appearance every 5 yrs or so should not be too high of a std if a coach is given the resources and funding needed.

I don't know if that is case with the current program. Maybe Deerpark 12 or someone with inside knowledge can answer that.

 

[kregman]

Coaching turnover in the SEC, part one: Jo Evans Departing as Texas A&M Head Coach - Extra Inning Softball

The old guard is pretty much gone. We are one of the few left.
They pretty much fired her (not renewing contract). She has a pretty stout resume especially considering she never had a super stud pitcher.

 

[kregman]

Softball cannot hold a candle to the WBB team when it comes to playoffs. BB team just didn't make the NCAA playoffs every yr they have been in many final 4's and as stated above, won NC's. While getting in the regionals every year is an accomplishment to be praised for the softball team, not advancing to the CWS is a rarity.

And yes you can argue not too many teams ever make the CWS but LV softball is not many teams. Just like the LV BB team, they have higher stds. But if most of the fans and the AD are happy with a regional appearance every yr then all is fine. A CWS appearance every 5 yrs or so should not be too high of a std if a coach is given the resources and funding needed.

I don't know if that is case with the current program. Maybe Deerpark 12 or someone with inside knowledge can answer that.

If getting to a regional is our standard just turn softball into a club sport and save the money.

 

[orange beard]

Weird response. I said nothing about the schooling being paid via athletic scholarship.

Explain! These players get their scholarships or aide because they are playing the sport. I believe Ashley is in a Masters program and somebody has to pay and rarely is the complete aide enough. JMHO

 

[DeerPark12]

I agree that she isn't getting fired this year. But that doesn't mean she is on safe ground. It will be interesting to see if she gets an extension and what the buyout details are if she does.

She got an extension through 2025 last summer, she wouldn’t be due for another extension for two years. She is on as safe a ground as any coach at UT. Like I said before, people can disagree with that, but that’s the reality from the department standpoint.

 

[turbovol]

Softball cannot hold a candle to the WBB team when it comes to playoffs. BB team just didn't make the NCAA playoffs every yr they have been in many final 4's and as stated above, won NC's. While getting in the regionals every year is an accomplishment to be praised for the softball team, not advancing to the CWS is a rarity.

And yes you can argue not too many teams ever make the CWS but LV softball is not many teams. Just like the LV BB team, they have higher stds. But if most of the fans and the AD are happy with a regional appearance every yr then all is fine. A CWS appearance every 5 yrs or so should not be too high of a std if a coach is given the resources and funding needed.

I don't know if that is case with the current program. Maybe Deerpark 12 or someone with inside knowledge can answer that.

Both WBB and Softball have fallen off in recent years. WBB practically went over the cliff with Warlick, has been improved with Harper and we should get a sense next year or two of how far she can take the program. Softball has dropped from essentially a top 10 program (even top 5 for several years) to a top 20 program. Whereas we used to get to the championship series somewhat regularly, we've been getting knocked out in regionals/supers regularly. I thought we had a championship series team this year--but it's always something. The rare year when we have some pitching depth and Rogers has a recurring injury issue and our hitters come up small yet again. I still think we can get back to the top in softball...and I'm rarely an optimist!

 

[SEC FAN 1111]

She got an extension through 2025 last summer, she wouldn’t be due for another extension for two years. She is on as safe a ground as any coach at UT. Like I said before, people can disagree with that, but that’s the reality from the department standpoint.

So they gave her an extension after last year’s debacle of not even making it to Sunday’s games in home regional? Terrible decision. Karen has now become Jo Evans In Tennesse

 

[DeerPark12]

The old guard is pretty much gone. We are one of the few left.
They pretty much fired her (not renewing contract). She has a pretty stout resume especially considering she never had a super stud pitcher.

One of the few left, alongside Alabama and Florida, the other two most successful programs in this conference over the last 20 years.

 

[DeerPark12]

You keep saying fired, I don’t believe I did. Coach Lu walked away with one year left on her contract. Again, people leave for many reasons, fired isn’t the only one. Sometimes it’s just time. Such as Ralph, who also stepped away as his contract was to expire at the end of this year, but was stepping away at the end of 2020 but Covid bumped it another year. Meaningless

No, but firing is the only one that’s really applicable here, because it’s the only situation where either side really owes the other a buyout. Contracts in college sports aren’t meaningless when it comes to a school’s obligation, and the financial circumstances they are willing or able to work out around a separation. That’s why, as I have said several times, you very rarely see a coach in a non-revenue sport let go with more than a year left on a contract. Schools just aren’t willing to spend money to pay to coaches in a sport other than football or basketball.

I suppose you’re correct they are meaningless in that a coach could retire at any time, but that is exceedingly rare. Sure, you see retirements, but you rarely see a coach step away as a surprise.

I don’t know if you were suggesting it about Lu, but I know she was not asked to retire or step aside, she was actually offered a generous extension based on their trip to the World Series last year. She retired and is enjoying traveling the world, from what I understand.

 

[volman128]

One of the few left, alongside Alabama and Florida, the other two most successful programs in this conference over the last 20 years.

"The other two". They both have NCs and multiple SEC championships. You're acting like we're comparable to them when we aren't.

Hell this is the worst Florida has been in years and they still made the Supers.

 

[volman128]

So they gave her an extension after last year’s debacle of not even making it to Sunday’s games in home regional? Terrible decision. Karen has now become Jo Evans In Tennesse

The UTAD rewarding mediocrity is as safe of a bet as the sun coming up in the morning.

 

[Majors]

No, but firing is the only one that’s really applicable here, because it’s the only situation where either side really owes the other a buyout. Contracts in college sports aren’t meaningless when it comes to a school’s obligation, and the financial circumstances they are willing or able to work out around a separation. That’s why, as I have said several times, you very rarely see a coach in a non-revenue sport let go with more than a year left on a contract. Schools just aren’t willing to spend money to pay to coaches in a sport other than football or basketball.

I suppose you’re correct they are meaningless in that a coach could retire at any time, but that is exceedingly rare. Sure, you see retirements, but you rarely see a coach step away as a surprise.

I don’t know if you were suggesting it about Lu, but I know she was not asked to retire or step aside, she was actually offered a generous extension based on their trip to the World Series last year. She retired and is enjoying traveling the world, from what I understand.

With Lu that is exactly what I was referring to. Just time to step away and retire.

 

[volman128]

Explain! These players get their scholarships or aide because they are playing the sport. I believe Ashley is in a Masters program and somebody has to pay and rarely is the complete aide enough. JMHO

Nobody said her schooling next year was going to be paid for by the AD. Millions of people pay for their schooling out of pocket, including athletes going after a post-graduate degree. Softball isn't a head-count sport, anyway. There's only 11.7 scholarships to be split among players in baseball and softball. It's not like basketball or football where every players is on full scholarships, which is very rare in softball. I doubt Ashley is on a full athletic scholarship right now.

 

[volman128]

With Lu that is exactly what I was referring to. Just time to step away and retire.

Karen is a lawyer. When's the last time you met a lawyer that was humble and gracious enough to admit they're wrong about anything? Just saying.

Face it, she'll never admit she's doing a bad job and will have to be fired, just like Holly Warlick and Butch Jones had to be. Unless we're lucky enough that she steps away for reasons other than that.

 

[lvocd]

"The other two". They both have NCs and multiple SEC championships. You're acting like we're comparable to them when we aren't.

Hell this is the worst Florida has been in years and they still made the Supers.

Ugh. This is what hurts me the most -- who DID reach the Supers instead of us in a season I was feeling good that it would be Tennessee getting back to that level. But again, the disappointment we supporters feel today is nothing compared to what our Lady Vols are feeling. I just hope they all keep it in proper perspective and remember that even though they feel bad and heartbroken today, it really isn't the end of the world and there are plenty more good times ahead in their young lives. It's still just ball games. No need to let losing a few ball games steal their happiness.

 

[lvocd]

Karen is a lawyer. When's the last time you met a lawyer that was humble and gracious enough to admit they're wrong about anything? Just saying.

Face it, she'll never admit she's doing a bad job and will have to be fired, just like Holly Warlick and Butch Jones had to be.

I don't know Karen at all. At. All. But from the outside looking in I get the impression she's got a dry personality, and maybe isn't the dynamic, likeable leader that players are willing to walk through fire for like, for example, Tony Vitello is for his players, or that Kellie Harper is for hers.

If my impression is correct, then I could see how that could become a bigger issue in post-season, when emotions and expectations are naturally ramped up, than early in the season. 'Cause someone who is naturally dry, and who may lean more toward being a hard-ass in the first place, well, sometimes that energy can get too intense and become negative under pressure and then everyone starts feeding off that. That's when the fun leaves and the anxiety rushes in.

I would love to know what the players think. Something obviously happens in the post-season regardless of which group of talented players is on the roster, so you naturally have to look at who or what is the common denominator.

Maybe it's the staff, not the players, who need to spend some time with a sports psychologist!