22-23 Roster Management & Lineups

#51
#51
If you have 15 players on a team, reality is that only 10 will play significant minutes, if that. That means five will play supporting roles as good teammates, practice players, with PT in only mop-up situations. So, there's no point in having 15 players all of whom are of a talent level of starters or first-in rotational players. That means players like Rennie have a valuable contribution to make to a championship team, and if they do - which she apparently does - then no one should disparage them in any way or wish them not to be on the team. We need players like Rennie to give their all to the program while not creating negative vibes by pouting about not playing.
 
#52
#52
If you have 15 players on a team, reality is that only 10 will play significant minutes, if that. That means five will play supporting roles as good teammates, practice players, with PT in only mop-up situations. So, there's no point in having 15 players all of whom are of a talent level of starters or first-in rotational players. That means players like Rennie have a valuable contribution to make to a championship team, and if they do - which she apparently does - then no one should disparage them in any way or wish them not to be on the team. We need players like Rennie to give their all to the program while not creating negative vibes by pouting about not playing.

You said that much better than I did. Thank you.
 
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#53
#53
If you have 15 players on a team, reality is that only 10 will play significant minutes, if that. That means five will play supporting roles as good teammates, practice players, with PT in only mop-up situations. So, there's no point in having 15 players all of whom are of a talent level of starters or first-in rotational players. That means players like Rennie have a valuable contribution to make to a championship team, and if they do - which she apparently does - then no one should disparage them in any way or wish them not to be on the team. We need players like Rennie to give their all to the program while not creating negative vibes by pouting about not playing.
Preach it, baby.
 
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#55
#55
All I know is I am ready to Toss It Up and see what happens!

Me too! It boggles my mind to sit and think about all the lineup possibilities with this group. Kellie has put together what has the potential to be the most versatile, overall, roster the program has seen since the late 90s.

While I know the staff has to be pretty darn excited about the roster, they’ve also made their jobs, IMO, quite a bit tougher because of it.

There’s no more “We are rebuilding.” We are officially BUILT. Now all the pressure is on the staff to know and use their players to their full potential. There’s also, I’d submit, extra pressure to dive even deeper (if possible) into scouting upcoming opponents, because with so much diverse talent on our bench there’s a lot more opportunity to play with game plans.

it’s going to be fun!
 
#56
#56
This team on paper looks to be 20 points better offensively and also at least ten points better defensively. If Franklin is back to where she was before the injury then she is a much better player than Alexis Dye and Dye was a really good player. Jackson and Horston how you figure to stop both of them every game then you have Key and Hollingshead inside and again Green was an excellent player but Hollingshead is potentially way better. Looks like three point shooting is much better Powell is a 32 percent shooter from the three we haven't had a point guard that could shoot it that well in a while. Then you have Darby, Puckett, and Pissott you have to think one of them will be on in almost every game. I don't know how it will all go down next season, but just looking at this team you don't see many weaknesses. We have some players that could surprise as sophomores Suarez, Striplin, and Wynn. Wouldn't it be great to see all those three players being able to push the starters for playing time. How much better will Puckett be this season? A lot of excitement hopefully it turns out well on the court.
 
#57
#57
Even with only one starting spot up for debate, there are a lot of different options as to how a game plan will play out. The best game plan I can come up with for roster management would go like this...

Starters
Jasmine Powell 30 minutes
Jordan Horston 30 minutes
Sarah Puckett 24 minutes
Rickea Jackson 30 minutes
Tamari Key 24 minutes

I want to keep the posts fresh so I subbed them out first. This doesn't leave a lot of three-point shooting on the floor so the guard I would rotate in is going to be Darby or possibly Pissot.

Jasmine Franklin 15 minutes
Jillian Hollingshead 15 minutes
Tess Darby 12 minutes

I realize this only plays eight players and a lot of games will allow us to get more players experience but this is the go-to roster management for our biggest games this year when we really need a win.
 
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#58
#58
If you have 15 players on a team, reality is that only 10 will play significant minutes, if that. That means five will play supporting roles as good teammates, practice players, with PT in only mop-up situations. So, there's no point in having 15 players all of whom are of a talent level of starters or first-in rotational players. That means players like Rennie have a valuable contribution to make to a championship team, and if they do - which she apparently does - then no one should disparage them in any way or wish them not to be on the team. We need players like Rennie to give their all to the program while not creating negative vibes by pouting about not playing.

The thing about injuries is that no one knows at which position the injury will come. We sort of illustrated that last year. We had Marta, Rae, Keyen, and Horston out with injuries for a significant amount of time. We had to worry about when Tamari was out to rest, or because of foul trouble. When Rae came back, she was not as successful as she was before her injury. We had to play four Freshmen because we were in rebuilding mode and did not have enough experienced top level talent waiting on the bench to step in.

Our Coaches were masterful in what they accomplished last year and our Freshmen stepped up, but we needed more talent.

This level of play we play is not high school. We’re way past participation trophies. It’s big business not just for the schools, but for the players themselves. It’s as close to playing in the “pros” as is possible, without technically being in “the pros”.

The best teams we play stock their teams from top to bottom with the best players they can possibly get. We need to do that too, because you just don’t know when and where an injury will happen.
 
#59
#59
Imagine what a nightmare scout the Lady Vols are going to be for opposing coaches. Many of us are thinking a LOT these days about all the different lineup combinations we could see depending on who we play. It’s overwhelming to me, honestly, and I have had MONTHS to think about it.

Now, obviously (as many have pointed out already) the bench will get much shorter against the top opponents. Half of our team will be fairly easy to scout by four or five games into the season.

But those middle- to lower-level opponents’ coaching staffs are going to have to throw their hands in the air and tell their kids, “Yeah. Sorry. Good luck out there!” lol
 
#60
#60
This message board is ready to eat.....We're all so hungry for victory and a return to glory, it's tuff just waiting for the next tip off...We have one hell of a fine team ready to rumble and kick some ass, that we can barely contain ourselves....
hungry-4.gif

I've thoroughly enjoyed reading all the different player combinations that you guys have posted, but no where did you guys mention what a terror Justine is going to be....Just when our opponents think they've got us figured out, Coach Kellie will send in the big gun (Justine) for some real deep three balls....Guys, I'm already smiling...
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#61
#61
The thing about injuries is that no one knows at which position the injury will come. We sort of illustrated that last year. We had Marta, Rae, Keyen, and Horston out with injuries for a significant amount of time. We had to worry about when Tamari was out to rest, or because of foul trouble. When Rae came back, she was not as successful as she was before her injury. We had to play four Freshmen because we were in rebuilding mode and did not have enough experienced top level talent waiting on the bench to step in.

Our Coaches were masterful in what they accomplished last year and our Freshmen stepped up, but we needed more talent.

This level of play we play is not high school. We’re way past participation trophies. It’s big business not just for the schools, but for the players themselves. It’s as close to playing in the “pros” as is possible, without technically being in “the pros”.

The best teams we play stock their teams from top to bottom with the best players they can possibly get. We need to do that too, because you just don’t know when and where an injury will happen.

At Rennie's position, the 2, we will start AA Horston. Also at the two we can play Walker, Darby, Wynn, or Pissott. We're so deep, we're covered at the two. We have Powell, Miles, Walker, and Horston at the one, so we would be a little thin with an injury to one of them, but looks like we have it covered. Besides, Rennie isn't a point guard. At the three, we have Jackson, Pissott, Darby, Puckett, Suarez, or Horston. So, I think we are loaded for just about any injury scenario with respect to any of the positions Rennie might play.

Even so, I take your point. The problem is, keeping starting quality players all the way at the end of the bench all season long will breed discontent and transfers.
 
#62
#62
At Rennie's position, the 2, we will start AA Horston. Also at the two we can play Walker, Darby, Wynn, or Pissott. We're so deep, we're covered at the two. We have Powell, Miles, Walker, and Horston at the one, so we would be a little thin with an injury to one of them, but looks like we have it covered. Besides, Rennie isn't a point guard. At the three, we have Jackson, Pissott, Darby, Puckett, Suarez, or Horston. So, I think we are loaded for just about any injury scenario with respect to any of the positions Rennie might play.

Even so, I take your point. The problem is, keeping starting quality players all the way at the end of the bench all season long will breed discontent and transfers.

We are in much better shape this year, on paper, and with no injuries. Surely we will not have the number and severity of injuries that we had last year, but you don’t know. Jessie is out for this coming season, and she would not have been a starter or first backup.

The point is, you must recruit the best players to the end of your bench, because you cannot predict how many players you may really need, whether because of injury, foul trouble, poor play, sickness, matchups or whatever reason.

Uconn, SC, and others have highly rated players to the end of their rosters. Tennessee needs to do the same. We can address possible transfers if that comes up. I do believe Kellie has a better chance of keeping her players happier than they might be on another team, as she has always played more of the players on her roster than most other Coaches.
 
#63
#63
We are in much better shape this year, on paper, and with no injuries. Surely we will not have the number and severity of injuries that we had last year, but you don’t know. Jessie is out for this coming season, and she would not have been a starter or first backup.

The point is, you must recruit the best players to the end of your bench, because you cannot predict how many players you may really need, whether because of injury, foul trouble, poor play, sickness, matchups or whatever reason.

Uconn, SC, and others have highly rated players to the end of their rosters. Tennessee needs to do the same. We can address possible transfers if that comes up. I do believe Kellie has a better chance of keeping her players happier than they might be on another team, as she has always played more of the players on her roster than most other Coaches.

Last Season South Carolina had sixteen listed players. Despite whatever injuries the team suffered, four of those players averaged four minutes or less of PT, and two of those 3 minutes. So their recruiting rankings were irrelevant, becaseue they didn't play enough to make a difference. And they won the NC. UConn had 12 players listed, and despite the well documented many crushing injuries their team suffered, three of those twelve had 5 minutes or less PT off the bench, and they made it to the FF. My point stands: If you have 15 players on a deep team like UT this coming season, it doesn't matter what the last two at the end of the bench were ranked as recruits, because they aren't going to play anyway. They don't need to be prized recruits, they only need to be good teammates and practice players.
 
#64
#64
Last Season South Carolina had sixteen listed players. Despite whatever injuries the team suffered, four of those players averaged four minutes or less of PT, and two of those 3 minutes. So their recruiting rankings were irrelevant, becaseue they didn't play enough to make a difference. And they won the NC. UConn had 12 players listed, and despite the well documented many crushing injuries their team suffered, three of those twelve had 5 minutes or less PT off the bench, and they made it to the FF. My point stands: If you have 15 players on a deep team like UT this coming season, it doesn't matter what the last two at the end of the bench were ranked as recruits, because they aren't going to play anyway. They don't need to be prized recruits, they only need to be good teammates and practice players.

Last year, Tennessee had 14 players. Of those, 4 went out with injuries, 4 were Freshmen, 1 was in constant worry of foul trouble, 2 were mostly practice players.

This year, Kellie has a full roster of 15, plus a walk on for 16. One is already out for the season. Just guessing, I think what happened to us last season effected how many players Kellie will have on her future teams, and they will be the best possible.
 
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#65
#65
Last year, Tennessee had 14 players. Of those, 4 went out with injuries, 4 were Freshmen, 1 was in constant worry of foul trouble, 2 were mostly practice players.

This year, Kellie has a full roster of 15, plus a walk on for 16. One is already out for the season. Just guessing, I think what happened to us last season effected how many players Kellie will have on her future teams, and they will be the best possible.

Who is out for the season? I saw someone mention Rennie being done but i haven't seen anything
 
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