Kellie Harper discussion/debate thread [merged]

[glv98]

I`m just thinking putting Key on the bench maybe for a game or two will light a fire under her this is her sr year.

I hate it like heck, but I'm beginning to think that as well. But I don't think its going to light any fires, I'm sure TK does the best she can. We're at the "is what it is" stage w TK, so I think we need to start developing Jillian for the future pronto.

Why leave duke for a program that's your alma mater that turned you down without even giving you an interview to hire a mid major 90's champion

I do think Kara Lawson would have been a great hire. It’s too bad we didn’t make that hire when we could have.

I'm pretty sure its been confirmed repeatedly that Kara Lawson said at the time she had NO interest in coaching and turned the LV job down before it could be offered. Which made it kind of uncomfortable when she suddenly grew a keen interest in coaching and took the Duke job shortly after. Kara turned the LVs down, not vice versa. UT would have hired her in a nanosecond if she wanted the job.

10 yearrs of just piss poor results and its getting worse. Im jumping ship sorry you guys ......Im out

Are ya really this time? Because you bid us a dramatic adieu a few days ago. Didn't know how many diva exits you had in you.

 

[glv98]

Tennessee has never run plays for 3-point shooters. Even Angie Bjorklund, who was one of the deadliest outside shooters.

Not Shanna Zolman, not even Kara Lawson! Drove me nuts. Apparently setting screens for long range gunners is right up there with calling time out to stop runs. Not cool.

 

[madtownvol]

We don’t have to have a former player to be successful! I actually think some new blood and thinking would be great for the program! I do think Kara Lawson would have been a great hire. It’s too bad we didn’t make that hire when we could have.

Dukes first three games have been against cream puffs, They have upcoming games against Texas A&M and Uconn. That will be an interesting gauge,

 

[turbovol]

Not Shanna Zolman, not even Kara Lawson! Drove me nuts. Apparently setting screens for long range gunners is right up there with calling time out to stop runs. Not cool.

Zolman could not do much more than shoot uncontested 3s; the rest of her game was very meh, mainly because she wasn't all that athletic.

RE Lawson: She had zero coaching experience, so hiring her would have been a pretty serious risk.. The real problem was that Fulmer was lazy, apparently settled on either Lawson or Harper pretty quickly, and that was that.

 

[Majors]

Kelli will be ok..... certainly is a step up from where we were

How so?

 

[Majors]

That moment when the same people who hurled personal insults at me for years for my opinion of Kellie come to the sobering realization: "Darth was right..."

It’s amazing the shift the last few days.

 

[xtpsrh08123]

How much cheaper was Kellie instead of Kara ? Really come on , Phil didn't give a damn and brought the cheapest hire that could secure and keep the boosters for the women's program alive. Instead it's going down the drain and it sucks , i love kellie as a person but she has not proven anything before and now that she's deserving of the HC position of our storied program. I will not engage or involve any feelings the rest of this season. Of course i will still root for us always , but i will not watch to avoid the let down of such disastrous coaching and play .

 

[xtpsrh08123]

It’s amazing the shift the last few days.

So is the play the last decade. #Amazing

 

[chuckiepoo]

So is the play the last decade. #Amazing

 

[teacherdean]

Harper was upset after this game--almost emotional, angry. Not loud angry but simmering angry. Not happy with the team's mentality. Lack
of urgency and lack of mental toughness. Not doing the things needed to win--like blocking out. Mentioned throwing the ball away on an inbounds pass when we were 4/5 down and IU taking it down the floor for a score as a significant play that showed our problems. She said she and the coaches will have to think more about the rotation and playing time.

I'm not sure this team has any real leaders, which is a strange thing on a team with a bunch of seniors and a couple of graduates. Harper said
Powell, who seems like she could be a leader, is not that vocal--and she's also new to the team. Not sure who else has leadership qualities.

Players respond to coaches to varying degrees. Some coaches can really motivate a team and its individuals; some have trouble getting their teams to play hard and play well. Harper needs to light a fire under this group. Getting more intensity on the defensive end has to be job one.

Sadly, most of the players play with little if any emotion. Key is not as dominant as she needs to be in the paint. Against a top ten team she get beaten like a drum. Seems like she is playing not to foul. That makes her less aggressive. She is always behind defenders and trys to rebound over their backs. I thought John H. was the bigs coach. If so he is failing at his job. Right now Powell is our best player. Jackson has the skills to be good but she is pressing and taking bad shots. Horston is good but too many turnovers, she is also pressing too much. KJH needs to sat down and figure out exactly who her best eight players are and come up with a rotation which would better benefit this team. When Horston is able I would start Horston, Jackson, Powell, Puckett and Suarez. I would bring Franklin off the bench she is a lot more aggressive than Key. I would rotate in T. Darby, Key, Miles, and Walker. If Key was not aggressive I would go with Hollingshed. My big three would be Jackson, Horston and Powell. This running players in and out in various combinations is a failure. It simply looks unorganized, inconsistent, wreckless, players look lost, and the coaching staff looks highly incompetent. I still believe the season can be saved if KJH can figure out why she has better talent on paper but the team is not playing up to its capabilities. Sadly, she appears to be as confused as the players. That is not a good sign for success.

 

[madtownvol]

Zolman could not do much more than shoot uncontested 3s; the rest of her game was very meh, mainly because she wasn't all that athletic.

RE Lawson: She had zero coaching experience, so hiring her would have been a pretty serious risk.. The real problem was that Fulmer was lazy, apparently settled on either Lawson or Harper pretty quickly, and that was that.

Very true of Zolman as a freshman and sophomore. She put in the work to become much quicker and actually scored a fair bit driving the lane later in her career (and also did emergency duty as a PG). My image of SZ is her running marathons on the perimeter to get open. If you were going to guard Shanna you better had put in the cardio.

 

[Amb3096]

Zolman could not do much more than shoot uncontested 3s; the rest of her game was very meh, mainly because she wasn't all that athletic.

I think you're selling Shanna short there. She got better at creating her shot over the course of her career and was much more than a one trick 3-shooting pony.

 

[GameTime]

Questionable coaching...

Running a zone near the end of the game, instead of a man to man, and fouling quickly to get the opponents to the line and perhaps they miss...Instead, we just played a fairly passive zone and watched IU dribble away the time...

Leaving in Walker when it was apparent she was way off and was not going to be any offensive help; none, nada.

Bringing in Wynn first off the bench...She has no offensive ability whatsoever, none, nada...Sweet girl, but we don't need sweet girls, we need scorers....

Miles trying to inbound the ball was just pitiful....

At least give Justine a few minutes to try and pop a few 3 balls....If she misses, so what, the rest of the team was missing too.

This is not a good look for a head coach...

 

[vettefool]

Questionable coaching...

Running a zone near the end of the game, instead of a man to man, and fouling quickly to get the opponents to the line and perhaps they miss...Instead, we just played a fairly passive zone and watched IU dribble away the time...

Leaving in Walker when it was apparent she was way off and was not going to be any offensive help; none, nada.

Bringing in Wynn first off the bench...She has no offensive ability whatsoever, none, nada...Sweet girl, but we don't need sweet girls, we need scorers....

Miles trying to inbound the ball was just pitiful....

At least give Justine a few minutes to try and pop a few 3 balls....If she misses, so what, the rest of the team was missing too.

This is not a good look for a head coach...

Everyone loves Kellie and hoped, hopes, she is successful. But it’s beginning to seem that’s not going to happen. Actually it was looking a little dim over her total time here.Let’s face it she would have never have been hires if she wasn’t an ex lady vol player from the past. Plus we had an incompetent A.D.
a decision will, should, be made after this season. Maybe this team will jell and make a turnaround this season, even a deep run in the tournament. Im not optimistic this will happen. It’s just sad how far our Lady Vols have fallen.

 

[Jeff Clark]

Questionable coaching...

Running a zone near the end of the game, instead of a man to man, and fouling quickly to get the opponents to the line and perhaps they miss...Instead, we just played a fairly passive zone and watched IU dribble away the time...

Leaving in Walker when it was apparent she was way off and was not going to be any offensive help; none, nada.

Bringing in Wynn first off the bench...She has no offensive ability whatsoever, none, nada...Sweet girl, but we don't need sweet girls, we need scorers....

Miles trying to inbound the ball was just pitiful....

At least give Justine a few minutes to try and pop a few 3 balls....If she misses, so what, the rest of the team was missing too.

This is not a good look for a head coach...

Kellie the Women's Basketball version of Butch Jones at Tennessee

 

[Majors]

Everyone loves Kellie and hoped, hopes, she is successful. But it’s beginning to seem that’s not going to happen. Actually it was looking a little dim over her total time here.Let’s face it she would have never have been hires if she wasn’t an ex lady vol player from the past. Plus we had an incompetent A.D.
a decision will, should, be made after this season. Maybe this team will jell and make a turnaround this season, even a deep run in the tournament. Im not optimistic this will happen. It’s just sad how far our Lady Vols have fallen.

Lady Vols should never have to dip into the mid-majors to get a coach. Had Kellie turned another Power 5 team into a contender “mama calls” then.

 

[Voluble2]

Miles trying to inbound the ball was just pitiful....

At least give Justine a few minutes to try and pop a few 3 balls....

I noticed in the high school all-star games that the always chose Justine to inbounds the ball.

 

[plumbervol]

When Harper was hired you knew that you got both her and her husband and he would take an assistants slot. Does she need another assistant other than her husband to help in development of the team. Something needs to happen what is your thoughts of him as a ley assistant?

Redundancy in recruiting. We have Marta, Puckett, Striplin, Justine and Darby starts? I know Puckett and Justine helped our recruiting rank. Darby really helps the team with her shooting and she has a high BB IQ. Striplin appears to have really put some time and work in the weight room, her arms and shoulders look bigger. Marta looks lost and Striplin seems to have a limited skill set. Puckett can make a bucket can she rebound and play physical? This team to me looks like it needs some bulk under the basket banging can any of that bunch help? That bunch looks really nice on the bench could any of them provide real help?

When Horston comes back will the team revert to forcing her to do to much as they have for 2 years? Seems to me either her or Rickea needs to play on the perimeter and allow the other one to rotate in and do some banging under the basket. Any thoughts?

 

[Memvol44]

When Harper was hired you knew that you got both her and her husband and he would take an assistants slot. Does she need another assistant other than her husband to help in development of the team. Something needs to happen what is your thoughts of him as a ley assistant?

Redundancy in recruiting. We have Marta, Puckett, Striplin, Justine and Darby starts? I know Puckett and Justine helped our recruiting rank. Darby really helps the team with her shooting and she has a high BB IQ. Striplin appears to have really put some time and work in the weight room, her arms and shoulders look bigger. Marta looks lost and Striplin seems to have a limited skill set. Puckett can make a bucket can she rebound and play physical? This team to me looks like it needs some bulk under the basket banging can any of that bunch help? That bunch looks really nice on the bench could any of them provide real help?

When Horston comes back will the team revert to forcing her to do to much as they have for 2 years? Seems to me either her or Rickea needs to play on the perimeter and allow the other one to rotate in and do some banging under the basket. Any thoughts?

Horston has to do everything!! Then they complain about her turnovers!! Of course she will have turnovers,she is the only one with the ball..

 

[Coach Jumper]

When Harper was hired you knew that you got both her and her husband and he would take an assistants slot. Does she need another assistant other than her husband to help in development of the team. Something needs to happen what is your thoughts of him as a ley assistant?

Redundancy in recruiting. We have Marta, Puckett, Striplin, Justine and Darby starts? I know Puckett and Justine helped our recruiting rank. Darby really helps the team with her shooting and she has a high BB IQ. Striplin appears to have really put some time and work in the weight room, her arms and shoulders look bigger. Marta looks lost and Striplin seems to have a limited skill set. Puckett can make a bucket can she rebound and play physical? This team to me looks like it needs some bulk under the basket banging can any of that bunch help? That bunch looks really nice on the bench could any of them provide real help?

When Horston comes back will the team revert to forcing her to do to much as they have for 2 years? Seems to me either her or Rickea needs to play on the perimeter and allow the other one to rotate in and do some banging under the basket. Any thoughts?

I won't touch the husband/wife thing.

They're missing out on one in Striplin. NO she is not delinquent in skills and game,,,she is only limited in time doing it. Sara too. Justine too. MOST of this team's bench would start for other very good teams. That is the wealth and the curse.

This is the kind of a team that has to have a Michael Jordan. Performing numbers every game. ANd right now it is not the marquee players, it is Jazzy Powell. It most likely will be RJ or JH that takes this MJ/Scottie role. I see RJ going dominant. It will be how Jordan takes this happening that will determine if this is going to be a success. Jazzy is playing "Tony Delk-ish" BB right now. And impressing this ol coach.

MJ had his Scottie and both were lost without the other.
Both, made each other
RJ and JH

 

[Majors]

I won't touch the husband/wife thing.

They're missing out on one in Striplin. NO she is not delinquent in skills and game,,,she is only limited in time doing it. Sara too. Justine too. MOST of this team's bench would start for other very good teams. That is the wealth and the curse.

This is the kind of a team that has to have a Michael Jordan. Performing numbers every game. ANd right now it is not the marquee players, it is Jazzy Powell. It most likely will be RJ or JH that takes this MJ/Scottie role. I see RJ going dominant. It will be how Jordan takes this happening that will determine if this is going to be a success. Jazzy is playing "Tony Delk-ish" BB right now. And impressing this ol coach.

MJ had his Scottie and both were lost without the other.
Both, made each other
RJ and JH

Why not touch the husband/wife thing.... the questions was about the asst. coach who happens to be her husband. It is a fair question that shouldn't be glazed over if it is a liability to the team, fans and Tennessee brand.

 

[glv98]

Why not touch the husband/wife thing.... the questions was about the asst. coach who happens to be her husband. It is a fair question that shouldn't be glazed over if it is a liability to the team, fans and Tennessee brand.

Right. Happens to be her husband. Because if someone didn't tell you, you'd never know from their professional interaction. Many people at LV games don't know, nor care. If the criticism involves his actual coaching, that's fair but I don't see how marital status relates.

 

[Majors]

Right. Happens to be her husband. Because if someone didn't tell you, you'd never know from their professional interaction. Many people at LV games don't know, nor care. If the criticism involves his actual coaching, that's fair but I don't see how marital status relates.

I’ve stated at best he should be an analyst/advisor to the team

 

[Coach Jumper]

Why not touch the husband/wife thing.... the questions was about the asst. coach who happens to be her husband. It is a fair question that shouldn't be glazed over if it is a liability to the team, fans and Tennessee brand.

I post as a coach,,not a psychologist,,not a booster, not a fan,,,as a coach!
as a coach,,,I ain't a tuchin that topic

 

[glv98]

I’ve stated at best he should be an analyst/advisor to the team

OK, advice noted. The major universities Jon Harper has worked for the last 20 years have all found his skills best used as an assistant basketball coach though.

IMO any husband taking on a behind the scenes advisor role would immediately be called out for taking over, being the brains behind the operation. I've always been very impressed that Jon is so comfortable working as a subordinate to his wife, as he always has. Great example for his little boy and all others. If anything, I think it modernizes the UT brand. There are new ways of working, especially for young families.