2022 Recruits

If a coach can't sell playing time because of a loaded roster, they sell the opportunity to practice every day against the best as the only way to become the best.

Kellie gives everyone playing time. Don’t know about other Coaches, but sitting on the bench during games is pretty boring, especially if you were a star in high school. If I were a high ranked player, I‘d go to one of the top basketball programs with a Coach likely to give me playing time.
 
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If a coach can't sell playing time because of a loaded roster, they sell the opportunity to practice every day against the best as the only way to become the best.

From Nick Saban -“Everyone’s gonna tell you in recruiting, ‘Oh don’t go to Alabama. You can play at our school before you play there. They got all those good players there. You won’t be able to play. You’ll play at our place earlier.’ I think that’s the worst stuff that people can tell you. First of all, when they tell you that, they’re insulting you. I wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you if you couldn’t play here. No. 2, when they say ‘You can play at our place before you play at Alabama,’ they’re just telling you Alabama’s better than them. No. 3, if you ask just our players on our team, they’ll tell you the competition made them better.”
 
From Nick Saban -“Everyone’s gonna tell you in recruiting, ‘Oh don’t go to Alabama. You can play at our school before you play there. They got all those good players there. You won’t be able to play. You’ll play at our place earlier.’ I think that’s the worst stuff that people can tell you. First of all, when they tell you that, they’re insulting you. I wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you if you couldn’t play here. No. 2, when they say ‘You can play at our place before you play at Alabama,’ they’re just telling you Alabama’s better than them. No. 3, if you ask just our players on our team, they’ll tell you the competition made them better.”

He's not wrong
 
From Nick Saban -“Everyone’s gonna tell you in recruiting, ‘Oh don’t go to Alabama. You can play at our school before you play there. They got all those good players there. You won’t be able to play. You’ll play at our place earlier.’ I think that’s the worst stuff that people can tell you. First of all, when they tell you that, they’re insulting you. I wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you if you couldn’t play here. No. 2, when they say ‘You can play at our place before you play at Alabama,’ they’re just telling you Alabama’s better than them. No. 3, if you ask just our players on our team, they’ll tell you the competition made them better.”
Maybe. Hurts didn’t agree.
 
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From Nick Saban -“Everyone’s gonna tell you in recruiting, ‘Oh don’t go to Alabama. You can play at our school before you play there. They got all those good players there. You won’t be able to play. You’ll play at our place earlier.’ I think that’s the worst stuff that people can tell you. First of all, when they tell you that, they’re insulting you. I wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you if you couldn’t play here. No. 2, when they say ‘You can play at our place before you play at Alabama,’ they’re just telling you Alabama’s better than them. No. 3, if you ask just our players on our team, they’ll tell you the competition made them better.”

And that is how you do sales. That is a strong, strong pitch and even more so for being true.

Of course, having an administration that won't turn you in for distributing cash like every other competitive SEC football program helps even more.
 
I actually disagree with me being the minority. There’s a few on here that backpedal, but for the most part we all agree on a tough loss from a recruiting aspect. I wish the grade school drama that’s on this board would end though. Respect everyone’s opinion and move on. Even I’ve been guilty of it a few times. You are quite negative with some of your posts but we all bring baggage to the table. So, I won’t pick and choose who I will interact with. Our recruiting hasn’t been too tier but I’m optimistic about it getting there.

By "minority" in this case, I meant with your prediction that Cooper will end up at Tennessee. You're the only one here who seems confident in that (if there are others I missed it). However I've seen lots of speculation here that she will likely go somewhere else.

I certainly don't lump you among the Cornelius sycophants who feel compelled to protect Kellie at all costs...
 
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Darth has his minion wannabes

Why am I just now finding out I have minions???

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He did agree, then got his degree and used his options. He stayed on board for another year and finished his 4 year commitment before going to OK. He wrote the standard on how to handle adversity and transferring
It’s not that simple. “So there’s a lot riding on a five-star recruit’s decision, and they know it. Alabama, as we’ll see, secured the most five star recruits from 2007-16 and placed a stunning amount of them as high draft picks. It would make a lot of sense to sign for the Tide, especially considering their recent on-field success. But what if there’s another elite recruit at your position also set on heading to Alabama, and two more in the class above you? Now there’s a chance you don’t even get on the field much to be evaluated by scouts. Conversely, at a smaller school that’s going to offer a clear opportunity to play early and often, you might not make it to the NFL for a variety of reasons: higher injury risk from excessive usage, coaching instability, less national exposure. The list goes on.” So You’re A Five-Star Recruit. Where Should You Go To School? - The Georgetown Voice
 
It’s not that simple. “So there’s a lot riding on a five-star recruit’s decision, and they know it. Alabama, as we’ll see, secured the most five star recruits from 2007-16 and placed a stunning amount of them as high draft picks. It would make a lot of sense to sign for the Tide, especially considering their recent on-field success. But what if there’s another elite recruit at your position also set on heading to Alabama, and two more in the class above you? Now there’s a chance you don’t even get on the field much to be evaluated by scouts. Conversely, at a smaller school that’s going to offer a clear opportunity to play early and often, you might not make it to the NFL for a variety of reasons: higher injury risk from excessive usage, coaching instability, less national exposure. The list goes on.” So You’re A Five-Star Recruit. Where Should You Go To School? - The Georgetown Voice
I view it a tad differently. Yes it is that easy, cream always rises to the top and rankings get exposed once you hit campus. How many 5 stars have we had lose out or get lost on the depth chart by a 3*-4* player ahead or below them. If you thrive on competition you go where you can play at a high level, win and path for the future (NFL). UConn churns out a roster of competition, at one point in 1994-1995 all 12 of the Lady Vols made a HS All American team. Your comment was Hurt didn’t agree…he did agree. He was replaced by Tua in the SECCG, he stayed the following year as a backup and completed his degree with an extra year remaining.
More times than not if you get beat out at Bama/UConn etc by a better player….you may not have to worry about getting drafted. Kamara benefited after JUCO but even here he was a token back up behind Hurd to start.
 
........among the Cornelius sycophants who feel compelled to protect Kellie at all costs...

It's easy to protect Harper, especially against the likes of some on the board (cough, cough). An upward trajectory of results on the court so far, increasing evidence of solid player development, an excellent 21 recruiting class, an excellent recruit so far in the 22 class, etc. All in all, she has changed the trajectory of the program in just two years from one of misery to one of promising - so far - results.

And it doesn't cost anything to point that out as many times as others (cough, cough) try to deny it and distract from it - those who feel compelled to attack her performance at every opportunity without regard to fair treatment.
 
By "minority" in this case, I meant with your prediction that Cooper will end up at Tennessee. You're the only one here who seems confident in that (if there are others I missed it). However I've seen lots of speculation here that she will likely go somewhere else.

I certainly don't lump you among the Cornelius sycophants who feel compelled to protect Kellie at all costs...

@Peas29

I feel 60-40 Coop will end up here as well
 
Kellie gives everyone playing time. Don’t know about other Coaches, but sitting on the bench during games is pretty boring, especially if you were a star in high school. If I were a high ranked player, I‘d go to one of the top basketball programs with a Coach likely to give me playing time.
There's playing time and then there is garbage time. I just read about Shea Ralph's recruiting she was asked what was the deciding factor in her decision. She replied, "Coach Auriemma was the only coach that told me if I was really good I'd play a lot, and if I sucked I wasn't playing." Playing time is earned in practice. And KJH doesn't strike me as someone who 'gives' playing time.
 
There's playing time and then there is garbage time. I just read about Shea Ralph's recruiting she was asked what was the deciding factor in her decision. She replied, "Coach Auriemma was the only coach that told me if I was really good I'd play a lot, and if I sucked I wasn't playing." Playing time is earned in practice. And KJH doesn't strike me as someone who 'gives' playing time.

Are you getting technical on the word gives? Is allots/designates better? Kellie plays everyone at the beginning of the schedule in real games, not just practice, those that play the best get more minutes in the tougher games, obviously earned, but all play as much as possible in games to be prepared to come in the game, if needed.
 
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By "minority" in this case, I meant with your prediction that Cooper will end up at Tennessee. You're the only one here who seems confident in that (if there are others I missed it). However I've seen lots of speculation here that she will likely go somewhere else.

I certainly don't lump you among the Cornelius sycophants who feel compelled to protect Kellie at all costs...
Cornelius supported Holly until end. I guess the civil war between warring factions of the Lady Vol fanbase will continue.
 
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Remaining 2022 recruiting targets we know of that...

Have visited:
Justine Pissott (2) Committed
Talaysia Cooper (5)

Have not visited:
Kyla Oldacre (5) (visiting 8-10 October)

Bump. Thanks @Rickster for putting us back on track in this RECRUITING thread. Anyone confident enough to call the Cooper/Oldacre commitments ... or at least throw out some odds?
I think @Coach Jumper has Cooper at 60-40 to the LVs.
Also what's the scouting report on these two, ceiling, floor, comparisons?
 
Bump. Thanks @Rickster for putting us back on track in this RECRUITING thread. Anyone confident enough to call the Cooper/Oldacre commitments ... or at least throw out some odds?
I think @Coach Jumper has Cooper at 60-40 to the LVs.
Also what's the scouting report on these two, ceiling, floor, comparisons?

I have a feeling neither will sign with us. Too much ground to make up. We will be fine for next year and will fill the open scholarships in 2023 or via the portal. Maybe Fudd will come to her senses or some other elite underclassman will chose to leave. Not sure how many minutes Kellie will have to give. One signee means more minutes to go around.
 
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I don't know how they are going to be able to balance out the 2022 class, but I think they will come up with some way to have more than one player in that class. I think at the beginning we wanted three and expect that is still the goal. You never want only one player in a class if you can prevent it. They did all they could to get Cooper and certainly made up some ground with her knowing that coming in she had huge preferences for Georgia and SC. I feel like were in a better position for her than SC, but still think Georgia could be the leader. Oldacre comes for that visit October 8th we'll see how that goes always the biggest factor with players that are not leaning to anyone school is beating out the schools close to home.
 
A lot of these factions would go away if Kellie would start winning more. That starts with elite recruiting. Hopefully that happens in the next year or two. The ole "wait till next year" theme only works so long.
 
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A lot of these factions would go away if Kellie would start winning more. That starts with elite recruiting. Hopefully that happens in the next year or two. The ole "wait till next year" theme only works so long.
This is true, but you usually give any coach four seasons so the entire team is players she recruited before you start laying the hammer down on how the team is playing. I will certainly be in that group if after season four of her coaching career here at Tennessee we are not back to winning at a high level and challenging for titles and strong NCAA finishes.
 

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