2023 Recruiting

#126
#126
Amb3096 said:
The issue is not scouting talent and getting offers out to the best players; it's closing the deal and getting them to come play for Tennessee. Seems that Lacey had a good eye for talent, but her and Kellie weren't able to get the final commitments. This is where hopefully Sam has better success.
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Timeliness of offers is a big issue. Offering too late hurts to seal the deal. Don't know if that was the case here, just saying it might have been an issue. Ultimately, it's Kellie's job to seal the deal, but she can't do it if her recruiters get her late to the ball. And if they do, it's Kellie's job to correct that.
 
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#127
#127
VA_VOLFAN said:
LOL, you are such a skeptic!! Just when i think you’re giving Kellie some slack 🤣
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I'm not jumping the gun, if that's what you mean. Coach Sam is targeting elite players and offers are being extended to them...just like Coach Lacey did with the '21 class. No one would look at the list I posted and say that Tennessee isn't offering schollies to the right players. The problem is that they aren't signing, and that's the missing piece.

Until Coach Sam starts converting these offers into signings, it's premature to say that what she's doing is an improvement over the previous staff.
 
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#128
#128
youcancallmeAl said:
Timeliness of offers is a big issue. Offering too late hurts to seal the deal. Don't know if that was the case here, just saying it might have been an issue. Ultimately, it's Kellie's job to seal the deal, but she can't do it if her recruiters get her late to the ball. And if they do, it's Kellie's job to correct that.
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I don't know what the situation was in 2021 as far as how soon offers were extended. I'm sure some of them were initially courted/offered by Holly and staff, and then reiterated by Kellie once she took over. Kellie herself wouldn't have been giving offers until 2019. But even then, Tennessee was a finalist for quite a few of these players: (Bartlett, Day-Wilson, Hall, Key, Rivers, Shavers, Verhulst, Wiggins).
 
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#129
#129
Amb3096 said:
In addition to the four 2021 signees, this is who else received offers as per Raoul's blog (along with their HG and PN ranking and commitment). Of the 21 offers, there were 11 (PN 9) in the top 20, 5 (PN 5) in the top 50 (2 signed), and 5 (PN 7) outside of the top 50 (2 signed).

#43/28 Sara Puckett (SIGNED)
#45/39 Karoline Striplin (SIGNED)
#62/100 Kaiya Wynn (SIGNED)
UNR/UNR Brooklyn Miles (SIGNED)

#51/UNR Amani Bartlett (Syracuse)
#13/15 Maryam Dauda (Baylor --> Arkansas)
#41/30 Shayeann Day-Wilson (Syracuse)
#31/27 O'Mariah Gordon (FSU)
#5/11 Caroline Ducharme (UConn)
#14/55 Bree Hall (SC)
#10/9 Rori Harmon (Texas)
#2/13 Raven Johnson (SC)
#9/19 Teonni Key (UNC)
#91/49 Jada Malone (TAMU)
#6/5 Aaliyah Moore (Texas)
#3/2 Saniya Rivers (SC)
#44/82 Bree Salenbien (Gonzaga)
#55/96 Jasmine Shavers (MSST)
#12/10 Payton Verhulst (Louisville)
#18/56 Morasha Wiggins (UNC)
#7/14 Jersey Wolfenbarger (Arkansas)

The issue is not scouting talent and getting offers out to the best players; it's closing the deal and getting them to come play for Tennessee. Seems that Lacey had a good eye for talent, but her and Kellie weren't able to get the final commitments. This is where hopefully Sam has better success.
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That is good analysis. I suspect you are correct. I’ll add that timing of offer matters as well. Being late with the best makes no sense. Do you have the 2022 offers?
 
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#130
#130
lfvol said:
Do you have the 2022 offers?
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Per same source and subbing ASGR instead of PN (not available yet). I don't think this is comprehensive nor verified by the school (probably based on player social media posts).

#33/42 Justine Pissott (SIGNED)

#27/7 KK Bransford (Finalist)
#44/33 Sa'Myah Smith (Finalist)
#8/10 Talaysia Cooper
UNR/19 Amiya Joyner
#39/38 Ta'Niya Latson
#35/23 Darianna Littlepage-Buggs
UNR/UNR Saniah Tyler
#20/31 Zyanna Walker

#19/43 Shay Bollin (Duke)
#18/24 Kailyn Gilbert (Arizona)
#42/16 Cotie McMahon (OSU)
#49/35 Amina Muhammad (Texas)
#3/3 Ayanna Patterson (UConn)
#16/11 Grace VanSlooten (Tennessee not among finalists)
UNR/69 Karly Weathers (Alabama)
 
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#131
#131
Amb3096 said:
I'm not jumping the gun, if that's what you mean. Coach Sam is targeting elite players and offers are being extended to them...just like Coach Lacey did with the '21 class. No one would look at the list I posted and say that Tennessee isn't offering schollies to the right players. The problem is that they aren't signing, and that's the missing piece.

Until Coach Sam starts converting these offers into signings, it's premature to say that what she's doing is an improvement over the previous staff.
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It could be that the previous staff was trying to find players that fit the style of play at MO State ?
 
#132
#132
djtee said:
It could be that the previous staff was trying to find players that fit the style of play at MO State ?
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There were a whole slew of top 20 players on that offer list. I don't think they believe that MO State-quality players will get Tennessee back up to the top. They (current staff as well as old staff) know what kind of players they need to be reeling in to get there.
 
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#134
#134
Amb3096 said:
Per same source and subbing ASGR instead of PN (not available yet). I don't think this is comprehensive nor verified by the school (probably based on player social media posts).

#33/42 Justine Pissott (SIGNED)

#27/7 KK Bransford (Finalist)
#44/33 Sa'Myah Smith (Finalist)
#8/10 Talaysia Cooper
UNR/19 Amiya Joyner
#39/38 Ta'Niya Latson
#35/23 Darianna Littlepage-Buggs
UNR/UNR Saniah Tyler
#20/31 Zyanna Walker

#19/43 Shay Bollin (Duke)
#18/24 Kailyn Gilbert (Arizona)
#42/16 Cotie McMahon (OSU)
#49/35 Amina Muhammad (Texas)
#3/3 Ayanna Patterson (UConn)
#16/11 Grace VanSlooten (Tennessee not among finalists)
UNR/69 Karly Weathers (Alabama)
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Thanks, you are right there are several top 20s. But why would we only offer two top ten players. Makes no sense. You offer several of them early and try to get your foot in the door when you are no longer an elite team that can sometimes waltz in late. That is a Kelly call since the head coach virtually always approves offers.
 
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#136
#136
lfvol said:
Thanks, you are right there are several top 20s. But why would we only offer two top ten players. Makes no sense. You offer several of them early and try to get your foot in the door when you are no longer an elite team that can sometimes waltz in late. That is a Kelly call since the head coach virtually always approves offers.
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I don't think this list is everything...just the ones that are public. There are others, like Barker and Betts, who likely got offers but didn't announce as such. No one knew that Pissott had an offer when she accepted, so there are probably some unknowns here.
 
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#138
#138
CP3_LVFL said:
I am pulling for madi as well.... definitely seems like an easy get for TN. Ranked #13 bluestar 30. I think I saw she lived in Jeff city 😳 literally 30 mins from campus
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I think Madi would be one of those fundamental type players that deliver, night after night...We still need those type of quality players that just want to be here...LVFL 🧡🏀🧡
 
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#139
#139
lfvol said:
You offer several of them early and try to get your foot in the door
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early is sophomore year. These top 10-25 players have been in contact since at least their 8th grade year. I'm seeing video on 7th graders more and more frequently. I feel KJH, as a Pat mentee, evaluates character as well as on court performance. The high character players with a will to work hard and sublimate to a team concept are getting harder and harder to find.
 
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#142
#142
[VIDEO=]
Coach Jumper said:
I tend to agree...ANd I also think after playing in the SEC last season, Coach K has a better understanding of what type of athlete has to go along with IQ
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I find this one hard to believe. For a coach who has played in the SEC at an elite level should already know what it take to win in the SEC! May be a case of getting late to the party and taking what you can get. I just hope it’s all corrected expeditiously lol
[/VIDEO]
 
#143
#143
Peas29 said:
[VIDEO=]

I find this one hard to believe. For a coach who has played in the SEC at an elite level should already know what it take to win in the SEC! May be a case of getting late to the party and taking what you can get. I just hope it’s all corrected expeditiously lol
[/VIDEO]
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I think when she got here, her eyes were still on recruits that were top of the line for where she was...Yes she has played in the SEC and even against the SEC, but until you play in a conference now, and, continually, you forget how it is. . . . Judging by how many hooks are cast into the recruitment waters,,,,Coach K is learning how to fish in this lake
 
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#145
#145
Coach Jumper said:
I think when she got here, her eyes were still on recruits that were top of the line for where she was...Yes she has played in the SEC and even against the SEC, but until you play in a conference now, and, continually, you forget how it is. . . . Judging by how many hooks are cast into the recruitment waters,,,,Coach K is learning how to fish in this lake
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Could be but in reality she should have learned that at NCSt. And she may have learned it. The lack of success with the elite kids the first few classes here could have been impacted by no relationships by her or her staff given they were fishing in different waters.
 
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#146
#146
Peas29 said:
[VIDEO=]

I find this one hard to believe. For a coach who has played in the SEC at an elite level should already know what it take to win in the SEC! May be a case of getting late to the party and taking what you can get. I just hope it’s all corrected expeditiously lol
[/VIDEO]
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It's been 25 years since she played in the SEC.
 
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#148
#148
lfvol said:
Could be but in reality she should have learned that at NCSt. And she may have learned it. The lack of success with the elite kids the first few classes here could have been impacted by no relationships by her or her staff given they were fishing in different waters.
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I think saying “lack of success with elite kids the first few classes” is an overstatement at best. The incoming class has elite talent and 2022 has started off with a top 20 player and is far from being done.
 
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#150
#150
Lucy said:
I think saying “lack of success with elite kids the first few classes” is an overstatement at best. The incoming class has elite talent and 2022 has started off with a top 20 player and is far from being done.
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Well, certainly not on ten players and no consensus top 20. Not hating on the 21 class or Pissott but none of the 21s were ranked as elite. If we were getting who she felt we needed, she would not have made two coaching changes either.
 
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