2023 Recruiting

[37620VOL]

I don’t know, but it feels like this is a schtick. Same for MC.

And Darth

 

[Coach Jumper]

For the record, a yes or no question.
Are you OK with Tennessee not signing players out of high school and depending on the portal as the source for new players ?

@TheMississippiVol

well?

 

[NeedOrange]

IMHO, the best process for long term sustainability of a program is based in the recruiting and developing of players using transfers to meet specific and short term needs.

 

[glv98]

The only place recruiting from the portal is being discussed as an issue comes from a pocket of fans on this forum.

I know you know this is not true. Obviously, ridiculously easily disproven. Yet it's the opening line of the sermon. Ruins it for me.

Who in their right mind wastes this kind of energy making one factor outweigh several factors of a winning program?

Even more energy spent refuting the out of minders point by point.

It's too crazy in recruiting land to draw specific drastic conclusions about any long term effects on the program. Of course we need the best high school players and of course we want to continue to own the portals. But its total shifting sand right now. We'll see.

 

[TheMississippiVol]

Exactly. Just like saying to pro sports no more trading because it distroys a team. It's funny because ppl doesn't realize the importance of portal. It's a gamble because we can get top players, again we might not, but if we get top players that's a bingo..

Stand on business! Rocky Top is rocking

 

[turbovol]

The Mississippi Vol apparently thinks that recruiting is just a minor thing--like running out of towels or something. Absurd. Laughable.
We signed a big, fat nobody--but s/he thinks we're in great shape because Harper was named the preseason SEC coach of the year.
What has that got to do with the price of a can of beans? Preseason accolades mean zero because you haven't played a single game and you haven't done anything. Same with rankings.

More to the point, the state of the team now has ZERO do with the state of the team in 1, 2, 3, 4 years--which is precisely the point of recruiting. Recruiting is pertains to the future of the program, not the present. DUH.

If high school/club recruiting was so inconsequential, as OleMiss contends, I'm curious why EVERY other Div. 1 program in the country signed multiple high-school prospects. Don't they know that recruiting isn't important, according to her? Apparently, every other Div. 1 program in the country has a very different viewpoint.

Recruiting is the lifeblood of a program.

She wants to call out the people who are (very rightly) concerned about our poor recruiting when what s/he's really doing is demonstrating reality blindness. I'd venture to say that high-school recruiting and portal (transfer) recruiting are roughly equally important. Actually, I'd say that high-school/club recruiting is somewhat more important, because signing freshmen means you've got new players in the program and on the team. If you signed no high-school prospects every year, you'd have flopped/failed on one half of the recruiting dynamic and then be TOTALLY dependent on the portal--and that could be potentially disastrous. Who says we wouldn't effectively strike out in the portal as well? Oh, we'll always be able to sign transfers, I'm sure--but good transfers, top transfers? That's a different matter. You can't count on that every year--and Harper would be the first person to agree.

 

[1reVOLver]

Coach Harper clearly, obviously thinks the Portal is all we need. She has provided all of us with proof of this.

1. She hired assistant coaches who scout high school kids, looking for those best suited to our team's needs.
2. She had those assistants contact the best of those they scouted to express interest, and to assess interest on the part of the potential recruits.
3. Campus visits were arranged; kids came to Knoxville.
4. Offers were extended.

Now then, some folks think that all of that time and energy was expended, not because Coach Harper wants to recruit the best high school basketball players, but as a smoke screen to confuse and befuddle our opponents. We really only care about plucking new team members from the portal. And if you choose to believe that, please see me about some wonderful waterfront properties, visible at low tide…

 

[TheMississippiVol]

Could it hurt to wait until we see evidence that the recruiting results over the past two years has hurt the program before throwing in the towel on the program?

The evidence won’t be in their favor.
By that time the critics will find something else to complain about.

 

[LadyVol1908]

I think that those predicting doom for the program, because of the lack of high school recruits, are worried long term. Certainly, this year the LV's will be among the top teams in the country. The uncertainty comes into play in the following years.

If you consistently strikeout recruiting high school players, then you MUST get multiple quality players from the portal. A failure to do so would set the program back years.
Look at this year's team. If Key, Horston and Jackson turn pro after this upcoming season, the chances of replacing them with players of equal ability are practically zero.

A more likely result would be to get a few good, but not great, players from the portal.
And that's if we're successful in the next portal event. If we do less well then that we will still have a decent team, but not one that will challenge for the SEC title or final 4.

Ideally, there would be a combination of a couple of highly rated high school recruits combined with players from the portal each year. Those portal players can either fill needs or be a difference maker that takes the team to another level (Hopefully, Jackson is that player this year).

Please note: I don't think depending heavily on the portal is CKJH's premeditated, long term strategy. I think it's a result of missing out on wanted high school players.

Here's another POSSIBLE problem with depending so heavily on the portal. If you continually bring in players from the portal to start for your team, (Which we have most likely done this year and will probably have to next year) what does that tell the freshman and sophomore players on your team ? Or high school recruits that are thinking of joining your program ? It tells them that there's a good likelihood that an unknown, more experienced player from the portal will be your competition for playing time in the upcoming years. Not the best atmosphere for recruiting high school players.

Depending on the portal so heavily for players is not, imo, an optimal strategy for long term, consistent success. The question remains, why has such an historically successful and currently attractive program done so poorly (Justine being the exception), in recruiting high school players the last 2 years ?

I wish I could like this 17284930285930298482 times! You get it!!!!

 

[TheMississippiVol]

I'm sure she has a plan in place and has a list of veteran names that may be available when the proper time comes....After all, these veteran players come to us, like new presents, with their batteries already included..

It's all good!

Stand on business! This is a new day in collegiate sports.
Coach Harper is in charge and this program has done something rare and that is return to the cusp of greatness. Rocky Top is rocking

 

[VolBalls33]

To me it's UT Stanford and South Carolina and everyone else, at least for this upcoming season. Maybe another university that surprises. The talent on paper is ridiculously good for UT. Can that much talent and bodies mesh, time will tell. Barring any major injuries UT should be at the top of women's basketball this season. Sure not having 1 high school recruit isn't ideal and also personally don't understand not 1 elite recruit not coming to Knoxville. I see both sides. However if the discussion is just this season only, UT is winning big time. As fans let's enjoy this current season and worry about next season as it unfolds. Is it Tuesday yet?

 

[GameTime]

To me it's UT Stanford and South Carolina and everyone else, at least for this upcoming season. Maybe another university that surprises. The talent on paper is ridiculously good for UT. Can that much talent and bodies mesh, time will tell. Barring any major injuries UT should be at the top of women's basketball this season. Sure not having 1 high school recruit isn't ideal and also personally don't understand not 1 elite recruit not coming to Knoxville. I see both sides. However if the discussion is just this season only, UT is winning big time. As fans let's enjoy this current season and worry about next season as it unfolds. Is it Tuesday yet?

The hand wringing clan will never relax and enjoy the moment...Coach Kellie and her staff have the situation well in hand....In the off season she will bring in a few more outstanding transfers to fill any needs.

 

[stllvf]

A Very Weary Thread of nearly 5000 unrequited opinions. After the last two years of this board's recruiting threads, I believe a researcher would find no help has been provided by the members, including the nay-sayers.

 

[Darth_Vol]

A Very Weary Thread of nearly 5000 unrequited opinions.

And still 0 recruits...

 

[LUVMESUMVOL]

Since some deem the portal as automatic from one great class.we would have saw high school recruiting remaining automatic just because we are who we are but that's not the case so I won't assume the portal is automatic but what I will do is enjoy the here and now and watch what I think is a championship season and hope for the best in the off season with the portal and hopefully get commitments from the class of 24

 

[youcancallmeAl]

And still 0 recruits...

That's the same thing you said last year at this time, and then all of a sudden appeared Jackson, Powell, Franklin, and Hollingshead out of thin air, as if by magic.

 

[Memvol44]

And still 0 recruits...

I somewhat agree.Tough to sustain just on the portal...

 

[Cees]

Ranked #5 in the nation. And chances are, we really are at least that good.

 

[Rickster]

I doubt anyone really knows anything concrete about sustainability given the portal has not been around long enough to draw conclusions.

 

[Benionsopinion]

That's the same thing you said last year at this time, and then all of a sudden appeared Jackson, Powell, Franklin, and Hollingshead out of thin air, as if by magic.

Thanks,Al, for your succinct observation. Lady Vols have fifteen scholarships for their roster per NCAA rules. They have sixteen bodies on the roster with one injured and out for the year. Seems to me there is no room for any other at this time. Some would have us believe that we can’t field a team because of no high school recruits. They are this year returning to their mantra about recruits. I trust our coaches to handle any issue that they face,recruiting or otherwise. I know—but— but — down the pike!!! I will be redundant and say “TRUST THE COACHES!!”
A question here would be if you have your full roster, what does it matter from whence they come? Watch and support this Lady Vol team and await a great year!

 

[Memvol44]

A Very Weary Thread of nearly 5000 unrequited opinions. After the last two years of this board's recruiting threads, I believe a researcher would find no help has been provided by the members, including the nay-sayers.

Or the sunshine pumpers...... the elephant is in the room,people don't see it...

 

[Volfan2012]

I doubt anyone really knows anything concrete about sustainability given the portal has not been around long enough to draw conclusions.

It might become a problem to not get high school players over an extended period of time, but for next season we need two or three players max and we'll be fine. I don't think we plan to carry a fifteen player roster more like 12 maybe 13 so with 9 returnees you need three possibly four if you find players you want. The main needs are center, point, and two guard. The way the portal works is you find players that you can give immediate playing time to and that is the selling point. Any center in there would have max playing time and any point or two guards the same. Three and Four position are covered no needs there.

 

[Rickster]

Or the sunshine pumpers...... the elephant is in the room,people don't see it...

We don't need to see it. In the end, it's about winning. If we go undefeated and win a championship, do we have to give it back because we recruited from the portal? I know some fans believe we have to win every facet of the game but dang.....

 

[37620VOL]

Or the sunshine pumpers...... the elephant is in the room,people don't see it...

It's more like everyone sees the elephant, but the super negs think they are so smart that no one can see it but them, and they need to remind their lessers of "the fact of the elephant" every minute of everyday.

 

[Vol67]

Treading for top players in pro sports Distroy the team right...ur point means that we shouldn't get portal players when we didn't get high school recruits

You have an amazing lack of understanding. Ever heard of cohesion, how about not coming together as a team without a core. Shows stupidity and short-sightedness