Coaching Search Thread

#1,077
#1,077
SmoothCriminal said:
I would take Byrd over Barnes but at this point it would be hard to get him IMO. Last coaching search we wasted his time and he felt disrespected. I don't think he's as interested this time around
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I agree. UT did waste his time and never did really consider him as a viable candidate. It is a shame because he would have had this program on the right track by now.
 
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#1,079
#1,079
secfanclub said:
I would love to see Rick Byrd come to UT. I know Rick personally and he is a terrific coach. I knew him when he was at Maryville College. He was interested in the UT job in the past, but I doubt he would even consider coming now. Rick can take "average" talent and get every ounce out of his players, and he develops his players extremely well. Rick would be an excellent choice even with mediocre talent because the better talent would eventually come with his coaching abilities and success.
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He is an excellent judge of ability regardless of the stars next to a kid's name.

One thing for certain, this kid and those like him...

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never leave East Tennessee if Rick Byrd is coaching the Vols.
 
#1,080
#1,080
lateknight said:
My problem with Barnes is this:
"He has won only one post-season conference tourney championship (Providence, 1994 Big East) in his 21 years as a collegiate head coach. He has an overall record of 20–20 (.500) in the NCAA tournament (18-14 at Texas). In nine of his fourteen years at Texas, the Longhorns went on to lose to a lower seed in the NCAA Tournament." (from Wiki page).

So my question isn't whether or not he can recruit. The question is what can he do with the talent. Are we going to be content as a fan base as long as we make an appearance in the NCAA Tournament? or are we looking to go further?

It would shock me if we opened the checkbook so knowing how this school has spent in the past I think I would much rather take my chances at an "up and comer" rather than a "soon to be retired".
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There are good up and coming coaches, but the question is whether or not we can find them. Our history suggests that we can't. Barnes is almost a for sure hire to at least improve the program.
 
#1,082
#1,082
T.N. Buckingham said:
He is an excellent judge of ability regardless of the stars next to a kid's name.

One thing for certain, this kid and those like him...

6.jpg


never leave East Tennessee if Rick Byrd is coaching the Vols.
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I agree. One of Rick's best talents was to recognize talent that many coaches overlook. Rick can take that talent and turn the kid into a very good 3* or 4* player. For this reason alone, he would eventually attract the higher-rated talent to come to UT. Rick always liked to take the talent he got and make them into much better players. He always made it a priority in player development and team cohesiveness. You can bet one thing from his teams was excellent teamwork.
 
#1,084
#1,084
T.N. Buckingham said:
He is an excellent judge of ability regardless of the stars next to a kid's name.

One thing for certain, this kid and those like him...

6.jpg


never leave East Tennessee if Rick Byrd is coaching the Vols.
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He's the Randall Cobb of Tennessee basketball. Although, Dane Bradshaw wasn't a bad consolation prize.
 
#1,085
#1,085
GAVol said:
He's at Belmont. How many 4 and 5 stars do you think he's passed over?
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He's been at Belmont at different basketball levels.

You do realize there is a difference between the level of player you can attract from the NAIA and the kid you can get while playing in the OVC?

I'm not saying Byrd has passed over 4 and 5 star players. I am saying that he has met the challenge when his bosses decided to move up levels in basketball.

Given an opportunity at Tennessee, he would do the same in Knoxville. His history proves it.
 
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#1,086
#1,086
We have made so many misjudgements on hires on both the football and basketball programs that it is time to make a safe hire.
Kiffin & Dooley were both misses. raleigh was a miss for the baseball team. Buzz, Wade, O'Neil & martin were misses on basketball.
We weren't interested in Kevin Sumlin when he was at Houston. We weren't interested in Brey before he became the coach at Notre Dame. We weren't interested in Marshall before he was at Witichia State. So, many misses.
Just hire Byrd. That is a safe hire and he will rebuild the program before he retires. That is what Larry Brown is doing at SMU & Steve Fisher at S.D.S.U.
 
#1,087
#1,087
Rick Byrd is a good coach, there is no doubt about that, but he would have to recruit at a much higher level in the SEC than the OVC and that is a big question mark. I know many have said "he gets a lot out of players regardless of stars," but he does that in the OVC and an occasional game against big time competition who isn't familiar with Belmont or simply over looks them. That would not happen if he were at Tennessee and he would be playing against a higher level of competition day-in-and-day-out in the SEC, which might expose some flaws. I am not saying he would fail at TN, but I don't think he is quite the slam dunk hire that others do.
 
#1,093
#1,093
There is no one more comfortable and content with where he is at than Rick Byrd. Taking the job at UT is high risk and there is no way he is doing it IMO.
 
#1,097
#1,097
Let's quit having this "Why bother" attitude (for those saying Tn should not try to get best coach possible). Those saying Tennessee's history is bad, so we should just hope to get a "solid", make the tourney every "few years" type of coach, is a bad attitude (which it is not as bad as some make it imo) imo. It is even being reported that Alabama is trying to get Marshall at Wichita St, and they have no history. Even if Tn does not try to pay Big money to see who will interview, no reason we as fans should not let them know they should.

It is simple, if AD shows they will pay up, and support they will have plenty of great choices.
 
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#1,100
#1,100
Will always love the revisionist history some fans spout on here about the roster that Cuonzo inherited.
 
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