Kim English

[beamerman]

Ryan Day has done a good job at Ohio State

Philip Fulmer from Johnny Majors did ok until he got complacent and refused to adapt.

 

[DULL_BOY]

Assistant coaches make that jump much more in football than basketball

Very different

I cant think of any assistant coach that jumped right into a top 20 job in hoops and succeeded. I’m sure there are a few but I can’t think of any

Hell look at the train wreck Holly Warlick turned the Lady Vols into.

 

[ndubvols]

I think the reason you don’t see it in basketball that often is because there are just so many more job openings available. I mean there are 350ish d1 basketball programs out there, therefore if your a good assistant you’ll get a head gig if you want one.

That’s not to say an assistant can’t make the jump, I think any of the names mentioned would be pretty successful. It’s just you don’t see the head coach in waiting much because there are plenty of opportunities for assistants to be head coaches.

 

[gainesvol82]

Apparently there are members that have their ear to the rail with regard to targeted talent.

I will definitely admit that there are several guys in this forum that seem very knowledgeable about our BB program.

I know the game from playing all my life but am not particularly informed when it comes to who recruited who and some of the other back stories. I love my Vols and watch every game (even the ESPN+ ones) from down here in Florida but this part of the VN board has some of the most knowledgable people.
BTO, Thunder, Chris, Bruin, previously Ziti and I'm probably forgetting a couple.

That's why I usually lurk but I've just noticed this year that English has seemed to be more engaged in leading the team than I've really ever noticed an assistant. That could be a product of Barnes recovering from Covid but feels to me like he is being groomed for this job. I could be wrong.

 

[tn4elvis]

Didn’t he start out at a mid major ?

Not sure and to lazy to look it up Bruin

 

[gainesvol82]

I completely agree with this sentiment... I like Rob Lanier and I think he's a good coach.

But if I had to pick, I would choose Kim English. I just think he's special and is a star on the rise. There just this feeling the more I see him and read about him that he is elite. How recruiting ability is top notch and the young relatability will definitely help.

But I hope coach Barnes can keep this going for another Few years, one thing that we can't understate with Coach Barnes is the MAN he is, his values/faith/etc... The father figure type thing, this typically gives us "the in" with the parents.

Exactly how I feel. It's nice as a UT fan to have a stable BB program(wish football was). We are built on a good foundation and have several good choices to keep it going after Barnes but I think English has the highest ceiling....especially if he stays on staff and is a big part of what we do with all this talent the next few years.

It just feels like he is being put in a very visible role that will allow him to be able to show his hard work and personality which will help him continue to recruit well once Barnes is gone. Or it could all just be Barnes helping him get job offers but I hope the plan is for him to take over and he sees the opportunity available if he is patient.

 

[djohnnyg]

Matt Figger at Austin Peay will be a sought after coach. He was an assistant at South Carolina before taking the Govs job...and recruits on an annual budget of about 100 dollars. By all reasoning they should be 5-25 every year.

 

[ColinS]

Matt Figger at Austin Peay will be a sought after coach. He was an assistant at South Carolina before taking the Govs job...and recruits on an annual budget of about 100 dollars. By all reasoning they should be 5-25 every year.

They may well have a small budget but they have been good for years. Somewhere between decent and good. Almost always in the top half of the OVC standings.

 

[BruinVol]

Not sure and to lazy to look it up Bruin

He did. Sorry you were too lazy to look it up

 

[ColinS]

I think we should follow the same model when hiring our next coach. Find an older, experienced coach that has been successful and has a good reputation. I would prefer one with power 5 head coaching experience. Lanier doesn't fit all of this model but would make an exception on him because of his time here. He would not be a bad choice. These young up and comers can be a little risky. English, by all accounts, seems to have a bright future but needs to get out and prove himself on a lower level as a head coach. If I was the AD at a place like MTSU, I would be blowing his phone up.

 

[chuckiepoo]

I will definitely admit that there are several guys in this forum that seem very knowledgeable about our BB program.

I know the game from playing all my life but am not particularly informed when it comes to who recruited who and some of the other back stories. I love my Vols and watch every game (even the ESPN+ ones) from down here in Florida but this part of the VN board has some of the most knowledgable people.
BTO, Thunder, Chris, Bruin, previously Ziti and I'm probably forgetting a couple.

That's why I usually lurk but I've just noticed this year that English has seemed to be more engaged in leading the team than I've really ever noticed an assistant. That could be a product of Barnes recovering from Covid but feels to me like he is being groomed for this job. I could be wrong.

Seemed to me Schwartz played the front role with the press during the Deacon's bout with Covid. May just be my perception based on my preferred sources.

 

[gainesvol82]

I think we should follow the same model when hiring our next coach. Find an older, experienced coach that has been successful and has a good reputation. I would prefer one with power 5 head coaching experience. Lanier doesn't fit all of this model but would make an exception on him because of his time here. He would not be a bad choice. These young up and comers can be a little risky. English, by all accounts, seems to have a bright future but needs to get out and prove himself on a lower level as a head coach. If I was the AD at a place like MTSU, I would be blowing his phone up.

You don't think English(and UT) could benefit more by being here and slowly being eased into more head coaching duties over the next few years?

I see it as a great way of keeping continuity in the program and him becoming a young version of Barnes. Instill Barnes basic principles and let him integrate his own philosophies. Our recruiting will stay elite and we could gave our version of a Boeheim or Pat Summit situation where he coaches here for decades.

I know it didn't work with Holly but I think English is a star in the making and would be better served integrating here than taking over a mid major and hoping to be successful enough to get a job like UT.

That is way more appealing to me than hoping to find an older, established guy. It's rare a Rick Barnes to UT situation happens.

 

[gainesvol82]

Seemed to me Schwartz played the front role with the press during the Deacon's bout with Covid. May just be my perception based on my preferred sources.

Maybe. I'm just going by what I see on the court but I do see Schwartz coaching up guys too.

 

[87&91ALUM]

Good grief...keep coach Barnes as long as possible. He is coaching lights out great in my opinion. Please help the football thread out with a new, and much needed, replacement for cornbread.

 

[MiramarVol]

Does anybody else feel like he is our head coach in waiting? I see him handling a lot of head coaching responsibilities....almost like Barnes is prepping him to be a head coach. He seems to handle a lot of the coaching during timeouts with Barnes sitting back except at certain times when he is talking to a specific player.

English is a great young recruiter and seems to be a good overall coach that the players love. He has turned down other opportunities too. I can't tell if Barnes is prepping him to get a HC job or is prepping him to take over at UT in a few years.

I would love it if that's the case as we would have continuity with concepts and a great young coach who could keep UT at a high level for years to come and he is young enough to relate well to kids and bring in high level recruits. Thoughts?

He better be prepping him, because someone else will give him the reigns. Players love him. He practices and mixes it up with the guys still.

 

[ColinS]

You don't think English(and UT) could benefit more by being here and slowly being eased into more head coaching duties over the next few years?

I see it as a great way of keeping continuity in the program and him becoming a young version of Barnes. Instill Barnes basic principles and let him integrate his own philosophies. Our recruiting will stay elite and we could gave our version of a Boeheim or Pat Summit situation where he coaches here for decades.

I know it didn't work with Holly but I think English is a star in the making and would be better served integrating here than taking over a mid major and hoping to be successful enough to get a job like UT.

That is way more appealing to me than hoping to find an older, established guy. It's rare a Rick Barnes to UT situation happens.

I mean, maybe, if Barnes coaches four five more years and he stays here but I don't think we will get to keep him. He will be a head coach somewhere before then.

 

[Volfan1000]

Barnes has three solid recruiters in English, Oliver and Schawrz while he is known as the closer.

 

[Model12]

I dont think English is a Mizzou slam dunk. It's not like he was born in STL and grew up a Tiger fan. Besides, he saw how MU turned on another "favorite son", Kim Anderson, who was a Norm Stewart protege. None of that really means doodly squat, but I think English's decision calculus will be more complicated.

I've lived up there, and I've lived here. I'll take Knoxville for $500, Alex.

 

[scottchatt]

When the UT job opens, it will most likely be the top job opening that year. This isn’t going to be like football where you are trying to lure someone to come fix a team that hasn’t been good in the kid’s you are recruiting’s lifetime.

Every good mid major coach in the country is going to want the job. We’ve seen good things out of Lanier, Schwartz and English. Maybe one of them will be the best option when the time comes, but there’s a really good chance it’s someone else entirely. I feel like Barnes is here at least through his current contract (23/24 season) so I haven’t thought at all about who would be the replacement.

Having had the opportunity to listen to all three give their “chalk talks” before games, Lanier at the time seemed to be the most ready for a HC job, and unsurprisingly, he got one. I would say Schwartz is the next guy to get an HC offer. English is a very good coach, but still seems very much like an assistant, a really good one.

If we’re lucky, those guys stick with Barnes a couple more years, Tennessee is better because of them. The pregame “chalk talk” thing isn’t happening this year thanks to Covid, so maybe some things have changed o we the last year, but if I had to judge I would say Schwartz gets the HC call somewhere before English.

 

[gainesvol82]

When the UT job opens, it will most likely be the top job opening that year. This isn’t going to be like football where you are trying to lure someone to come fix a team that hasn’t been good in the kid’s you are recruiting’s lifetime.

Every good mid major coach in the country is going to want the job. We’ve seen good things out of Lanier, Schwartz and English. Maybe one of them will be the best option when the time comes, but there’s a really good chance it’s someone else entirely. I feel like Barnes is here at least through his current contract (23/24 season) so I haven’t thought at all about who would be the replacement.

Having had the opportunity to listen to all three give their “chalk talks” before games, Lanier at the time seemed to be the most ready for a HC job, and unsurprisingly, he got one. I would say Schwartz is the next guy to get an HC offer. English is a very good coach, but still seems very much like an assistant, a really good one.

If we’re lucky, those guys stick with Barnes a couple more years, Tennessee is better because of them. The pregame “chalk talk” thing isn’t happening this year thanks to Covid, so maybe some things have changed o we the last year, but if I had to judge I would say Schwartz gets the HC call somewhere before English.

Well thought out post. I like that Barnes will have a solid coaching tree of guys that are capable and would be thrilled to coach here.
I also agree that we will probably the top available job when Barnes retires.....unless UK gets sick of Coach Cal underachieving after the 23-24 season. But we would still attract a top guy and they wouldn't have to deal with the crazy expectations.

I just really hope English stays, slowly takes more control once Barnes identifies when he is going to retire and has an audition for the job in Barnes final season.

 

[cardvolfan]

Seemed to me Schwartz played the front role with the press during the Deacon's bout with Covid. May just be my perception based on my preferred sources.

Schwartz was the lead man during Barnes’ illness from an informational standpoint, and I’m assuming that is because his title is Associate Head Coach. I think English is generally the one who gets the accolades in most instances, though I am not sure why. I’m not sure if there is any one assistant that is head and shoulders above the rest recruiting-wise.