Tony Quote from Basilio today that we all can agree on

[Christian Lowe]

Tony's really the first coach to have to deal with that crap after winning a National championship since Fulmer, only difference is Phil didn't have the social media aspect to worry about

First coach here, but even Saban had fans who complained. He did a lot of what Tony is doing too, telling them to shut the **** up and be thankful in so many words.

 

[greasemachine]

I took it as since they were after Luke Holman, they didn’t want to scare Matthew Dallas off by going after Doyle as well. I wouldn’t trade Zander Sechrist for any of them.

 

[savannahfan]

What you’re leaving out is that 2nd baseman also started every game the previous year at SS and helped lead the team to a NC. That player also hit the ball well, was a great teammate, and had earned the benefit of the doubt from the coaching staff.

I understand what you are saying, but this is not about what he did last year or how much he is loved by the whole team and staff. It is about what he has NOT done for the efforts of the team and staff and fan base this year.

 

[whobethis16]

What you’re leaving out is that 2nd baseman also started every game the previous year at SS and helped lead the team to a NC. That player also hit the ball well, was a great teammate, and had earned the benefit of the doubt from the coaching staff.

1. He started 66 of 73 games last year. That's not "every game".
2. In 2024, the entire team had a combined 60 errors. That SS had 15, or 25%, of them.
3. In 2025, the team had 69 errors, that player had 17, or 24%, of them, when the 2nd most errors was only 8.

His hitting and being a great teammate have nothing to do with the fact his defense was not good.

 

[WallyBalls]

I took it as since they were after Luke Holman, they didn’t want to scare Matthew Dallas off by going after Doyle as well. I wouldn’t trade Zander Sechrist for any of them.

Perfect guy at the perfect time.

One of my favorite memories from last season was one of the 2 games I missed. My Dad had a bunch of health problems last year so I missed the sunday UGA game to be with him at the hospital. He asked how we'd do and I said "Depends if we can pitch around Condon" which was the best I could come up with because I didn't have high hopes.

He went 0-4 with 2 Ks. Zander was lights out. We had a ball watching that game on an ipad.

 

[VolFan_stuck_in_the_901]

Perfect guy at the perfect time.

One of my favorite memories from last season was one of the 2 games I missed. My Dad had a bunch of health problems last year so I missed the sunday UGA game to be with him at the hospital. He asked how we'd do and I said "Depends if we can pitch around Condon" which was the best I could come up with because I didn't have high hopes.

He went 0-4 with 2 Ks. Zander was lights out. We had a ball watching that game on an ipad.

I remember when Tony V moved Zander from midweeks to the Sunday spot in the rotation and being adamant that his stuff would get "found out" by SEC hitters. I've never been so happy to be wrong in my life

 

[CAVPUT]

First coach here, but even Saban had fans who complained. He did a lot of what Tony is doing too, telling them to shut the **** up and be thankful in so many words.

Im being repetitive, but I still feel the shame of not even making Hoover. These are heady times for this old guy.

 

[taylorvol]

I understand what you are saying, but this is not about what he did last year or how much he is loved by the whole team and staff. It is about what he has NOT done for the efforts of the team and staff and fan base this year.

Efforts? He gives 100% every game and hit well despite his defensive challenges. He absolutely earned the benefit of the doubt.

 

[VolBallGuy]

The LOM will never change, unfortunately. Whenever an older member of the LOM dies off, their children rise up to take their place... kind of like a hydra

You are totally incorrect and mistaken. You could not possibly be right. It’s all wrong.

 

[taylorvol]

1. He started 66 of 73 games last year. That's not "every game".
2. In 2024, the entire team had a combined 60 errors. That SS had 15, or 25%, of them.
3. In 2025, the team had 69 errors, that player had 17, or 24%, of them, when the 2nd most errors was only 8.

His hitting and being a great teammate have nothing to do with the fact his defense was not good.

1, virtually every game.
2, care to quote his offensive stats?
3, the barely used SS defensive specialist had 7 errors and a .907 fielding percentage in SEC play. SS is hard—especially in the SEC.
it has everything to do with the fact that he earned the benefit of the doubt.

 

[taylorvol]

1. He started 66 of 73 games last year. That's not "every game".
2. In 2024, the entire team had a combined 60 errors. That SS had 15, or 25%, of them.
3. In 2025, the team had 69 errors, that player had 17, or 24%, of them, when the 2nd most errors was only 8.

His hitting and being a great teammate have nothing to do with the fact his defense was not good.

The SS gets more balls hit to him than any other position. Not surprising that the SS makes the most errors on the team. TN needs better defensive production and will get it. I will give the kid a pass who helped lead TN to its first NC as he contributed this season and last at the plate and with his leadership.

 

[rumaso11]

I will say this. I love watching Tennessee Baseball. I love Coach TV. But this team didn’t have that same fire outside of a few individuals. It was like the chemistry was off. I am looking forward to next year.

You could see it mid season that we didn't hit the ball as well as last year and pitching was lacking out of the bull pen and on Sundays. I don't think it was a lack of offensive talent, hitters need to be better coached.

 

[WallyBalls]

You could see it mid season that we didn't hit the ball as well as last year and pitching was lacking out of the bull pen and on Sundays. I don't think it was a lack of offensive talent, hitters need to be better coached.

I disagree with the last point. Heavily.

I think the hitters were well coached. You had guys who hit skids at the end of the season, but you also had guys who noticeably improved their approaches as the season progressed. Fisher greatly improved compared to the book on him from OM. Levi Clark got in the freshman soup but greatly improved as the season went on. Kilen got through an injury and was still a great hitter. Peebles found his feet after another rough start. Marin/Newstrom/Grimmer/Abernathy showed promise.

 

[rockytop25]

1. He started 66 of 73 games last year. That's not "every game".
2. In 2024, the entire team had a combined 60 errors. That SS had 15, or 25%, of them.
3. In 2025, the team had 69 errors, that player had 17, or 24%, of them, when the 2nd most errors was only 8.

His hitting and being a great teammate have nothing to do with the fact his defense was not good.

One thing that I think a lot of people either forget about or maybe don’t understand, is Dean was moved around all over the place this spring. That did him no favors

I bet his defense would have been a lot better had we kept him at a position all year. How many live action games do you think he’s ever played at 3B or 2B? And he was trying to learn those positions in the SEC.

Was it frustrating at times? Absolutely. But I give him major credit for being willing to do whatever was best for the team, especially during a draft year for him

 

[taylorvol]

You could see it mid season that we didn't hit the ball as well as last year and pitching was lacking out of the bull pen and on Sundays. I don't think it was a lack of offensive talent, hitters need to be better coached.

LOL. Oh my….

 

[CobbWebb71]

What you’re leaving out is that 2nd baseman also started every game the previous year at SS and helped lead the team to a NC. That player also hit the ball well, was a great teammate, and had earned the benefit of the doubt from the coaching staff.

Oh yeah, that.

 

[CobbWebb71]

I will say this. I love watching Tennessee Baseball. I love Coach TV. But this team didn’t have that same fire outside of a few individuals. It was like the chemistry was off. I am looking forward to next year.

That’s fair.

 

[CobbWebb71]

Did it seem like Matthew Dallas was the reason why we chose not to pursue Doyle coming out of Coastal, or am I just imagining things? Part of me salivates at the thought of Doyle on that 2024 team, but there's also the chance that if Doyle was here we wouldn't have gotten that all-time Zander performance in the NCAA tournament/Omaha

Without Z, we do not have a CWS trophy.

 

[05_never_again]

Without Z, we do not have a CWS trophy.

Probably the most underrated and overlooked player in the TV era. He was a dawg not just in Game 3 of the final, but all year on Sunday.

 

[CobbWebb71]

Probably the most underrated and overlooked player in the TV era. He was a dawg not just in Game 3 of the final, but all year on Sunday.

He went from the best midweek guy in college baseball to the best Sunday guy in college baseball.
You will not ever change my mind.
I was confident he would get us a series clinching win every Sunday!

 

[Godfatha]

It’s mainly the blue hairs and socialites behind home plate that drive me nuts. And the porch needs to get LIT again

This aggravates me to no end, to see the fans behind home plate that just sit there (if they even show up). If you don't want to cheer, or don't want to go to the game, give your tickets to someone that does.

 

[knoxvol52]

You could see it mid season that we didn't hit the ball as well as last year and pitching was lacking out of the bull pen and on Sundays. I don't think it was a lack of offensive talent, hitters need to be better coached.

 

[VolMarine1371]

I wonder what series he was talking about. Auburn? Maybe Vandy?

I was thinking more along the lines of LSU.

 

[VolFan_stuck_in_the_901]

I was thinking more along the lines of LSU.

I was thinking it was a home series, but LSU would also make sense

 

[cardvolfan]

They gotta lose the rabbit ears man. Every elite program in the conference has this issue.

I do think the atmosphere needs to change at LNS, however. Having people sit on their hands no matter what you do is just as bad as people jeering you for errors, but cheering when you hit HR's

Honestly, most of the people sitting on their hands are so inebriated they can’t put together intelligent sentences. It is a problem as there is constant getting up and down, grabbing their beers, going to the bathrooms, etc. Many are there under the pretense of supporting Tennessee, but their biggest goal is achieving an intoxicated state. No engagement or erratic engagement.