Tori McCoy Finalists

[teacherdean]

Jones is the same height and roughly the same build as Graves. She could definitely play the 4 and probably will next year. IMO Nared is more suited to the 3. I don't understand why Warlick didn't sign a big (power forward or center) to go with the two guards who are freshman this year. We need to sign a forward and a center, for sure, as right now the Vols have only three forwards next year--Nared, Jones and Dunbar--and one center.

Holly did try to sign two bigs but they both decided to go to Baylor.

 

[Voluble2]

Holly did try to sign two bigs but they both decided to go to Baylor.

In fairness, she tried to sign a lot more than those two but whiffed on them all.

Next year we will have Russell and (hopefully) a bunch of freshmen in the low post. We have enough small forwards but we will lack a true power forward who has a wide body and can bang if we don't recruit someone. And it can't be a project type player now who takes a few years to develop. It has to be someone who is ready to play right off the shelf so it needs to be one of a select few.

It's a tough spot to be in but the playing time alone should be enough to attract the sort of player we need.

 

[mtsuraider06]

I don't consider them whiffs, I consider them as recruits we spent too much time on.

Kalani Brown's dad wanted her at Tennessee very badly. Her mom wanted her at Baylor, and Momma won. It was known she was likely going to Baylor.

It was never anyone besides OSU for Mavunga.

Holmes is likely going to Texas, and everyone knows it.

Mompremier & Brown discussed playing together on their visit, and since Kalani wasn't coming here, Baylor was the only choice for that.

I agree that it's up to the staff to convince players that Tennessee is the place to be. However, when recruits (or their parents) already have their minds made up, it's hard to convince them.

The staff is VERY invested in the 2017 & 2018 classes, and are leading for a few highly sought after recruits.

 

[bballcrazy]

I agree with Raider, there are connections that go above and beyond what coaches can do. Holly & co seem to do things the right way. Remember what Walz did trying to get Russell, billboards, throwing all kinds of money around, he even offered her good friend and then told her to hit the road when Russell didn't chose them.

 

[armchair]

We need a big this year, not next. Warlick didn't get a big last year, and the Vols can't go two years in a row without getting a frontline player. There is very little frontline depth right now--Moore (who is more a rail-thin forward than a center) and then three swing players (Jones, Dunbar and Nared), all of whom have played more outside than inside, I think. We need a power forward/banger, and badly. McCoy would fit the bill nicely---or if not her, someone else with some size.