Where are our team leaders?

#1
dan4vols

dan4vols

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#1
In past seasons both Basketball and Football teams have almost always had leaders step up and lead by example in their play execution and they led with maturity, emotion, and sacrifice. Is it that on both rosters it's just a lean cycle that no leaders are there to step up or is it something deeper psychologicaly speaking on the UTK campus? Is it a social by-product of a spoiled, self-gratifying society thats all about me 1st you whenever?
 
#2
#2
I think the football team was hurt by a lack of player leadership. There was obviously NO ONE on the offense who was a leader. It's usually the QB, but when your QB play is bad the offense is going to be bad. Not sure about the defense--there must have been some on-field leadership as they held together pretty well all year.

As for basketball, the leader has to be Tyler Smith.
 
#3
#3
Eric Berry for sure led by example in his play, but being a vocal team leader doesn't seem his style. I was hoping Dan Williams or Josh McNeil would. In basketball I was hopin Chism or even Prince would step up and assume the role.
 
#4
#4
dan4vols said:
Eric Berry for sure led by example in his play, but being a vocal team leader doesn't seem his style. I was hoping Dan Williams or Josh McNeil would. In basketball I was hopin Chism or even Prince would step up and assume the role.
Click to expand...

I don't know about Prince, he really seems like a whiner to me. Not to sound callous, but he just doesn't strike me as the leader type.

Related to football, I think we were just too disfunctional last season for anyone to step up. We were just a bad team and with all the coaching controversy no one really wanted to stick their neck out IMO.
 
#5
#5
Eric Berry is the best leader we have had in a long time. Just listen to how the other players on the team talk about him and want to follow him. I think BJ Coleman has the ability to be a great leader as well.

Tyler Smith is the leader on the b-ball team. He wants the ball in crunch time.
 
#6
#6
dan4vols said:
Eric Berry for sure led by example in his play, but being a vocal team leader doesn't seem his style. I was hoping Dan Williams or Josh McNeil would. In basketball I was hopin Chism or even Prince would step up and assume the role.
Click to expand...

No matter how great a player you are, it probably hard to be a leader as a true soph, on a team full of upper class men who are used to being coddled and not having to continually earn their starting spot based on their performance (a la CPF). I bet (and HOPE) the attitude of this team is much different come 2009.
 
#7
#7
IMO, the football team has not had a real team leader since Al Wilson. We need a guy like that to step up and light a fire under some of our players. I think our lack of a team leader was a reflection on the head coach. When Fulmer didn't show emotion, how can any of the players. I think BJ Coleman will be a team leader. That is why he will be our starter next season.
 
#9
#9
This is a better question for the players on the 2 teams, we see on gameday what we think are the leaders of the team, and that is only the half of it.
 
#10
#10
I believe that player leaders will evolve under Kiffin. Not to pile on Fulmer, but I never really thought he was a great leader of men, i.e. inspire great men to be greater, and great individuals to buy into being part of something bigger.

Jury is out on Kiffin, but based on what he's saying, I see potential. If Kiffin is such a leader, it should inspire some of the players to step up into a "player leader" role.
 
#11
#11
Coleman has a ton of potential to be a leader. Every player I've heard from has basically said they'll run through a wall for him.

I don't know how vocal Berry is, but he leads by example.
 
#12
#12
Ever notice teams that have coaches that instill discipline always have leaders and those that have folks in charge that lets things go wild don't have leaders on the field?
 
#13
#13
Kiffin sure can talk the talk in press conferences and sounds like he will instill leadership qualities in players. As many others have echoed, it has yet to be seen if he will do that on the field.
 
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