Will the Lady Vols be Improved next Season?

[JFP]

I'm really split on this. I would love a young post for the future and in case TK is not able to come back. I really want Jill free to play the 4 where I think she will be a force. I also believe Karo is better helping at the 4 spot.

However, another player gives us an unlucky 13 player squad. More seriously, it gives KJH too many toys to play with. We've seen the rotation and lineup continuity problems this has caused in the past. Now that she has assembled a really solid squad, I want her to figure out the 8 or possibly 9 player core and stick with it. She eventually does this anyway; how bout we don't wait till tourney time this year.

I want this year's team lean, hard, and hungry. Crisp and tight. Workmanlike and solid.

Kellie will have the opportunity to play a first and second team at least early in the season. She has shown she wants to keep legs fresh and most of her players happy.

 

[glv98]

Kellie will have the opportunity to play a first and second team at least early in the season. She has shown she wants to keep legs fresh and most of her players happy.

Lord I hope not! That approach has been wildly unsuccessful previously. I'm sure they'll be some experimenting very early on, but I want us to zero in on a 8 or 9 rotation quickly and stick to it! No more platooning ever please.

 

[Volfan2012]

Yes we have improved the roster.

 

[JFP]

Yes we have improved the roster.

Large portal losses of valuable players has to be avoided next year and will happen with 8 or 9 only. When the regular season opens 8 or 9 makes more sense.

 

[cwbytruckers]

The only issue I can see right now is our bench, I don’t know where the points will come from, against weak competition things might work, but not in the big games.

I think the bench actually looks pretty decent depending on who the starters are. In fact i think the overall team is improved.

 

[Majors]

Let's play!
Wells/Powell - splitting time at first, mins tilting toward Wells later in season
Spear/Darby - best 3 pt shooting guards in the SEC
Jackson/Puckett/Darby
Jill/Karo/Puckett
Key/Karo/Jill - would def take a youngun to watch, learn, and spot play at post.
(If Key can't play, as I'm starting to fear, Jill and Karo both start)
Wynn - possible spot duty as defensive specialist
Edie/Strickland - great teammates and trusty scout squad players

That's a solid squad, especially offensively. Now the ball is back in KJH court, literally, to make it all work. Got a mulligan last year, hopefully has learned and will do that much better this time. Bet a mil the preseason sched is easier.

Extra practice and Europe trip is a real advantage. Harder SEC sched and much better SEC overall are challenges.

Strickland - great teammates and trusty scout squad players. I can tell you she wasn’t leaving Pitt if this is what was relayed to her by the staff. She had no issues saying no thank you even if it was her dream school.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

I think the bench actually looks pretty decent depending on who the starters are. In fact i think the overall team is improved.

Let’s say the Starters are:
Pg Wells
Sg Spear
Sf Rickea
Pf Hollingshead
C Key

Bench:
Wynn
Edie
Darby
Strickland
Powell
Puckett
Striplin

 

[cwbytruckers]

Let’s say the Starters are:
Pg Wells
Sg Spear
Sf Rickea
Pf Hollingshead
C Key

Bench:
Wynn
Edie
Darby
Strickland
Powell
Puckett

And Darby, Strickland, Powell and Puckett all have many starts under thier belt.

 

[chuckiepoo]

Let’s say the Starters are:
Pg Wells
Sg Spear
Sf Rickea
Pf Hollingshead
C Key

Bench:
Wynn
Edie
Darby
Strickland
Powell
Puckett

Karo?

 

[Volfaninfl2]

Let’s say the Starters are:
Pg Wells
Sg Spear
Sf Rickea
Pf Hollingshead
C Key

Bench:
Wynn
Edie
Darby
Strickland
Powell
Puckett

Left off Striplin

 

[VolFuture]

don’t know if this was posted here but DANGGGGG

 

[creekdipper]

Another thing. “….not gonna let them win”. Them? The negas? F them. We some real LV fans. They will disperse shortly, to only get face time following an occasional loss.

Chuckie don't text.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

Karo?

Fixed

 

[Vol67]

I’ll keep that receipt…

Why they are clearly no better than 3rd in the SEC if they have a great season and they finished 3rd this past season and LSU and South Carolina are head and shoulders better going into next year.

 

[volforlife10]

Why they are clearly no better than 3rd in the SEC if they have a great season and they finished 3rd this past season and LSU and South Carolina are head and shoulders better going into next year.

lol, with wells, spear, rickea, hollingshed, and key starting, we’re most definitely on par and even with LSU and most definitely SC after what they’ve lost.

 

[cwbytruckers]

Im excited to see what our post players do with these guards that can score and penetrate and free up the lane. Hopefully less doubles on RJ and TK. I think Puckett will have a much better JR season because of better guards. Also think about the drive and kicks to Darby.

 

[Orange007]

don’t know if this was posted here but DANGGGGG

That’s crazy! Kellie definitely appreciates the 3 ball and seems to give her players the green light. There’s no overthinking it when they are open- which had been a problem for years.

 

[Harpethriverkid63]

Yes we have improved the roster.

But not the coaching

 

[knoxvol52]

Yes it seems they will be better,but so will LSU and South Carolina has reloaded in portal and don't forget Ole Miss they should be pretty good. SEC isn't that tough except for 3 or 4 teams OOCS will tell the tell on how much we improved

 

[Remy]

Could not disagree more. Did you see Justine play in person? At this point in her development, Justine is far, far less athletic than Striplin. Is light yrs behind both in physicality and in mental intensity. Justine looks exactly like a player who played in a less than demanding league in HS and is getting eyes wide open at the next level. She may have great potential but she's a long way away.

Kamilla Cardoso.

Granted Cardosa is a very good player. But she’s no Boston.

 

[Remy]

The good news for TK is she is at an institution that has been through this previously with a football player that everyone wrote off every season until he graduated, was drafted into the NFL, and has a Super Bowl ring. So her health regimen specifically what her issues are, how it’s being treated, and the what her athletic future is can be nothing but pure speculation by those of us on the outside of her family most likely. This was how UTAD handled Trey so it seems like a template is already in place for TK to follow. I trust UTAD in this matter along with her coaches team mates and family. I suspect we will see a new improved TK playing very well this coming season.

 

[travis929]

Yes it seems they will be better,but so will LSU and South Carolina has reloaded in portal and don't forget Ole Miss they should be pretty good. SEC isn't that tough except for 3 or 4 teams OOCS will tell the tell on how much we improved

I disagree the SEC isn't that tough. Mississippi State and Texas A&M have also reloaded in the portal, and they have the #21 and #20 high school recruiting classes, respectively. Alabama has the #14 recruiting class, bringing in 3 top-100 high school recruits. Arkansas (#17 class) and Missouri both bring in 2 top-100 recruits. Florida has a top-20 high school recruit. Vanderbilt loses quite a bit but brings in Pissott and Jordyn Oliver and the #63 high school recruit. Georgia should be tough again.

Auburn and Kentucky are looking rough.

 

[VOLINVONORE]

lol, with wells, spear, rickea, hollingshed, and key starting, we’re most definitely on par and even with LSU and most definitely SC after what they’ve lost.

It depends on how well Key can score and protect the lane without fouling.

 

[knoxvol52]

I disagree the SEC isn't that tough. Mississippi State and Texas A&M have also reloaded in the portal, and they have the #21 and #20 high school recruiting classes, respectively. Alabama has the #14 recruiting class, bringing in 3 top-100 high school recruits. Arkansas (#17 class) and Missouri both bring in 2 top-100 recruits. Florida has a top-20 high school recruit. Vanderbilt loses quite a bit but brings in Pissott and Jordyn Oliver and the #63 high school recruit. Georgia should be tough again.

Auburn and Kentucky are looking rough.

LSU and South Carolina will be the measuring stick these other schools may improve but the top tier is LSU South Carolina and Tennessee followed by Ole Miss then the rest

 

[glv98]

The good news for TK is she is at an institution that has been through this previously with a football player that everyone wrote off every season until he graduated, was drafted into the NFL, and has a Super Bowl ring. So her health regimen specifically what her issues are, how it’s being treated, and the what her athletic future is can be nothing but pure speculation by those of us on the outside of her family most likely. This was how UTAD handled Trey so it seems like a template is already in place for TK to follow. I trust UTAD in this matter along with her coaches team mates and family. I suspect we will see a new improved TK playing very well this coming season.

No doubt TK is in great, experienced medical hands. We've discussed that before. But we'll still opine and speculate I'm sure since this is an opine and speculate site and bc TK can be such a big addition for our upcoming season.

That said, one of the good things is now that the roster has been boosted, what we need from TK is a bit simplier, especially offensively. Five or so rebounds, 6 or so pts, and however many blocks she can get in will help us greatly. Along with just her defensive presence, it's big for us, no pun intended. Also it allows Jill and Karo to play the 4 where I think both are best.

Hope we see on court activities for TK leading up to the Europe trip.