Your thoughts after the first ten games

[Chris4Vols22]

I am overall pleasantly surprised with our excellent play thus far. I thought we were likely to take a notable step back compared to last season, but the results so far do not support that idea. There are lots of talking points; here are some of my takeaways:

1. Success in the transfer portal. I'm sure some of you are aware of my critiques specifically on transfers over the years, but Barnes & co have made tremendous improvements in the last two cycles. We are now reaping the rewards of this work. I really like all of our most recent transfers, and Jordan Gainey has cooked up a massive crow casserole for me and others who doubted him.

2. I'm not sure if there are any metrics that would support this, but I think we are handling close-range layups much better than previous seasons. It's no secret that we have seen many unexpected misses at the rim over the years, but I have definitely noted a substantial number of made shots this season that likely would have been misses in previous seasons.

3. I think our balance and chemistry are high quality, especially considering the young age of the current season. We are playing fluidly and deliberately with minimal bouts of sloppiness/uncohesiveness.

4. Now for a con, our depth is not good, to state the obvious. It may not matter, but at the same time, it could potentially tank our season if someone were to suffer an injury.

If I had to rate our play through the first ten games, it would be near 10/10. Let's call it a 9.6 just because the Illinois game was close. You can't play much better basketball than our team has so far imo. Idk if we win the SEC or go to the Final 4, but it's not for nothing that we're the current #1 team.

These are just a few things that came to mind, please share your thoughts and anything else you've noted!

 

[Chaz-Vol]

Overall really like the balance of this team and the chemistry is great. Defense is again elite and offense looks good on paper.

The schedule is not as daunting as say Auburns but unfortunately just happened that out of conference teams we scheduled stink this season. Depth is biggest concern as we saw against Illinois down ZZ plus Lanier in closing moments. Plus our 5 situation could be trouble if Felix doesn't continue to develop through the season.

 

[walkenvol]

Right now we’re undefeated and ranked #1 so there obviously can’t be much to criticize. I’m pleasantly surprised that the defense has come together so quickly having so many new players. Lanier and Igor have exceeded my expectations. Felix is performing lower than my expectations but Cade has picked up that slack and more. I had written Dubar off completely, but now I’m optimistic he can add some value and I’m looking forward to Cam returning.

Hate hate hate that JP is missing the season as he was the only guy we could feed in the low post and consistently get a bucket. If we get bullied by some big quality centers then we will really feel his loss.

All signs point to another fun season with a high seed in the tourney!

 

[McGeesPub]

I think that if Estrella was healthy, this would be the closest recipe we’ve had to me being as confident as one can be in such things that we would be cutting down nets.

Without Estrella I still think we have a good shot but I worry that we are one post player away.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

I think Saturday is good example of how far we've come, in the past even last year I think we might lose that game but we found a way to win.

 

[BallsVolls1]

I am overall pleasantly surprised with our excellent play thus far. I thought we were likely to take a notable step back compared to last season, but the results so far do not support that idea. There are lots of talking points; here are some of my takeaways:

1. Success in the transfer portal. I'm sure some of you are aware of my critiques specifically on transfers over the years, but Barnes & co have made tremendous improvements in the last two cycles. We are now reaping the rewards of this work. I really like all of our most recent transfers, and Jordan Gainey has cooked up a massive crow casserole for me and others who doubted him.

2. I'm not sure if there are any metrics that would support this, but I think we are handling close-range layups much better than previous seasons. It's no secret that we have seen many unexpected misses at the rim over the years, but I have definitely noted a substantial number of made shots this season that likely would have been misses in previous seasons.

3. I think our balance and chemistry are high quality, especially considering the young age of the current season. We are playing fluidly and deliberately with minimal bouts of sloppiness/uncohesiveness.

4. Now for a con, our depth is not good, to state the obvious. It may not matter, but at the same time, it could potentially tank our season if someone were to suffer an injury.

If I had to rate our play through the first ten games, it would be near 10/10. Let's call it a 9.6 just because the Illinois game was close. You can't play much better basketball than our team has so far imo. Idk if we win the SEC or go to the Final 4, but it's not for nothing that we're the current #1 team.

These are just a few things that came to mind, please share your thoughts and anything else you've noted!

Great assessment!

I think our depth is much better than Barnes previous seasons imo! Could it be better? Absolutely! But the production doesn’t drop too far off once starters are out!

With Dubar coming back around and constant improvement from Gainey and Cade, our depth ceiling will definitely climb. And I’ll take 3 out of 5 from the bench that can come in and do what they did against Illinois on any given night!

 

[BallsVolls1]

I think that if Estrella was healthy, this would be the closest recipe we’ve had to me being as confident as one can be in such things that we would be cutting down nets.

Without Estrella I still think we have a good shot but I worry that we are one post player away.

I slightly disagree! Respectfully!!

Yes, losing JP does sting because of his size! However, I still think the post defensively will do some great things. This team is so versatile and I love when Rick uses Shack at the 4 and Igor at 5 with 3 guards. In some games, I’m sure it will be a matchup problem, but overall, I think that will be the key to our success!

 

[BallsVolls1]

Overall really like the balance of this team and the chemistry is great. Defense is again elite and offense looks good on paper.

The schedule is not as daunting as say Auburns but unfortunately just happened that out of conference teams we scheduled stink this season. Depth is biggest concern as we saw against Illinois down ZZ plus Lanier in closing moments. Plus our 5 situation could be trouble if Felix doesn't continue to develop through the season.

I’m not understanding how depth is a concern when we literally relied on our depth to win against Illinois!

Maybe I’m tripping, but imo, this is by far the best bench where guys come in and produce and the production doesn’t fall off as much without the starters.

Adding Cam back, we literally will have a Ten man rotation, which Rick mentioned about looking more into! Cade, Gainey, and Dubar has done great things at different times so far this season off the bench, and Boswell seems to be “getting it” at the right time.

 

[Special Ed]

I'll hold my thoughts till the end of the season.

 

[Chaz-Vol]

I’m not understanding how depth is a concern when we literally relied on our depth to win against Illinois!

Maybe I’m tripping, but imo, this is by far the best bench where guys come in and produce and the production doesn’t fall off as much without the starters.

Adding Cam back, we literally will have a Ten man rotation, which Rick mentioned about looking more into! Cade, Gainey, and Dubar has done great things at different times so far this season off the bench, and Boswell seems to be “getting it” at the right time.

Adding Cam back isn't the same as actively playing and being effective. Like I said overall really happy and like this team.

Not sure you can look at the 5 and 4 situation with how Felix is playing with Estrella is out and say we have a ton of bodies.

 

[K-town Vol Fan]

I think that if Estrella was healthy, this would be the closest recipe we’ve had to me being as confident as one can be in such things that we would be cutting down nets.

Without Estrella I still think we have a good shot but I worry that we are one post player away.

Yep. Same as always has been. If we get matched up against a skilled big man in the tournament, we're toast, and the selection committee always seems to find a way to make that happen. Felix was supposed to be that dude, but I'm not seeing it so far.

 

[ColinS]

I’m not understanding how depth is a concern when we literally relied on our depth to win against Illinois!

Maybe I’m tripping, but imo, this is by far the best bench where guys come in and produce and the production doesn’t fall off as much without the starters.

Adding Cam back, we literally will have a Ten man rotation, which Rick mentioned about looking more into! Cade, Gainey, and Dubar has done great things at different times so far this season off the bench, and Boswell seems to be “getting it” at the right time.

We survived all that foul trouble somehow but the next time that happens will be an SEC opponent and it probably want work out as good. Gainey turning into Michael Jordan didn't hurt. Maybe he can do that again.

 

[Jax_Vol]

We're number one in the country in basketball.

How can you give that a 9?

 

[therealitytheory]

Use these next 3 games to get Dubar up to full speed. And Crowe too, if he's ready.

I'm not sure we take the W in Champagne without Dubar.

 

[Chris4Vols22]

We're number one in the country in basketball.

How can you give that a 9?

Being #1 doesn't necessarily mean you're perfect. That's the kind of gray area that's interesting to discuss imo. That being said, I def have to give us 9.5 at minimum. At the same time, in my eyes, 10 means perfection.

Edit: a good argument can be made for 10/10, and I won't argue against anyone who makes that claim at this time.

 

[Jax_Vol]

Being #1 doesn't necessarily mean you're perfect. That's the kind of gray area that's interesting to discuss imo. That being said, I def have to give us 9.5 at minimum. At the same time, in my eyes, 10 means perfection.

Name a college basketball team this year that merits a 10

 

[Chris4Vols22]

Name a college basketball team this year that merits a 10

You're right . Excellent point.

 

[Namorto1]

Both offensively and defensively we are much better in both regards than I thought we would be with all the new faces at this stage of the season. Same with rebounding. Barnes and his staff have got this portal thing figured out and are great scouts in accordance to what skills/attributes they are looking for. Wish we had some semblance of an offensive post presence and someone who could play with back to the basket as that is a huge weakness. Also wish we had one more wing who could drive to the rim and create when the half court offensive bogs down.

Lanier - better than I expected and has a "go to" mentality without forcing bad shots. Pretty rare attribute.
Milicic - IMO, is the key to our tournament success. I hope his perimeter shots gets more consistent and he plays a bit more aggressive driving the ball.
Zeigler - remains our heart and soul. Needs to improve his turnover rate however as he has been a bit loose with the ball for a senior.
Gainey - happy for the young man. He seems to be maximizing his potential and just need to remain consistent.
Okpara - hasn't been as impactful as expected. Has upside but is raw. His turnover rate for a big guy who doesn't handle at 21 minutes per game is poor.
Dubar - expected alot more but has shown signs of being a solid contributor. He looks lost on offense but has big strong body, willing screener.
Phillips - just shocked how much he has progressed. Brings a ton of energy off the bench and is better than Okpara without question.
Mashack - great leader and lock down defender. Has to be smarter defending perimeter shooters and needs to find his offense. His last year to do so.
Carr - the injury bug has put him behind. May cost him minutes the rest of the year even when he returns. Big upside but may have to wait another year.
Estrella - glad he gets a redshirt. Going to miss him against teams who have strong bigs.
Boswell - mature young guard who already plays defense like Barnes demands. May replace Mashack's role next year.

The SEC is going to be brutal. All these league games with high quality competition should pay dividends come NCAA tourney time.

 

[PEPPERJAX]

I knew we would be good but didn’t expect to be undefeated through 10 games. We have more scoring options this year compared to last season and the defense is good once again. Most importantly, this squad is only going to get better. Excited to see Carr back in the lineup once he heals up too. Also curious to see if Dubar is able to provide more offense as the season progresses. GBO!!

 

[chuckiepoo]

we have a ton of bodies.

Didn’t say that. I just saw an optimistic view of the potential on our roster.

Estrella was a loss to be sure.

Rick has always trimmed the rotation for competitive games. The officials forced his hand and the Calvary responded!

 

[VolArmy74]

We're unbeaten and have generally been dominant except for a tough game on the road vs a team that's #14 in the NET ranking even if for some reason unranked in the regular polls and we still won that one with ZZ and Chaz hardly getting to play in the second half vs what they should've, and almost corrupt level officiating. I'm saying that's pretty much as perfect as it can get so I voted 10 for the season to date.

Chaz is scoring like Dalton. He's defending better than Dalton was at this time last year. Igor looks better defensively and on the glass than I expected. Gainey is much improved. We hopefully get Carr back, and work DD into the rotation for effective depth. We should head into SEC play with several weeks at #1 under out belt. Life is as good as it has ever been for a regular season Vols team.

 

[hUTch2002]

I am overall pleasantly surprised with our excellent play thus far. I thought we were likely to take a notable step back compared to last season, but the results so far do not support that idea. There are lots of talking points; here are some of my takeaways:

1. Success in the transfer portal. I'm sure some of you are aware of my critiques specifically on transfers over the years, but Barnes & co have made tremendous improvements in the last two cycles. We are now reaping the rewards of this work. I really like all of our most recent transfers, and Jordan Gainey has cooked up a massive crow casserole for me and others who doubted him.

2. I'm not sure if there are any metrics that would support this, but I think we are handling close-range layups much better than previous seasons. It's no secret that we have seen many unexpected misses at the rim over the years, but I have definitely noted a substantial number of made shots this season that likely would have been misses in previous seasons.

3. I think our balance and chemistry are high quality, especially considering the young age of the current season. We are playing fluidly and deliberately with minimal bouts of sloppiness/uncohesiveness.

4. Now for a con, our depth is not good, to state the obvious. It may not matter, but at the same time, it could potentially tank our season if someone were to suffer an injury.

If I had to rate our play through the first ten games, it would be near 10/10. Let's call it a 9.6 just because the Illinois game was close. You can't play much better basketball than our team has so far imo. Idk if we win the SEC or go to the Final 4, but it's not for nothing that we're the current #1 team.

These are just a few things that came to mind, please share your thoughts and anything else you've noted!

Simple. 10-0 means a 10 rating. Any thoughts I might have of rating it a 9 go away when I think about us gutting out that Illinois win as I firmly believe we would have lost that game in prior years under Barnes. I really love the pieces we have. I thought it would take a while to gel but I was wrong.

 

[strkr]

I am overall pleasantly surprised with our excellent play thus far. I thought we were likely to take a notable step back compared to last season, but the results so far do not support that idea. There are lots of talking points; here are some of my takeaways:

1. Success in the transfer portal. I'm sure some of you are aware of my critiques specifically on transfers over the years, but Barnes & co have made tremendous improvements in the last two cycles. We are now reaping the rewards of this work. I really like all of our most recent transfers, and Jordan Gainey has cooked up a massive crow casserole for me and others who doubted him.

2. I'm not sure if there are any metrics that would support this, but I think we are handling close-range layups much better than previous seasons. It's no secret that we have seen many unexpected misses at the rim over the years, but I have definitely noted a substantial number of made shots this season that likely would have been misses in previous seasons.

3. I think our balance and chemistry are high quality, especially considering the young age of the current season. We are playing fluidly and deliberately with minimal bouts of sloppiness/uncohesiveness.

4. Now for a con, our depth is not good, to state the obvious. It may not matter, but at the same time, it could potentially tank our season if someone were to suffer an injury.

If I had to rate our play through the first ten games, it would be near 10/10. Let's call it a 9.6 just because the Illinois game was close. You can't play much better basketball than our team has so far imo. Idk if we win the SEC or go to the Final 4, but it's not for nothing that we're the current #1 team.

These are just a few things that came to mind, please share your thoughts and anything else you've noted!

To help with depth barnes needs to get dubar and boswell more playing time for sec play. When carr comes back get him some pt as well. Going to take everyone for this season due to estrella being out etc.

 

[SN-A-C Orange]

Name a college basketball team this year that merits a 10

TN and AU are pretty close to a 10. But there are a few minor imperfections.
In AU we see some team chemistry issues.
In TN we see some flaws at the 5.

Injuries, when they occur, can and will devastate a team.
IMHO, this is the best TN team in about a decade.

 

[hUTch2002]

Use these next 3 games to get Dubar up to full speed. And Crowe too, if he's ready.

I'm not sure we take the W in Champagne without Dubar.

0% chance or very close to it. Dubar’s block/3 combo helped stop the momentum that had swung to Illinois big time.