Tennessee parts ways with Kellie (Jolly) Harper [merged thread]

[Geew1992]

So wait. He's staying? lol

Lol... can you imagine?!

 

[huskeynut]

The perfect hire would be Debbie Antonelli. She is the expert on women's college basketball.

 

[amb3096]

Actually she’s coached 4 wnba draft players. Counting Rickea, Rennia, Rae, and Jordan and in that span she’s gone 12 and 37 against ranked opponents. I don’t know if you guys caught many games but man they were hard to watch sometimes. Fundamentals were not present. Offensive sets non-existent. Defense they played whenever they felt like it. Hardly any adjustments after halftime. When her team is getting ran out the gym, Kellie is on the sideline squatting looking lost. Didn’t help that she went home with 3 timeouts most nights either.

Have you watched them this year? 9 times out of 10, when they were getting run out of the gym, they ended up staging a huge comeback and staying in games until the end. Down 20+ vs. SC in the SEC tourney, they had that game won except for Kellie's miraculous ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Even the last game this year vs. NCST where they mounted yet another huge comeback but fell short yet again. Her lost expression when they would fall behind wasn't the issue. It's that a.) they had no business falling behind so badly to begin with and b.) her awful in-game decision making (i.e. the 1.1 sec that will live in infamy). DW did the right thing in moving on from her, and hopefully the next coach will bring back a good product to the arena.

 

[YSRFrisbee]

Personally, I am going to miss Coach Harper on the TN sidelines. I get that SEC expectations are high, but I feel she is such a class act and did things the right way. I know recruiting may have been somewhat of an Achilles heel, but it’s hard to compete in the world of NIL and flashier venues. She can hold her head up high knowing that she gave it everything she had during her 5 years.

Best of luck to her in the future. I’ll just be here with my popcorn waiting to see who gets hired for the job.

“In a world where you can anything… be KIND”.

 

[WBBTakeover]

She could've saved her job. She just had to fire her husband

That statement was said to be false and had to be retracted.

 

[Vowelguy]

That statement was said to be false and had to be retracted.

thanks. i was skeptical

 

[amb3096]

She could've saved her job. She just had to fire her husband

Not true. That was that shill "reporter" Maria Cornelius falsely "reporting" this because she heard from a friend who read it on Twitter who knows someone who overheard someone that knows Danny White's hairdresser.

 

[cancontent]

Doesn’t Dawn have statue at South Carolina. If she leaves does she get to take it with her.

It's of A'ja. Don't think she gets to make that call.

 

[southie]

Just waded through 25 pages of VolNation shock over this firing.

Most seemed to feel that though Kellie is a good person, it was time for a change in coach. Many also want to get away from hiring anyone that would be considered part of the "Summitt tree," and go after ("poach") a "big-time" hire.

This article has a suggested list of coaches that might consider the job:

Lady Vols basketball coaching candidates: 11 options to replace Kellie Harper

According to those 25 pages of VolNation, these are the people who should be considered for the job (a few of them are listed in the above article, which is why I listed it first). Reasons pro/con and availability will vary! In alphabetical order:

• Courtney Banghart
• Carla Berube
• Bart Brooks
• Kenny Brooks
• Kim Caldwell
• Cori Close
• Nicki Collen
• Megan Duffy
• Lisa Fortier
• Lindsay Gottlieb
• Niele Ivey
• Carolyn Kieger
• Tina Langley
• Lindy La Rocque
• Jolette Law
• Kara Lawson
• Kevin McGuff
• Yolett McPhee-McCuin
• Molly Miller
• Wes Moore
• Teri Moren
• Candace Parker
• JR Payne
• Tomeika Reed
• Lynne Roberts
• Scott Rueck
• Vic Schaeffer
• Karl Smesko
• Dawn Staley
• Kim Stephens
• Jeff Walz
• Brooke Wyckoff

For your discussion pleasure.....

No mention of Adia Barnes?

 

[southie]

For what? TN wouldn't make that kind of hire.

What does that mean exactly?

 

[BRS24]

Technically not coach related, however ... Tamari Key not utilizing covid year.

 

[cancontent]

Technically not coach related, however ... Tamari Key not utilizing covid year.

Wish her all the best. Blood clots run in my family and they're scary as hell to me. Was really happy to see her back on the court this season.

 

[Vowelguy]

It's of A'ja. Don't think she gets to make that call.

No there is one of Dawn about to go up. The initial version was panned as not looking like her, so it went back to the shop for some touchups.

 

[MSSportsGuy]

Technically not coach related, however ... Tamari Key not utilizing covid year.

Don't blame her one bit. She struggled at times this year and was clearly not her old self but she gave it her all when out there. She had a fine career at UT and I wish her luck and great health moving forward.

 

[Vowelguy]

No mention of Adia Barnes?

Since making the NC, things have not gone great in AZ. Our PAC correspondents indicate that she seems to have learned from her mistakes and appears to be turning the corner, but not a splashy hire and a lot of question marks.

 

[Vowelguy]

Technically not coach related, however ... Tamari Key not utilizing covid year.

Vols down to 8 players next year, plus possibly Darby and Wells. They will have just 3 non-seniors, so definitely room to take any frosh or soph who want to transfer in.

 

[southie]

Since making the NC, things have not gone great in AZ. Our PAC correspondents indicate that she seems to have learned from her mistakes and appears to be turning the corner, but not a splashy hire and a lot of question marks.

While she has dipped, Adia is probably one of the only realistic coaching prospects who has made the national title game. She's young enough that she can still learn from her (portal acquisition) mistakes. She certainly has no issues in recruiting talented players.

Even this year her team beat Stanford, I believe.

She's accomplished more than Coach Yo and a lot of other candidates on that list, in my opinion.

 

[MSSportsGuy]

I will give Barnes credit for getting AZ to the NC back in 21 but her teams since have struggled and her strong personality seems to have carried over into her ability to evaluate talent and keep them. She's on the same trajectory as Freese in that her teams are good but likely won't ever reach the high ceilings fans may have thought after their initial splash.

 

[MilfordHusky]

It's trending that if the AD throws money at Dawn, she'll leave SC.

Tenn hired Kelly for about $700 K. Dawn makes $3.5 million. I don't think Tenn could get Dawn at all; they would have to go north of $4 million to have a chance. I don't see Tenn doing anywhere near that high.

 

[southie]

I will give Barnes credit for getting AZ to the NC back in 21 but her teams since have struggled and her strong personality seems to have carried over into her ability to evaluate talent and keep them. She's on the same trajectory as Freese in that her teams are good but likely won't ever reach the high ceilings fans may have thought after their initial splash.

Speaking of Frese, perhaps she could use a change of scenery like in Knoxville. She is Top 10 nationally in salary already though.

 

[Vowelguy]

I will give Barnes credit for getting AZ to the NC back in 21 but her teams since have struggled and her strong personality seems to have carried over into her ability to evaluate talent and keep them. She's on the same trajectory as Freese in that her teams are good but likely won't ever reach the high ceilings fans may have thought after their initial splash.

A bit harsh on Frese who has an NC and multiple F4s.

And I'm not sure Adia's fiery personality would be dainty enough for the LVs.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Actually she’s coached 4 wnba draft players. Counting Rickea, Rennia, Rae, and Jordan and in that span she’s gone 12 and 37 against ranked opponents. I don’t know if you guys caught many games but man they were hard to watch sometimes. Fundamentals were not present. Offensive sets non-existent. Defense they played whenever they felt like it. Hardly any adjustments after halftime. When her team is getting ran out the gym, Kellie is on the sideline squatting looking lost. Didn’t help that she went home with 3 timeouts most nights either.

No one from Pat's tree has ever taught modern offense.

 

[Vowelguy]

Speaking of Frese, perhaps she could use a change of scenery like in Knoxville. She is Top 10 nationally in salary already though.

Hahaha, the LVs HATE Brenda. They had this theory that she alleged TN violations in the recruiting of Parker. And that she poached that guard from the 6-pack class.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Doesn’t Dawn have statue at South Carolina. If she leaves does she get to take it with her.

A'ja has the statue. Perhaps, Dawn will get one later.

 

[Vowelguy]

I wonder if one-time assistant Matthew Mitchell is in the mix?