Topic: Caldwell to Tennessee

[MUfan08]

https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/39894201/source-tennessee-hires-marshall-kim-caldwell-new-coach

[diamante]

Glad I delayed getting my season tickets for next season. I'll wait and see who our next hire is first.

[pricherd]

I assume this will free up a spot on Coach Jackson's staff -- I assume Kim's husband will follow her to Knoxville.  I don't think he can expect a place on Rick Barnes' staff at UT.

Maybe a spot for Jon Elmore?

[elginherd]

I assume this will free up a spot on Coach Jackson's staff -- I assume Kim's husband will follow her to Knoxville.  I don't think he can expect a place on Rick Barnes' staff at UT.

Maybe a spot for Jon Elmore?

Does JE want to be a coach?
People assume that former players want to coach college ball.

[whf]

I wish her the very best of all things; but it is a sign of what makes being a MU fan so very hard.  It's just impossible to keep great coaches who come through our doors, and so hard to get rid of those who don't do well. It makes it easier to understand why we keep coaches who win a bit more than they lose; giving gets harder and harder.  I can see real benefits in being a big fish in a smaller pond; this trying to be a small, winning, fish in a big pond is getting very old for this old fart.

[herdfan129]

Good for her. Can?t blame her for this. I doubt anyone, including her, expected to get this opportunity so quick.

Hope we can make another great hire to build on our success.

[pricherd]

Does JE want to be a coach?
People assume that former players want to coach college ball.

According to a post on Jon's Twitter (X) page, he's hoping to talk to college coaches about an assistant's position.

[MUonium]

I assume this will free up a spot on Coach Jackson's staff -- I assume Kim's husband will follow her to Knoxville.  I don't think he can expect a place on Rick Barnes' staff at UT.

Maybe a spot for Jon Elmore?

do you think J Elmore can recruit as well as or better than a long time asst from any school who is a proven recruiter?  if Corny had any foresight, which he might have (idK), it would have been a slight budget increase specifically for a recruiting specialist.  that said, maybe thats hogwash and there isn't any such thing, that it's all about where you are trying to recruit to.  if so, how can Corny and Marshall make Huntington more attractive given the level of NIL available (practically none)?  that said, Martin did credit Corny for getting him to MU.  but we can and must be able to do even better than Martin (absolutely no offense intended).  i think it will be harder than most think getting 5 or more players equal to or better than Martin or Voyles BUT i'll be very happy to be proven wrong

[MUonium]

Good for her. Can?t blame her for this. I doubt anyone, including her, expected to get this opportunity so quick.

Hope we can make another great hire to build on our success.

we know how often 'great' hires come along at MU, but it would be a hugh relief to go 2 for 2 and it certainly can be done

[MarshallSteve]

Good for her. Can?t blame her for this. I doubt anyone, including her, expected to get this opportunity so quick.

Hope we can make another great hire to build on our success.

Agree. Never expected this to happen. Especially considering Tennessee could have hired essentially anyone they wanted. I'm really surprised they hired Kim coming off a 50 point drubbing at VA Tech. Good luck to her. Can't blame her for taking the money. She must feel like she hit the lottery....lol

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[elginherd]

Agree. Never expected this to happen. Especially considering Tennessee could have hired essentially anyone they wanted. I'm really surprised they hired Kim coming off a 50 point drubbing at VA Tech. Good luck to her. Can't blame her for taking the money. She must feel like she hit the lottery....lol

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I do not believe that UT could've hired anybody that they wanted...or that Caldwell was one of their first choices.

[BraveSaintStuart]

I'm sorry, screw that. Go get your bag or whatever. I get it. But I don't have to like it. It's infuriating.

[MarshallSteve]

I do not believe that UT could've hired anybody that they wanted...or that Caldwell was one of their first choices.

I think they could have. Tennessee is historically one of the top 3 Women's programs in the country. I'm blown away they would hire her after coming off 1 season as division 1 coach. To be quite honest, I think a lot of her success was because she played in a weak conference and the teams in the conference had not yet adjusted to her style of play. Remember it didn't take JMU long to crack the code and they took us to overtime in the conference championship.

It will be interesting to see how she does in the SEC against better competition. I'm not sure that style of play will work consistently in the SEC. And I'm not sure a top recruit will want to play in that type of system. Huge gamble from the Tennessee side IMO. I just don't see that style of play being consistently successful in the SEC. Especially coming off the beatdown we took against VA Tech.

[herdorbust2]

Anyone still deny it was going to happen now? Anyway I say we hire Kim's longtime assistant that knows her system and was her right hand woman.

[elginherd]

I think they could have. Tennessee is historically one of the top 3 Woman's programs in the country. To be honest, I'm blown away they would hire her after coming off 1 season as division 1 coach. To be quite honest, I think a lot of her success was because she played in a weak conference and the teams in the conference had not yet adjusted to her style of play. Remember it didn't take JMU long to crack the code and they took us to overtime in the conference championship.

It will be interesting to see how she does in the SEC against better competition. I'm not sure that style of play will work consistently in the SEC. And I'm not sure a top recruit will want to play in that type of system. Huge gamble from the Tennessee side IMO. I just don't see that style of play being consistently successful in the SEC. Especially coming off the beatdown we took against VA Tech.

I agree with your skepticism regarding the style of play against larger players who have well developed skills.

AFA historic, that's about correct...historic.
The last time that UT was a threat to win the national championship was more than a decade ago under Pat Summit. (Sort of similar to the Cornhusker FB program under Tom Osborne) And when UT WAS dominate, it was during a period when only a few colleges were placing any real emphasis for women's basketball. Kelley Harper was arguably more successful than Holly Warlick, and that wasn't enough. So, coaches on the A-list are not nearly as eager to have their reps express interest in the job unless the buyout terms were very friendly, and even then, they'd be more hesitant to leave their current positions.

[ThunderingHerdFan]

Tennessee is absolutely relevant. It's the top story on the side of ESPN.com right now.

And if Tennessee WAS a "threat" to win it all, the job wouldn't be open. However they were very close this season. Their SEC semifinal loss was as heartbreaking as you can get.

Kim is different, period. We saw that and that's why we hired her. Unfortunately for us, Tennessee saw it, too, and was willing to take the chance.

[elginherd]

Tennessee is absolutely relevant. It's the top story on the side of ESPN.com right now.

And if Tennessee WAS a "threat" to win it all, the job wouldn't be open. However they were very close this season. Their SEC semifinal loss was as heartbreaking as you can get.

Kim is different, period. We saw that and that's why we hired her. Unfortunately for us, Tennessee saw it, too, and was willing to take the chance.

-It's the SEC, in what is now a revenue sport in the SEC. That's the relevance. UT is no longer an elite program.
 
-No final Fours since Pat Summitt, IIRC. You're correct regarding 'close' this past 2-3 seasons. But firing the last coach is exactly why UT didn't have their 'choice of anybody' that they wanted.

[herdman22]

Tennessee is absolutely relevant. It's the top story on the side of ESPN.com right now.

And if Tennessee WAS a "threat" to win it all, the job wouldn't be open. However they were very close this season. Their SEC semifinal loss was as heartbreaking as you can get.

Kim is different, period. We saw that and that's why we hired her. Unfortunately for us, Tennessee saw it, too, and was willing to take the chance.

My son is a teenager and he said I'm surprised they hired her. That's an iconic program. Tennessee is still considered an elite program, even by teens.


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[elginherd]

My son is a teenager and he said I'm surprised they hired her. That's an iconic program. Tennessee is still considered an elite program, even by teens.


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The more important question isn't what we believe is elite or not.
The important question is whether very prominent, successful upper major or upper midmajor coaches would consider the position as tenable.

[wlf]

You can recruit the players you want to Tennessee. They're not Marshall, it's a terrific opportunity.
    NCAA is now minor and major leagues, we're minor even in WBB.

[gochneaur645]

You can recruit the players you want to Tennessee. They're not Marshall, it's a terrific opportunity.
    NCAA is now minor and major leagues, we're minor even in WBB.

The NCAA has always been major and minor leagues, even in WBB. It's actually dominated more by the power conferences than MBB is.

Caldwell proved women's basketball can be a revenue sport here if it's a winner. Time to wish her well, find somebody either on her bench or somewhere else that wants to run her style, and use the fact that we can dwarf any SBC school in attendance to recruit some good players.

Certainly not time to feel sorry for ourselves because we lost our coach to the 2nd best program in the history of the sport.

[elginherd]

The NCAA has always been major and minor leagues, even in WBB. It's actually dominated more by the power conferences than MBB is.

Caldwell proved women's basketball can be a revenue sport here if it's a winner. Time to wish her well, find somebody either on her bench or somewhere else that wants to run her style, and use the fact that we can dwarf any SBC school in attendance to recruit some good players.

Certainly not time to feel sorry for ourselves because we lost our coach to the 2nd best program in the history of the sport.

It wasn't only winning; it was winning playing an exciting style of ball that put butts in seats.

[gochneaur645]

It wasn't only winning; it was winning playing an exciting style of ball that put butts in seats.

True. Need to find someone who wants to run the same style

[MUfan08]

https://x.com/JohnSartoriTV/status/1777068644649800077

[chris88]

The NCAA has always been major and minor leagues, even in WBB. It's actually dominated more by the power conferences than MBB is.

Caldwell proved women's basketball can be a revenue sport here if it's a winner. Time to wish her well, find somebody either on her bench or somewhere else that wants to run her style, and use the fact that we can dwarf any SBC school in attendance to recruit some good players.

Certainly not time to feel sorry for ourselves because we lost our coach to the 2nd best program in the history of the sport.

Very true about WBB more dominated by power schools than men.

Attendance in SBC is actually pretty good at the top (4th column average att). All figures below in top 100 nationally out of 360 teams.  Troy, JMU, ODU all in 60's nationally. MU #92. NOTE: Troy was boosted by three (I think) NIT home games. They lost in semifinals.

Troy                   Sun Belt   40,169   2,511   5,200   48.28   16
James Madison   Sun Belt   39,552   2,472   8,500   29.08   16
Old Dominion   Sun Belt   38,009   2,376   8,457   28.09   16
Southern Miss.   Sun Belt   37,991   2,235   8,095   27.61   17
Arkansas St.   Sun Belt   33,082   1,946   10,563   18.42   17
Marshall           Sun Belt   21,859   1,822   9,043   20.14   12