Holly Warlick press conference

[EricLA]

If you're not interested in anything to do with Tennessee please feel free to skip this. I'm posting it because I think it gives a lot of insight into how Tennessee is currently coached, what strategy they use for games, and how the coaching staff plans to lead the team going forward.

Holly's press conference

Some interesting snippets from her presser after the Texas loss...

"The game is about defense and rebounding and we can't seem to grasp the importance of defending. We need to get down and play in our stance. You can't defend someone when you are standing straight up."

She had a lot of nice things to say about Texas. They played a tough schedule, played hard, hats off to them, and they outplayed Tennessee.

She did not like the shots the team took all game esp in the first half. "We are shooting off balance - don't expect it to go in when you are shooting off balance, shooting quick - this isn't the NBA. You stay within your ability and it's not to hit a shot when you are parallel with the floor. We did not take good shots. At least take make-able ones"

She was asked about the strategy going forward - is the focus going to be on defense, or offense - since she was so unhappy with the shot selection especially in the 1st half. "If you play defense the way it should be played, it will create easy buckets for you. We're just not very good right now and we don't look very well coached. What we've been preaching - defense and rebounds. You gotta be able to stop people. It's a formula we've prided ourselves on for 30 something years, and its' not getting thru out thick skulls. You're not going to shoot 50% every night but what you can control is how you defend the other team.

"I don't care about 3 point shooting. In fact, I don't care if we hit a shot. All I care about is getting down in your stance and playing defense. I really don't care if we go 0-15 from the 3 point line. I care about getting down, getting stops, and getting rebounds. Do that and I'll be a happy coach."

The biggest thing that stood out to me was her comment about what's worked for 30 years. It's clear to almost everyone that in the past, Pat was able to get the most talent, the strongest kids, and the most athletic players. That allowed her to win all the NC's. When you constantly have better players than everyone else, and have kids who are stronger and more athletic, a lack of offense can be overcome by playing tough defense.

This is no longer the case. Tennesee does not land the best players in the nation any longer. They don't have KML, Williams, Stewie, Jefferson, Jones, Loyd, Davis, Wilson, Turner, Atkins, Canada, Samuelson, Durr, etc. I list those players because they are the top 2-4 kids in each class and IMHO players who will have huge impacts on their respective teams. Yes there are other kids in the top 10 and even top 20 who turn out to be great, but not only does Tennessee not land the top kids, they don't develop the other players they get (Izzy Harrison excepted).

Yes they are missing Harrison, Tucker, Russell and Deshields from their team currently. Harrison will help a lot the rest of this year. Tucker maybe not so much this year. Russell and DD next year. BUT this was the season they only lost Simmons to graduation, something some of their fans felt was addition by subtraction. Next year they lose Massengale, Harrison and Burdick, and at least 2 of those kids are full time starters.

With no current offensive game plan, and none on the horizon, it seems that the days of old are all they plan for the future. 3 assists and a slew of one on one play won't get it done. Some of their current and future players may like that, but it's not a recipe for a successful NCAA run. Look at well coached and fundamentally sound teams like Creighton and Wisc GB - I think both of those teams could give Tennessee a good game and they aren't even top 10 teams.

Once Harrison comes back I think Tennessee will be better, but with no game plan other than play defense and rebound, they may not even make the elite 8 never mind the final 4...

 

[BRS24]

If anyone watched the entire game, any shots of DD? I'd be interested to see how she's faring on the bench for the year, and watching these games.

 

[Beemer]

Great post.

I'd also like to know what has happened to Bashaara Graves. She showed great promise as a freshman but hasn't really improved IMHO.

Also w/respect to Pat Summitt's teams- yes she recruited & signed the best players of her time. But I believe that many times it was her force of personality that propelled those teams to victory. I don't see that same force in Holly Warlick.

 

[Adesmar123]

The most interesting comment I heard was about Harrison. "I can't force her to get out there" Is there an issue there? Does Holly think there is a hesitancy to play?

 

[Boreifs]

If anyone watched the entire game, any shots of DD? I'd be interested to see how she's faring on the bench for the year, and watching these games.

Redshirts are not allowed to travel with the team. That's why you didn't see Natalie Butler in Florida.

 

[VAMike23]

Great post.

I'd also like to know what has happened to Bashaara Graves. She showed great promise as a freshman but hasn't really improved IMHO.

Also w/respect to Pat Summitt's teams- yes she recruited & signed the best players of her time. But I believe that many times it was her force of personality that propelled those teams to victory. I don't see that same force in Holly Warlick.

Graves is the biggest surprise for me as well. I really liked her game when she was starting out as a frosh but I don't know that she's had the kind of impact or development I would have expected to this point.

It will be interesting to see where she is drafted and how she does at the next level - I think she is sort of a wildcard. Lots of talent there.

 

[j66kicker]

Eric, your post, along with some Volnation snippets by other posters, inspired me to actually go over there to check out the buzz (and, to be totally honest - revel in it for a while Wow - they really do not like Holly right now! And they blame the Texas loss on everything from legitimate concerns like only playing their leading scorer (Nina Davis) 5 minutes, to theories like the program's "culture" has changed to caring more about how they look ("hair, nails, etc.") than being tough and playing hard ("...like they're trying too hard to fight the mindset that girl basketball players are manly or not feminine") (Showed a team photo with them all dressed up, quoted KML in Lobo interview on looks vs results as a 'good' example - ha).

I won't go on and on, but they do - quite entertaining...

 

[MilfordHusky]

Holly is a disciple of Pat's. The focus is on defense and rebounding. That was good enough in the 1980s and 1990s, but not today. They can perfect defense and rebounding and still be no better than the #5 team. Some folks must be anxiously awaiting Tyler Summit's return.

 

[EricLA]

The most interesting comment I heard was about Harrison. "I can't force her to get out there" Is there an issue there? Does Holly think there is a hesitancy to play?

Those comments were in reply to a question regarding whether Izzy had been cleared to play or not. Holly did go on to say that Izzy does not feel 100% and is concerned about her lateral movement. Holly said she'd defer to how Izzy feels and I think that's what she meant - I did not post that because I was not trying to create a "beat on Holly" thread, but rather an insight into the strategy and M.O. of the Tennessee coaching staff.

 

[Bestiarius]

I believe Holly might achieve one of her wishes - going 0-15 from 3 point land.

Regarding Harrison not playing. It appears that she is cleared to play, but she does not feel her knee is ready. I don't blame Holly for not forcing her to play. Doctors don't know everything and Izzy's is the ultimate authority on her own body. Plus, she's not the type of person to dog it.

Holly sends a very confused message. She says defense and rebounding are everything, and then criticizes the ability of her team to take smart shots and shoot a higher percentage. But, going 0-15 is okay by her???

An item probably everybody agrees with her on is her statement about poor Vol coaching. At least she got one thing right!

 

[UcMiami]

I think the biggest differences between Holly and Pat are:
1. Holly knows defense is important, but focuses mostly on the individual - 'get in a stance' - and Pat understood it was a team work issue. Good WCBB teams run offense with passes, cuts, screens, etc. and women's players are good enough offensively to break down almost any individually defender. To play good defense you have to be in 'a stance', but you have to be communicating constantly, knowing exactly how you are playing pick and roles, when you are switching, where you help defense is (and therefore channeling your player towards help), and all the other team concepts to team defense. Tennessee under Holly plays terrible team defense because there is no help and players don't learn how to frustrate what their opponent wants to do by overplaying that and channeling them into help (which never comes anyway!)
2. Motivation - Pat was a great motivator and Holly is not in her class.
3. Punishment for not doing what the coach wants on the floor - not sure Pat was great at that (though that stare was scary enough!), but Holly doesn't seem to do it at all. Play the walk-ons and scrubs if they run the plays and play defense and sit the stars until they get the message!

I have never been impressed with the offense Tennessee ran - it depended on the individual talents of the players and strong rebounding - when the players themselves had high IQ and were team oriented - great. When they didn't rebounding was the only thing that saved them. The system was never strong if there was a real system at all. As the talent got dispersed and better coaches got into the game Tennessee has struggled.

 

[Icebear]

Good assistant coaches often are not good head coaches.

 

[hjoerring]

From her interview there is little not to agree with- we are/were in a crisis over poor defensive plays. Indeed, we went to a whole different lineup. I share her concern over her players lack of fundamentals and willingness. Perhaps too many princesses, egoes and/or players rebellion. As for talent, I disagree that Tenn isn't getting the talent needed. A look at the people on their roster prove otherwise. These coaches have been around the Program forever and it is strange that they do not have the authority to mold the players into a team. But TX was also in the wilderness before they brought in a new coach.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Just because it is a cliché doesn't make it true: The modern game has developed without Tenn. participating. A couple of days with Harry Paretta (and a gift tie) didn't give PS anything and clearly Holly doesn't know how to have "it". It is sad. Eric's excellent post encapsulates it. The Vol nation know it. They are captive to a failing coach and apparently will be for quite some time.

 

[Shenandoah]

Good assistant coaches often are not good head coaches.

I seem to recall a little fella from out UVa way who hasn't done too shabby as a Head Coach...unless you're talking about staying at the same school...Then, I agree with your point.

 

[Icebear]

I seem to recall a little fella from out UVa way who hasn't done too shabby as a Head Coach...unless you're talking about staying at the same school...Then, I agree with your point.

It isn't an absolute. I said they often do not make good coaches. Almost all head coaches in the current generation have been assistants somewhere not every assistant coach will become a head coach nor do they all want to do so nor are they always successful if the do.

 

[geneticrex]

As far as highly rated high school talent, Tennessee is loaded and will be even more so next season. That they continue to underperform, year in and year out, paints a clear picture of an overall philosophy that needs updating.

I find it hard to believe that if Tennessee's exact roster's since their Final Four drought were in the hand's of Geno, or Muffet, or Kim, or Jeff, or Tara, or "fill in the blank", they would have been shut out of a FF appearance.

 

[ursusminor]

And they blame the Texas loss on everything from legitimate concerns like only playing their leading scorer (Nina Davis) 5 minutes, to theories like the program's "culture" has changed to caring more about how they look ("hair, nails, etc.") than being tough and playing hard ("...like they're trying too hard to fight the mindset that girl basketball players are manly or not feminine")

They have not been paying attention, then, because that's been a part of the culture since their heyday. I distinctly remember making fun of "Face" Clement when I was roughly in middle school. Make-up always perfect and an annoying habit of hitting threes when I was really hoping she'd miss.

 

[xHunt3r]

I don't think it matters what the focus of her coaching is (offense vs defense, etc...) or the talent level of the players... if she can't get the players to follow her lead.

 

[easttexastrash]

Eric, your post, along with some Volnation snippets by other posters, inspired me to actually go over there to check out the buzz (and, to be totally honest - revel in it for a while Wow - they really do not like Holly right now! And they blame the Texas loss on everything from legitimate concerns like only playing their leading scorer (Nina Davis) 5 minutes, to theories like the program's "culture" has changed to caring more about how they look ("hair, nails, etc.") than being tough and playing hard ("...like they're trying too hard to fight the mindset that girl basketball players are manly or not feminine") (Showed a team photo with them all dressed up, quoted KML in Lobo interview on looks vs results as a 'good' example - ha).

I won't go on and on, but they do - quite entertaining...

Did Nina Davis transfer to Tennessee?

 

[easttexastrash]

Holly is a disciple of Pat's. The focus is on defense and rebounding. That was good enough in the 1980s and 1990s, but not today. They can perfect defense and rebounding and still be no better than the #5 team. Some folks must be anxiously awaiting Tyler Summit's return.

I was thinking the other day that Tyler may have been a better choice, but obviously he wasn't going to get that job. But some day...

 

[EricLA]

I was thinking the other day that Tyler may have been a better choice, but obviously he wasn't going to get that job. But some day...

But why would Tyler be a better choice? Give that he's Pat's son, and literally grew up absorbing her basketball knowledge from her career, I would think he would be even more so a clone of her than someone who was a former player but now coach at another school.

Actually I'm of the opinion that any one they would choose who is from the Pat Summitt coaching tree would be a poor choice, and that includes her long time assistants as well as former players who have gone on to become HC's elsewhere. Heck, I just don't get it. If Stringer, at 102 years of age, can learn and teach new offense to her team, surely Holly can do the same. Heck, even Tara, in one summer, revamped her entire offense to a new guard oriented one and sprung the surprising upset over UCONN...

 

[easttexastrash]

Heck, at this point Pat Summitt herself would be a poor choice...

 

[Icebear]

I was thinking the other day that Tyler may have been a better choice, but obviously he wasn't going to get that job. But some day...

I don't expect the Vol faithful to figure this out but if Tyler is to win at TN he will have to take the team in an entirely different direction than the way his mother coached the game.

 

[easttexastrash]

I wonder if they would get past their hatred of Mulkey should Tennessee be able to lure her away from Baylor. Holly's days are numbered. But I guarantee you that UT is not going to go outside the UT family for the next coach.