Jolette Law hired at Tenn

[HuskyNan]

http://www.swishappeal.com/2012/5/2/2994643/jolette-law-assistant-coach-tennessee-lady-vols

from article:

With Warlick already adding Kyra Elzy as an assistant, the Lady Vols still had another assistant coach vacancy due to the departure of Mickie DeMoss to the WNBA's Indiana Fever. In Law, Tennessee adds a coach who is nationally recognized as an outstanding recruiter: during her tenure at Rutgers as an assistant under Hall of Famer C. Vivian Stringer, Law was a major part of eight top 10 recruiting classes, including three that were ranked as the best in the nation.

With the combination of Elzy and Law, Tennessee is clearly making a push to continue their success into the future on the foundation of great recruiting to a program that now-Head Coach Emeritus Pat Summitt has built into a national power.


loving the news! congrats to coach elzy and law. going to be an exciting new chapter in lady vol history.

Talent is not and never has been the problem at Tennessee. The players on this year's team were outstanding but they underperformed. Whether that's on the coaches or on the players or (most likely) a combination of both is the real issue.

 

[BigO]

Talent is not and never has been the problem at Tennessee. The players on this year's team were outstanding but they underperformed. Whether that's on the coaches or on the players or (most likely) a combination of both is the real issue.

i would respectfully suggest that having a sick coach for the past few years was the larger issue..especially considering pat's track record before this last senior class. TN does not have a problem making great players...we lead the WBNA in players and had 4 players drafted this year. i have full confidence in this group of coaches.

 

[doggydaddy]

Well considering that Rutgers has gotten top 3 recruiting classes the last two years without Law's help, I don't think it she was the recruiting force. I mean she was selling a HOF coach, which she won't be at Tennessee.

Ding Ding Ding.....we have a winner.

 

[bbsamjj]

Law did a very good job as RU's top assistant and then lead recruiter. She was followed by Carlene Mitchell (now the head coach at UCSB), who also did a top job. It should be noted however that while RU's recruiting successes remained top level when Law left, the results on the court did not. This is not to draw a direct connection, just to state the facts. As others have noted, Law may fit in better as an assistant.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Mickie DeMoss was considered a great recruiter when she was an assistant at Tenn, left to become a head coach and didn't have the same recruiting results running her own program. Also didn't have much success recruiting at Texas or when she returned to Tenn as an assistant.

It will be interesting to see if Jolette will be able to regain her recruiting touch at Tenn. She was not considered successful at Illinois and will need to overcome that perception that recruits might have. She's been out recruiting with limited success over the last three years. Obviously it should be easier for her to recruit for Tenn. Time will tell.

 

[doggydaddy]

New head coach. Two new assistants that are the main recruiting coaches. 2013 class is in the stretch run.

It's not an easy situation for Tennessee. It will take a lot of convincing by the staff and faith on the part of the recruits they are targeting to have a successful 2013 class.

 

[Bestiarius]

I vaguely remember Law having a very good recruiting class (ranking-wise) not long after she got the IL job. Also remember part of that class transferred. Does anyone have an idea of where her in-coming classes at IL were ranked?

Thanks.

I'm sometimes amazed at how desperate we fans are to search out good news, and how we latch onto and promote "facts" and conclusions that we so wish to be true.

Law's greatest recruiting class at IL was 16, 36, 108, 149 (2008). Followed by 50, and 89 in 2009. Despite this "great" recruiting, she amassed a record of 69 wins & 93 losses during her stay at IL. This record was amassed in the B1G, not exactly the strongest conference in the land. Yet, TN fans seem happy with Holly's choice, so I also assume they will be happy to match these recruiting numbers?

The ability to attract players with high rating numbers is not a particularly valuable skill. It's picking and retaining highly rated players that should be rated higher than the number assigned by the raters. That is key.

I'm not sure how much credit Law should get for her Rutgers recruiting. It's a lot easier to ask a recruit to come play for CViv than it is to attract recruits when a lesser coach is at the helm. I'd tend to give more weight to her performance at IL than at RU.

At TN, the die is cast. The coaches are in place, and hope runs rampant. Now we must wait.

 

[Bayareahusky]

Yes, we will see how Jolette and the rest of the TN staff does. I am sure they will do just fine. It is one thing to recruit, I am anxious to see how they develop their players. The recent track record isn't the best, especially this past senior class, many of whom were 1st round draft picks by WNBA..... it wasn't just Pat's illness that held them from any Final 4's.... something caused those teams not to perform, whether it was coaching or players themselves, who knows.

I think TN has good players, they just have to be brought to their maximum potential. Hopefully this staff as it has been configured can get the job done.

 

[BigO]

Yes, we will see how Jolette and the rest of the TN staff does. I am sure they will do just fine. It is one thing to recruit, I am anxious to see how they develop their players. The recent track record isn't the best, especially this past senior class, many of whom were 1st round draft picks by WNBA..... it wasn't just Pat's illness that held them from any Final 4's.... something caused those teams not to perform, whether it was coaching or players themselves, who knows.

I think TN has good players, they just have to be brought to their maximum potential. Hopefully this staff as it has been configured can get the job done.

+1

 

[doggydaddy]

Yes, we will see how Jolette and the rest of the TN staff does. I am sure they will do just fine. It is one thing to recruit, I am anxious to see how they develop their players. The recent track record isn't the best, especially this past senior class, many of whom were 1st round draft picks by WNBA..... it wasn't just Pat's illness that held them from any Final 4's.... something caused those teams not to perform, whether it was coaching or players themselves, who knows.

I think TN has good players, they just have to be brought to their maximum potential. Hopefully this staff as it has been configured can get the job done.

Not sure what "just fine' means. Become a top 5 team? top 10? top 20? Tennessee is used to being one of the best programs in the country. Their fans demand it. This year will be an interesting season for them. They do have talent. But they have some distinct weaknesses. Size on the perimeter. Size in the post. Experience in the post as well. And they have some injury concerns.

They have a lot of questions to answer and their performance in the upcoming season is only one. The recruitment of the class of 2013 will say a lot of how these young women look at the retirement of Pat and how that impacts Tennessee.

As has been said many times, only time will tell. Certainly not what we say here.

 

[Bayareahusky]

DD - To be more specific, "just fine" means they will still be a good program. Top 5? No. Top 10, in my opinion, this is where they will slot in. WCBB is not deep enough to keep them out of that area.....thus the bar is not too high..... though they may fall to high teens. Dunno. There, of course, is an adjustment process going on at TN, but as long as they can field a team with players of the ability as the ones they presently have, they will be competitive. Not to the degree of TN fans' expectations, IMO, but plenty competitive nonetheless.

They are expecting big, big returns from recruiting in the '13 class (6 top 30 recruits, I think).... it will be interesting to see who chooses to take a flyer on the new coaching staff.... it will take faith and a serious commitment to select Holly over Geno, Joanne, Tara, MM or other established coaches.... Again, jury's out.

 

[doggydaddy]

DD - To be more specific, "just fine" means they will still be a good program. Top 5? No. Top 10, in my opinion, this is where they will slot in. WCBB is not deep enough to keep them out of that area.....thus the bar is not too high..... though they may fall to high teens. Dunno. There, of course, is an adjustment process going on at TN, but as long as they can field a team with players of the ability as the ones they presently have, they will be competitive. Not to the degree of TN fans' expectations, IMO, but plenty competitive nonetheless.

They are expecting big, big returns from recruiting in the '13 class (6 top 30 recruits, I think).... it will be interesting to see who chooses to take a flyer on the new coaching staff.... it will take faith and a serious commitment to select Holly over Geno, Joanne, Tara, MM or other established coaches.... Again, jury's out.

I think you put it very well.

The fan's expectations and the reality of the situation seem to be two different things. You mention they are expecting 6 top 30 recruits. That would have been close to impossible with a healthy Pat running the show. But now, it would be a miracle. They are competing for these top players with established coaches at some excellent universities.

 

[Icebear]

TN fans will not think Top Ten is just fine.

Going back and looking at Law's recruiting classes they are not what one would call outstanding. In addition she left the team with real weakness in the post with only two players 6'2" or taller and 4 - 6'0" or taller inclusive of the first two. There are only 10 players on the team's roster, five from Il, 1 from OH, 1 from MI, 1 from GA, and 2 from NYC . In other words, 7 relatively local/regional players and 2 from her old stomping grounds. This is not good recruiting.

Morgan Tuck's sister Taylor is on the team. Hopefully, her experience with success in the program can improve w itch Matt Ballant.

 

[LesMis89]

I'm sometimes amazed at how desperate we fans are to search out good news, and how we latch onto and promote "facts" and conclusions that we so wish to be true.

Law's greatest recruiting class at IL was 16, 36, 108, 149 (2008). Followed by 50, and 89 in 2009. Despite this "great" recruiting, she amassed a record of 69 wins & 93 losses during her stay at IL. This record was amassed in the B1G, not exactly the strongest conference in the land. Yet, TN fans seem happy with Holly's choice, so I also assume they will be happy to match these recruiting numbers?

The ability to attract players with high rating numbers is not a particularly valuable skill. It's picking and retaining highly rated players that should be rated higher than the number assigned by the raters. That is key.

I'm not sure how much credit Law should get for her Rutgers recruiting. It's a lot easier to ask a recruit to come play for CViv than it is to attract recruits when a lesser coach is at the helm. I'd tend to give more weight to her performance at IL than at RU.

At TN, the die is cast. The coaches are in place, and hope runs rampant. Now we must wait.

IF the initial sentence is aimed at my quoted passage then you completely misinterpreted my passage.

I wanted to know whether she was actually able to carry her 'recruiting prowess' over from Rutgers to IL with any regularity because I didn't remember that she did That's all.

Since I'm a UConn fan I'm not 'desperate' about anything related to Tennessee!

 

[doggydaddy]

IF the initial sentence is aimed at my quoted passage then you completely misinterpreted my passage.

I wanted to know whether she was actually able to carry her 'recruiting prowess' over from Rutgers to IL with any regularity because I didn't remember that she did That's all.

Since I'm a UConn fan I'm not 'desperate' about anything related to Tennessee!

I don't think it was aimed at you.

 

[jsloanjr]

Some coaches do not succeed because the schools do not fully support WCBB. She might have been too abrasive and honest for IL......She will help a young Tenn team for years to come.

 

[doggydaddy]

Some coaches do not succeed because the schools do not fully support WCBB. She might have been too abrasive and honest for IL......She will help a young Tenn team for years to come.

How long can a team be young?

 

[Shenandoah]

I wish the Lady Vols well with their revamped coaching staff. However, I still question whether this will be truly Holly's team with the HCE always looming in the background. While defense and rebounding are the cornerstone of a championship team, they still have to be able to put the ball in the basket. There are too many improving teams out there to continually go one-on-one and expect success.

 

[LesMis89]

I don't think it was aimed at you.

Perhaps not but the post to which I replied has my original post quoted it in. I don't think my interpretation is that much of a stretch.

 

[doggydaddy]

Perhaps not but the post to which I replied has my original post quoted it in. I don't think my interpretation is that much of a stretch.

I'll let the poster that replied to your post answer their intent.

But your post and his response didn't look like it was tied together.

 

[Icebear]

Some coaches do not succeed because the schools do not fully support WCBB. She might have been too abrasive and honest for IL......She will help a young Tenn team for years to come.

Too abrasive for Bears fans?

 

[Bayareahusky]

Responding to a couple of misc comments.... I know some TN fans will not be satisfied with "top 10" status, but they will have to be ... and accept the fact that they are in transition to their newly defined program.

On Jolette, her past is a bit hard to judge, in part, because Illinois is such a black hole for athletic programs. In the Big 10 Michigan and Ohio State loom as big names, but even the others get a taste of success. Wisconsin has been to the top in football, and even in basketball, Northwestern has been to the Rose Bowl, Indiana has a rich tradition in hoops, and looks to be headed back to the top. Purdue is always competitive ..... but Illinois has never been competitive in anything it seems. Mens hoops has made it to the final 4, yes, and football made it to the Rose Bowl 5 yrs back or so, but these trips seem so much like abberations, rather than the mark of good programs making their measure. I thought Bruce Weber was great for hoops after Bill Self went to Kansas, but they broomed him along with Law this past year. It is hard to see anything good going on with Illinois sports.

Related to that, I think Law did a good job considering where she was. And she will do TN well I am sure. No worries, not from my vantage point.

And yes, it will be interesting to witness Holly coaching TN juxtaposed with HCE right alongside her. I know this is the way Pat wanted it, but it gives the appearance that the training wheels haven't been taken off and the keys haven't been completely surrendered to Holly. Again, time will tell.

 

[Bestiarius]

IF the initial sentence is aimed at my quoted passage then you completely misinterpreted my passage.

I wanted to know whether she was actually able to carry her 'recruiting prowess' over from Rutgers to IL with any regularity because I didn't remember that she did That's all.

Since I'm a UConn fan I'm not 'desperate' about anything related to Tennessee!

No, not aimed at you at all. Essentially, what I was trying to say, and the comments of TN fans seem to be good examples, is that fans are selective in what information they take away from pundit articles and school provided propaganda. It's the old tell a lie often enough and it becomes fact.

Read Law's bio on the IL web site. If you read the words, you'd think she is the greatest thing that ever existed. But if one reads the hard facts of the article, not so good. I expect a college to present an employee in the best light, but I expect the reader to be more unbiased in the assessment.

Is Law's bio worthy of the exuberance being put forth by the TN fans? I think not. Another example, TN fans recognize but discount the shortcomings of their team for next year. Yes, they have x problems, but they will work hard over the summer and solve them. This completely ignores the fact that every team's players will be working hard over the summer an will probably cause TN's efforts to be a stalemate at best.

I believe all fans take away what they want to believe, but teams use to losing will do it less, and teams use to winning will do it more. TN is use to winning, and thereby can't accept that any perceived problems may not be overcome. Losing 5 to graduation, no problem, perhaps a benefit as they weren't motivated. No post presence, no problem the 5 guard offense will rule after they work hard this summer, Holly has assembled a great team, Pat will mentor everyone, and on and on.

What's even worse, I'm thinking great things about Uconn's upcoming season. Most seem to agree, but it's making me nervous.

 

[arty155]

Well considering that Rutgers has gotten top 3 recruiting classes the last two years without Law's help, I don't think it she was the recruiting force. I mean she was selling a HOF coach, which she won't be at Tennessee.

Ding Ding Ding.....we have a winner.

...it will be interesting to witness Holly coaching TN juxtaposed with HCE right alongside her... gives the appearance that the training wheels haven't been taken off and the keys haven't been completely surrendered to Holly....

-C'mon kid. Sign here. Its everything you’ve dreamt of, right? Hey, the ride’s going to be… mmm, just fine.

 

[DarthVol]

Where did you read that they expect to get those six?. And who is "they"?

(Russell, DeShields, Gray, Tucker, Scaife and Mavunga, if they are talking HG.)

You know, "they" who is NEVER wrong. "They" who said Daedra Charles was a lock to move up to the coaching staff with when two spots opened up. "They" who has been deafeningly silent in response to Charles' inexplicable sudden departure from the Tennessee program.

Be afraid Husky fans, the next "six pack" is already in the bag. "They" have said so....

 

[BigO]

go big orange "We" will survive.

 

[Bayareahusky]

Oh and the list of expecteds doesn't stop there..... there are 2 or 3 others on their recruiting wish list.... Cooper is one, I forget the others....

 

[BigO]

Oh and the list of expecteds doesn't stop there..... there are 2 or 3 others on their recruiting wish list.... Cooper is one, I forget the others....

cooper would be great too!

 

[Bayareahusky]

Big O - You will take them all, I know!

You will get 6 I am sure..... Which 6 who knows...... When will they start to fall?

 

[BigO]

Big O - You will take them all, I know!

You will get 6 I am sure..... Which 6 who knows...... When will they start to fall?

thanks bay. i appreciate the positivity.