S. Carolina - Tennessee

[DobbsRover2]

Sure, but we know what she was, and what some of the UTenn fans said about what they in her saw when she played the Vols, and they could well recognize the ball hog tendencies having a player like Meighan Simmons on the team who also had a 6+ FGAs to assist ratio and was often allowed to run wild by Holly. So if that was the case for a lesser player like Simmons, there's some reason to think that the same coaching style may be bestowed on DD. We'll see if she's tougher on DD than MS.

And of the other 5 players on the UNC team last year that averaged 5 or more points per game, only two were freshman, and all but one shot the ball much better than DD. So despite the picture that so many like to paint of DD being the shepherd of this big flock of freshmen, there were players like McDaniel, Butts, and Coleman who were not freshmen and were getting major minutes with her. So I guess the question is did she shoot the ball a lot because no else was able or willing to shoot, or did she shoot because she thought she should be the one taking the shots?

And of course we shouldn't judge her play in her second year until she is out on the court, but we also shouldn't get all fuzzy about the situation and the stats for a 42.6% shooter whose ability to share the ball has not been shown to be a developed skill as of yet.

 

[Bayareahusky]

Yes, on this DD question..... I am withholding judgment..... Is she the ball hog some folks say, or the savior many LV fans claim her to be..... TIme will tell..... The key to it all will be Holly..... will she allow to run her own show ala what DR2 says, or will she put her coaching stamp on this program and have UT running like a team, a well oiled machine....??

I think we all know DD has incredible gifts..... but unless she has Cheryl Miller, Lisa Leslie, Diana T, or Holdsclaw skills, where you can almost coach herself, the LVs future next year will be dictated by the leadership and coaching acumen of CHW..... I am worried that Holly, admittedly never one to focus on offense, will choose the path of least resistence, i e here is the ball Diamond, go create something good.

 

[DobbsRover2]

Definitely will just have to see. But I was sick of the "DD and the six freshmen" line last year, and that the statement that "she played on a mainly freshman team" line keeps getting trotted out this year is lame. More than half of the minutes on last year's UNC squad went to non-freshmen, and yes, they did have a few older players that knew how to shoot the ball a bit when they got the chance.

 

[VFLfan]

I do apologize for the team of freshman statement. I didn't mean to imply that no older players ever played...but from my recollection without looking anything up, at least 3 of their starters were freshmen (Mavunga, DD and Gray). I see where the comparison with Simmons is warranted just because of number is shots taken but to think that the level of talent is the same between to two is absurd. And yes, while many LV fans might have said she was a ballhog before she came to UTenn, most of those fans still say the same and you can join in on that debate and agree or disagree on VN. I personally was not one of them because I tend not to judge players negatively while they are freshman.

 

[Bayareahusky]

Yes, point well taken, VLF..... for the record.... on my part never never would compare Simmons with DD talent wise..... just from a ball control, individualistic, non-team-based perspective....... my first questioning of Holly's coaching was when I kept seeing UT games and kept asking myself "why is this gal playing one on one ball, shooting without passing or involving teammates, and why isn't the coaching staff sitting her down?"

UT has good players and great players..... and i hope to see them involved in the game, especially offense next year.... No doubt DD will be a great addition to the spectacle of WCBB

 

[DobbsRover2]

I do apologize for the team of freshman statement. I didn't mean to imply that no older players ever played...but from my recollection without looking anything up, at least 3 of their starters were freshmen (Mavunga, DD and Gray). I see where the comparison with Simmons is warranted just because of number is shots taken but to think that the level of talent is the same between to two is absurd. And yes, while many LV fans might have said she was a ballhog before she came to UTenn, most of those fans still say the same and you can join in on that debate and agree or disagree on VN. I personally was not one of them because I tend not to judge players negatively while they are freshman.

Certainly not saying that Simmons' talent is on the same level as DD's potential, though MS had a fairly high class rating as a player, but her reputation and presence also are nowhere near DD's. That is what is going to be the interesting and fun thing to watch for all fans of WCBB, because you have the classic situation of a coach having to work carefully with a player with big talent but also big ego, just as Geno had to find his way with DT. In at least one big case he did not have the same success as he did with DT trying to marshal the talents of a special player. There is definitely going to be times on VolNation next year when there will be grumping back and forth by fans on the DD management situation, and it will be interesting to see what the end result will be.

 

[UcMiami]

What VN is getting and what they haven't had in a number of years is a 'Star Player'. How well they do will be determined by whether there is some serious team play, or if it devolves into what has been happening at TN which is a fair amount of individual one-on-one offense and non-help defense.

UNC has had limited coaching (especially on defense) and last year was a strange situation with the HC off sick so how well DD will respond to the coaching she gets at TN is a question we will not know until next year. How good a coach vs. just a 'manager' Holly (and her staff) are also is at least debatable both her and also on the VN board.

But undeniable is that DD brings that star power to an otherwise talented but pretty quiet team.