Author Archives: DylanVol

Tennessee’s Roster Needs Reinforcements, and Help is On the Way

In looking at the two weakest positions on the 2018 team coming out of spring practice – the OL and Cornerback – I’ve made it clear that I think that while the team is not in any position to compete for titles it’s reasonable for a fan to expect improvement in the win column to the tune of a handful of games.

Part of that “optimism,” if one can call it that, is the expected across-the-board improvement in coaching.  It’s hard to argue against the idea that Pruitt and his staff aren’t better than their predecessors at every position except for RB (Coach G is a stud, in my opinion, while Chris Weinke is unproven), and the off-field staff isn’t just meaningfully larger than before but also contains tons of experience. At the same time, it is a fact that as bad as last season’s team was it was also within a handful of plays from winning against Florida, South Carolina, and Kentucky, and also lost to a bad Vanderbilt team in the season finale with a lame duck interim coach and no motivation other than trying to avoid the ignominious distinction of being the first Tennessee team in school history to lose eight games.

None of the above guarantees anything, of course, and it’s also fair to note that Tennessee won all four of its non-conference games – including a thrilling come from behind win against Georgia Tech – while it will be at least a touchdown underdog in its opener against West Virginia.  There’s also no doubting that from top to bottom the talent on the roster is deficient when compared to the cream of the SEC, most importantly three of its 2018 opponents in Alabama, Georgia, and Auburn.  And after watching the players on the field for the Orange & White Game there isn’t a ton other than hope that former 4 and 5-stars can be coached to their potential while the 2 and 3-stars on the roster can be coached up.

However (and here’s where I put my at least slightly orange tinted glasses on), what we saw at the Orange & White Game isn’t the team that will take the field in Charlotte against West Virginia on September 1.  Reinforcements, in the form of players returning from injury, 2018 signees, and graduate transfers, are coming and will inject talent and experience to the roster.  Many of them are simply better than their teammates at their respective positions and should take their place, upgrading not just the front-line players Tennessee has on the field but also the backups at those positions.

On the Offensive side, Offensive Linemen Trey Smith and Chance Hall project as starters at Offensive Tackle should they return from their respective injuries.  Both are high level players, and Smith in particular is a future high NFL draft pick barring any further physical issues (and seems much more likely to play this year than Hall, for what it’s worth).  4-star JUCO Jahmir Johnson will join the fold and add another talented player at either Guard or Tackle. Also on the OL, it is widely expected that the Vols will bring in at least one more player at the position, either in the form of a graduate transfer or a late-signing JUCO the staff thinks can step in and contribute.  Per Austin Price of Volquest.com there is a lot of buzz around former Alabama C/G Brandon Kennedy, a former Under-Armor All-American who was the Tide’s backup C and who would go a long way towards solidifying the interior of Tennessee’s OL.  He would also provide more overall depth and give OL Coach Will Friend more options and flexibility at the other four OL positions.  Finally at OL, freshmen K’Rohjn Calbert and Jerome Carvin, both of whom got their most extended snaps in the Orange & White Game and have the kind of sheer size and athleticism that upper echelon SEC OL possess, should see a jump in their play after a summer in the weight room and a fall practice to get further acclimation .  Former Michigan State Running Back Madre London and 2018 signee Jeremy Banks are the kind of big, physical RB that Pruitt covets and bolster a RB corps that already has talent.  JUCO All-American Tight End Dominick Wood-Anderson is simply more talented than any other TE on the roster and brings NFL potential to an offense that needs as many playmakers as it can get.  And finally, former Stanford starting Quarterback Keller Chryst will at worst push Jarrett Guarantano to up his game and provide an experienced backup QB where Tennessee currently has none and at best (for him) win the job outright, by definition improving the QB spot for the Vols.

Defensively, every level of the stop-troop unit will see an influx of talent from what took Shields-Watkins Field in April.  On the Defensive Line, JUCO DL Emmitt Gooden in particular has the size and physical maturity to help immediately on the interior should he show up in decent shape and ready to work; freshman John Mincey will add another big body to the DE group, and he appears to have the size and talent to potentially contribute early.  The LB spot is the one that will get the biggest boost, as not only will the position see the return of proven playmakers Darren Kirkland and Daniel Bituli but also the addition of All-American freshman JJ Peterson – these three are arguably among a handful of top-shelf/elite players on the entire team, and their presence will certainly improve the Defense as a whole from what fans saw a month or so ago.  Finally, at CB (potentially the #1 weak spot on the team pending what happens on the OL), the Vols will first and foremost benefit from Alontae Taylor’s status as a fulltime Corner.  And although he did play there in the Orange & White Game, based on what we know about his natural athleticism, work ethic, and competitiveness, the bet here is that what we see from him when fall camp rolls around won’t even resemble what he looked like in his first real action in the spring game.  Two other major additions to the position are late-signing JUCO Kenneth George  – who the staff appears high on and is more physically and mentally advanced due to his being further removed from high school – and incoming freshman Treveon Flowers – who the staff absolutely loves and for whom Tennessee flat out beat Clemson.  Both should add athleticism and playmaking ability to a position in dire need of both, and at worst will give the staff more options (i.e., bodies) to work with.

None of above is meant to imply that this writer thinks the 2018 Vols are going to contend for championships or even be one of the better teams in the East.  However, it should make Vol fans feel good that there is help on the way in terms of more and better and in some cases more experienced talent, all of which should make an immediate impact.  Between that improved talent, better coaching, and (hopefully) better luck – these Vols will need every bounce they can get – there is optimism in these corners that the season will be much better than last and perhaps even much better than we expected coming out of last month’s Orange & White Game.

 

Wanya Morris Commitment A Step Towards Building Championship Level OL

Tennessee picked up a big commitment on Tuesday from borderline 5-star OL Wanya Morris from Grayson, HS in Georgia.  Morris picked the Vols over fellow finalist Auburn after a back and forth recruitment.  He’s a true offensive tackle and an elite prospect with the kind of size and mobility that the Vols simply do not have at the position outside of Trey Smith, and is simply put a huge win on the recruiting trail for Coach Jeremy Pruitt and Tennessee.

Morris is a foundational piece for the class of 2019, and with 4-star Jackson Lampley already in the fold, the Vols are off to a great start when it comes to having a high-level OL class, which it absolutely has to have. To that end, Tennessee is very much in the thick of it with 5-star Darnell Wright as well as other highly regarded OL like Bryce Benhart and Anthony Bradford  – both of whom have taken spring official visits to Knoxville after previously seeing the campus unofficially, showing how much interest they have in the Vols – among others.

Despite the 2018 offensive line being arguably the biggest question mark on the team, it is notable that looking ahead to the 2019 season there are no seniors at the position.  Therefore, even though the talent that exists on the team is not the kind of top-tier talent that Tennessee needs to win at a high level, there is certainly room and time for OL coach Will Friend to develop it.  Obviously, Trey Smith is a tremendous building block that Pruitt and Friend inherited and upon which to build, and K’rojhn Calbert also appears to have the kind of size and natural ability to be a bigtime SEC talent.  But in a short period of time, Pruitt and Friend added Jerome Carvin (for whom they beat out Alabama, UF, Auburn among others) and Jahmir Johnson (a JUCO All-American with 3 years to play) to the class of 2018.  And now, with Lampley and Morris – and surely more to come – one can see a path to the kind of talented and physically imposing offensive line that Tennessee simply hasn’t had since arguably the Phillip Fulmer era ended.

May Could be Big Month for Vols for Both Near and Short Term

After a successful recruiting weekend for the Orange & White Game that brought in a slew of high level 2019 and 2020 prospects, Tennessee heads into the month of May with a 2019 class that is relatively small on quantity but impressively high on quality.  In OL Jackson Lampley, TE Jackson Lowe, and DL LeDarrius Cox and DL Darrel Middleton, Tennessee has a group of 2019 commitments for whom they have beaten out SEC powers, and who at the same time represent both Coach Jeremy Pruitt’s commitment to fixing Tennessee in the trenches and also simply recruiting more physically imposing players – the kind of prospects that Tennessee needs to land in order to get back to contending for SEC East and conference championships as quickly as possible.

Depending on the decisions of a handful of players, May could be a month where things significantly heat up on the recruiting trail for the Vols in which the pattern of beating out bigtime programs for elite-level players would continue.  Below is a quick look at prospects who will make May decisions and where the Vols stand:

2019

May 1: OL Wanya Morris – The saga is pretty well-known at this point, with Morris seemingly going back and forth between his finalists Tennessee and Auburn on a daily basis.  As of this writing the Vols have the momentum coming out of his official visit to Knoxville last weekend and subsequently cancelling his previously scheduled trip to the Plains.  He is scheduled to announce his decision on the first day of May along with a handful of his Grayson HS teammates, and right now things look good for the Vols.  This could certainly take some more twists and turns between now and then though, and regardless of his pronouncements (publicly and, apparently, privately) that once he commits he will completely shut it down, it’s hard to believe that the “loser” on May 1 will simply roll over.  The bottom line though is that Morris would be a foundational piece of this class and with Lampley already in the fold and the Vols very much in the thick of it with 5-star Darnell Wright among highly regarded OL like Bryce Benhart, Triston Miller, and others

May 12: TE Sean Brown: Another Tennessee-Auburn battle is brewing for the physical TE prospect from Georgia, and Tennessee would love to add him to Jackson Lowe to form a highly-ranked and potentially instant impact set of TEs.  Brown has been on campus three times in the last month or so including last weekend for the O&W Game and is set to announce in a few weeks.  He could end up visiting Auburn again before then but right now all the money is on the Vols for Brown

May ?: WR Ramel Keyton – Keyton made his sixth trip to campus and his third since Pruitt and Co. came to town this past weekend and immediately after announced that he ready to decide sometime in May. Yet again the Vols are head to head with Auburn, and yet again at this point Tennessee looks to be in good position.  He’s one of the best WRs in the class, and is the kind of big physical pass-catchers that Pruitt loves.  Notably, Keyton hails from the talent-laden Marietta HS in Marietta, GA, also home to Tennessee’s #1 QB prospect in the 2020 class Harrison Bailey as well as fellow 2020 5-star 2020 TE Arik Gilbert (who recently named UT his leader) and 2020 DB Rashard Torrence (who visited for the 3rd time this spring last weekend).  Adding Keyton would further aid the Vols in their pursuit of these other studs

Grad Transfer CB Nick Harvey

A Grad Transfer, Harvey is a former four-star prospect and U.S. Army All-American.  He appeared in all but one game during his first three years at Texas A&M and then started 12 games in 2016, but sat out last season and tearing his ACL during the offseason. He’s already taken official visits to Arizona, Auburn, and South Carolina, and is deciding whether or not to take one more, to either Florida or Oklahoma State, before announcing his decision on May 11. Were the Vols to land him he would be an instant impact addition to the 2018 team, bringing talent and SEC experience to a CB room that sorely lacks both.  Adding him to the top group of CBs made up of Baylen Buchanan, Shawn Shamburger, Alontae Taylor and Marquill Osborne would increase the odds that Coach Terry Fair and Pruitt can cobble together a solid secondary.  It would also reduce the pressure on newcomers to the position (Carlin Fils-aime and Maleik Gray) and to the team (Treveon Flowers, Kenneth Gaines, and Brandon Davis

With coaches on the road and some prospects simply tiring of the process and deciding they are ready for it to be over, there could certainly be others who pop in May.  With a relatively small class – which could get smaller if Pruitt decides to take any further grad transfers in a bid to make his first season as successful as possible – it will be interesting to see how Tennessee’s staff manages the numbers.  So far it’s safe to say they’ve done a great job of taking only impact players and positioning themselves for a good number of others to fill out the remaining spots.

Post-Spring, 2018 Heavily Dependent on “Ifs” at Two Key Positions, Part II

Coming out of the spring, the 2018 Tennessee football team looks like it certainly has some talent on the roster, but depth at most positions and overall attitude (expecting to win, being willing to compete on every snap, etc.) are the biggest issues.  So in late April when evaluating the team and its prospects for 2018, let me start by stipulating a few things:

  • I do not expect this team to compete for the SEC East Championship in 2018
  • I think a reasonable expectation for Year 1 under Coach Jeremy Pruitt is 6 wins and a bowl game, and given the schedule I think 7 and even 8 wins are not beyond the realm of possibility with some breaks
  • Due to the huge upgrade in coaching; the recruiting pedigree of many of the players on the team; and the simple fact that Pruitt has had a bigtime defense everywhere he’s been, Vol fans should have some confidence that the defense will be much improved over the past two seasons
  • At the same time, and for many of the same reasons, there should be reason for optimism at the skill positions of QB, RB, and WR/TE
  • Related to #2/#3, there are incoming players that should be able to contribute immediately at a variety of positions, including but not limited to graduate transfer RB Madre London (Michigan State); JUCO All-American TE Dominick Wood-Anderson; JUCO DL Emmitt Gooden; LB JJ Peterson; and CB Treveon Flowers

All that said, easily the two biggest areas of concerns heading into the summer are the Offensive Line and Cornerback.  And everyone knows the old adage that “the SEC is a line of scrimmage league,” while at the same time many of the offenses in this league – not to mention that of opening game opponent West Virginia – are well suited to exploit a weak secondary.  So, where does that leave Vol fans looking for some optimism about the upcoming season?  It’s a game of “Ifs” at these two crucial positions, and after looking at the OL over the weekend, below we’ll take a look at the Cornerback position

Secondary Will Depend on Coaching Upgrade, Talent Development

Much like the 2017 Offensive Line, last season’s secondary was simply bad.  And like the OL, Coach Pruitt has not just upgraded the coaching talent with new CB Coach Terry Fair, new Safeties Coach Charles Kelly, and himself, but also experimented with a number of position changes to the secondary.  He appears to think there is talent there – although there isn’t the number of former four and five-stars that are at other positions – and has also been adamant that he is going to coach the guys to play the press-man to man style he wants to play.

The good news is that from an overall secondary perspective there is some help that the Cornerbacks can get from the Safety position, and Nigel Warrior looks like he is in ready to combine the coaching upgrade he’s getting and two season’s worth of experience to become the kind of future NFL player everyone who watches him for 5 minutes knows he can be. Battling it out for the spot next to Nigel will be two experienced veterans in Todd Kelly Jr. and Micah Abernathy and Theo Jackson.  The key for the first two will be returning from injury and bringing his playmaking ability for TKJr and simply stepping up his overall play for Micah Abernathy. Jackson has meaningfully less experience than the two seniors but no doubt possesses better athletic ability, and as his opportunistic interception in the Orange & White game showed he’s got some playmaking ability of his own.

Here are 8 “Ifs” that the Vols will need to see come through for the Cornerback position to be strong enough for the Vols to reach their ceiling in 2018:

  • IF Baylon Buchanan can build on his strong spring that saw him stake a claim to a starting CB spot
  • IF the Vols can sign Texas A&M Grad transfer Nick Harvey, who would bring talent, production, and SEC experience to a CB room sorely lacking in all three
  • IF Alontae Taylor sticks at CB, spends the summer learning the actual craft, and applies his elite athleticism and “dog” mentality to the position
  • IF Shawn Shamburger, who Jeremy Pruitt recruited while at Alabama and showed out when he got an opportunity last season, can take a step
  • IF Marquill Osborne can use his strong spring game performance as a jumping off point to reach his 4-star pedigree
  • IF Carlin Fils-aime and Maleik Gray can continue to make the transition to CB and showcase their athleticism and physicality
  • IF the Vols can get any contributions from newcomers Kenneth George, Treveon Flowers and Brandon Davis – guys Pruitt has brought in himself
  • IF Louisianans Cheyenne Labruzza and Terrell Bailey, who both had nice recruiting pedigrees but had a quiet spring, can find their way

Like the OL, Tennessee doesn’t need 100% of the above things to happen.  That said, landing Nick Harvey would go a long way, as he would upgrade the CB room a ton. From there it needs talent development from specifically the most physically talented among the group, which includes Taylor, Shamburger, Buchanan, Osborne and Gray.  Those 5+Harvey could make a better than average CB corps with the right development and coaching.  Getting anything from its three newcomers would be a bonus. IF that were to happen I think there is enough talent throughout the rest of the roster that, along with what should be a very strong coaching staff, Tennessee can have a successful season in Pruitt’s first year and serve as a springboard to quickly getting back to competing for championships.

Post-Spring, 2018 Heavily Dependent on “Ifs” at Two Key Positions, Part I

Coming out of the spring, the 2018 Tennessee football team looks like it certainly has some talent on the roster, but depth at most positions and overall attitude (expecting to win, being willing to compete on every snap, etc.) are the biggest issues.  So in late April when evaluating the team and its prospects for 2018, let me start by stipulating a few things:

  • I do not expect this team to compete for the SEC East Championship in 2018
  • I think a reasonable expectation for Year 1 under Coach Jeremy Pruitt is 6 wins and a bowl game, and given the schedule I think 7 and even 8 wins are not beyond the realm of possibility with some breaks
  • Due to the huge upgrade in coaching; the recruiting pedigree of many of the players on the team; and the simple fact that Pruitt has had a bigtime defense everywhere he’s been, Vol fans should have some confidence that the defense will be much improved over the past two seasons
  • At the same time, and for many of the same reasons, there should be reason for optimism at the skill positions of QB, RB, and WR/TE
  • Related to #2/#3, there are incoming players that should be able to contribute immediately at a variety of positions, including but not limited to graduate transfer RB Madre London (Michigan State); JUCO All-American TE Dominick Wood-Anderson; JUCO DL Emmitt Gooden; LB JJ Peterson; and CB Treveon Flowers

All that said, easily the two biggest areas of concerns heading into the summer are the Offensive Line and Cornerback.  And everyone knows the old adage that “the SEC is a line of scrimmage league,” while at the same time many of the offenses in this league – not to mention that of opening game opponent West Virginia – are well suited to exploit a weak secondary.  So, where does that leave Vol fans looking for some optimism about the upcoming season?  It’s a game of “Ifs” at these two crucial positions, and below we’ll take a look at the OL

Offensive Line Will Depend on Health and Overall Improvement

Tennessee’s Offensive Line was nothing short of atrocious last season, suffering numerous injuries and attrition that led to virtually non-existent pass protection – and the resulting near death of QB Jarret Guarantano on multiple occasions – and a run game that was below average at best despite an NFL RB in John Kelly.  This spring has shown some faint glimmers of hope though, as Pruitt has doled out some of his very rare compliments to the OL, at least in terms of their relative improvement over the course of the five weeks of practice.  The OL as a whole, with some minor exceptions, has managed to avoid the kind of daily injuries that it suffered last spring and even into the fall, while at the same time some players who were thought to be lost for good to injury have made reappearances.  However, there are still more than a few things that will need to happen in order for Tennessee to field an average OL, which it will need to if it wants to improve on last season’s disastrous 4-8 record.  So looking to the fall, here are 10 “Ifs” that the Vols will need to see come through:

  • IF Trey Smith, Tennessee’s best OL and an anchor for the entire team, can come back healthy and pick up where he left off last season
  • IF K’rohjn Calbert can shake off the rust from his multiple injuries to bring his physical presence, matched only by Trey Smith on the entire OL, and make a play for a starting spot
  • IF Chance Hall can come back from missing the last two seasons and regain at least some of the form that made observers think he was a possible 3-years-and-done Tackle
  • IF Drew Richmond, on his 3rd OL coach in three seasons, can unlock his 5-star pedigree and become an above-average LT
  • IF Marcus Tatum can combine the weight gain that’s finally got him over 300 lbs with his better than average athleticism to become the kind of player the previous staff (and UF’s) thought he could be at RT
  • IF JUCO Jahmir Johnson can get to campus having put weight on his relatively light frame and show up ready to contribute immediately
  • IF Ryan Johnson, Riley Locklear and Devonte Brooks can leverage their experience gained last season and the reps they’ve gotten in the absence of Smith and Calbert to take a large step in their respective games
  • IF Jerome Carvin and Ollie Lane can leverage the massive amount of reps this spring as early enrollees to become contributors
  • IF either spring practice position changers Greg Emerson or Eric Crosby can stick on the OL and become contributors
  • IF Nathan Niehaus can stay healthy and push for rotational snaps, at least in out of conference games like ETSU, UTEP, and Charlotte to give starters a breather

Tennessee doesn’t need 100% of the above things to happen, although getting Trey Smith is as close to a must as there can be.  From there it needs some combination of health and talent development among its maximum 15 scholarship OL (the above plus true freshman Tanner Antonutti, who I expect to redshirt) to field an average unit that can allow it to compete in each of its twelve scheduled games.  IF the right combination happens I think there is enough talent throughout the rest of the roster that, along with what should be a very strong coaching staff, Tennessee can have a successful season in Pruitt’s first year and serve as a springboard to quickly getting back to competing for championships.

2018 Orange and White Game Recruiting Preview

Going into the 2018 Orange and White Game the Tennessee Volunteers currently sit with four commitments for the class of 2019 and one commitment for the class of 2020.  And while the commitments have certainly come more slowly than Vol fans are used to under the former staff, what one can rightfully say is that those commitments are from the kind of prospects that Tennessee needs to land in order to get back to contending for SEC East and conference championships as quickly as possible.  In OL Jackson Lampley, TE Jackson Lowe, and DL LeDarrius Cox and DL Darrel Middleton, Tennessee has a group of 2019 commitments for whom they have beaten out SEC powers, and who at the same time represent both Coach Jeremy Pruitt’s commitment to fixing Tennessee in the trenches and also simply recruiting more physically imposing players.

Having been on the job just a handful of months, the O&W Game is Pruitt’s first real chance to showcase two of the Tennessee Football progam’s competitive advantages: Neyland Stadium and the Volunteer fanbase.  Although the latter is still in a bit of a “prove it” mode with Pruitt after being burned to a degree by Butch Jones, there is a palpable sense that we’ve got a real football coach on our hands, and I expect that to be reflected in the attendance on Saturday.

Also in attendance on Saturday will be a really nice collection of recruits, some of whom will be taking advantage of the new NCAA rule that allows earlier official visits than ever before.  The Vols will host three 4-star official visitors in OL Wanya Morris, WR Jalen Curry, and DE Khris Bogle, and while Curry and Bogle are certainly prospects that Tennessee would love to have, without a doubt it is Morris who will have all eyes on this weekend.

Morris is a borderline 5-star and a true offensive tackle, making him the kind of recruit around whom you can center an entire class.  And with Lampley already in the fold and the Vols very much in the thick of it with 5-star OL Darnell Wright, adding Morris, who is set to announce his decision on May 1, would set Tennessee up for a potentially monster OL class.  Morris has had Tennessee and Auburn as his finalists for a while now, and while there has been a feeling that he was leaning to the Vols going into the weekend, it seems clear at this point that no decision has been made yet. He’s been to campus multiple times and clearly sees a chance for immediate playing time in Knoxville, and at the same time has bonded really well with both Pruitt as well as OL coach Will Friend.  Unfortunately, there’s a strong likelihood that no matter how well this weekend’s visit goes Morris will still take his official visit to Auburn the following weekend, immediately before his announcement date.  Now, one could make the case that if the Vols are indeed the leaders going into this weekend then they have a chance to move so far ahead of Auburn that they cannot be caught.  At the same time, if Tennessee is going to burn its OV in April then the Vols are better off with Auburn doing the same, as long as Morris does end up committing to the Vols in May.  On the other hand, you’d certainly prefer him to simply commit this weekend and completely shut it down; unfortunately that’s unlikely to happen.  So, the Vols will need to absolutely knock Wanya’s and his parents’ socks off and lock down what would be a foundational piece of this class.

The list of unofficial visitors is equally impressive, and there are three in particular who could be on commitment watch while on The Hill:

2019

TE Sean Brown: This weekend will mark the fourth time Brown has been to Knoxville since March, and Tennessee would love to add him to fellow big-bodied Georgia Jackson Lowe to form a highly-ranked and potentially instant impact set of TEs to this class

WR Ramel Keyton: Even more so than Brown, Keyton is no stranger to Knoxville, and this weekend will make at least six visits to campus – notably this will be his third since Pruitt and Co. came to town. Keyton even named the Vols his leader last summer, but that fell off as the Butch Jones era ended.  He’s one of the best WRs in the class, as he proved recently at The Opening Atlanta, and while it may be a bit presumptuous to think he pops this weekend it’s far from beyond the realm of possibility.  Notably, Keyton hails from the talent-laden Marietta HS in Marietta, GA, also home to Tennessee’s #1 QB prospect in the 2020 class Harrison Bailey

DB Jaydon Hill: Hill has recently blown up on the recruiting trail after being named one of top performers at The Opening Atlanta.  He’s the kind of long CB that Pruitt covets, and he’s also a track athlete – running the 100 meters and relays.  South Carolina is thought to be his leader, but Austin Price from Volquest.com has been hinting that Hill could be one to watch this weekend and AP has good sources.  This will be Hill’s second visit to Tennessee since an early March Junior Day, so there is definitely high interest there.  We’ll see if anything happens this weekend or if the Vols simply entrench themselves at the top of his list

The other unofficial visitors, while likely further from making decisions, nonetheless make up a strong group of prospects:

RB Eric Gray: The four-star APB from Lausanne Collegiate School in Memphis is visiting on Thursday and it’s unclear how long his visit will be.  Gray is a bit on the smaller side for what Pruitt generally prefers.  That said, he’s a dynamic back with a Stanford offer who currently has a Mid-South Top 3 of Ole Miss, Arkansas and Mississippi State.  How hard Tennessee pushes while he is on campus will likely determine what kind of player the Vols end up being

RB John Emery: Emery is a larger back at 6’0, 200 that has a laundry list of suitors that includes SEC bluebloods like homestate LSU and Alabama, who Tennessee “beat out” to get the visit this weekend.  While he is the son of former Vol DE John Emery Sr. (who played for Tennessee in 1993-94), it’s unclear how important that is to him.  That said, the Vols are among his top group so getting him to campus for what should be a big weekend is a good sign

DB Shyheim Battle; Like Hill, Battle fits the mold of a Jeremy Pruitt CB, only Battle is even taller at a legit 6’2.  His multi-day visit started Thursday and will culminate with the O&W Game on Saturday.  While the Vols are in his Top 5 despite being the only school on that list he has yet to visit, Clemson currently holds the lead with Ohio State and NCSU also near the top.  Tennessee will hope to impress him and set itself up in this recruitment for the long haul

DB Tyus Fields: Yet another highly recruited CB, Fields is returning to Knoxville after just having visited in late March (along with a visit last summer).  He’s smaller than Hill and Battle but makes up for it with toughness and ball skills.  Fields has a brother at Clemson, and the Tigers have offered; however, his current Top 5 is UNC, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Ohio State and Penn State

ATH Devin Boddie: A high-academic kid (offers from UVA, Vandy, and GT) who is making his second trip to Rocky Top since March despite not holding a Vol offer, Boddie is listed as an Athlete but likely is being recruited by Tennessee as a WR.  He’s also getting interest from the likes of Alabama, Auburn, and Miami, and could emerge further if he has a big camp season and follows it up with a strong senior year.  It’s good for Tennessee to get him to campus again so they can continue to evaluate him and “keep him warm”

DB Keveon Mullins: Recently committed to hometown Memphis despite multiple SEC and P5 offers, Mullins is a good looking big-bodied DB prospect.  It’s unclear if he is taking this visit just to hang out with his Memphis Whitehaven teammates or if there is genuine interest from either party.  We’ll see what he has to say after comparing his official visit to Memphis with seeing more people at a Spring Game in Neyland Stadium than he would ever see in Liberty Bowl Stadium (unless Tennessee was playing there)

OL Melvin McBride: A large OG prospect with some decent offers, it’s likely that the Tennessee staff will size McBride up while he’s on campus and go from there

2020

Tennessee has been working the 2020 class hard, and as the aforementioned Austin Price has said multiple times it should be the class where Pruitt and is staff really break through.  After hosting what was effectively a “Sophomore Day” last weekend, the Vols will entertain a smaller but no less impressive group of 2020 prospects:

DL Tyler Baron (Midstate)

LB Bryson Eason (Memphis Whitehaven)

LB Martavius French (Memphis Whitehaven)

OL Bryn Tucker (Knoxville)

DB Rashad Torence (Georgia)

Major Vol Hoops Roster Developments Make the Future Look Even Brighter

From Thursday to Sunday there were some relatively significant developments for the Tennessee Basketball program, all of which were positive: 1) News broke that end of the rotation guard Chris Darrington would be transferring, thereby opening another scholarship for Coach Rick Barnes to work with, 2) The esteemed Rob Lewis from Volquest broke the news that 4-star 2018 PG James Akinjo will be taking an official visit to Knoxville the weekend of April 13-14, and 3) 2019 PF DJ Burns took his official visit to Tennessee this weekend.  Below we’ll take a more in depth look at each development and how they intertwine with each other

Darrington Leaves the Program, Tennessee Has Opportunity to Improve

On Friday it was announced that guard Chris Darrington would be given his release to transfer from the program.  While I’ve been more bullish on Drrington that many due to his performance in last summer’s European trip and even in the non-conference portion of last season’s schedule, it was clear that he faced an uphill battle to have a real impact on next season’s team.  He’s a great kid who was dealt a tough hand off the court during the season due to the death of his childhood friend and just never seemed to recover his confidence when his play slipped and his playing time therefore dropped.  He was a popular member of the team and I’m sure his teammates will wish him well.

All that said, this does present an opportunity for Barnes that he simply did not have before.  Tennessee can use its two scholarship openings to add some combination of a high school player, a grad transfer who’s immediately eligible, and even a transfer who has to sit out a year.  They also have positional flexibility that they simply didn’t have with only one opening.

PG James Akinjo (more on him below) is the clear #1 option on the high school front, and what happens with him will likely impact the direction the Vols go with the other spot (or with the remaining two if they don’t land him).  However, with the spring AAU circuit starting and the skaeout from coaching changes still happening, there will likely be a handful of new targets that Tennessee takes a look at.  An immediate example is Carlos Curry, an MTSU signee who asked out of his LOI last week and was immediately offered by Florida State.  Along the Seminoles (where he took an unofficial visit this past fall), Ole Miss (where former MTSU coach Kermit Davis is now the head man), Georgia, Witichia State, and Cincinnati have all been in contact.  And so has Tennessee.  Why?  Because he’s nearly 7’0 and 245 lbs and this weekend at The Opening tournament in Atlanta he was showing range out to 18 feet (projecting to be able to hit 3s as he continues to develop) while using his length to protect the rim.  When he signed with MTSU he did so over offers from Oklahoma and WKU and interest from FSU and Clemson among other ACC schools.  So while he’s not a no-doubt blue-chipper he’s also not exactly under the radar, and he looks like a legit SEC propsect.  We’ll see if anything comes of Tennessee’s interest, but it’s clear that with another scholarship to play with the Vols are going to explore every option out there.

Given the aforementioned hype that the program has and its status as an SEC and National title contender, should the Vols look to go the grad transfer route they are going to be a very attractive option for the best players on the market who are looking to be a part of something special.  At the same time, a grad transfer would mean that Tennessee still has four total scholarships for a 2019 class that is already looking good and has a chance to be special. Finally, the Vols could also look to land a transfer who would have to sit out a year but would have multiple years left to play.  The most prominent of those so far to be mentioned with Tennessee is Utah State SG McEwen, who Lewis has mentioned as someone to definitely keep an eye on.  McEwen, who would be a sit one/play two player, averaged 15.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 32.3 minutes per game as a sophomore at Utah State and is being courted by Iowa State and Creighton among others. The tie here might be that McEwen is originally from Canada and Barnes as well both assistant coaches Rob Lanier and Desmond Oliver have deep connections in Canada basketball having signed three Canadians while at Texas (NBA players Tristan Thompson and Cory Joseph as well as Myck Kabongo) and have at UT signed two in Ray Kasongo (who since transferred) and Kyle Alexander.

The bottom line is that as good as Tennessee was last year, and as much development as this roster still has in front of it, Barnes has a real opportunity to increase the overall talent and depth of the 2018-2019 roster while also adding pieces for the future.  And he can do so in a variety of ways.

 

Akinjo Scheduled Official Visit to Knoxville

While Barnes has emphatically stated that his preference for what was then the lone open scholarship for 2018 was another Guard, it has been hard to find a high level high school prospect that the Vols had a shot with.  That changed when 4-star California PG James Akinjo scheduled his official visit to Tennessee for this coming weekend.

Akinjo is a 6’0, 170 lb player who burst onto the recruiting scene last summer when he earned MVP honors at the 2017 Peach Jam, averaging 18.8 points, 6.8 assists, and 4.3 rebounds and leading his team to the tournament championship. After taking an official visit to UCONN he signed with the Huskies in the early signing period over offers from Indiana and Virginia among others, but after Coach Nate Ollie was let go he received his release and went back on the open market.

When you watch his tape you see a very hard-nosed kid who is fearless going to the rim and a strong finisher; can get there basically whenever he wants due to his quickness and strong handle; can shoot from the outside and has a quick release; and knows how to get his teammates involved.  He also appears to be a willing defender, which is key if he were to sign with the Vols and play for Barnes.  He’s also young enough to classify for 2019, which means he’s got plenty of upside physically and mentally with the game. Without a doubt Akinjo would be a huge addition to the team both immediately in 2018 as a 3rd primary ball handler behind Jordan Bone and Lamonte Turner and also moving forward as Bone and Turner eventually move on.

Akinjo has received intense interest from the likes of Arizona, Georgetown, Cal, and Wichita State, and was at Georgetown this past weekend on the first of four available official visits.  Interestingly, Arizona, who many thought would be a prime contender, picked up a commitment from a different 4-star California PG over the weekend which could very much impact Akinjo’s decision.  Tennessee will certainly have a chance to move into the front of this recruitment this weekend.

Vols Brings in 4-Star 2019 PF DJ Burns for Official Visit, Look to Keep 2019 Momentum Going

After having been on campus multiple times over the last 1-2 years, 2019 stud DJ Burns took his official visit over the weekend, bringing his parents with him on the trip.  Bringing a 2019 prospect in almost seven months before he can sign is a strong sign that Barnes and Co. feel very strongly about their position and the hope is that while he did not commit while on campus he will do so in the coming days and will shut down his recruitment.

Burns is a rugged, 6’9 260 lb forward whose calling card is his combination of brute strength and an advanced post-up game that comes from great footwork, hands, and soft touch around the rim.  His high school coach has incredibly high praise for him, saying, “I think with him he always is developing and always is a great passer. His foot work and feel for the game is unreal. I see this kid as being a pro someday.”  From here it looks like his floor would be freshman year Derrick Walker in that he’s physical and incredibly skilled and that his ceiling is very high and will depend on further growing/body shaping/conditioning, etc.  He is a great student and also appears to be a high character kid (see him quoting Rudyard Kipling in this tweet) who, like his host over the weekend, Grant Williams, is also an accomplished musician who plays four instruments.

Depending on what they do with Darrington’s scholarship, Tennessee should have at least three to four scholarships to give in the 2019 class, and pairing Burns with longtime commitment Davonte Gaines, who will head to Hargrave for a 5th year, would be an outstanding start for the Vols.  This is especially true given that the AAU season is just kicking off and the staff would be able to really narrow in on its targets for the remaining spots.  At the same time, the program is about to get a serious uptick in national exposure, as the offseason hype for next season’s team has already begun with the Vols being ranked anywhere from 5th to 8th in a number of preseason rankings.  Additionally, Tennessee will participate in next season’s NIT Season Tip-Off in Brooklyn, NY along with Kansas, Louisville, and Marquette, and one can assume that Tennessee will get a marquee matchup in the annual SEC-Big 12 Challenge as well.  These will complement what is annually a strong non-conference slate (which this year will at least feature home games against ACC school Georgia Tech and Wake Forest) under Coach Barnes, giving the Vols a myriad of opportunities to showcase the program.

The staff has also already laid the groundwork to fill the class with very highly recruited players.  Tennessee hosted 5-star PG Jalen Lecque for the Kentucky game this past season (to go with two coaches’ visits – in November and again in March), and was the first major conference offer for 5-star Wing Josiah James.  Additionally, the Vols hosted Guards Marcus Watson (#88), Trey McGowens (#89) and Kira Lewis (#119) along with C Jason Jitobah (#191) for last season’s UNC game.  Barnes started the offseason recruiting by by visiting Kira Lewis today (Tennessee’s 3rd visit, this time with the whole staff), and he doubled up with Top 100 guards by visiting Watson as well.  This was the second time UT coaches have visited Watson, the first being back in January, and not only was he in Thompson-Boiling Arena for the UNC game but he also visited campus last June  Per Lewis, Barnes will be visiting James the following weekend, and it’s safe to say that likely won’t be his only visit.  So while more targets will pop up, the Vols have definitely started to hone in on a handful of top level prospects with whom they have already established firm relationships and who have been to campus already.  It’s a great spot to be in as Tennessee looks to have an outstanding opportunity to bring in its highest rated class in a long, long time, which is incredibly exciting for Vol fans

Will Rick Barnes Adapt His Offensive Philosophy Next Season?

The Ringer has a really interesting piece about how while there are very few future NBA players in the Final Four, all four teams are running NBA systems (i.e., spreading the floor with virtually all five players on the court as three-point threats).  It speaks to a few things about the future of college basketball (the NBA is already there) in which positional versatility is incredibly valued while at the same time true back to the basket big men are ever rarer.  All of these are germane to a discussion about the immediate future of the Tennessee Basketball program:

Should Tennessee Zig While Others Zag?

On the one hand, one could make a strong case that Tennessee’s physicality inside with Grant Williams, Derrick Walker, Admiral Schofield (if the opposing defense puts a smaller defender on him), and potentially even Yves Pons given his physique, is the one competitive advantage the Vols might have against most every opponent regardless of relative talent.  And that when the rest of the country is playing small ball, with either UK/Duke/UNC-type NBA talent or not, Tennessee should instead lean on its biggest asset – size and physicality – to win games and go deep into March.  A sort of reprise of the Memphis Grizzlies’ Grit n Grind style where the Grizzlies parlayed the size, brute force, and defensive tenacity of Marc Gasol/Zach Randolph/Tony Allen into a stretch of deep playoff runs when everyone else was talking about how floor-bound big men were a thing of the past and the only way to win was to shoot 50 three-pointers a game.  That was basically Tennessee’s formula this past season and they won 26 games and an SEC Championship and will return just about all of the talent + experience next season.  It would be very fair for Rick Barnes to say let’s do it again, just a little better, right?

Or Should Tennessee Evolve?

On the other hand, the article presents a compelling reason for Tennessee to if not change its philosophy (you can be physical and play great defense no matter what your offensive style is) then at least augment it on the offensive end to get better.

The author states: “The point isn’t that their offenses ensured deep runs in the NCAA tournament. It’s that a more progressive style of play gave them a chance against more talented teams.”  No matter who Tennessee adds in the late signing period to fill its (current) one spot on the roster, the Vols will not be among the most talented 15-20 teams in the country based on NBA potential if not also other metrics.  However, the team is good enough to likely be at worst a Preseason Top 15 team and a strong contender for yet another very high seed in the NCAA Tournament.  Therefore, it would behoove Coach Barnes to both make sure that a worse/less talented team doesn’t use a more optimized offensive strategy to pull an upset while at the same time giving Tennessee its best chance to win against more talented teams. As if to drive home the point for Tennessee, the author very specifically calls out the fact that Tennessee took twice as many long 2s as Loyola did in its one-point 2nd round loss – illustrating that it was offensive philosophy and not talent that won that game for the Sister Jeans.

The article strongly bolsters the case presented here and here that what many of Tennessee’s returning roster – both starters and bench players – can do for their respective games in the offseason is improve their 3-point shooting:

Imagine a team where neither Grant Williams nor Kyle Alexander are solely dependent on post scoring but instead have added respectable and even reliable three-point shooting to their respective repertoires; Jordan Bone is deadeye with an open look that comes from great ball movement from the perimeter as well as inside-out passing; Yves Pons has continued to develop his three point shooting; and both Jalen Johnson  and Zach Kent have earned minutes on the defensive end such that their strong shooting is on the floor…and all of these are in combination with the already deadly shooting of Admiral Schofield, Lamonte Turner, and Jordan Bowden.  That’s a team that is nearly impossible to defend and can adapt to any kind of defense thrown at it regardless of the relative talent on the floor.

Judgement: Make that Change

The first scenario is interesting, more comfortable, and therefore probably easier to lean on if you’re Rick Barnes.  The man has won a ton of games and played in 23 NCAA Tournaments – he’s clearly very good at what he does.  However, in the end I think it’s pretty clear that in order for the Vols to take the next step – unless they’re going to start landing one and done type NBA players and can simply outman everyone, which is extremely unlikely – they’re going to have to adapt their offensive scheme to start spacing the floor better and shooting more threes.  The good news is twofold: Barnes is both incredibly smart and strategic – witness how he handled this team all season – and he has the players with the potential to do this with some simple offseason skill development that requires neither a full overhaul of the existing roster nor anyone completely retooling their game.  It will be fascinating to watch and see what kind of changes Barnes looks to make with his veteran roster so that the Vols are dancing much further into March of 2019 than they were in 2018.

Looking Ahead to 2018-2019 II: 2017-18 Bench Can Take 2018-19 Team to Next Level

Looking at Tennessee’s projected roster for the 2018-2019 basketball season, it is truly striking how young the team is and therefore how much improvement can be expected. Further illustrating that fact is that all but one of the returning bench players were freshmen (true or redshirt), this past season and two of them will in fact be redshirt sophomores. After looking at what the Vols’ starters, along with the SEC Sixth Man of the Year, can do to improve their games during the offseason, it’s time to take a look at what we might expect from each of the returning bench players after an offseason of development

Derrick Walker

Walker emerged as an integral piece of this past season’s team, showing outstanding court awareness and passing ability to go with a soft touch around the rim and a physicality that matched up with his brawny physique.  However, he struggled mightily on the defensive end against Loyola, where his lack of foot speed and overall conditioning were weaknesses that the Ramblers exploited time and again.  That said, in that same game he showed some skills that make you think he’s got All-SEC potential down the line – tenaciously fighting for multiple offensive rebounds using his motor and bulk and making a midrange jumper that showed off his nice shooting stroke.  An offseason of physical development will likely turn up a much different looking Walker come November – stronger yet leaner and with an improved ability to much more effectively hedge against ball screens out on the perimeter.

Yves Pons

Pons came to Tennessee as a very raw but very tantalizing prospect with uber-athleticism and decent-looking shot.  After getting barely spot minutes for most of the season, he slowly worked his way firmly into the rotation to the point where he was often the first non-guard off the bench for the latter part of February and all of March.   He was physical on the defensive end and used his length, athleticism, and physicality to be able to defend multiple positions. He also expanded his offensive game, going 2-3 on 3-pointers (his one miss being an ill-advised shot against Loyola) and going from instantly passing the ball when he got it on the wing to slashing to the basket in an attempt to make things happen. The play that showed what he can be next season with a full offseason in Knoxville occurred against Wright State when he drove the baseline and made an up and under layup where he made it look like he was playing on an 8-foot goal – he just looked like a beast, and one who was finally figuring things out.  If he can become a legitimate threat to get to the rim from the wing while at the same time honing his three point shot he’ll get more and more minutes at both the 3 and 4 spots

John Fulkerson

Fulkerson has had an up and down season following missing almost a full year of basketball and strength and conditioning after his injury but continued to get minutes deep into the season.  He played quite a bit during Tennessee’s run to the SEC Tournament championship game and then got 15 strong minutes in the Vols big opening game win over Wright State in the NCAA Tournament.  During that stretch Fulkerson displayed the kind of skills that Barnes has liked about him since he camped with the Vols before his senior season of high school: nonstop hustle and a willingness to crash the boards along with some raw but developable post moves.  However, when forced into more than spot duty with Kyle Alexander out against Loyola, Fulkerson’s lack of bulk and overall offensive game was exploited.  He’ll need to fully dedicate himself in the weight room in the offseason to be ready for the rigor of post play at the kind of level Tennessee wants to be playing, while at the same time continuing to hone his post moves to make him a viable if last resort option on the offensive end

Jalen Johnson

Jalen Johnson, the #147 ranked player in his class, came to Tennessee with a rep as a good three-point shooter with explosive leaping ability. Johnson worked to earn some playing time later in the season and showed flashes of the athleticism and shooting that has the staff very excited about his future. He’ll need to continue to get stronger so that he’s not as easily knocked off his spot on dribble drives and at the same time continue to earn Barnes’s trust on the defensive end.  He’s got one of the best combinations of athleticism and length on the team though, so it’s imperative that he start to put it together in order for him to be able to get on the court

Zach Kent

Kent, like Jalen Johnson the season before, was a strategic redshirt for Coach Barnes this past season.  He was ranked in the Top 175 in his class and earned offers over the course of his recruitment from Indiana, Maryland, Notre Dame and Oregon among others.  Kent will bring a skill set that is unique to the team: A 6’11, ~235 lb player with range to 25 feet, Kent will give Barnes tons of options in terms of who he can pair him with – that kind of shooting threat from a PF/C will make teams think twice about double-teaming Grant Williams and Tennessee’s other big men in the paint.  After a year in the weight room Kent should be able to at least hold his own in the post on defense and on the boards, and his ability to spread the floor will open things up inside not just for Volunteer post players but also driving lanes for Tennessee’s slashers

Chris Darrington

Darrington has a real chance to fill in for James Daniel III should Tennessee not fill its last roster spot with a Guard.  A JUCO College All-American, he’s got great length and uses it well on the defensive end.  Darrington came in with a rep as a scorer/shooter, and actually led the team in scoring on the preseason European trip (14.3 points per game over the 3 games).  He subsequently missed most of the preseason with an injury that threw him off, but he came back and played quite well, and quite a bit, earlier in the season – he had 10 assists against both High Point and Mercer.  He also enjoyed his most productive game in Tennessee’s win over Lipscomb (12/9/17), as his 11 points, five assists and three rebounds were all season-highs, and he averaged 13 minutes a game over first 10 OOC games (with a high of 20 against Lipscomb), then 9 and 11 against Arkansas and Auburn.  After that his play fell off and subsequently his minutes did as well.  Likely not coincidentally that happened around the same time as the untimely death of one of his best friends from back home, which threw him into a funk mentally.  Tennessee is searching for another Guard in the 2018 class and hoping it is someone dynamic who can complement what they already have on the roster in Bone/Turner/Bowden.  Regardless of who they add though, Darrington will have a chance to move on from a disappointing individual season and carve out a meaningful role on next season’s team

The Vols will be hoping to add more player to the roster to fill James Daniels III’s spot.  Whether that is a high school player or a graduate transfer remains to be seen, as is whether that player is a Guard or Forward.  What is really exciting though is that no matter who else is added there are already six players on the roster behind the top 6 that together bring a combination of experience, skill, and unique talent to the team, and are just scratching the surface of their games.

Looking Ahead to 2018-2019 I: One Area of Improvement for the Starters

After observing a personal 24-hour rule and mourning not only the actual season-ending loss to Loyola but the missed opportunity it represented, it’s time to look at next season’s roster and forecast how the team can get better to make a run at a repeat SEC Championship and a deeper run in the NCAA Tournament.  As we’ve discussed here, there is at ton of upside to the team based on the fact that there is a lot of talent on the team and a large majority of it is still very young and has a lot of development ahead of it.  There’s also the possibility of adding another player to the roster to take the place of the departing James Daniel III – either a freshman (hopefully the more than likely NBA-bound SG Anfernee Simons) or another grad transfer – that we’ll discuss in more depth soon.  Right now let’s talk about the front end of the returning rotation, meaning the (all 5!) starters and the SEC Sixth Man of the Year, and look at the one main are of improvement each of them can make:

Grant Williams

The reigning SEC Player of the Year will only be a Junior and as one would expect has a pretty solid all-around game.  He’s a brute inside, has nice touch on his midrange jumper (though he misses too many bunnies for my liking), and has great court awareness and does a good job of finding the open man when he’s double teamed.  All that said, the one weapon he could add to his arsenal that could make him much more difficult to defend – and at the same time make the team much harder to stop – is a dependable three-point shot.  Specifically, the top of the key three (think Yaten Maten and how deadly he was from that spot), either within the halfcourt offense or trailing on a secondary break.  The good news is that he already displays good form on his jumpshot and shoots a relatively high percentage from the free throw line.  Not only that, but it’s easy to forget that although he only took 25 three-pointers this season – and made a very poor 3 of them for an ugly 12% (frankly I don’t remember him taking even that many) – he was a more than respectable 12/32 his freshman year, good for 37.5%, most of them coming from the top of the key.  Point being, he has the capability, and though I respect his willingness to play to his strengths inside and at the same time let the better three point shooters take them if he can add this to his game it would make him virtually unstoppable

Admiral Schofield

One could pretty easily make the case that Schofield was the MVP of this past season’s team, and that was before we saw what happened when he left the Loyola game with his second foul five minutes into the game after his 11 points pushed the Vols to a 15-6 early lead. Schofield was a revelation this season, expanding his game to become both a bully inside as well as a very dependable 3-point shooter.  He also added a face-up midrange jumpshot to his arsenal.  You know that no one is going to work on his game harder than Admiral, and after his famous 1000-three pointers per day this past offseason led to his performance from behind the line this season one can be assured he’s going to do the same before next season.  So what can he add to his game to take it to another level?  My take would be that if he can clean up handle to make his slashing game smoother and more effective he would be near impossible to stop at the college level and make himself into a legitimate NBA prospect as a 3 and D slasher who can defend a handful of positions

Jordan Bone

The subject of a lot of frustration to fans and coaches alike due to his inconsistency, Bone had a really good March overall (ask Arkansas in particular) and showed more than a few glimpses of what he can become with some reachable improvement.  Bone is probably one of two guys on the current team (along with Jordan Bowden – see below) who has the physical ability to be an effective one-on-one player that can get to the rim and score when Barnes’s half-court offense doesn’t generate a good look for someone.  He’s so quick and fast that there aren’t many college basketball players who can stay in front of him.  He also somewhat quietly developed a both a pretty solid three-point shot and midrange pullup jumper.  Getting himself to where open three pointers automatic (he’s not going to take contested threes unless it’s the end of the shot clock) and at the same time developing the mentality that he can’t be stopped getting to the rim – and bulking up a bit to be able to finish better through contact – is how Jordan can make tangible improvement.  Finally, Bone has the physical ability to become a defensive stopper/difference maker – simply a guy who cannot be driven by and also as someone who causes turnovers regularly.  The adage about how guard play determines winners in March is uttered ad nauseum for a reason, and Bone is the guy on the team whose improvement is directly linked to that, which is why I’ve taken some liberties with the number of areas of improvement for him

Jordan Bowden

Bowden brings a lot to the court, including solid defense and excellent rebounding for his position.  He was also one of the best three-point shooters in the country throughout the entire out of conference slate; unfortunately, that touch left him for much of the SEC season and even into March.  That said, he did make a couple of threes in the NCAA Tournament, including a huge corner three during Tennessee’s furious late-game comeback against Loyola, and I am operating under the assumption that he can get himself to a solid 40%+ shooter from deep with another offseason of work and development.  Where his game can take another step is in the halfcourt, tightening up his handle and, maybe importantly, developing an attacking mentality, such that when he catches the ball either on the wing or in the paint off of a curl, he’s looking to get to the rim and finish.  He must get stronger and quicker to do that, but the ability is clearly there, and with the threat of the catch and shoot three pointer in the opponent’s scouting report he should be able to easily get a first step on his defender on his way to the basket.

Kyle Alexander

Oh how Kyle was missed on Saturday against Loyola. While his offense can be hit or miss, the rim protection he brings to the table is simply unmatched by the backup big men on the team.  Without Alexander at the back of the defense Tennessee’s wings had to help on drives, which led to multiple kick-out three pointers.  The good news is that Kyle will be back to anchor the defense once again, likely with more size and explosiveness after another offseason of physical development.  And while he’s most often the 5th option on offense, if he can become a consistent shooter that would give Tennessee that many more options on offense.  Frankly, if Kyle wants to be an NBA player he would be wise to follow Admiral’s lead and work on his three point shot.  Thin 6’11 rim protectors are valuable in the NBA, but guys who fit that profile who are also at least reasonable threats from three are not only where the NBA is headed but really where it is already.  It was a long time ago, but don’t forget that Tennessee doesn’t beat Purdue without Alexander’s late-game three pointer that helped send it into overtime.  He’s got a nice stroke, which shows up from the free throw stripe, so it’s not beyond the realm of possibility.  I’m not sure that’s where Barnes will want Kyle to go, but imagine an offense that has 5 three-point shooters on the floor with Bone/Bowden as true drive threats…to me that’s enticing and entirely possible

Lamonte Turner

Mr. Big Shot earned that nickname all season long, making game-changing and even game-winning shots throughout the year and into March.  Later in the season he also started taking the ball to the rim, mostly in transition with the idea of making a play by wither scoring or getting to the foul line.  His aggressiveness and fearlessness are unmatched and are a big part of why this past season was so successful.  Turner’s development will come from improving his overall quickness to improve on both ends of the floor, allowing him to drive past defenders in the halfcourt on offense and better stay in front of his man on defense (a real weakness, in my opinion). Additionally, Turner, a natural scorer in a PG body, needs to improve his post passing and overall awareness about when and how to get the ball into guys like Williams and his fellow big men

There is obviously tons of improvement that Tennessee’s 5+1 can make between Saturday’s heartbreaking end to the season and the beginning of what should be the most hyped and anticipated Volunteer basketball season in at least 10 years.  That’s what makes the future of the program so bright and Tennessee fans so excited about what Coach Barnes has going on in Knoxville.  Next up we’ll take a look at the remainder of the roster and what each of them can do with their games to take the team to the next level.