What a week around here.....Never a dull moment. Lots of moving parts. We'll do our best to tie some loose ends together in this space..
Huge game tomorrow night. We're live on the app as soon as UT/Vandy goes final. Tune us in and please tell a friend.
Get the app!
Droid |
iPhone
Orange Throat takes the floor. I'll riff off of his deft rhythm playing below.
Orange Throat
'Tony B Nation:
Random musings as we consider enlisting the assistance of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation in the search for leadership at the University of Tennessee, including locating system president Joe DiPietro, who must be holed up at an undisclosed location. If spotted, we know DiPietro doesn't move fast, so he won't be difficult to apprehend.
LET'S GET A BLACKBURN CHANT STARTED AT NOTRE DAME GAME: There's a strong rumor that incoming UTK chancellor will be in town next week and will attend Monday night's Lady Vols vs. Notre Dame game, this year's "We Back Pat" game. If so, let's show our love for the late, great Pat Summitt and come armed with "Hire Blackburn" signs to show support for the People's Choice as our new athletics director. Let's welcome Beverly D. to Big Orange Country and help her get off to a great start in Knoxville by making a hire that the GNB's (Guys with Names on Buildings) have been unwilling or unable to do.
SCOTT AS O.C. STILL LOOKS LIKE A DONE DEAL: As we and others have been reporting, Butch Jones hasn't considered any other options other than to promote TE coach Larry Scott to OC and he will name a QB coach soon. Other changes might be held until after National Signing Day.
ON PAPER, FOOTBALL RECRUITING IS SLIPPING: High school football player evaluations are highly subjective but there is a general rule of thumb that it is better to sign players ranked higher rather than lower. Here's a list of how many 4 and 5-star players Butch Jones has signed over the past four years and projected for 2017, as ranked by 247 Sports:
2013 5
2014 13
2015 14
2016 8
2017 5
It is hazardous to compare year-to-year classes in the state of Tennessee because of differing quality, but there is a similar trend of UT's share of the top 10 players in-state:
2013 2
2014 9 of top 11
2015 4
2016 2
2017 3 of top 11
2014 was Jones' first full recruiting year and Josh Malone (#1), Jalen Hurd (#2), Todd Kelly Jr. (#3), Derek Barnett (#5), Rashaan Gaulden (#9) and Jashon Robertson (#11) headlined the in-state haul. Jones next scored three of top four players in the state in 2015. Kyle Phillips (#1), Drew Richmond (#2) and Jack Jones (#4) got bigger headlnes but so far Jauan Jennings (#7) is the headliner. The 2016 group had only two of the top 10 in the state, Daniel Bituli (#3) and Ryan Johnson (#5). Too early tell on either player.
The 2017 class may end up being the tale of what might have been, both nationally and in home-grown players. There are three five-stars in Tennessee this year and UT is getting only one: Trey Smith (#3). Jones and staff fanned on Tee Higgins (#1) and JaCoby Stevens (#2). Maleik Gray (#4) and Ty Chandler (#5) are important pickups and represent a decent salvage of the instate class. The loss of Higgins hurt because he was a one-time commit and hails from Oak Ridge and could start next Fall.
Nationally, RB coach Robert Gillespie did an incredible job on RB Cam Akers (#4 nationally) but lost out to Florida State. QB Hunter Johnson (#21) was a one-time commit who flipped to Clemson. Four-star safety Deangelo Gibbs (#40), cousin of Nigel Warrior, was a strong lean to the Vols months ago but might not have been impressed by Bob Shoop's development of his talented cousin in his freshman season. Instead, we'll line up against Gibbs in a Georgia Bulldog uniform in the next few years.
BARNES IS BARKING AT PLAYERS, PAST AND PRESENT: The sweet taste of UT's Dec. 29 upset of the Texas Aggies on their home floor has faded as the Vols have dropped three straight at Florida and at home to Arkansas and South Carolina. Florida and Carolina should be locks to make the NCAA Tourney and Arkansas is in position to get in if they pick it up.
Rick Barnes lashed out at the recently-terminated Detrick Mostella after the ugly loss to the Gamecocks. We think his criticism of Mostella is wrong on a couple of fronts and we suggest that UT players be allowed to use marijuana on a medicinal basis if their coach is going to continue to bash them. All is not lost, however, as the Vols travel to Nashville to play Vandy tomorrow night in our first matchup with new Commodore coach Bryce Drew. Vandy has gotten off to a decent start in the league but the Dores are beatable and it would be a huge momentum change for Barnes and his program.
LADY VOLS CONTINUE MAKING HISTORY, BAD HISTORY: The two league schools from the state of Mississippi made big history against Holly Warlick's sagging program this week.
First, Mississippi State's fourth-ranked Bulldogs got the first win in the history of the school on the Lady Vols' home court on Sunday. Disappointing to yield the first win at The Tommy to the Bullies in 17 tries but this is an elite program. No so last night.
UT was outscored by 10 in the second half in losing to Ole Miss by five. Let's put this loss in perspective. Ole Miss is a middling team in the league who hasn't beaten the Lady Vols on Planet Earth in 29 games, going all the way back to 1996. Let that sink in. Mrs. Vol Colonel can't be happy about this.
THIS IS WHY IT IS FOR AMUSEMENT ONLY: Our final record for the SEC football season in picking against the point spread was barely over .500 at 34-30. We finished out by correctly picking Clemson +6.5 but missed badly on the Under of 51. We usually fare better early in the season before the smart guys in Vegas get an upper hand, and this year was no different. We might offer up an occasional basketball pick but probably not. It's hard to spend a lot of time on SEC and college hoops as long as our Vols are irrelevant.
Orange Throat
IGYCF'
Throaty!!! You're the man. Working in Mrs Vol Colonel in your report today! She'll be touched if VC can get anywhere near her after that result from the Lady Vols last night. I don't write nor talk about the Lady Vols in this space, but they're emblematic of what has become of Tennessee athletics. Tennessee faces becoming a brand of the past if they don't get this AD hire right just as the Lady Vols seem to be a damaged brand. The Lady Vols are middling in a once powerful SEC that has only two ranked teams. Can you imagine that is Pat Summitt's SEC? Two ranked teams.
I'm thinking a chant isn't enough. We should protest outside of that game on Monday to show her that we mean business on putting the UTAD back the hands of a Tennessean. Enough is enough. Then again, I don't want to overshadow the 'We Back Pat' night. Then again, what would Pat Summitt do? That's a tough call. I'm obviously wrestling with it. Perhaps we'll kick it around today on the air.
Your inside the #'s stuff on UT's recruiting is quite revealing. I'm holding out hope that Guarantano can carry Butch past the fledgling precipice but I'm not holding my breath. Obviously recruiting is an inexact science from player to player, yet it's terrific indicator when applied across the scope of an entire class. The best teams in America usually recruit the best players. Sure, there are exceptions like FSU under Bobby Bowden (in his last half decade) that would finish in the top 5 in recruiting annually yet not do anything on the field. The truth is Clemson is super nova hot and Tennessee is Rick Barnes not. It's just the way it is.
Speaking of Barnes...I've beat on the guy a lot in this space and I just don't have a lot of hope for him here. I appreciate his wanting to coach his guys up, but he needs to resolve to get players or as far as I'm concerned, he's nothing but a glorified placeholder.
Tomorrow night's game with Vandy is huge if Tennessee wants to play any kind of post-season hoops. Why does it feel like the glory days are so far back in the rear view mirror?
Get the app!
Droid |
iPhone
Stand With The Tony Basilio Show
Join the T Club
Make a One-Time Donation
Send Us A T-Mail. Click Here.
Click to subscribe on Apple Podcasts
Thanks to those of you expressing support for our ramping up our passion toward this AD hire. I can’t fathom the level of mess this thing has turned into here. The plan is this...There is no plan. The going's on behind the scenes are shambolic.
A lot of passion on yesterday's show. I really appreciated John Brice's appearance. Wow. That guy is really standing up to be counted on this AD deal.
Even the hint that Auburn was going to run out Art Briles for OC in the wake of Locksley's bolting to UConn is straight gangsta. I wonder if they through that out there as a trail balloon. Then again this is Auburn we're talking about here. He's toxic, but Auburn is the super fund site of the SEC.
Hatfield's Nine
Tony,
There is no shortage of quality sports programming this weekend. The NFL Playoffs and a stout slate of conference hoops hostilities make for a myriad of viewing options.
1. Tennessee has to find their focus on the road at Vanderbilt. The Commodores are playing their best basketball of the weekend.
2. Duke and Louisville face off in a battle of ACC superpowers. The Blue Devils are looking to bounce back from a thrashing at Florida State.
3. Xavier looks to recover from a beating at the hands of Villanova. Hinkle Fieldhouse isn't the easiest place to get well.
4. Florida State tries to keep its roll going at North Carolina. The Seminoles would position themselves well in the ACC race with a win.
5. Virginia Tech needs to protect their homecourt again Notre Dame. The Hokies don't want to dog themselves an early hole in the conference standings.
6. Life in the Big 12 is never easy. Baylor has to try to get back on track with a trip to Manhattan to face a gritty Kansas State team.
7. Wichita State faces probably its toughest regular season conference battle when they travel to Illinois State. The Cardinals have been slowly closing the gap on the Shockers.
8. St. Mary's and Gonzaga should be a classic. Both squads look poised to see the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament.
9. With the exception of the presumptive New England beatdown of Houston, this should be a great NFL weekend. Television has to be especially thrilled with the Green Bay at Dallas matchup.
Sapphire is Knoxville's premier nightspot. Some exciting changes will be coming soon.
Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken is the answer to the dinner question. Take a load off and let Gus's do the chicken.
2017 should be a banner year for the Blankenship Field renovation project. Go to blankenshiplegacy.org to donate.
Keith
@rkeithhatfield
'Tony,
If you really want to ratchet things up then let's try this.
Get the word out. All Vol fans that are sick of this circus and want Blackburn. Let's give the clowns in charge until Monday Jan 29th to name Blackburn the AD. If it doesn't happen then we all take an old Vol shirt or anything Vol that we have and ship it to Beverly Davenport. Put a note inside the box that says we will buy a new shirt the day Blackburn is named. Or We will ship everything else we have if someone else is named.
Can you imagine the impact if about 25000 boxes arrive at her office.
I'm in if you want to help spread it across the state.
Jeff'
Jeff: Incredible suggestion. Tell you what I'm going to do. I'm going to run a masthead on this blog on Monday with every e-mail address and phone number I can get my hands on for folks involved in this thing. We need to make our voice heard during this election season. As for shipping off some old clothes…My closet could use an early winter cleaning. I’ll bet I’m not alone.
'Tony,
From what I gather the only (or major) strike again Blackburn is that he hasn't run an athletic department as big as UT-Knoxville and we need someone with big league experience.
I can see that point, but how many schools with budgets like UT have AD's that were hired that were AD's at big time schools? What about Jeremy Foley, which just about everyone agrees has done a wonderful job at Florida? Was he a big time AD somewhere else? I'm not sure. If this is the main sticking point with the powers that be, it would be nice know how many AD's at big time universities had experiences as AD's at a big time university. You probably know this off the top of your head. I'm sure your listeners would like to know. I know I would.
Thanks for your show and by the way, I haven't eaten at Copper Cellar in a while. I will now make a point to go their more regularly. I know it wasn't Mike Chase's intention to boost his sales with his stand, but I have a feeling lots of Vol fans will start going there more often.
Go Vols
Dean, Nashville'
Dean:
Jeremy Foley started in Florida's ticket office. He's a Blackburn type without the success at another stop. I'm 1000% convinced he would restore order back to this place. As for Mike Chase. I love that guy. He's his own man. And he loves and respects this place. My kind of person all the way!!!
Final Thought: The divisional round of the NFL playoffs is my favorite weekend on the NFL calendar. I'll take Seattle, New England, Green Bay, and KC. How about you?
Tony
Share This Blog
