Bilzz

Did I miss where all this talk about Yuri maybe re-committing with NIL money is coming from? Is that speculation or did a semi-serious source say that is a possibility?

For anyone that knows the St. Louis scene, could Kasubke serve as a the back-up PG? I watched him at the Higland tournament his senior year and I think I remember him running the point. Just wondering if a Kasubke/Bradford double signing would make sense?

We need two bigs still for next year. A primary back-up/partner for Okoro and a third Traore-level minute filler. I'd have to assume he could fill at least the role player spot.

Have to assume that bridge is burnt. Ford indicated as recently as last week that all the starters were expected back if Yuri wasn't selected in the draft. Pretty clear that he didn't keep the coaching staff in the loop here.

If this were true, you don't wait three weeks to enter the portal after declaring for the draft. The Vols message board was all over this for weeks. They were in his/his family's ear for a long time.

Anyone more connected than me have some names to watch for a PG?

Scratch that. Signing as a walk-on.

I believe that's two scholarships left after LHII and Pickett. Have to think we're going big with both? Maybe Ford's planning on using Javonte as a PG when Yuri is out?

There's only so many minutes to go around. Going into the transfer portal period I thought we had decent minutes to offer a big and and a back-up PG. Turnbull, as a stretch 4, would mean we'd probably still need the big and Pickett, as another SG, would mean we still probably need the back-up PG. I very much want Turnbull, but we're going to be running into a roster crunch if a few of our higher-end targets end up coming.

I would much rather have Bradford or Turnbull for multiple years as opposed to Williams. I don't think you could land both Bradford and Turnbull with playing time concerns. In realistic terms, the #1 big you bring in is going to be the only one who can expect consistent playing time next year. I think the back-up PG you bring in will get even less time than DeAndre did this year because with Perkins back, you'd have the ability to let him bring the ball down on occasion ala Nesbitt this year. Jimerson, Parker, Hargrove, Yuri, Javonte, Thatch, Okoro, + New Big. I'm not sure Ford is going to go much deeper than eight. I'd shoot for another impact big and then look for DeAndre-types for back-up PG and back-up forward, particularly if Ford is going to stick with one big rotations.

If Ford can lure him to SLU, I'd love to see them incorporate some two big rotations. Both Bradford and Okoro are capable bigs who could feed off each other.

Correct. Maybe 9-13 for SLU, but the point being, players need to be in the rotation if you're expecting them to stay. Taking a two or three year project isn't worth it anymore.

I think this is a really good illustration that absent a clear understanding with a high school recruit, you have to assume that roster spots 10-13 are going to bolt after every season. Players are either going to have to be in your rotation or they're going to leave. I thought Traore was much more raw than most on this board, but I did think he may have been serviceable by the time he was an upper classman. Just going to have to modify views of roster construction moving forward.

I'm hoping those two are either the Diaz twins or Turnbull.

Coach, would any of the names you're hearing be classified as "wow" like the dude on Twitter said?

I'm guessing Lorentssen and TJ. I hope TJ doesn't go, though.

Wildly athletic, but really didn't fit the system well. In person it's very apparent how often he got beat by his man on defense. I'm okay with this as I didn't really see him getting into the rotation in the next two years. Also, opens up a spot for a big from the portal. Wishing him the best at his next stop. P.S. Does anyone know if Perkins would count as a scholarship if he comes back? I know the COVID year doesn't count, but was this year his COVID year and next year the Medical redshirt year? Is this year considered the Medical Red Shirt and next year the COVID year? Not really sure how that plays out.

Happy for him. Perhaps the pregnancy is why Nesbitt felt like he needed to come back home and all the rumors of being an issue in the locker room were overblown.

The second tweet is fake. Its from @ChapleyNedia, not Carter's account.

Heard from SLU after the Linssen commitment?

Whatcha got, Coach?

I was at the game tonight sitting opposite the bench. At one point he was walking past other players and I'd guess he was about an inch or two taller than French. Skinny build. He and the guy that was with him recorded the entire team intro on their phones.

Yea. I was in attendance right across from the bench. Definitely had a boot on.

Jimerson was in a boot during the Maryville game.

Don't know that he can. Could be a HIPAA violation.