Hopefully Barnes is on the recruiting trail. His team needs some talent. As I

[volsboy]

recall his years that didn't include Durant were not that superior. He needs to get a lot more talent in here. Most of Vols fans are just happy to make the 64 team field. I expect a school with a budget the size of UT's to at least get to Elite 8 a reasonable amount of times. . A Final 4 once in our history should not ever be impossible either. Maybe it doesn't mean anything, but a lot of schools with smaller budgets do way better than UT in basketball.  How does UF do so well in basketball? Do they a lot of advantages just being in Florida. I don't think so. Not as much so as in football recruiting.

[Tnphil]

Billy D. has been at Fl. for 17 years....how many bb coaches have we had during that time? That will answer some of your question about Florida.

Barnes came in late with not much to build on.....this year will be pretty bad IMO. Really hard to get in on some top players this late in the game....he'll feel in some of our needs and then have a much better recruiting class the next go around.

I'm worried more about competing in the SEC and maybe playing for a SEC championship more than I am Elite Eights at this point.

[LouisVOL]

He had talent at Texas.  After Durant and Lemarcus Aldridge, he had one year, seems like 4-5 years ago, with three first rounders in the NBA draft.  The knock against Barnes has never been talent, but what he does with talent.  I am in wait and see mode.

[volsboy]

He had talent at Texas.  After Durant and Lemarcus Aldridge, he had one year, seems like 4-5 years ago, with three first rounders in the NBA draft.  The knock against Barnes has never been talent, but what he does with talent.  I am in wait and see mode.

That's what I mean, if he can't win with that talent what makes Vols fans see him being successful here? Is just making the tourney enough? Not for me. He better just out-talent people, so damn sure better get his recruiting pants on. And by saying can't win, I mean elite 8's, Final 4's and NC's. Why can't this program not be a consistent elite 8 program? Facilities and budget are pretty good.