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Post by sunsuphornsup on Dec 19, 2014 1:54:04 GMT -5
Lots to look forward to in 2015! Proud of this team. They made it to the Final Four which not too many other teams can say, lol. With all of the top recruits they get I'd sure hope they make it to the final four... I think Stanford is a good example that top recruits don't guarantee you a berth to the Final Four. Prior to this year, they hadn't cracked the Final Four since 2008.
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Post by vbprisoner on Dec 19, 2014 2:04:18 GMT -5
I bet we get a top transfer that will make a difference.......and not a middle.
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Post by elevationvb on Dec 19, 2014 2:14:14 GMT -5
I bet we get a top transfer that will make a big difference.......and not a middle. What do we need in one transfer? a 6'+ six rotation player who can, 1) pass from the back row; 2) block; 3) be a top hitter who can consistently hit out of system balls; 4) what else?
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Post by Hookemhasbeen on Dec 19, 2014 2:27:43 GMT -5
I bet we get a top transfer that will make a difference.......and not a middle. For some strange reason, and this is entirely me just having some wishful thinking, II've thought how great it would be if Ebony Nwanebu came to TX. I know she is from Lovejoy N of Dallas and played club with Chi. I mean doubt that ever happens but I can dream right?
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Post by sunsuphornsup on Dec 19, 2014 3:36:00 GMT -5
I bet we get a top transfer that will make a difference.......and not a middle. Wait a minute! What do you know?
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Post by volleyfan24 on Dec 19, 2014 4:01:49 GMT -5
Texas is another team I actively root for but replacing both Bell and Eckerman is an extremely tall order for next season. I think the streak of consecutive Final Four runs ends next year. There will be a lot of learning to do next season. Some pieces will still be around to be very competitive but the shot for the title was this year. Molly and Chiaka will be back as the best front row players. Maybe Prieto Cerame can be a more consistent hitter I don't like Texas in the 6-2 but right now with Collins and Dalton it looks like what will be happening. Collins has really improved but having her play 6 rotation player is a recipe for disaster she is just too short.
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Post by southie on Dec 19, 2014 8:01:50 GMT -5
Excited about 2015 already. Sad to see Bell and Eckerman leave as they were instrumental in getting Texas a national championship in 2012; I still think we would have won it all in 2011 had Bell not had that devastating knee injury.
Folks might want to count Texas out already after losing such great seniors, but Texas hosting a Regional in 2015 provides Texas a better chance to make another Final Four.
I also feel there will be several other roster changes; some could be in the next few weeks, and others not until the summer.
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Post by kbcomm on Dec 19, 2014 10:39:16 GMT -5
First- I am a Longhorns fan through and through. 2 of Texas' biggest weaknesses:
1) lack of frequent battle experiences to develop normalcy and calm during the natural tides of a game. Elliott gets this and schedules tough pre-season and always talks about "mental toughness". This is not enough IMO. 2) lack of consistent passing/back-row play.
So I always come in to the season expecting leaps and bounds in passing as it has to be obvious to the staff that our passing is usually our (or any teams') downfall. I am always surprised by how little improvement I see. Especially that we have Sullivan as part of our staff.
Question to you guys- what does it take to change this? Is it truly that reps/drills can make anyone a better passer and Texas is seemingly not devoting enough resources towards this? Is it that the girls we recruit come in with considerably lower levels of these skills so are always on the catch-up to peers? Is it that the schedule of the Big 12 is so un-challenging for the most part that the Texas back-row is never consistently exposed to methodical/more strategic/powerful attacking ala PSU/Stanford? What else?
Out of most peoples' control, but I would so rather not win the conference every year and be more battle-tested and have my opponents help me improve. We should move conferences.
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Post by vbprisoner on Dec 19, 2014 11:12:32 GMT -5
OH's were finally exposed- it was painful. Defense and serve receive- not good. There's always next year! I personally think he needs to try a different libero, but not sure there's anyone. I have been disappointed in libero play the last several matches where there has been hesitation to break on balls, reading block & positioning, lack of communication & control of back row, and serve receive has been on average 2 or less.
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Post by kodiak on Dec 19, 2014 12:41:03 GMT -5
Just my .02, having watched Texas a few times: they recruit some of the best female athletes in the country- then try to train them to be volleyball players. The recruits do not come into the program as skilled in fundamentals as some of the better club program graduates. ie, as everyone says, it starts with the pass- last night's passing had both setters scrambling. How many sets were miss-timed or behind the hitters? Texas will always be a top10 program, but to win it all again will require "prime time" fundamentals (and an all-American setter). Out!
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Post by onfiya on Dec 19, 2014 13:08:09 GMT -5
Question to you guys- what does it take to change this? Is it truly that reps/drills can make anyone a better passer and Texas is seemingly not devoting enough resources towards this? Is it that the girls we recruit come in with considerably lower levels of these skills so are always on the catch-up to peers? Is it that the schedule of the Big 12 is so un-challenging for the most part that the Texas back-row is never consistently exposed to methodical/more strategic/powerful attacking ala PSU/Stanford? What else? Nobody will want to hear this, but it's failure in recruiting. The hitters that Elliott brings in are all incredibly athletic bangers with no ability to pass. If you can only have one or the other, I go with the blaster too, but there are plenty of top level recruits that can do it all. Texas can have their pick. Give me Hodson or Duello over Yaz or White any day. It's great to have big, strong, athletic kids that can jump out of the gym and hit the ball 80 MPH. That wins a lot of matches. But when you build a team of those, with no passing ability, you're going to eventually lose to the Penn States and Stanfords of the world, who seek more multi-skilled, well rounded players. Florida and Texas can't seem to figure that part out. Also, the DS's that they bring in are mostly mediocre. Another one coming in 2015. Not even the best DS on her high school team. 4th or 5th best in her district. 2016, more of the same. It's all about athleticism with the coaching staff and they miss out on a lot of girls that are just flat out better. Cat McCoy and Caitlin Nolan for instance. High school teammates, 2 years apart at Southlake. Caitlin doesn't look like the most gifted athlete in the world, and Texas has no interest. She's absolutely incredible, but ends up at Iowa State. She's one of the top 2 or 3 liberos in the country now. Cat, on the other hand, has been the chosen one since she was 14 or 15 and is a good athlete. She looks very impressive, but the results just aren't the same.
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Post by Longhorn20 on Dec 19, 2014 13:36:38 GMT -5
Question to you guys- what does it take to change this? Is it truly that reps/drills can make anyone a better passer and Texas is seemingly not devoting enough resources towards this? Is it that the girls we recruit come in with considerably lower levels of these skills so are always on the catch-up to peers? Is it that the schedule of the Big 12 is so un-challenging for the most part that the Texas back-row is never consistently exposed to methodical/more strategic/powerful attacking ala PSU/Stanford? What else? Nobody will want to hear this, but it's failure in recruiting. The hitters that Elliott brings in are all incredibly athletic bangers with no ability to pass. If you can only have one or the other, I go with the blaster too, but there are plenty of top level recruits that can do it all. Texas can have their pick. Give me Hodson or Duello over Yaz or White any day. It's great to have big, strong, athletic kids that can jump out of the gym and hit the ball 80 MPH. That wins a lot of matches. But when you build a team of those, with no passing ability, you're going to eventually lose to the Penn States and Stanfords of the world, who seek more multi-skilled, well rounded players. Florida and Texas can't seem to figure that part out. Also, the DS's that they bring in are mostly mediocre. Another one coming in 2015. Not even the best DS on her high school team. 4th or 5th best in her district. 2016, more of the same. It's all about athleticism with the coaching staff and they miss out on a lot of girls that are just flat out better. Cat McCoy and Caitlin Nolan for instance. High school teammates, 2 years apart at Southlake. Caitlin doesn't look like the most gifted athlete in the world, and Texas has no interest. She's absolutely incredible, but ends up at Iowa State. She's one of the top 2 or 3 liberos in the country now. Cat, on the other hand, has been the chosen one since she was 14 or 15 and is a good athlete. She looks very impressive, but the results just aren't the same. Nolan was actually more highly touted out of high school. She didn't choose Texas. And in 2016, Texas has a solid L2 type player who plays all 6 rotations well in Abby Buckingham.
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Post by onfiya on Dec 19, 2014 14:10:19 GMT -5
Yes Abby is a nice all-around player. That's the type of kid that they need more of IMO.
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Post by vbprisoner on Dec 19, 2014 14:18:26 GMT -5
Nobody will want to hear this, but it's failure in recruiting. The hitters that Elliott brings in are all incredibly athletic bangers with no ability to pass. If you can only have one or the other, I go with the blaster too, but there are plenty of top level recruits that can do it all. Texas can have their pick. Give me Hodson or Duello over Yaz or White any day. It's great to have big, strong, athletic kids that can jump out of the gym and hit the ball 80 MPH. That wins a lot of matches. But when you build a team of those, with no passing ability, you're going to eventually lose to the Penn States and Stanfords of the world, who seek more multi-skilled, well rounded players. Florida and Texas can't seem to figure that part out. Also, the DS's that they bring in are mostly mediocre. Another one coming in 2015. Not even the best DS on her high school team. 4th or 5th best in her district. 2016, more of the same. It's all about athleticism with the coaching staff and they miss out on a lot of girls that are just flat out better. Cat McCoy and Caitlin Nolan for instance. High school teammates, 2 years apart at Southlake. Caitlin doesn't look like the most gifted athlete in the world, and Texas has no interest. She's absolutely incredible, but ends up at Iowa State. She's one of the top 2 or 3 liberos in the country now. Cat, on the other hand, has been the chosen one since she was 14 or 15 and is a good athlete. She looks very impressive, but the results just aren't the same. Nolan was actually more highly touted out of high school. She didn't choose Texas. And in 2016, Texas has a solid L2 type player who plays all 6 rotations well in Abby Buckingham. Yes, Buckingham is not a prototypical banger that UT usually goes after, but should be a great L2 and that is very necessary. A perfect fit this year would have been MK Marshall, but Texas did not show interest in recruiting her and that ship has sailed.
I fell into a lull once conference matches started and Amy Neal started playing well on front row and starting thinking that she has come around and become a key all around player, but then I got hit with the lightning bolt of reality last night and realized I let my hopes outweigh my true feelings knowing a 5'9" L2 that is just serviceable in the back row would not cut it long term against the PSU, Stanfords, and apparently a good team on a hot run. If our back row play had been like that against UNC we would have lost.
Moving forward I hope we may have: 1. True leadership in back row that takes control and is the rock for serve receive. Hopefully someone steps up because I am not sold on current situation. 2. Injuries to Baker and Dalton do not drag on, and if so, do not try to piece meal a season out of them. 3. Utilize Ogbogu and McCage as focus for next year and let the OHs be complimentary until proven. 4. Setting be more consistent than this year (unless some one new came in it is what it is).
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Post by austex2010 on Dec 19, 2014 14:19:09 GMT -5
Question to you guys- what does it take to change this? Is it truly that reps/drills can make anyone a better passer and Texas is seemingly not devoting enough resources towards this? Is it that the girls we recruit come in with considerably lower levels of these skills so are always on the catch-up to peers? Is it that the schedule of the Big 12 is so un-challenging for the most part that the Texas back-row is never consistently exposed to methodical/more strategic/powerful attacking ala PSU/Stanford? What else? Nobody will want to hear this, but it's failure in recruiting. The hitters that Elliott brings in are all incredibly athletic bangers with no ability to pass. If you can only have one or the other, I go with the blaster too, but there are plenty of top level recruits that can do it all. Texas can have their pick. Give me Hodson or Duello over Yaz or White any day. It's great to have big, strong, athletic kids that can jump out of the gym and hit the ball 80 MPH. That wins a lot of matches. But when you build a team of those, with no passing ability, you're going to eventually lose to the Penn States and Stanfords of the world, who seek more multi-skilled, well rounded players. Florida and Texas can't seem to figure that part out. Also, the DS's that they bring in are mostly mediocre. Another one coming in 2015. Not even the best DS on her high school team. 4th or 5th best in her district. 2016, more of the same. It's all about athleticism with the coaching staff and they miss out on a lot of girls that are just flat out better. Cat McCoy and Caitlin Nolan for instance. High school teammates, 2 years apart at Southlake. Caitlin doesn't look like the most gifted athlete in the world, and Texas has no interest. She's absolutely incredible, but ends up at Iowa State. She's one of the top 2 or 3 liberos in the country now. Cat, on the other hand, has been the chosen one since she was 14 or 15 and is a good athlete. She looks very impressive, but the results just aren't the same. I take no issue with this because I think most of it is pretty spot. But you do have remember that recruiting is a two way street. School shows interest, athlete chooses best school for them. Elliott said in an interview a few years back, that he goes for those all around players but they don't choose Texas. I believe Texas was top 2/3 for Hodson, same thing with Beth Prince....I think Even Megan Hodge. But it's also not like other schools don't recruit the big bangers either. Eckerman/Webster, both with offers from the likes of Nebraska PSU Wisconsin etc.....with that being said, Texas doesn't have a good enough mix of the bangers and all around skills. I've watched many teams this year and thought how much even their DS' are so much better than our DS'. In the Florida match at Gregory, Flordia DS Unroe was a difference maker for them....tough serve, lights out passing/defense. Which then makes me think, is it then a coaching thing.....or is in the mentality of the players in that they are just not able to execute the skill. But look a Sha'dare, starting playing in volleyball in high school as a MB and was one of Texas' most dependable passers and defenders....I think it was because it came natural to her.
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