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Post by shotcaller on Dec 30, 2017 2:34:11 GMT -5
We got through the year with only one able-bodied setter on the roster. Had Jordyn been unable to play for any reason, a great season would have become a disaster. Next year we will have three setters on the roster. It will be interesting to learn how Coach Tamas plans to deal with the situation. Setter is probably the position that substitutes the least on a college roster. To me 3 setters on a roster makes sense. If you want to run 6v6 practices you need 3 in the gym in case one goes down. I think in this situation it's pretty straight forward Poulter would get most if not all the reps with the 'starters' and the other two will share the time on the 'non-starters' side whilst occassionally getting a run with the 'starters'.
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Post by vbkahuna on Dec 30, 2017 14:55:28 GMT -5
Since the thread has turned to the topic of setters, I'm going to remind the posters that Coach Tamas was himself a terrific setter (1st Team AVCA All-American, USMNT, and VB Pro in Europe for many years). So to me the key to understanding what "Illinois 2018" will look like is to ask yourself what would a terrific setter (who knows he has a terrific setter) do to this team to take it to the next level?
Several commenters have noted that Illinois was only one player away ("the terminator") this year from making it to the final weekend. But those kinds of OHs can't just be ordered up or get lucky with an amazing transfer. And the current crop of young IL pins are already very mobile and continue to develop nicely. So I would expect to see the following in the team development strategy for 2018:
1) Greater concentration and improvement in back row passing, and especially on first touches. This is the "John Cook/Nebraska Formula," and Coach Tamas spent two years as an assistant there, putting it into practice, winning one NCAA chanpionship and another FF. I expect to see Jordyn Poulter chasing a lot fewer OOS balls in 2018.
2) With Poulter getting better passes, I suspect the already quick tempo of 2017 (the "Hugh McCutcheon/Minnesota Formula") will become even quicker in 2018. If you can't get a terminator, getting a good ball quickly to a good hitter before the blocks can get set is a great alternative.
3) Very few people fully appreciated the significant improvement in IL blocking last year and both the reasons for it and its significance on the entire team mindset. Coach Tamas not only likes a quick tempo offense but also a similarly quick defense. And a big part of that is due to his preference for mobile middles, so judging his MB recruits or his selection of MBs besides Bastianelli on the basis of size alone will not be very helpful.
Overall, if all the pieces fit, and the coaching magic works, "Illinois 2018" should be an even quicker precision offense and a more tenacious defense. This will definitely be a setter's team.
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Post by oldmanvb on Dec 30, 2017 17:35:52 GMT -5
I couldn't agree more. Our biggest challenge in maintaining/improving our passing and first contacts will be replacing Brandi. She passed half of the court, and we dealt with problem rotations by essentially going to a two person receive. I know that we were frustrated at times because of the failure to terminate, but I really don't see a transfer who is significantly better than our two left side pin hitters. I am very hopeful that a winter and spring in the weight room and working on footwork and technique will take our OHs up another notch.
Any additional posting from a new recruit?
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Post by Heisenberg on Dec 30, 2017 23:29:29 GMT -5
Since the thread has turned to the topic of setters, I'm going to remind the posters that Coach Tamas was himself a terrific setter (1st Team AVCA All-American, USMNT, and VB Pro in Europe for many years). So to me the key to understanding what "Illinois 2018" will look like is to ask yourself what would a terrific setter (who knows he has a terrific setter) do to this team to take it to the next level? Several commenters have noted that Illinois was only one player away ("the terminator") this year from making it to the final weekend. But those kinds of OHs can't just be ordered up or get lucky with an amazing transfer. And the current crop of young IL pins are already very mobile and continue to develop nicely. So I would expect to see the following in the team development strategy for 2018: 1) Greater concentration and improvement in back row passing, and especially on first touches. This is the "John Cook/Nebraska Formula," and Coach Tamas spent two years as an assistant there, putting it into practice, winning one NCAA chanpionship and another FF. I expect to see Jordyn Poulter chasing a lot fewer OOS balls in 2018. 2) With Poulter getting better passes, I suspect the already quick tempo of 2017 (the "Hugh McCutcheon/Minnesota Formula") will become even quicker in 2018. If you can't get a terminator, getting a good ball quickly to a good hitter before the blocks can get set is a great alternative. 3) Very few people fully appreciated the significant improvement in IL blocking last year and both the reasons for it and its significance on the entire team mindset. Coach Tamas not only likes a quick tempo offense but also a similarly quick defense. And a big part of that is due to his preference for mobile middles, so judging his MB recruits or his selection of MBs besides Bastianelli on the basis of size alone will not be very helpful. Overall, if all the pieces fit, and the coaching magic works, "Illinois 2018" should be an even quicker precision offense and a more tenacious defense. This will definitely be a setter's team. I would say being one player away from a Final 4 is a stretch. Realistically, they had a Cinderella tournament. Prince played much better than expected as well. I wouldn’t get hopes up too high too soon.
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Post by oldmanvb on Jan 1, 2018 9:45:53 GMT -5
Happy New Year everyone. I appreciate all of the exchanges we had last year and look forward to a great new year for Illinois volleyball! We have a lot to be thankful about, with better to come!
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Post by brucks on Jan 1, 2018 16:31:45 GMT -5
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Post by ilalum92 on Jan 1, 2018 21:18:13 GMT -5
That list is always suspect. Where is Taylor Landfair?? Mostly made of up girls from the middle to lower half of Illinois - also small schools. Barely anyone from the NW Suburbs of Chicago expect Niego.
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Post by ilalum92 on Jan 1, 2018 21:23:57 GMT -5
Isnt there another girl @ Illini Elite who is supposed to be a top recruit? I wonder if Tamas is recruiting her too
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Post by Heisenberg on Jan 1, 2018 22:49:16 GMT -5
Isnt there another girl @ Illini Elite who is supposed to be a top recruit? I wonder if Tamas is recruiting her too I know Rylee well. Great kid. Will need to develop a lot more physicality to be able to bring it at a B1G level. Has size and length, but doesn’t quite have the speed or power yet. She struggles still at the high school level. Like I said though, she’s a great kid and it would be nice to see her put it together. As far as another top level kid at Illini Elite, I’m curious who that would be referring to.
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Post by #scoskers on Jan 2, 2018 10:06:37 GMT -5
Jordyn Poulter and Arya Stark Ali Bastianelli should be First-Team All-Americans in 2018.
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Post by brucks on Jan 2, 2018 15:25:24 GMT -5
Isnt there another girl @ Illini Elite who is supposed to be a top recruit? I wonder if Tamas is recruiting her too There are two that I am aware of. Grace Cleveland of Normal is going to Purdue and Mica Allison of St. Thomas More is headed to Auburn.
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Post by Heisenberg on Jan 2, 2018 15:51:29 GMT -5
Isnt there another girl @ Illini Elite who is supposed to be a top recruit? I wonder if Tamas is recruiting her too There are two that I am aware of. Grace Cleveland of Normal is going to Purdue and Mica Allison of St. Thomas More is headed to Auburn. Grace is no longer at IE. Mica graduated early and isn’t playing club this year.
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Post by wishinwestcoastvb on Jan 2, 2018 16:01:29 GMT -5
There are two that I am aware of. Grace Cleveland of Normal is going to Purdue and Mica Allison of St. Thomas More is headed to Auburn. Grace is no longer at IE. Mica graduated early and isn’t playing club this year. Grace was at Milwaukee Sting before Illini Elite too. Tamas had no chance of landing these girls since they’d committed 2 years before his arrival
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Post by alt on Jan 2, 2018 18:27:11 GMT -5
Vandyke is going to university of Louisville
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Post by Heisenberg on Jan 2, 2018 18:29:41 GMT -5
Grace is no longer at IE. Mica graduated early and isn’t playing club this year. Grace was at Milwaukee Sting before Illini Elite too. Tamas had no chance of landing these girls since they’d committed 2 years before his arrival I don’t think anyone was saying that he should have gotten them. Mica was actually offered though by the old staff.
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