|
Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Dec 1, 2019 10:23:21 GMT -5
No, they were talking about 2017 season. We had 4 or 5 transfer after that year was done. Not that they were bad players, but no one (at least on the team) was upset they left. And in 2018 again the parents said the chemistry was way better. You wouldn’t think there’s be issues since many of the 2017 issues were Hambly recruits deciding to play for Tamas. Tamas now has mostly a roster he picked himself. The following current players are Hambly recruits: Diana Brown Kylie Bruder Jackie Quade Beth Prince Emily Hollowell Megan Cooney Caroline Welsh *Morgan O'Brien (I am not sure if Morgan had already agreed to join the Illini when Hambly was coach, I believe so) That's 8 out of 18. I don't know about the difference in chemistry from year to year. Trusting comments from a parent or two about team situations should always be considered with suspicion for lots of reasons. My view is that Tamas was lucky with the group he inherited from Hambly his first season. Most of the player departures after Tamas' first year were due to lack of playing time. In one case, it had to do with classwork issues. My guess is that there are some other recruiting issues that Hambly left for Tamas, and until Coach Tamas has a few seasons to get his program the way he wants it (for instance his philosophy on scholarship rotation and getting a chance to get in on some great young recruits), it is really not fair to judge.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2019 11:38:16 GMT -5
I talked to a lot of the parents last year who said the chemistry was the main difference between the 2017 disappointing season, and the 2018 great season. I haven’t talked to any of them this year as I moved out of the area, but I wonder if the Chemistry is bad again. I know it’s a convenient excuse for losing teams, but this team underachieved given the talent on it. I don’t know enough about volleyball to blame the coaching staff, but I do believe there’s enough talent on this team to be good. Last nights showing made it seem like the girls wanted the season to be over with . Next year I think will be far worse than this one was. Replacing Jackie is near the same loss as replacing Poulter. Mica really needs to step up and be a dominant player. Don’t think she lived up to the hype. Mo will be good next year. Kuper ok. The rest lot of unknowns. I thought the hype around Mica was as a setter, the position she played last year at Auburn. I really didn’t expect to see her on the RS, and I don’t think we would have if Prince was not hurt, forcing Cooney to OH.
|
|
|
Post by vbkahuna on Dec 1, 2019 11:45:59 GMT -5
Looks like a lot of grousing and short memories here. The group that Tamas was "lucky" to inherit didn't even make the playoffs under Hambly in 2016 (and it included both Poulter and Bastianelli as sophomores that year). Tamas took them to the Sweet 16 in 2017, and, somehow after the transfers left, to the Final Four in 2018. Luck? You decide.
If my memory is correct, that was just last year. Also if my memory is correct this same poster posted a thread thereafter suggesting that the Illinois coaching staff might be the best young staff in the country, or something to that effect.
This is a textbook example of how fickle (manic-depressive?) fans can be in just one year. And in some cases (Wisconsin fans, I'm looking at YOU), in just one week.
In my opinion, Illinois does have a lot of talent, but it never came together. The injuries that jumbled their lineup through most of the pre-conference season pretty much continued to the very end. The absence of Bruna and Prince (never regained her prior form) forced the displacement of Cooney from her strong natural position on the right over to the left where she is much less effective. And the lack of a consistent connection between your freshman setter (who I believe will progress significantly) and Quade was glaringly obvious. And often momentum killing.
Memo to Illini: shrug it off, and get up and fight (as your slogan asserts). Might even be able to still do so this year.
|
|
|
Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Dec 1, 2019 12:01:54 GMT -5
Mica has a powerful arm as a hitter. The little I saw of her as a setter, is that she seemed to have some of the same set location problems that Brown has. I believe a lot of Mica's reputation was built on her being on the U.S. youth national teams. I believe she admitted herself, that a big reason why she was chosen for the national squad is that she gave the U.S. coaches the option of setting or hitting. Regardless of the quality of a team's hitters, if the team does not have a setter that puts up a consistently hittable ball, the hitters are not going to be successful. The team, generally, is not going to be successful, even though obviously there are a lot of other elements that go into being successful. Every team has strengths and weaknesses. In my unprofessional opinion, setting the left-side was a problem all season for Illinois.
|
|
|
Post by vbkahuna on Dec 1, 2019 12:05:19 GMT -5
Mica has a powerful arm as a hitter. The little I saw of her as a setter, is that she seemed to have some of the same set location problems that Brown has. I believe a lot of Mica's reputation was built on her being on the U.S. youth national teams. I believe she admitted herself, that a big reason why she was chosen for the national squad is that she gave the U.S. coaches the option of setting or hitting. Regardless of the quality of a team's hitters, if the team does not have a setter that puts up a consistently hittable ball, the hitters are not going to be successful. The team, generally, is not going to be successful, even though obviously there are a lot of other elements that go into being successful. Every team has strengths and weaknesses. In my unprofessional opinion, setting the left-side was a problem all season for Illinois. Your last sentence in particular hit the nail squarely on the head.
|
|
|
Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Dec 1, 2019 12:28:55 GMT -5
Looks like a lot of grousing and short memories here. The group that Tamas was "lucky" to inherit didn't even make the playoffs under Hambly in 2016 (and it included both Poulter and Bastianelli as sophomores that year). Tamas took them to the Sweet 16 in 2017, and, somehow after the transfers left, to the Final Four in 2018. Luck? You decide. If my memory is correct, that was just last year. Also if my memory is correct this same poster posted a thread thereafter suggesting that the Illinois coaching staff might be the best young staff in the country, or something to that effect. This is a textbook example of how fickle (manic-depressive?) fans can be in just one year. And in some cases (Wisconsin fans, I'm looking at YOU), in just one week. In my opinion, Illinois does have a lot of talent, but it never came together. The injuries that jumbled their lineup through most of the pre-conference season pretty much continued to the very end. The absence of Bruna and Prince (never regained her prior form) forced the displacement of Cooney from her strong natural position on the right over to the left where she is much less effective. And the lack of a consistent connection between your freshman setter (who I believe will progress significantly) and Quade was glaringly obvious. And often momentum killing. Memo to Illini: shrug it off, and get up and fight (as your slogan asserts). Might even be able to still do so this year. I will stick with my assertion that Tamas was lucky to have inherited from Hambly the players he did. If I was to knock a coach, it would not be Tamas. It would be Hambly for not being more successful with the group Tamas took to the Sweet Sixteen and to the Final Four. I am a total believer in Tamas' coaching abilities. However, if this season taught us anything, it's that a coach has got to have the horses generally to win the race. Good coaching is a part of being successful, but so is the talent of your players. I look at the athletic ability of the players on Minnesota, Michigan, and Penn State, and I am envious. Tamas coached this group of players perhaps better than any coach could. I give him credit for trying a lot of different line-ups and strategies. I believe he did as much as he could with this group of players.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2019 12:51:43 GMT -5
The line up shuffling this year made any type of consistency very difficult. Going in to the year, we knew we had to replace two AA seniors. And ultimately they were replaced with two Freshmen. Yes, Brown is a RS Freshman, and the year of practice helped. But she still is in her first season of playing and match level competition is very different from practice. She showed signs of her ability and she will only get better.
If those were the only two replacements, Illinois would have been fine. But you lose your other senior OH for most of the season. Your back up OHs were also hurt, so your best option was to move your starting RS to OH. Then your back up RS was hurt early, so you have a true freshman middle playing RS for a few matches. Then your long term solution at the RS was a SO that spent her first year at setter.
|
|
|
Post by fishbed on Dec 1, 2019 13:27:47 GMT -5
I was at the game. Honestly the passing was not the issue set selection and pace of the ball made it hard for the hitters to stay in rhythm. I hope Tamas looks at his setting options again this post season. Alision was a top recruit for setting... Work on her. I was at the match last night also. IMO we should forget about the tournament this year. I am more worried about next year, With JQ gone who is going to be the go-to OH ? Bruna ? Hollowell ? Holzman ? Have not seen enough of any of them to judge. Cooney is ok on the right side and Mica is skilled in many facets, but we still need a bomber. Quade pretty much dominated the second set - not just kills, Her serve was good and she made some nice digs as well. Someone is going to have to step up next year.
|
|
|
Post by cbrown1709 on Dec 1, 2019 13:32:52 GMT -5
I'm not trying to be an @$$%*!* but I thought Tamas was the savior. I know Hambly isn't the greatest coach but isn't this a similar path? Very successful season and then deterioration.
|
|
|
Post by eazy on Dec 1, 2019 14:41:23 GMT -5
I'm not trying to be an @$$%*!* but I thought Tamas was the savior. I know Hambly isn't the greatest coach but isn't this a similar path? Very successful season and then deterioration. To call any coach a savior, they would have to consistently take unsuccessful teams and turn them into successful teams. There are a few coaches that might fit that description, but that is not Tamas. And that is not a knock on Tamas. Rose and Cook are also not "saviors." They are simply good/great coaches coaching good/great players. I would hesitate to call one disappointing season "deterioration" given the injuries AND turnover (even if it is small.) Deterioration would look like a team of AA's winning a NC, not losing key players, not having key injuries, and then not making it past the first round. This is not that, and certainly not yet. It is what it is in this moment, and only time will tell.
|
|
|
Post by cbrown1709 on Dec 1, 2019 15:10:57 GMT -5
I'm not trying to be an @$$%*!* but I thought Tamas was the savior. I know Hambly isn't the greatest coach but isn't this a similar path? Very successful season and then deterioration. To call any coach a savior, they would have to consistently take unsuccessful teams and turn them into successful teams. There are a few coaches that might fit that description, but that is not Tamas. And that is not a knock on Tamas. Rose and Cook are also not "saviors." They are simply good/great coaches coaching good/great players. I would hesitate to call one disappointing season "deterioration" given the injuries AND turnover (even if it is small.) Deterioration would look like a team of AA's winning a NC, not losing key players, not having key injuries, and then not making it past the first round. This is not that, and certainly not yet. It is what it is in this moment, and only time will tell. When I talk about deterioration I mean over time. Hambly had a very successful season followed by a downturn. I hope that is not the case with Tamas and Illinois but I'm just comparing.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2019 16:07:56 GMT -5
Coaching strategy question - maybe someone close to the program can comment? I noticed in the non-conf losses to Colorado and ISU, Tamas played 14 players. In the earlier matches vs Tennessee and in the later ones vs Marquette and into the conference, he stuck with 10-11. Did he possibly use those two matches to see how some players would fare? Looks like a couple that got playing time in these two matches barely saw the court the rest of the year.
Hoping those two losses, and their effect on the RPI, don’t kill the post season hopes.
|
|
|
Post by ilalum92 on Dec 1, 2019 16:28:13 GMT -5
Look, we all hoped for more this season. But injuries, replacing two AA's, freshman starters & a constantly changing line-up is a lot to overcome. Let's hope we get lucky and make the tourney then win a match or two. We should think to the future. Next year will be another rebuild but the year after that should be a good one! If you are true ILLINI fan you should stick with the team thru ups & downs, not just when we have a good year! Remember when Hambly left we had 1 recruit signed. Tamas had to come in and scramble for recruits. Have to give him some time to snag some heavy hitters. The Class that left - Omazic, Van Dyke, Deberg and the DS left for various reasons. One of those players isn't even playing vball anymore. They all left and we went to the final four. Some of you are acting like chicken little, an off year doesn't mean the sky is falling!
|
|
|
Post by ilalum92 on Dec 1, 2019 16:29:39 GMT -5
so TROJANSC's Final Bracketology has us as last four in! Let's hope since he has only missed 6 at large bids in the last 5 years
|
|
|
Post by brucks on Dec 1, 2019 18:18:04 GMT -5
|
|