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Post by slxpress on Mar 3, 2023 14:32:20 GMT -5
I’ve got similar feelings, but to play devil’s advocate, I bet Devin doesn’t see actually getting to play during our national championship winning season (and in the tourney!) as a waste of a year. Granted I expect this to be a reloading year. Kind of nice to have the pressure for a NC off for a bit. You think this will be a rebuilding year for Texas? I do believe Texas does not have the pressure of a national championship but this team is still very much capable of winning a championship or at least make the championship match. This for sure won’t be last years team but still very talented and capable. Well, to be fair a rebuilding year for Texas volleyball looks a little different than most of the rest of the volleyball world. I mean, except for Hawaii, of course. They'll almost for sure be ranked in the preseason top 5. The big thing is running with a freshman setter. Not that Swindle won't be good, but she's certainly an unknown to a greater extent than Texas has had since Shook first took the helm. Not an apples to apples comparison, since Swindle is already on campus. But to me it does take some of the pressure off to repeat as champions, even if that will of course be the goal. I think O'Neal's team leadership is going to be key. Other players, too, but she conveys to her Texas teammates a compelling edginess and swagger. It's not unheard of, but it is a little unusual for the team leader to be a middle blocker as opposed to the setter or pin hitter. I'm looking forward to seeing how it all works out.
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Post by horns1 on Mar 3, 2023 14:41:59 GMT -5
I've always thought that Jordyn Byrd was our most athletically-gifted incoming freshman. And, playing post in basketball also told me that she's probably pretty physical; no doubt Jerritt wants players at the net who bring physicality. And, I agree with those who believe she has such a high ceiling. But, none of that means she will contribute as a true freshman based on the roster depth ahead of her. What she has going for is enrolling early for the Spring semester (and giving up her high school senior of basketball where she wouldn't have been focusing on her volleyball skills). She gets to become acclimated to college life half a year prior to August camp; she gets to practice with her future setter. She gets to participate in off-season conditioning and weight training. And, she'll get to (hopefully) play in our Spring matches in a college setting. Unless Jordyn just performs at an elite level in practice like Chiaka Ogbogu did back in the day, it will be tough for her to beat out Skinner or Wenaas at the left pin, or Phillips on the right pin. But, I think she will be first off the bench at one of those pin positions with Kahahawai first off the bench at the other pin position. I'd like to see Devin be first backup at left side as getting her in the match if Madi or Jenna are struggling seems like a higher probability than waiting for Molly to struggle. So, perhaps Byrd focusing on playing Opposite could be where she contributes; she'll have to have good blocking skills, too, and as it's not all about attacking. This past season, Devin was mainly a blocking sub late in the match for Saige on the right side. Will someone need to fill that role this season or does Swindle stay in her as she is taller than Saige? Height isn't everything if she doesn't have solid blocking skills. And, all that is assuming Helmers isn't the early enrollee who makes a push for playing time her first season. I really hope Jerritt doesn’t waste a year of her eligibility by being a blocking sub. Tomkinson is probably the best blocker in that class besides Bunton so I’d rather Byrd redshirt if she won’t see meaningful playing time and Tomkinson be that blocking sub. Not every true freshman is going to play starter points. This is a team game; what is best for the team comes before what is best for the individual player alone. If they aren't on board with that type of team culture, best they move on. You earn your playing time in practice. And, you play if you are better than others in certain match roles or situations. Redshirting isn't best for everyone, especially those players who don't want to spend 5 years in college. And, some players are willing to contribute early on regardless of the frequency of that contribution.
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Post by mln59 on Mar 3, 2023 15:57:57 GMT -5
I’ve got similar feelings, but to play devil’s advocate, I bet Devin doesn’t see actually getting to play during our national championship winning season (and in the tourney!) as a waste of a year. Granted I expect this to be a reloading year. Kind of nice to have the pressure for a NC off for a bit. You think this will be a rebuilding year for Texas? I do believe Texas does not have the pressure of a national championship but this team is still very much capable of winning a championship or at least make the championship match. This for sure won’t be last years team but still very talented and capable. i'm manifesting back-to-back
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Post by widdledumpling on Mar 3, 2023 16:29:52 GMT -5
I think O'Neal's team leadership is going to be key. Asjia and the Asjiaettes
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Post by moondog4444 on Mar 3, 2023 22:09:00 GMT -5
I've always thought that Jordyn Byrd was our most athletically-gifted incoming freshman. And, playing post in basketball also told me that she's probably pretty physical; no doubt Jerritt wants players at the net who bring physicality. And, I agree with those who believe she has such a high ceiling. But, none of that means she will contribute as a true freshman based on the roster depth ahead of her. What she has going for is enrolling early for the Spring semester (and giving up her high school senior of basketball where she wouldn't have been focusing on her volleyball skills). She gets to become acclimated to college life half a year prior to August camp; she gets to practice with her future setter. She gets to participate in off-season conditioning and weight training. And, she'll get to (hopefully) play in our Spring matches in a college setting. Unless Jordyn just performs at an elite level in practice like Chiaka Ogbogu did back in the day, it will be tough for her to beat out Skinner or Wenaas at the left pin, or Phillips on the right pin. But, I think she will be first off the bench at one of those pin positions with Kahahawai first off the bench at the other pin position. I'd like to see Devin be first backup at left side as getting her in the match if Madi or Jenna are struggling seems like a higher probability than waiting for Molly to struggle. So, perhaps Byrd focusing on playing Opposite could be where she contributes; she'll have to have good blocking skills, too, and as it's not all about attacking. This past season, Devin was mainly a blocking sub late in the match for Saige on the right side. Will someone need to fill that role this season or does Swindle stay in her as she is taller than Saige? Height isn't everything if she doesn't have solid blocking skills. And, all that is assuming Helmers isn't the early enrollee who makes a push for playing time her first season. And she also has Beach Volleyball experience. Wonder who they will pair her with?
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Post by sunsuphornsup on Mar 4, 2023 0:03:07 GMT -5
I think O'Neal's team leadership is going to be key. Asjia and the Asjiaettes Asjia and her Asjians
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Post by tristen on Mar 4, 2023 3:57:12 GMT -5
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Post by dl3ww on Mar 4, 2023 4:40:03 GMT -5
Went back and watched the 1st Kansas match and Skinner was tearing it up on the right😭 I wish we could’ve seen it more
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Post by slxpress on Mar 4, 2023 4:46:57 GMT -5
Went back and watched the 1st Kansas match and Skinner was tearing it up on the right😭 I wish we could’ve seen it more I know what you mean, but it’s tough to quibble with the overall results! I mostly recall us going to the back row attack over and over again. I don’t have any metrics for it, but my poor memory makes me feel like we used the back row attack in those last three sets as much as we ever did in any other match. But the same thing applies. Tough to get too critical after a magical season like that one. I’ll cherish it always.
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Post by texastothehouse15 on Mar 4, 2023 7:55:16 GMT -5
I really hope Jerritt doesn’t waste a year of her eligibility by being a blocking sub. Tomkinson is probably the best blocker in that class besides Bunton so I’d rather Byrd redshirt if she won’t see meaningful playing time and Tomkinson be that blocking sub. Not every true freshman is going to play starter points. This is a team game; what is best for the team comes before what is best for the individual player alone. If they aren't on board with that type of team culture, best they move on. You earn your playing time in practice. And, you play if you are better than others in certain match roles or situations. Redshirting isn't best for everyone, especially those players who don't want to spend 5 years in college. And, some players are willing to contribute early on regardless of the frequency of that contribution. Yes I know the team comes first but giving Byrd a redshirt year if she doesn’t get starter playing time will benefit this team in the near future. Byrd has all American type potential so there is no need to use her just for the fun of it especially when Texas has plenty of options to take on that same role. If it’s a blocking sub then Tomkinson or Helmers can do that. I’d rather redshirt her just like he did Singletary and give her the chance to develop into the true talent we all know she has.
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Post by hornshouse23 on Mar 4, 2023 9:55:51 GMT -5
Bend the knee and O’Neal before the Queen 👸🏾
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Post by hornfanaustin on Mar 4, 2023 11:08:24 GMT -5
Bend the knee and O’Neal before the Slide Queen 👸🏾
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Post by horns1 on Mar 4, 2023 11:48:42 GMT -5
Not every true freshman is going to play starter points. This is a team game; what is best for the team comes before what is best for the individual player alone. If they aren't on board with that type of team culture, best they move on. You earn your playing time in practice. And, you play if you are better than others in certain match roles or situations. Redshirting isn't best for everyone, especially those players who don't want to spend 5 years in college. And, some players are willing to contribute early on regardless of the frequency of that contribution. Yes I know the team comes first but giving Byrd a redshirt year if she doesn’t get starter playing time will benefit this team in the near future. Byrd has all American type potential so there is no need to use her just for the fun of it especially when Texas has plenty of options to take on that same role. If it’s a blocking sub then Tomkinson or Helmers can do that. I’d rather redshirt her just like he did Singletary and give her the chance to develop into the true talent we all know she has. As I have stated before, I don't believe Byrd gave up her senior season of high school basketball to enroll at Texas early with the intention of redshirting. I'm sure the coaching staff, Byrd, and her family have discussed plans for her freshman season. Now, that might have been before Wenaas transferred in. Regardless, I don't think Byrd's first year goals include redshirting; if the coaching staff has that same plan, then she will play this Fall in whatever role helps the team. Tomkinson needs to get stronger, IMO. And, she's not an early enrollee. She's a lefty, so that pretty much limits her to playing Opposite; that's a position where I don't see her beating out Phillips and Kahahawai/Byrd. She is the player who I think will redshirt, especially since she did not enroll early. A big difference impacting a potential decision to redshirt one of Tomkinson or Byrd is that Byrd can play (block) at all 3 spots across the net making her much more versatile (and valuable); Tomkinson can only play one position effectively, IMO.
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Post by widdledumpling on Mar 4, 2023 17:00:21 GMT -5
/mediaViewer?currentTweet=1469072883561353220¤tTweetUser=GopherVBall
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Post by staticb on Mar 4, 2023 20:46:24 GMT -5
If any Texas Staff or SID is on here, time to update the beach rosters you have your first matches this week!
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