Unbelievable: Vols head coach wife Candy Barnes,filed divorced papers put NCAA in damage……
Barnes, whose teams have earned NCAA bids in 19 of the past 20 seasons, took over Tennessee’s program three weeks ago after getting fired at Texas. While speaking to a crowd of supporters Wednesday at a Big Orange Tip Off Club luncheon, Barnes set a goal of making the tournament as early as next season.
That would be a huge step for Tennessee, coming off a 16-16 season. The Vols do not return any scholarship point guards and have reached the NCAA Tournament just one of the past four years.
“The one thing we said to (our players) from the very beginning is I don’t care what anybody else says, we’re going to come back here in June and we’re going to work and we’re going to find a way to get to that tournament next year,” Barnes said. “We’re not waiting.”
Barnes is the Vols’ third coach in as many seasons. He replaced Donnie Tyndall, who was fired after Tennessee officials determined the NCAA likely would determine he committed major violations during his two-year tenure at Southern Mississippi.
“Our goal is simply to be in the tournament every year, from a basketball standpoint,” Barnes said. “When you’re part of that tournament, you’re playing for a national championship, and that’s what we want.”
Barnes expanded on those comments while talking to reporters afterward about why he believed the Vols could compete right away.
“There’s no other option — that’s got to be your goal regardless of who you have, what you have,” Barnes said. “We can talk about style of play. We can talk about this or that. One thing we’re not going to do is ask guys to do things they can’t do.
“As we continue to move through the summer, which I think is a really important time for us, I think we’ll continue to get a feel for what each guy does and with the experience we have as a staff, we’ll figure out how to mold this team. … I’d be disappointed if (our players) thought any other way. They’re here. They came here for a reason.”
Since taking over Tennessee’s program, Barnes has worked to boost the talent base and assemble a challenging schedule while also reassuring returning players. Tennessee got commitments Tuesday from College of Southern Idaho forward Ray Kasongo and high school point guard Lamonte Turner, though the school hasn’t announced the addition of either player as their letters of intent haven’t arrived yet.
Barnes mentioned how the recent coaching changes had been particularly hard on guard Armani Moore, the Vols’ top returning scorer. Barnes said he had a serious conversation with Moore and that the 6-foot-5 forward responded by sending him a text message that “I’m really glad you’re here and I know God brought us together.”
“It’s been tough on them,” Barnes said. “It has been. It gets down to that trust level. They want it.
