DESTIN, Fla. — Cuonzo Martin and his family went their separate ways at the SEC spring meetings Tuesday.
The rest of his family went to the beach. The Tennessee men's basketball coach went to work.
Martin was thumbing through a notebook, readying himself for the various issues the coaches would be discussing at the meetings. He had different priorities at last year's meetings. And they didn't include the beach.
"I was sitting there thinking about what my guys were doing back in Knoxville," Martin said. "Because here was so much going on trying to establish a program.
"Plus I didn't really have a true idea what we were meeting about. I don't even know if I got the booklet in time.
"I'm in a better place now than I was a year ago."
So is his program.
The Vols are no longer a team in transition. They return most of the prominent players from last season's 19-win team, which further distinguished itself by winning 10 of 16 regular-season SEC games, including two against Florida.
"As I looked at our schedule last year and looked at our personnel … no way in the world we could have 19 wins," Martin said of his first season as Bruce Pearl's successor. "I didn't think we had a level of toughness as a team."
The team changed his mind over the course of the season. It also raised expectations for 2012-13.
"On paper, they're the best team in this league going into this season," Florida coach Billy Donovan said. "I told somebody toward the end of last season, I thought Tennessee and Kentucky should be the two best teams in the league (in 2012-13)."
The expectations for national champion Kentucky are based on coach John Calipari's recent history of signing the nation's best players and quickly molding them into a dominant team before sending most of them into the NBA.
The expectations for UT are founded more in last season's success and all the experience it provided.
"They have incredible experience," Donovan said. "I think they have everything — front-court depth, shooting."
They also have a hunger for success and a heightened sense of accountability for themselves as well as their teammates, Martin said. But their attributes aren't limited to intangibles.
Jeronne Maymon has made second-team All-SEC and is a proven piece in what could be a formidable front line. Martin believes Kenny Hall is positioning himself for a breakout season and matter-of-factly refers to sophomore Jarnell Stokes as one of the best returning players in the country,
"(Stokes) will be a lot better player," Martin said of the precocious player who joined the team at mid-season right out of high school in 2012. "I saw the transition from when we started spring workouts to the end of school. If you tell him this is what you need to do to be successful, he's going to work at that.
"He didn't have four or five months to really grow (last season). Now, he has seen the league and knows the competition."
Even while assessing individuals, Martin doesn't venture too far from the team concept that he regards as the foundation for his program.
"The biggest key is the focus level, continuing to understand 'team' is what got us there," he said. "And we want to minimize the distractions going into the fall.
"We talk about that all the time. We call it 'going under the radar until it's time to play.' "
But if Donovan's opinion about UT become widespread in preseason, going under the radar will be more difficult than making the NCAA tournament.
John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com. Follow him at http://twitter.com/johnadamskns
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Comments » 46
VolPower360 writes:
Billy Donovan and Mark Richt are two of the classiest coaches in the SEC! Just my opinion!
wildmed writes:
Martin talks a good game and the results he's been accruing show he can produce as well. Looks like basketball is in good shape and the character of the head coach has a lot to do with that!
dvols writes:
good job Mike Hamilton!!
thevoice writes:
+1
GerryOP writes:
When you sweep a team in regular season, you get their attention. Good job Coach 'Zo.
miatatom writes:
Donovan is just making excuses for last year. We'll sweep them again this year and the Kittens too!
Pullingguard writes:
ditto that
born2ride writes:
We own Florida in basketball.
voloffaith writes:
Billy not thinking about the kittens loaded with stars......star chemistry worked for coach cal last year...alot to expect from bunch of semi-spoiled youngins....any seniors on kats this year for stability?
tennrich1 writes:
BINGO!
Classof72 writes:
Coach Martin has been extremely impressive. The Vols need more like him.
RockyToptoNeyland writes:
what in the world is donovan smokin? we'll be lucky to go over 500 this year, and besides picking up jarnell stokes, our recruiting has been a joke
Razor784 writes:
Donovan is way too classy to be at Florida, he's never fit it there.
rkw2 writes:
Looks like your expertise and "our recruiting" have something in common...
BillVol writes:
Going to go ahead and predict that UT will not win the SEC this year. Despite what Billy D. says.
steamboatticket#484773 writes:
Richt has that "good guy" rep. But at the end of last year's game, he had a smirk on his face bad as Urban Meyer's smirk. I hope the Volunteers will wipe that smirk off his face this year. Coach Martin's first year success isn't like somebody getting in some good shots on his first round of golf. It's mind and body, true knowledge and hard work. Add talent with soul, and we're good.
UTistheOLEMISSoftheEAST writes:
And just like last year, the Gator and Kittens will be dancing while ut is losing to a sister of the poor directional school (MTSU) in a meaningless, post-season tournament. Some things never change.
dbc5361 writes:
Just got off the phone with MTSU, they said UT's returning talent would give them a close game.
Donavon is blowing smoke up peoples backsides.
Madkels writes:
Stop the presses! A positive story by John Adams? I just fell out of my chair.
underthehill writes:
UT, Fla, and Ky will be favored to fight it out next year and it should be interesting..great to see UT in the fight with a chance..Ky was all about Anthony Davis last year and regardless of what you hear about the other guys...they had very little chance (if any)to win w/o him..a player like Davis comes along once in a lifetime..Ky appears to have signed several star players but propaganda they have another Davis is a see it to believe it statement..I think UT can win with a very strong front line..rebounding and defense looks capable of being dominant...
underthehill writes:
This story has nothing to do about football..every knowledgeable UT fan or observer knows the situation about UT football.
VolsFanInNC writes:
Was this random pillow talk for John and Billy?
CrankE writes:
DING DING DING DING DING DING DING!!!!!
We have a winner.
VolnTex writes:
Because everybody knows good guys never, ever, under any circumstance smirk.
asmith writes:
i respect donovan's opinion, but i don't know that tennessee is ready to contend again yet. i was hoping that ut would sign chris jones to address some of the scoring problems that they had, like in the mtsu game. that didn't happen. i don't see them having a better record than florida, kentucky, or alabama. missou should be good as well.
underthehill writes:
Not likely..no Anthony Davis this year..Stokes likely to be best rebounder in SEC and one of best in country..TN will dominate SEC in rebounding ..in case you didn't notice..KY was crying last year when they got knocked around and wanted a less physical game..it will be worse this year...
orangecountyvols writes:
Vols,
Now we can move on with our day.
The trolls have arrived and ( eight letters, the punk-kid-calling himself great, trolling is fun ( he admits to being a troll ) now that we have that little group accounted for,
we can proceed with a fresher day.
What will the trolls do for the rest of their day? Well, they'll just keep sounding stupid all day on our site.
We ( Vols ) have better things to do.
Rich_Is_Re-born writes:
You forgot to mention that the two leading scorers were both playing with knee injuries down the stretch. I'll take a HEALTHY Golden, Maymon, and Stokes against any 3 in the conference, JMO. We are gonna be good this year. On the other hand, the conference continues to get more difficult. This will be an interesting season to say the least.
AtopTheHill06 writes:
Yea that was a tough loss. Too bad the Vols don't get to play uf more, that is always an easy win for UT.
jpark001 writes:
Based on seasonal results and returning players, Missouri is the best returning team in the SEC on paper. Consider:
A disappointing (NCAA loss) 30-5 in the tough B-12 a year ago.
Four starters returning.
Their "best player" per their coach back from a season off due to injury. (Memphis' PF Lawrence Bowers)
UCONN center Alex Oriakhi immediately eligible at the one open starting position.
Four other D1 transfers coming in (not eligible but will provide practice bodies) plus five new recruits.
Most of the SEC gutted by early NBA defections or transfers.
Sounds like a little deflecting/puffing by Donovan to offset getting his butt consistently kicked by a less talented program.
volsxsnos writes:
I am going to go all of one better and say UT men's hoops will NEVER be better than mediocre with CCM. UT football will NEVER be better than mediocre with CDD. Now that is nothing against those two guys, I'm sure they work hard and have good intentions. However, the main reasons for my assessment are: John Calipari and Nick Saban,et al. As long as guys like that are around, sucking up most of the talent and flat out-coaching the rest, everyone else is playing for second, Tennessee included. Is there someone out there better than those guys,probably, but we won't get them, not until the powers that be are dedicated, Tennessee Vol people. After Hamilton's gutting of our athletic department, we just don't have that right now. That's my two cents.
mocsandvolsfan writes:
We'll be good this winter if our guard play is good.
Stay healthy VOLS!!!
Theo writes:
Partially Donovan dampening down expectations, partially true, partially covering his hiney from the rear end kickings he received from the Vols last year.
Vols definitely better, will be in big dance, Coach M. will have a much better recruiting class as kids start to notice the program is on the rise. Coach M is definitely not flamboyant like Pearl and Calipari (sp) but I would imagine he is very effective in home visits. After all he understands the situations a lot of recruits are coming from and is proof those things can be overcome and a successful,family man produced.
jpark001 writes:
Yep! Until proven otherwise, opponents will continue to follow Kevin Stallings lead and just double down on Stokes or Maymon to get the ball out of their hand anytime it goes in and force one of the other three of four on the floor to beat them. If UT cannot make shots consistently then they will continue to struggle from game to game. Just that simple.
johnlg00 writes:
I'm with you, Rich. Seems the trolls forgot that Maymon and Golden were playing at the end with leg injuries that required surgery when the season was over. But of course to them that is "just an excuse".
johnlg00 writes:
No doubt that is the way most opponents will play the Vols next year. We can HOPE the perimeter guys are really working on their shots in the off-season. It might also behoove the team to play a little faster with more pressure on defense, so maybe they can score more in transition situations where they don't have to shoot as much from outside over a prepared defense.
Blue_Duck_Vol writes:
Classiest? So jumping ship on Florida to bolt to Orlando and then backing out of the contract faster than a 2 dollar (w)hore backing out of church is classy? Interesting...
BigOrangeSmoker writes:
im not going to worry to much...once again a team loaded with outstanding talent but a coach that aint worth a chit
asmith writes:
yes, the guys that replied to my post kept on about the injuries to maymon, but mtsu game was lost because they shut down the passing lanes late and our guys couldn't hit a jumper. more to come if martin does not address the perimeter scoring concerns. mcbee cannot be the only person on the floor that will take the big shot. don't get me wrong, i'm proud of last year's finish, but more is expected now.
BIVOLAR_BEARE writes:
I guess FU couldn't beat MTSU either..Good point.
Rich_Is_Re-born writes:
While we did shoot bad that game, we missed 5 wide open layups and shot something horrible from FT. But either way, I agree we should have won the game.
timetotellthetruth writes:
You are entitled to your opinion, no matter how ignorant and uninformed it is.
johnlg00 writes:
Well, if by "mediocre" you mean "second to UK in basketball and second to Alabama in football", I would take that darned near every year. Most years, that would mean UT was one of the five or ten top teams in the country--in BOTH sports, which UK or Alabama will likely NEVER attain. Considering that both are either high up on, or atop, the all-time lists for wins, championships, All-Americas, etc., this situation has been true for years. Yes, both of these programs have had their down periods, but they have seldom been prolonged or even especially deep, compared to darned near every other program.
Put simply, you are complaining that UT must be better than the two most prestigious and successful programs in the history of college sports to be better than "mediocre". Got it.
johnlg00 writes:
I agree. Despite their evident flaws revealed last season, there is every reason to predict that the Vols will be better next year, as well they should be.
I wouldn't give up just yet on the possibility that some of the guys will improve their shooting over the summer. A player can improve dramatically in a short time if he is willing to give it the necessary time and attention. More comfort with the offense and more familiarity with each other and the staff might get them some better shots.
Agree with others who say that the next two signing periods will be crucial in showing what Martin's long-term prospects are at UT. I think Martin will do about as well as anyone could do with a given group of players, but at some point, he is going to need some better players. Not necessarily better than Maymon, Stokes, et al., but players good enough first to complement them and then to replace them.
VolGrad writes:
I don't expect them to drop any like they did to AP last season, and they should win a couple more conference games as well.
Go Vols!
halloffamebowler writes:
THAT WAS LAST YEARS TEAM DUMB ARSS. tHIS WILL BE A DIFFERENT YEAR WITH MUCH BETTER RESULTS FOR THE VOLS BUT THE SAME OLD SHIRT FROM A DUMB ARSE LIKE YOU.
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