2021 Texas Volleyball

[Js1 85311]

2 minutes ago, TexasDPT said:

I think Molly is going to surprise a lot of people next season...She has a quick arm swing and can move the ball around because she sees the court well. The problem she had playing Opposite is that she isn't a terminal hitter with a well-formed double block on her. She may not have the lateral movement Butler had, but she can still put up a formidable block in the middle. 

 

She filled in admirably for Butler in the middle a season or two ago and she was great 

[Js1 85311]

Welcome to Texas, Jordan Larson! 

Edited January 12, 2022 by Js1

[TexasDPT 297]

9 minutes ago, Js1 said:

Welcome to Texas, Jordan Larson! 

Holy Shit!

[Js1 85311]

Just now, TexasDPT said:

Holy Shit!

fuck you Nebraska!!  

[Js1 85311]

To add - her Alma mater literally had an opening after Hildebrand went to LBSU and she still ended up at Texas. Guess Cook forgot her number 

[TexasDPT 297]

1 minute ago, Js1 said:

To add - her Alma mater literally had an opening after Hildebrand went to LBSU and she still ended up at Texas. Guess Cook forgot her number 

I'm sure it's a stepping stone before she heads back over to Nebraska to take over the program....but at least we'll have her for 3-4 years.

[TwiceHorn 31450]

Seems like a nice get, but maintains the status quo for back row/passing.

[Js1 85311]

Just now, TexasDPT said:

I'm sure it's a stepping stone before she heads back over to Nebraska to take over the program....but at least we'll have her for 3-4 years.

In an off-season where we picked up the best libero and a top 5 opposite, and probably the biggest USAWNT name that isn’t Karch, I’ll take 4-5 years of Larson. 

[Js1 85311]

Just now, TwiceHorn said:

Seems like a nice get, but maintains the status quo for back row/passing.

Larson is one of the best passing outsides and Fleck does her own libero camps. Kind of good?

[TwiceHorn 31450]

20 minutes ago, Js1 said:

Larson is one of the best passing outsides and Fleck does her own libero camps. Kind of good?

Fair enough.  She's a coach on the court!!

[Js1 85311]

 

[TexasDPT 297]

31 minutes ago, Js1 said:

Larson is one of the best passing outsides and Fleck does her own libero camps. Kind of good?

Larson is considered one of the best passing and attacking (because she see's the court so well and has wide array of shots) OHs in the world...this only bodes well for our OH development which should include our ball control and back row defense.  

Plus, Fleck is going to be covering a lot of real estate in serve-receive and back row defense which will help keep us in-system more. If anything, it should light a fire under Erik's ass to step up his coaching or maybe Jerritt just hands over all ball-control coaching to Larson instead...

[LTtxfan 49170]

18 minutes ago, Js1 said:

 

 

HOLY SHIT !!!!!    🤘

Edited January 12, 2022 by LTtxfan

[kingkoopa6 8347]

NOICE!

[Goodman 3273]

Have to think that we keep showing up, he'll get us one more in the next 5 years.

[texasstrong12 4668]

2 hours ago, TexasDPT said:

Larson is considered one of the best passing and attacking (because she see's the court so well and has wide array of shots) OHs in the world...this only bodes well for our OH development which should include our ball control and back row defense.  

Plus, Fleck is going to be covering a lot of real estate in serve-receive and back row defense which will help keep us in-system more. If anything, it should light a fire under Erik's ass to step up his coaching or maybe Jerritt just hands over all ball-control coaching to Larson instead...

You can't ask for a better offseason. 

[Js1 85311]

2 hours ago, TexasDPT said:

Larson is considered one of the best passing and attacking (because she see's the court so well and has wide array of shots) OHs in the world...this only bodes well for our OH development which should include our ball control and back row defense.  

Plus, Fleck is going to be covering a lot of real estate in serve-receive and back row defense which will help keep us in-system more. If anything, it should light a fire under Erik's ass to step up his coaching or maybe Jerritt just hands over all ball-control coaching to Larson instead...

Fleck is a ball hog. In a good way. 

[Thatguy 8686]

10 hours ago, Js1 said:

Welcome to Texas, Jordan Larson! 

  Damn! That's a great pull there. She will be a huge help with best pins and and defense. Couple that with the fact that future pins will def wanna come here just to rub shoulders with her. Nice job! I am sure the scenery and climate had a lot to do with the decision over other spots.

[Gardner Barnes 1562]

  I did not say we were ranked higher than HJV. I said we beat HJV. The rankings I was talking about were the overall club rankings dating back the last 5 years. The conversation was Barnes telling me that we should consider a more visible club than Stellar. Bottom line, picking a club is hard. There are so many things to juggle. Is she getting playing time? Are they playing her the right position? Are they developing her? Is the distance to the club feasible for your family schedule? Is her age group for that particular club competitive? Last year she played for that number 8 AVA Adidas team, All the same girls. We left AVA because that particular age group, for whatever reason, has been short middles over the last two years. So they kept trying to push her to play middle because of her athletic ability. However, she will never be tall enough to play the position. AVA does not care. They cared about winning. We tried out for 3 clubs and she made the top team for all 3. We chose the best fit for us.
  As far as those lonestar rankings go it is all just guess work this early in the season. We played HJV once and beat them. We also beat SA Juniors 14 Adidas twice. This particular squad is a gold bracket squad. They just need to go to bed and wake up with the same fire on day two. They seem to have a lot of unforced errors early morning day two. We started the year number 5 on LS rankings. We dropped to 14 after the FAST warmup and 210. In both of those tourneys we lost in the semis. HJV, after losing to us in pool play, back-doored their way to gold in their own FAST tourney.
  If you are in the Houston area I would recommend some setting lessons with coach Marco Meoni at AVA. He was a 6'7 two time Olympian setter with the Italian team who won silver and bronze. He is an amazing setter and coach. Kids come from hours away to work with him.

We are in the same location this weekend at the same time. I’ll come watch if I can.

[Gardner Barnes 1562]

We also only have road matches in FW (yawn), Morgantown (an improving WV squad), Norman and Manhattan.  We host Baylor, ISU, Tech and Kansas. 
Go load up in the non-conf - it appears, after taking 2020 off from big non-conf matches, that we have completed our home and home with Minnesota and Stanford (we hosted Minny in 2019 and traveled in 2021; traveled to Stanford in 2019 and hosted in 2021). 
We owe USC a trip out west, as we hosted them in 2019.  Dunno if we owe USD a return trip after hosting them in 2021 - if so, 2 match trip in California would be great.  
I'm sure we will play A&M, Texas State and Rice. 
Schedule Florida, Ohio State and someone like Pittsburgh, Louisville or Georgia Tech.  Maybe BYU or Illinois. 
Elliot has almost always scheduled light - we played 29 matches in 2021 (even if we made the title game, we still would have only played 31), compared to teams like Wisconsin (34), Nebraska (34), Pittsburgh (34), Purdue (33), Georgia Tech (32), Ohio State (33), Illinois (34).  I know the Big 12 is light (only 16 conf matches) so we need to play as many non-conf as we can get.  If you assume we will play A&M, Texas State and Rice for in-state matchups,  we need at least 7-8 big name matchups (USC, USD, one of the better SEC programs like UF, a B1G team or two, an ACC team, BYU). 

We go west we should schedule Long Beach along with usc. Hildenbrand has picked up some impressive transfers.

[Steven Avery 19]

25 minutes ago, Gardner Barnes said:

We are in the same location this weekend at the same time. I’ll come watch if I can.

Ha I will be there as well. Tour of Tx @ Drivenation

[Js1 85311]

Nebraska fans seem to be a mix of:

• Stunned she went to Texas and pissed Cook didn't shoot his shot when Hildebrand left to LBSU and just gauge interest
• Convincing themselves it was some sort of galaxy brain level move by John Cook to tell Larson to take the job because "he values different perspectives" when hiring assistants and prefers his alumni assistants get experience elsewhere (unlike Kelly Hunter, who has never coached anywhere but Nebraska since graduating) and she is totally 100% the heir apparent to Cook
• Believing that Cook told Larson to take the job to get information about the Texas program from the inside

Here's how it really went down: How Nebraska legend Jordan Larson landed a job with the Texas Longhorns | Volleyball | journalstar.com

Quote

Larson is jumping back into college volleyball as one of the two full-time assistant coaches for the Texas Longhorns, the school announced Tuesday evening. Larson replaces Tonya Johnson, who accepted the head coach position at LSU.
 

The 35-year-old Larson will still be one of the players in the Athletes Unlimited professional volleyball league that begins in March in Dallas. She’s been a driving force behind the league and providing chances for players to play pro indoor volleyball in the United States. After that, she’ll shift full-time into college volleyball with summer recruiting and camps.

Larson got on Texas' radar because her husband knew Elliott from earlier in their careers.

“(Hunt) reached out to Jerritt and then the conversation started with me that I wanted to get into coaching, and I was looking to retire. That’s how it all started,” Larson told the Journal Star on Tuesday.

 

Larson is currently at her home in California before heading to Austin, Texas, later this week. She said the job came together in the past week.

Last month, Nebraska coach John Cook also briefly had an opening for one of his two full-time assistant coaches after Tyler Hildebrand left to be the head coach at Long Beach State. Just a few days later, Cook promoted volunteer assistant coach Kelly Hunter to full-time assistant.

Larson said she and Cook had talked about her coaching career but didn’t elaborate on what was discussed or what opportunities were available for Larson at Nebraska.

 

Elliott has been the head coach at Texas since 2001, including when Larson and the Huskers regularly played against Texas in the Big 12.

“Jerrit has been amazing and he’s allowing me to finish out something that I committed to (the Athletes Unlimited pro league),” Larson said. “And it’s close with it being in Dallas, so that works out nicely.”

Texas’ other assistant coach is Erik Sullivan, who was an assistant coach at Nebraska for Larson's final season there, and is also an Olympian.

 

“We’ve been there, and if people aspire to be in the Olympics and that’s their ultimate goal we can help them achieve that,” Larson said. “I think that’s the value that I can add. I’m excited because I think there is a lot of great athletes, and (Kentucky transfer) Madi Skinner just signing up there fires me up. She’s a great athlete and I’m a huge fan of hers. I’m just excited to get in the gym and see and where I can help.”

Nice Madi Skinner name drop.  If her goal is WNT head coach after Karch hangs it up, she has 2 potential Olympians in Eggleston and Skinner to coach now. 

[Thatguy 8686]

21 hours ago, Gardner Barnes said:

We are in the same location this weekend at the same time. I’ll come watch if I can.

  Two players down to injury. My kid is going to have to play middle. If practice last night was any indication, we are going to have a rough tourney.

[gsoda3 3254]

is jordan larson the best american hitter ever?

[Aleemay 304]

3 hours ago, gsoda3 said:

is jordan larson the best american hitter ever?

Larson is a great all around player but if you're talking about a pure hitting ability- I wouldn't even put her into top 5 of American history. Larson never fit into the OH1 role as a national team player. In the early years, it was Logan Tom and once Logan Tom retired, the role was given to Kim Hill.

[LTtxfan 49170]

On 1/12/2022 at 8:23 AM, Js1 said:

Nice Madi Skinner name drop.  If her goal is WNT head coach after Karch hangs it up, she has 2 potential Olympians in Eggleston and Skinner to coach now. 

 

[Js1 85311]

Caffey (MB) for Corn is going to petition for a 7th year.  Hord (MB) is finishing her degree at PSU so no rush on her decision.  Caffey getting a waiver could help our chances with Hord. 

[Horny Bull 2759]

 

[Js1 85311]

36 minutes ago, Horny Bull said:

 

I’d be shocked if she didn’t end up at UNI for her mom. She was honored on senior day, we knew she was gone 

[Gardner Barnes 1562]

Caffey (MB) for Corn is going to petition for a 7th year.  Hord (MB) is finishing her degree at PSU so no rush on her decision.  Caffey getting a waiver could help our chances with Hord. 

It’s fucking ridiculous that a player could take a scholarship for 7 years. God damn the ncaa screwed the 22s and 23s.

[Js1 85311]

2 minutes ago, Gardner Barnes said:

It’s fucking ridiculous that a player could take a scholarship for 7 years. God damn the ncaa screwed the 22s and 23s.

2016 RS at Mizzou

Played 2017

Medical hardship 2018

Played 2019

Transferred to Corn and played 2020 and 2021 with one season not counting 

Played 4 years (1 didn’t count) and sat out twice. 

[Gardner Barnes 1562]

2016 RS at Mizzou
Played 2017
Medical hardship 2018
Played 2019
Transferred to Corn and played 2020 and 2021 with one season not counting 
Played 4 years (1 didn’t count) and sat out twice. 

And that’s ok to you? 7!! Years is still 7 years. In college. To play sports.

Doesn’t matter if you want a player to play for texas or not. NCAA FUCKED the class of 22.

[Js1 85311]

1 minute ago, Gardner Barnes said:

And that’s ok to you? 7!! Years is still 7 years. In college. To play sports.

Doesn’t matter if you want a player to play for texas or not. NCAA FUCKED the class of 22.

They def did. Not sure i’d grant her waiver (bc fuck Nebraska) but they probably will since so many players got to play 5 seasons bc of COVID. I know she is going to play beach in the spring, but she wants one more indoor season in the fall 

[SL Xpress 7513]

On 1/18/2022 at 5:29 PM, Js1 said:

Caffey (MB) for Corn is going to petition for a 7th year.  Hord (MB) is finishing her degree at PSU so no rush on her decision.  Caffey getting a waiver could help our chances with Hord. 

I assume you're following the social media reports regarding Texas volleyball and Kaitlyn Hord posted on volleytalk. Things are seemingly looking promising.

[Js1 85311]

20 minutes ago, SL Xpress said:

I assume you're following the social media reports regarding Texas volleyball and Kaitlyn Hord posted on volleytalk. Things are seemingly looking promising.

Honestly lost track of that all weekend. New video game and NFL playoffs won my attention 

[texasstrong12 4668]

If Texas lands Hord there's going to be a ton of pressure to win it all next year because anything other than a national title is going to look like a major underachievement. 

Not that I'm complaining. I'm glad those are going to be the expectations (assuming Texas lands Hord). 

Edited January 24, 2022 by texasstrong12

[Js1 85311]

Elliot has made that always the expectation here though 

[SL Xpress 7513]

14 minutes ago, texasstrong12 said:

If Texas lands Hord there's going to be a ton of pressure to win it all next year because anything other than a national title is going to look like a major underachievement. 

That’s certainly the view among many non-Texas fans on volleytalk. 
 

My personal view is that it’s a great problem to have, but I’ll take Elliott’s consistency over virtually any other coach out there with the possible exception of Nebraska’s Cook, and even then it’s close to a toss up. 
 

Anything can happen. I was pleased with the outcome in the spring, even if I felt like Texas had the more talented roster. Kentucky played extremely well as a team, were head and shoulders the best passing team in the country, with the best setter/libero combination. Then they played their best match in the final. Sometimes you just have to tip your hat to the opponent. 
 

This past season was disappointing for a variety of reasons, but chiefly because the back row became unhinged in serve receive and passing against Nebraska. The team showed resilience in fighting to get to that fifth set (but ultimately didn’t get there), but it felt like they came up way short of performing at their best. Also, it was so satisfying to beat Penn State, Nebraska, and Wisconsin in straight matches. Conversely, losing to Nebraska is always going to have an extra sting for me over any other opponent. 
 

In any case, I don’t think next season is any more of a championship or bust than other years. I’d like to see Elliott break through for a second championship at some point, because I feel like that will be important to his legacy, but this run has reminded me a lot of Bobby Bowden’s extraordinary run with FSU when he went 14 years straight of finishing in the top 5. I’m grateful as a fan to be along for the ride. 

Edited January 24, 2022 by SL Xpress

[Js1 85311]

Re: Hord - she's going to finish her degree at PSU this spring, so she really has no incentive to announce anytime soon.  She can take her visits, think about it and decide.  There's not really any other player of her caliber sitting in the portal (yet) and she's not enrolling until summer, so I don't think she's worried Nebraska or Texas (or Wisconsin or whoever) would take someone else while she decides. 

Honestly, Texas shouldn't be hinging spring practices on her enrolling or not.  Hell, none of our 2022 kids are enrolling until summer, so it's not like what we will see in spring practice/spring scrimmages will be remotely what the season will be like.  

Not worried.  Hope we get her, because I really liked watching her play middle at PSU.  In the 2020 match against us, she had 13 kills and 1 error (.444) with 5 blocks (1 solo). 

2021: 2.92 kills per set, .394 hitting %, 1.4 blocks per set (28 solo, 137 block assists)
2020: 2.45 kills per set, .421 hitting %, 1.32 blocks per set (7 solo, 72 block assists)
2019: 2.65 kills per set, .440 hitting %, 1.27 blocks per set (22 solo, block 127 assists) 

[texasstrong12 4668]

Good luck to Gabriel but this is good news for Texas. SKT time. 

 

[Js1 85311]

So no setting controversy this year. Elliot needs to find a transfer one for depth. But it’s all yours, SKT

[texasstrong12 4668]

Loved the grit that Gabriel brought but this needed to happen. 

It will be interesting to see what Elliott does in regards to the back up. 

[Js1 85311]

damnnnnnnnn

[texasstrong12 4668]

It's kind of wild how the transfer portal is changing college sports. Not that it isn't expected. 

Texas could be starting a transfer setter, libero, outside hitter, and middle next year. 

[Js1 85311]

2 minutes ago, texasstrong12 said:

It's kind of wild how the transfer portal is changing college sports. Not that it isn't expected. 

Texas could be starting a transfer setter, libero, outside hitter, and middle next year. 

With a transfer setter behind the starting transfer setter. 

[TexasDPT 297]

6 minutes ago, texasstrong12 said:

Loved the grit that Gabriel brought but this needed to happen. 

It will be interesting to see what Elliott does in regards to the back up. 

Thankful for Jhenna's time at Texas, especially when it was evident Shook wasn't cutting it as the starting setter. Jhenna really turned that TCU match around her freshman year when Elliott inserted her into the match and she never looked backed and became an All-American setter. 

I'm excited to see SKT develop her timing with all the hitters on the Spring roster as all of them are starters for the fall season as of now. Out of the incoming freshmen class, I can see Devin earning playing time and if we end up getting Kaitlyn Hord from PSU even better. 

Honestly, I trust Elliott with whoever he brings in as a back-up setter...He's already made a splash hire with Jordan Larson and brought in the the #1 Libero and OH transfers.

Hopefully, he can find a setter with collegiate experience who can take over in 2023 as Swindle acclimates to the collegiate game....I wonder if Cabello is now regretting her decision to transfer...

[texasstrong12 4668]

Yeah, I forgot about that. There is an advantage to adding another good setter so they have a year in the system in case Swindle isn't ready the following year.

I get the idea Elliott probably had some tough conversations with certain players but that's just a reality of the business. If Elliott made it known that SKT was going to start next year it probably played a role in Jhenna stepping away. As a player, I would prefer that honesty from a coach. 

 

[Js1 85311]

2 minutes ago, texasstrong12 said:

Yeah, I forgot about that. There is an advantage to adding another good setter so they have a year in the system in case Swindle isn't ready the following year.

I get the idea Elliott probably had some tough conversations with certain players but that's just a reality of the business. If Elliott made it known that SKT was going to start next year it probably played a role in Jhenna stepping away. As a player, I would prefer that honesty from a coach. 

 

She’s also taken A LOT of shit. Even from us. I’m guilty of it. They see the criticisms. If someone was posting anonymously on my job performance weekly for years, I’d feel similar. 

[texasstrong12 4668]

Just now, Js1 said:

She’s also taken A LOT of shit. Even from us. I’m guilty of it. They see the criticisms. If someone was posting anonymously on my job performance weekly for years, I’d feel similar. 

True, I don't really follow volleytalk so I don't know what was said there. 

This board has been pretty respectful in regards to Gabriel. Everyone here knows that she filled a major void when Shook didn't work out but I think there are valid questions about her size. Those type discussions are kind of the nature of sports boards but I think in a respectful manner it's fine. 

Regardless, I hope Gabriel's health is fine and she finds whatever she's looking for outside of volleyball. 

 

 

[TexasDPT 297]

26 minutes ago, texasstrong12 said:

Yeah, I forgot about that. There is an advantage to adding another good setter so they have a year in the system in case Swindle isn't ready the following year.

I get the idea Elliott probably had some tough conversations with certain players but that's just a reality of the business. If Elliott made it known that SKT was going to start next year it probably played a role in Jhenna stepping away. As a player, I would prefer that honesty from a coach. 

 

Yeah, I wonder if that conversation happened. If so, I can see why it would affect her decision to step away.  She's too competitive to be relegated to a bench player after being a starter for 4 years. But in reality, her serving or passing skills would not have put her ahead of others players to be on the court. 

She performed well with the inconsistent passing/ball control issues and had set the team for 4 years. She already had an established connection with all the hitters and I understand why she was starting over of SKT. But her height was always the issue and we just don't have stellar back row defense to counter that.

I'm just excited to see how this team performs in the fall with all the recent changes that have happened.

Edited January 26, 2022 by TexasDPT