What Rick Barnes has done with this Tennessee basketball program is nothing short than remarkable. The Vols were in a state of trouble with Donnie Tyndall, and that’s an understatement. Tyndall only coached one season in Knoxville and his team wasn’t competitive. He didn’t set Barnes up with an easy task either.
However, the players deserve a lot of credit. They had to buy into the philosophy of Barnes and staff as well as put in the effort to get better. Time and time again, the players have been praised for their work ethics, and it showed.