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Vol Club Confidential: Rick Barnes

On3 imageby:Austin Price•01/08/24•

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In April of 2015, fresh off being let go by Texas, Rick Barnes stepped to a podium within Pratt Pavilion and accepted the job as head coach of Tennessee. The longtime college head coach had more gas in the tank and almost ten years later, he couldn’t be more proud of his time on Rocky Top.

“It’s a blessing,” Barnes said. “When I left Texas, I was there for 17 years and honestly thought that’s where I would finish my career, but it didn’t end that way. I thank the good lord for this opportunity and Dave Hart was the person that hired me at the time. Growing up in Hickory, North Carolina which is less than three hours from Knoxville, I had no idea how much Vol nation loves their athletic department. I had no idea. When I think about it, a guy named Kevin Feltner, who ran the Tennessee Bobcats told me you have no idea how much people love their Tennessee basketball and I didn’t. I had no idea what it was going to be like and after being here we had some tough getting it started. Dave Hart told me we need to have a program and not a winning team we have tried to do that.”

Barnes believes in young people

There has been lots of change during his long and soon to be Hall of Fame career. But for him one thing will never change and that’s the mission to help young people.

“I’m getting close to 50 years in this business,” Barnes said. “You think about how the rules have changed. Back then you had to deal with rule changes. There was always something going on with recruiting. Different calendars coming in and whatever. You have to adapt. Where we are today, the two most significant rules besides the line moving back and the clock getting shorter and all that has been the one time transfer portal and NIL.

“I still think everything matters. I still think our job is to help young people get educated and grow and learn how to handle not just the good times but the tough times. With the one time transfer it’s hard to talk about commitment and loyalty because it’s about what is happening today and what can I do today.“

Watch the full episode of Vol Club Confidential both on Volquest and the Volquest YouTube channel.

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