It looks like we will miss the tourney at this pace with a team that has absolutely fallen apart….experts please weigh in.

Yes he is, but he was dealt a tough hand. This next offseason will be really telling, but one thing is a fact. They can recruit. They are still on pace for NCAA. Currently a six seed. But they are breaking down, which is exactly what happened during the bird era. All of her teams except the first fell apart as the season went on. What he's done with this team has been great, but the thing I've see lacking is focus and consistency. Next year will be very different, but this year has been a success, especially considering it's mostly the same pieces as last year. They need to close strong and regroup, but it's a good group of coaches who have won at high levels!

It's gonna be all about recruiting over the next 2-3 years. If you can't recruit at a very high level, you'll be middle of the pack at best with random wins vs a good team. I was (sadly) at a Texas game recently and I would say not a single player not named Lednicky could start on that team. That's how big a talent gap we are talking about.

This Morrison led squad though was pretty fun to watch early on though!

I believe he is a very good coach and has the program moving in the right direction. It's year 1 and he's working with a young roster in what has become a very competitive conference. We have some good talent on campus but, overall, probably missing some pieces necessary to play the style he wants effectively and consistently. As mentioned above, he's putting together a very good recruiting class and believe he will be able to do well in the portal. The positive thing is that our best players are our youngest, so that along with the recruiting suggests good things ahead!

But do you think they are running out of gas because these are just legacy players and this is all they have known? Perkins hasn't experienced a winning program, Meuth experienced similar experiences at Notre Dame outside of one season. The only one I've noticed that's stayed constant or even improved is Muoneke. She's been the most constant thing the last few matches.

Completely fair! I still think this season has been a success. The matches we have lost aren't a complete surprise. Missouri is turning out to be better than expected, lost to Auburn in 5. Kentucky is healthy and turned into the team everyone thought. Then there is Arkansas, Tennessee, and UF. We've beat the teams we should to this point. He has experienced coaches who know how to run a program. I think we are just seeing the growing pains. I don't think it necessarily helped that Morrison was gone for a few weeks with the national team when he could be on campus building relationships.

You haven't watched our middles well enough then. Morgan or Ifenna could play the M2 spot next to Asjia and Jerritt would absolutely love to have either.

Maybe going to coach internationally at the beginning of the season wasnt a good move?

Said this a few weeks ago, I think it definitely didn't help

Practice, yes. But even the weeks leading up to it. Had a huge opportunity to get in and build relationships early on

But they played well to start off the season and into the conference games...
Also winning the U19 with even younger players has to look good for him and possibly recruiting at least with visibility.

Completely agree with you, but the part that I think is now coming up is you're truly getting to know someone now. First few months is the honeymoon, feels great. But now we're in the stage where you really get to know someone, habits, attitudes, etc. I have a few friends that are first time college head coaches and they have gone through very similar experiences.

Who knows, maybe if Morrison didn't coach U19, maybe this bad stretch would have happened sooner!

Jack Pearson said:

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Maybe going to coach internationally at the beginning of the season wasnt a good move?

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Nothing to do with how this season unfolded and it will be better for us in long run regarding recruitment

He has to learn the ins and outs of running a program

Greengreengrass said:

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Building relationships? What are you wanting, lunches, tea time? Volleyball isn't allowed to practice before the season (don't get me started on this stupid rule) so literally it would be hanging out at meals to build relationships. You are stretching to drag him for coaching for Team USA.
Ask yourself this, if you were asked to coach for Team USA would you say no?

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Actually yes I would. That wasn't the Olympics lol. Maybe I am mistaken but I thought he missed the start of practice as well?

I would coach the team that is paying my bills. As a first time coach about to take on my first legit job of running a program I would want to be visible and present for all decisions no matter how small.

How many of those U19 kids flipped their commitment? The highly ranked recruiting class of 25 is strictly from his skyline connections and had nothing to do with coaching in Croatia for a few weeks.

With that said glad they got in, the experience if nothing else will be beneficial and you never know. Got to be in it to win it.

Exactly the point. Also a good point about recruiting. Actually none of those girls are even considering A&M and they all had the opportunity to.

Greengreengrass said:

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Volleyball isn't allowed to practice before the season (don't get me started on this stupid rule) so literally it would be hanging out at meals to build relationships. You are stretching to drag him for coaching for Team USA.

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I wasn't aware of the insane NCAA restrictions on the time coaches can spend with the team until recently. It is really surprising and to me was even unexpected.

Well, to each their own. I can tell you that in the college volleyball coaching world, being asked to coach one of the national team programs is an elite invite and something most always do. (Take look at past rosters and then where those coaches coach currently, you'll be impressed)
None of those kids flipped their commitments.... yet. And I wasn't making the point that coaching it was for recruiting purposes at all. I added the recruiting piece to make sure we all understood that the program is doing just fine with him coaching for 2 weeks with team USA.
As a person in the volleyball world, you want your coach to be in the USA pipeline, 1, it tells you that he is an elite coach, 2, players need proof nowadays that coaches can coach, this helps that, 3, the man has a passion for coaching elite teams and TEAM USA wants people with international experience so let him be human.

Does anyone know that Corbelli also coached a USA team as well. It is going to pay dividends down the line. No one is changing their commitment two weeks before a season starts but I can guarentee you if they had a great time, experience and enjoyed his coachng style TAMU will be on the radar as a transfer portal destination.

The breakdown of this team was at the end of the season not at the beginning so him gone for a couple of practices didnt affect the team initally. The roster was what is was going to be. If players leave then more ability to get into transfer portal that much quicker. If everyone stays we have the ability to add one maybe two scholarship players for 2024. OH is a must. passing DS is my second/third choice. Others want a setter but it would have to likely be a grad transfer because the 2025 setter is likely a four year starter, albeit maybe running a 6-2 freshman year.

I dont think people realize how young we are and with very little NCAA experience on the roster. .

The program never had a player stay four years under Bird except Allison Fields and Tayior Voss, both walk on DS players, so no scholarship player stayed and the run they made the one year was with Corbelli players adding a great libero in Gomez and Hans having a terrific year.

Morrison's staff mark will be the 2025 class and going forward from there but I think we can make the tourney next year and maybe win a round NOT in Austin for reasons known

There was plenty of class of 24's on that team, not sure there was any 23s so it wasnt two weeks before the season for them. Ayden Ames flipped from Nebraska to Texas just a week before signing day and she was on that team. Actually it was all 24s and 25s I believe.

Oh and I think its great for Morrisons resume, just not the best timing to start a career is all.

I think having a coach that is a nationally (even internationally) recognized is a big deal in any sport. It was just unfortunate the U19 tournament came at the beginning of practice start but its effect is debatable.

But for Morrison, I think being active in the USAV world is important especially in the beginning of his D1 coaching career. What else does he have to hang his hat on that would say he is a coach worth playing for? He had zero D1 head coaching experience but as he finishes this season and the next couple, he'll be able to point to some of those newer accomplishments. Until then, he has to take advantage of what he is known for and good at.

Maybe I misunderstood, you said no one was going to change their commitments two weeks before the season started. I took that as the college season IE 23s. Got your point though, even though they allegedly had a great time and loved playing for morrison none of them could be swayed to play for the aggies.
I would disagree, a few of those girls are from Texas and one for sure had an interest in A&M before she committed. Her mother practically begged her to stay home,

Well two weeks before a season i meant college yes

None of the players on the under 19 team were going to college right after. they were all HS players and most if not all had comitted somewhere. It would take a huge amount of trust in that narrow time frame to decommit from an established program to one that hasnt been in NCAA for years.
But if any liked Morrison enough to see a trajectory that is improving could if unhappy when they go to college.
But all that is secondary to being in the USAV pipeline of coaches.

I think we should improve next year if we only add a OH1 who can pass and another DS who passes extremely well. Some think we need a setter and while I dont think our setting is elite enough I think there are much more pressing needs...ball control which gives many more options for a setter. We have to run middle more in 2024 and the way to do that is ball control especially on first contact