If anything is clear this offseason, it’s that Rick Barnes is shifting toward offense in the portal. The defense might take a bit of a step back, but even against great teams like Michigan, the Vols struggled to get stops and shot just over 30% in the Elite Eight, which is no recipe for success.
Rick Barnes builds toward a monster portal finish with the newest commit leading Juke Harris charge
Barnes even said that when they landed, Dai Dai Ames that he was looking for a player who is comfortable with the ball in his hand when the clock is winding down. A confident offensive player.
Vols fan Jordan Moore found an amazing stat about the new additions Rick Barnes has brought in, and how it differs from last season's roster construction. Last year, Tennessee only had one player make more than 50 three-pointers (Ja'Kobi Gillespie). This year, the Vols have added three players, Terrence Hill, Tyler Lundblade, and Dai Dai Ames, who have each hit at least 50 threes. In fact, the trio combined for 252 made threes, which is 38 more than Tennessee had as a team last season.
Last season Tennessee had 1 player make 50+ threes, Jakobi Gillispie.
— Jordan Moore (@jordanmoore_21) April 20, 2026
As a team they made 214 three’s.
So far in the portal Tennessee has added three players (Hill, Ames, Lundblade) that made 50+ three’s.
Combined those three made 252 three’s.
Offense > defense this time around for Tennessee
This time around, Rick Barnes is focused on adding players who can score while still holding their own defensively. He’s not abandoning defense, that’s always been his identity, but he is willing to sacrifice a bit on that end to improve offensively. Plus, you have to remember, Vols still has Miles Rubin, one of the best shot blockers in the country, and DeWayne Brown II, a physical body down low. Also, Jonah Munch will be on campus this week, too, a 6'11" big man who defends the basket very well.
In addition, on the perimeter, Ames and Jalen Haralson are far from liabilities defensively. Sure, they won't be prime Gary Payton out there, but they will be more than adequate on the defensive end, especially with such a strong frontcourt protecting the rim. The Vols can afford to lose a little defensively if they gain so much more on the offensive end. Next season, the Vols will look completely different, and that's okay.
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