The Rocky Top has touched rock bottom. The once-dream destination for almost all top recruits in the country now has no players left for the 2026-27 roster. Jaida Civil, who was the last player left, entered the transfer portal, leaving Kim Caldwell’s side reeling. Oliviyah Edwards, the No. 2 recruit in the SC Next 100 class of 2026, has requested a release from her national letter of intent with the Lady Volunteers. With the program seemingly falling apart, ESPN broadcaster Holly Rowe has slammed the Volunteer AD, Danny White.

The Lady Vols were once the program everyone aspired to beat, much like UConn today. Overall, they have won eight championships and reached 18 Final Fours in their history. However, under Kim Caldwell’s leadership, the team has experienced a decline. They are coming off a program-worst 16-14 overall record while going 8-8 in the SEC. NC State eliminated the Lady Vols in the first round of the NCAA tournament. This massive decline in performance earned the ire of ESPN broadcaster Holly Rowe.

“What Danny White is allowing to happen to @LadyVol_Hoops is making me so sad. Gut-wrenching to watch him let one of the greatest programs in women’s sports history disintegrate. I am devastated,” Rowe posted.

However, the post has now been deleted. 

White was hired back in 2021, and the Tennessee Lady Vols have accomplished very little during his time. They haven’t been seeded higher than No. 3 and have peaked at the Sweet 16. They haven’t been ranked higher than No. 15 in the final AP Poll. But why target the AD rather than coach Kim Caldwell? Maybe because he refused to fire her. Fans have been calling for her dismissal, and reports suggest that people close to him were urging him to move on.

The suggestion was put forth largely because of the record, but also because of the way she handled the players. She criticized her squad and accused them of “quitting on her” and benched Kaiya Wynn on senior day, which caused her to leave and lose the dressing room, per many analysts. 

Yet, Danny White has backed the coach he hired.

“I think she is doing a great job,” White said on WMNL. “I am as confident in her as I was the day I hired her – more confident. Just getting a chance to work closely with her and see how talented she is as a basketball mind, as a leader.” 

To be fair to Danny White, there are reports that Gabe Lazo, the former assistant coach, undermined coach Caldwell, which led to the season unraveling. However, that was completely denied by many former players who spoke up. Nevertheless, there is a world where White is redeemed, and coach Caldwell succeeds. 

Kim Caldwell should make one key change to turn things around

For now, Kim Caldwell remains the Tennessee coach, and all hope is not lost. Despite losing everyone to the portal, this scenario is not uncommon, as 1,000+ players are already changing teams. In addition, Caldwell had a successful first year, finishing 24-10  and reaching the Sweet 16. Going forward, she can return to prioritizing fit over the on-paper metrics. 

“I think the system and this situation become fixable for Coach Kim Caldwell, and in the midst of this chaos, I think she can actually win here because it’s going to come down to recruiting players who fit her system, not just chasing star rankings and ratings,” Tennessee insider Paige Dauer said. 

The 37-year-old plays a unique, press-heavy, frequent-rotation-style basketball, which includes high-volume threes. She needs the players to buy in, or the entire system falls apart, something that happened this past season. Now, she starts with a clean slate and can bring in the players she needs, rather than just the conventionally best talent.

“There’s a self-scouting element here because for coach Kim Caldwell, if she believes like the system is the identity, the players have to match it,” Dauer said. 

So far, Tennessee has only had departures in this portal, but it has only just started. Kim Caldwell has let go of two of her assistant coaches and hired one replacement in Bill Ferrera. Caldwell is under pressure to deliver, but she has the blueprint from her first season to do so. Only time will tell whether she can turn things around at Tennessee or if someone else will be needed to step in.