Auburn's Bruce Pearl makes strong statement about Tennessee Vols head coach Rick Barnes
Auburn Tigers head coach Bruce Pearl made his feelings about Tennessee Vols head coach Rick Barnes unmistakably clear this week. Pearl, who was the head basketball coach at Tennessee from 2005 to 2011, handed out a huge compliment to Barnes on Sunday morning. "Rick Barnes is a Hall of Fame coach and person," wrote Pearl […]
Auburn Tigers head coach Bruce Pearl made his feelings about Tennessee Vols head coach Rick Barnes unmistakably clear this week.
Pearl, who was the head basketball coach at Tennessee from 2005 to 2011, handed out a huge compliment to Barnes on Sunday morning.
"Rick Barnes is a Hall of Fame coach and person," wrote Pearl in a post on Twitter/X.com. "One of the best in our business! I'm proud of our league and the commitment to Men's Basketball, it does just means more! Of course that doesn't make it easy on us all every night out!"
Pearl's tweet was in response to a tweet from ESPN's Fran Fraschilla that followed Tennessee's win against Texas on Saturday night.
Barnes was the head coach at Texas from 1998 to 2015. Tennessee hired Barnes immediately after he was fired by the Longhorns.
It's no surprise to hear Pearl's appreciation for Barnes. There aren't many folks in sports that more well-respected than Barnes.
Barnes, who turned 70 this past summer, doesn't appear to be on the verge of slowing down anytime soon. He's doing an amazing job of navigating the new world of college athletics that centers around NIL deals and the NCAA transfer portal. While other coaches his age are choosing to walk away from the sport, Barnes continues to excel at a high level.
