Tennessee could have used Dalton Knecht against Florida in a loss to the Gators. Instead, the Vols got his replacement.
That’s the plight of Chaz Lanier, who will be forever linked to one of the best players in Tennessee history. Why? He just happened to be the next “great” player to come along after Knecht took his talents to the NBA, which has boded quite well for the former Vol.
Knecht has become one of the brightest young superstars in the pros. Lanier is trying to get up to speed in the SEC, which seems more challenging after the Vols’ 73-43 loss to Florida on Tuesday evening.
It was hard not to think of the games in which Knecht took over, such as Auburn at home last season, and willed his team to a win. Need a bucket? Call Knecht. Need a replacement? The Vols called on Lanier, who still has much to prove.
Things looked quite copasetic before the Vols traveled to Gainesville on Tuesday. Knecht was averaging 15.1 points per game, 4.1 rebounds per game, 1.6 assists per game and 211 total points. Surprisingly, Lanier had been better – before he got chomped by the Gators.
Leading into the Florida game, Lanier was averaging 20.3 points per game, 2.9 rebounds per game and 1.4 assists per game. The Vols looked to be in good hands – before the trip to Gainesville. Now, one has to wonder if Lanier is not as good as Knecht, just had an off game (10 points on 1-9 shooting from the field) or he’s still finding his way in coach Rick Barnes’ system. I doubt the latter and think Lanier is comparable to Knecht, but probably not quite as good. We’ll find out soon.
It’s worth noting that Knecht failed to score 20 points only once in SEC play, when he could only manage 19 points in a 90-64 win over Ole Miss. However, the Vols didn’t really need their superstar in that SEC matchup last January.
Lanier may end up being better than Knecht, but it’s worth noting that he never put up a stinker like Lanier did against Florida – in a game that truly matters.
The Vols will play Texas on Saturday and need to bounce back as soon as possible considering the SEC may be the best basketball conference in the NCAA this season. There are six SEC teams among the top 10 teams listed in the AP Poll. Clearly, the battle for supremacy in the conference won’t be an easy goal to achieve. That goal will be a pipe dream if Lanier plays like he did against the Gators.
It’s hard to knock anything about Lanier if you take the big picture into account. The Vols landed a top-flight scorer to replace one of their best players in school history. That, however, doesn’t mean Lanier is as good as Knecht. Odds are he never will be.
