New Defensive Mindset

[AzubuikeandFitch]

I suggest to stop being reactive and become proactive on the defensive end.
From tip off be physical on defense with the objective being to take the ball away---create turnovers. We're already getting torched for easy baskets and open looks. Might as well throw caution to the wind and stop worrying about fouls.

Now, I'm not saying to press full court all game. However, within our half court man to man, extend pressure and get extremely aggressive. Change the objective from simply getting stops to getting the basketball.

Like I said, we're already giving up too many points per possession, so we may as well try to create more scoring opportunities. Our offense tends to flow much better when everything isn't coming from a half court set grinding everything out. As a result, it could help speed up the tempo and get more open threes in transition.
*This suggestion is glossing over trying to instill basic defensive adjustments like help side, hand up butt down close outs, and rotation/recovery principles bc it's late in the season.

 

[bnewt]

Maybe some gimmick defenses like Dale Brown used to use.....trapping, double teaming inside, different zones

 

[rolaid]

I agree we all know we’re slow if foot but why not trap ball screens and any passes to the post ?
This passive ball line defense where we put no pressure and allow the other team to do whatever only worked at UT they missed 34 threes

 

[CatsFanIL]

I suggest to stop being reactive and become proactive on the defensive end.
From tip off be physical on defense with the objective being to take the ball away---create turnovers. We're already getting torched for easy baskets and open looks. Might as well throw caution to the wind and stop worrying about fouls.

Now, I'm not saying to press full court all game. However, within our half court man to man, extend pressure and get extremely aggressive. Change the objective from simply getting stops to getting the basketball.

Like I said, we're already giving up too many points per possession, so we may as well try to create more scoring opportunities. Our offense tends to flow much better when everything isn't coming from a half court set grinding everything out. As a result, it could help speed up the tempo and get more open threes in transition.
*This suggestion is glossing over trying to instill basic defensive adjustments like help side, hand up butt down close outs, and rotation/recovery principles bc it's late in the season.

It's a fine thought, but at this point in the season, you just can't tell the guys, "hey we're playing some of the best teams in the nation, just go take the ball from them". Doesn't work like that. Finding moments where you can try to drum up a trap or extra pressure, say out of a timeout or after a made FT, that could work.

But our roster isn't built like Ole Miss (and others) where speed, length, physicality, etc is abundant. It's really, really challenging to turn really good teams over. Not just from a coaching standpoint, but from building a roster too.

 

[ManitouDan]

Doing what we are doing every game is the very definition of insanity . For a guy driven by numbers I’m sure Pope sees this , totally benching Brea helps IMO , he’s not really a help on O and he’s non existent on D . Try someone else , and quit subbing as much . Running Noah out there at the 16 min mark after not playing him any the previous game at home reeked of desperation!!

 

[chroix]

I suggest to stop being reactive and become proactive on the defensive end.
From tip off be physical on defense with the objective being to take the ball away---create turnovers. We're already getting torched for easy baskets and open looks. Might as well throw caution to the wind and stop worrying about fouls.

Now, I'm not saying to press full court all game. However, within our half court man to man, extend pressure and get extremely aggressive. Change the objective from simply getting stops to getting the basketball.

Like I said, we're already giving up too many points per possession, so we may as well try to create more scoring opportunities. Our offense tends to flow much better when everything isn't coming from a half court set grinding everything out. As a result, it could help speed up the tempo and get more open threes in transition.
*This suggestion is glossing over trying to instill basic defensive adjustments like help side, hand up butt down close outs, and rotation/recovery principles bc it's late in the season.

I like this approach particularly if you are focusing on tips and deflections rather than outright steals. Gambling on defense only pays off for the quickest defenders and even then it’s iffy. How many times did Hagans go for a steal only to give up a drive? Definitely more than a few times.

 

[chroix]

Doing what we are doing every game is the very definition of insanity . For a guy driven by numbers I’m sure Pope sees this , totally benching Brea helps IMO , he’s not really a help on O and he’s non existent on D . Try someone else , and quit subbing as much . Running Noah out there at the 16 min mark after not playing him any the previous game at home reeked of desperation!!

He’s struggling and searching for the right combos so I’ll at least give him credit for trying to work his way out of it.

 

[Kybluedude]

Got to become a good zone team and stick with it for more than one possession.
We get killed in m to m off the iso dribble.

 

[EliteBlue]

The way we played in the second half is how I see us needing to play.

3-2, 2-3, 2-1-2 are the simplist zones with the least rotational responsibilities. Right now we are giving up easy 2s and easy 3s. With us being slow footed and lacking ball pressure, I’d like to see us pack a 3-2 and mix it w an 2-1-2 if we aren’t rotating efficiently to take the middle away, and let them bomb away. Sure, if they hit 30 3s then you’re likely getting beat. But as efficient as we are offensively, we can out score teams if we get enough stops to keep the game in the 80s. Just have to steal enough possessions and the majority of teams can’t hit 20 3s with mild pressure

 

[ImTheVillageIdiot]

We tried untelling how many different defenses yesterday and none of them worked. I agree that I would like to be more aggressive defensively but only Oweh looks capable of getting a steal so even that doesn’t look to be a good answer either. I’m beginning to wonder if we are going to be capable of winning five more without Lamont.

 

[EliteBlue]

We tried untelling how many different defenses yesterday and none of them worked. I agree that I would like to be more aggressive defensively but only Oweh looks capable of getting a steal so even that doesn’t look to be a good answer either. I’m beginning to wonder if we are going to be capable of winning five more without Lamont.

It’s easy to feel that way but we won the second half by double digits (the last 15 minutes) once we played a 3-2 off made baskets.

 

[chasingwildcat]

I agree we all know we’re slow if foot but why not trap ball screens and any passes to the post ?
This passive ball line defense where we put no pressure and allow the other team to do whatever only worked at UT they missed 34 threes

Also should be noted that in that UT game, Brea almost made all shots, and we barely won 3 with UT extremely cold, that was a miracle. Brea is hot garbage in most sec games

UT would beat us 8-9 times when we play ten ganes.

 

[ManitouDan]

be honest .. you can teach 8th graders to play 2 zone D's , a 2-3 and a 1-3-1. .. it's not hard , just have to have players willing to bust ass to cover their areas .... I about had a fit last night the one possession we went 1-3-1 , mentioned it in the game thread .... A Williams was the baseline guy in the 1-3-1 .. the Baseline covers corner to corner . Thats the way it works -- Right ? Hell they swing the ball to the corner and A Williams isnt in the area code .. he's standing in the middle of the paint . Thats the wing guys area , ball goes to corner the WING opposite that corner drops and helps the guy playing the middle cover the paint . Amari didnt move . Guy was lonely wide open .

 

[Creed Bratton]

I like this approach particularly if you are focusing on tips and deflections rather than outright steals. Gambling on defense only pays off for the quickest defenders and even then it’s iffy. How many times did Hagans go for a steal only to give up a drive? Definitely more than a few times.

I agree on Hagans. A lot of people looked at his steals and thought he was a great defender but he gambled a lot and jumped into passing lanes to get those steals. He wasn't that great of a defender when it came to staying in front of his man.

 

[canebreak]

It's a fine thought, but at this point in the season, you just can't tell the guys, "hey we're playing some of the best teams in the nation, just go take the ball from them". Doesn't work like that. Finding moments where you can try to drum up a trap or extra pressure, say out of a timeout or after a made FT, that could work.

But our roster isn't built like Ole Miss (and others) where speed, length, physicality, etc is abundant. It's really, really challenging to turn really good teams over. Not just from a coaching standpoint, but from building a roster too.

Ole Miss does not have any length

 

[The_Answer1313]

Some coaches prioritize forcing turnovers on defense.........others do not.
For 15 years under Cal, we never forced turnovers. We also had some pretty good defenses at least in the beginning of that era.

The bottom line is it all goes back to four factors:
1) Opponent Effective FG%
2) Turnover %
3) Rebound %
4) Not fouling

Just be great at ONE of those things. That's all. You can do this in different ways. Be great at TWO and you have a very good defense.

Our current numbers are this:
121st
352nd
47th
102nd

That's not gonna work.

 

[rolaid]

Got to become a good zone team and stick with it for more than one possession.
We get killed in m to m off the iso dribble.

I agree on zone but a 2/3 not 1/3/1
Coaches won’t stay in zone they can give up 5,straight 3’s in man and stick in man then give up a corner 3 in a zone and pull it after one try

 

[AzubuikeandFitch]

I agree we all know we’re slow if foot but why not trap ball screens and any passes to the post ?
This passive ball line defense where we put no pressure and allow the other team to do whatever only worked at UT they missed 34 threes

Yes. Passive ball line D and no pressure puts too much into fate's hands. Get up in somebody's crawl and dictate where they can go.
20% of defense is athleticism and the rest is effort. We need to take pride in guarding our man.
I played in the late 90's and I can't fathom how much crap you'd take getting torched on the defensive end like they are.
I had a legendary high school coach teach basic half court principles. He called it in the line and up the line. Defenders would shift position based on where your man and the ball were on the court. Be ready at all times to help or close out.

 

[BlueSince92]

I suggest to stop being reactive and become proactive on the defensive end.
From tip off be physical on defense with the objective being to take the ball away---create turnovers. We're already getting torched for easy baskets and open looks. Might as well throw caution to the wind and stop worrying about fouls.

Now, I'm not saying to press full court all game. However, within our half court man to man, extend pressure and get extremely aggressive. Change the objective from simply getting stops to getting the basketball.

Like I said, we're already giving up too many points per possession, so we may as well try to create more scoring opportunities. Our offense tends to flow much better when everything isn't coming from a half court set grinding everything out. As a result, it could help speed up the tempo and get more open threes in transition.
*This suggestion is glossing over trying to instill basic defensive adjustments like help side, hand up butt down close outs, and rotation/recovery principles bc it's late in the season.

Love it.

Even though some Cal defenses were very good I have thought for YEARS how nice it would be to stop playing stop-the-ball defenses against teams with get-the-ball defenses. Back then it was like we were begging them to make up for our superior talent and they very often did. Now it’s just like we’re begging them to beat us.

 

[WildcatUKx]

I suggest to stop being reactive and become proactive on the defensive end.
From tip off be physical on defense with the objective being to take the ball away---create turnovers. We're already getting torched for easy baskets and open looks. Might as well throw caution to the wind and stop worrying about fouls.

Now, I'm not saying to press full court all game. However, within our half court man to man, extend pressure and get extremely aggressive. Change the objective from simply getting stops to getting the basketball.

Like I said, we're already giving up too many points per possession, so we may as well try to create more scoring opportunities. Our offense tends to flow much better when everything isn't coming from a half court set grinding everything out. As a result, it could help speed up the tempo and get more open threes in transition.
*This suggestion is glossing over trying to instill basic defensive adjustments like help side, hand up butt down close outs, and rotation/recovery principles bc it's late in the season.

If these guys can't play defense now then there is no way they improve drastically before the tournament. But defense is an issue moving forward not just this season but next season also

 

[AzubuikeandFitch]

Love it.

Even though some Cal defenses were very good I have thought for YEARS how nice it would be to stop playing stop-the-ball defenses against teams with get-the-ball defenses. Back then it was like we were begging them to make up for our superior talent and they very often did. Now it’s just like we’re begging them to beat us.

My point exactly. Glad I'm not alone. Thanks

 

[AzubuikeandFitch]

It's a fine thought, but at this point in the season, you just can't tell the guys, "hey we're playing some of the best teams in the nation, just go take the ball from them". Doesn't work like that. Finding moments where you can try to drum up a trap or extra pressure, say out of a timeout or after a made FT, that could work.

But our roster isn't built like Ole Miss (and others) where speed, length, physicality, etc is abundant. It's really, really challenging to turn really good teams over. Not just from a coaching standpoint, but from building a roster too.

Being short handed you'd think Pope would be more willing to take some risks. We're already giving up an insane points per possession so why not extend pressure.
I'd accept some token traps and pressure but our rotations aren't even good in a normal man setting.
Ultimately, it's a conundrum of what to do on that end of the floor. However, I think everyone can agree, if you aren't busting ass on the defensive end you shouldn't be on floor.

 

[jwphelps]

I suggest to stop being reactive and become proactive on the defensive end.
From tip off be physical on defense with the objective being to take the ball away---create turnovers. We're already getting torched for easy baskets and open looks. Might as well throw caution to the wind and stop worrying about fouls.

Now, I'm not saying to press full court all game. However, within our half court man to man, extend pressure and get extremely aggressive. Change the objective from simply getting stops to getting the basketball.

Like I said, we're already giving up too many points per possession, so we may as well try to create more scoring opportunities. Our offense tends to flow much better when everything isn't coming from a half court set grinding everything out. As a result, it could help speed up the tempo and get more open threes in transition.
*This suggestion is glossing over trying to instill basic defensive adjustments like help side, hand up butt down close outs, and rotation/recovery principles bc it's late in the season.

I say start the game in a match up zone and feel out the other team, I would rather lose with them hitting long 3's than getting beat with their guards driving by ours all day long. Face it without Butler we have no one who can stay in front of a fast PG.

 

[Seth_C]

If you think we are doing bad now just wait till we’ve got Travis Perry and Chandler even out of position because they are trying to play passing lanes for steals. Oof.