What is the best coaching move Cal has ever executed?

[Diggers_Matching_Highlighter]

Dovetailing off of the "What is the most bizarre thing Cal has done?" thread:

What is the best\smartest coaching move Cal has ever done?

My vote is for the 1-4 he ran against UCONN with Wall in 2009. Of course he never ran it again that season, but I thought it was brilliant at the time.

 

[WeWant9]

2011 vs OSU and UNC. Not many expected UK to win those, but Cal had the team ready and prepared for those games.

 

[UKFan32065]

Getting himself ejected early in games. I don't have statistics to back it up, but probably more wins than losses as a result.

 

[gossie21]

Telling Anthony Davis to check into the game.

 

[BigKari]

2011 vs OSU and UNC. Not many expected UK to win those, but Cal had the team ready and prepared for those games.

Yeah that 2011 Final 4 may have been Cal’s best piece of coaching outside the National Championship. The team was not very deep, Knight and Lamb both picked up twisted ankles in the SEC tournament but played through it and you could see that team wanted it bad after going to war and coming up just short in several battles in the SEC. That SEC Tourney win was well earned and very exciting. Cal cared about winning that one, that was back when that dude had some fire.

I could feel it in my soul they’d knock off Ohio State, I liked the matchup for that team. Ohio State had a big, solid, efficient, experienced team, but Kentucky had them in talent. And we had Jorts to set the tone and be a Big 10 type brawler to show there was no intimidation about their size. I was riding the high after beating Ohio State after all their fans talked shit and I just kept saying “all I know is the Cats are ready for them”. Ohio State fans thought that team was unbeatable at that point. I knew we could beat that UNC team because the game with them in November went to the wire. I was excited about that game, expected it to be close, wanted it bad for them but thought they had already proven/redeemed themselves, plus I had been crushed by the Elite 8 loss the year prior so I remember being less nervous going into that game.

 

[Soupbean]

Not sure it was would be considred a "move" but one thing I alwasy gave him credit for was getting Terrance Jones (who was struggling so bad his last year) to just stop trying to do anything except be a rim eater and attack the rim on every shot and just be a physical beast dominating around the rim as our junk man. Terrance took to this notion and started craching the glass on both ends and started getting lobs and put backs and that lead to him learning to post up and score too. He went from a totally lost floating around the floor to a force for us that made a difference in our championship run.

I do remember one move Cal made with him on his post moves. Terrance was so left handed he would post up on the left block and then turn to his left. By that time he was being super agressive but in doing so he would turn himself behind the basket a lot of times with no angle to score unless he got completely around his man to dunk it. Cal finally moved him to the right block so that he could turn to the middle in front of the basket and score better.

So thats mine . . . now can I please get back to picking on Cal again for all the stupid stuff he does?

 

[KYExtemper]

Yeah that 2011 Final 4 may have been Cal’s best piece of coaching outside the National Championship. The team was not very deep, Knight and Lamb both picked up twisted ankles in the SEC tournament but played through it and you could see that team wanted it bad after going to war and coming up just short in several battles in the SEC. That SEC Tourney win was well earned and very exciting. Cal cared about winning that one, that was back when that dude had some fire.

I could feel it in my soul they’d knock off Ohio State, I liked the matchup for that team. Ohio State had a big, solid, efficient, experienced team, but Kentucky had them in talent. And we had Jorts to set the tone and be a Big 10 type brawler to show there was no intimidation about their size. I was riding the high after beating Ohio State after all their fans talked shit and I just kept saying “all I know is the Cats are ready for them”. Ohio State fans thought that team was unbeatable at that point. I knew we could beat that UNC team because the game with them in November went to the wire. I was excited about that game, expected it to be close, wanted it bad for them but thought they had already proven/redeemed themselves, plus I had been crushed by the Elite 8 loss the year prior so I remember being less nervous going into that game.

We also made good adjustments against UConn in the Final Four after they whipped us badly in Maui but we came up just short. I felt that was a great revenge spot for us so I was devastated we lost because that was basically the title game.

 

[Cantblockme]

Having himself ejected in the 2016 South Carolina game and letting Tyler Ulis coach us.

 

[Diggers_Matching_Highlighter]

We also made good adjustments against UConn in the Final Four after they whipped us badly in Maui but we came up just short. I felt that was a great revenge spot for us so I was devastated we lost because that was basically the title game.

Can you name any of the specific adjustments?

 

[MegaBlue05]

Reluctantly putting Derek Willis in the starting lineup in 2017. Changed the dynamic of that team.

 

[Diggers_Matching_Highlighter]

Yeah that 2011 Final 4 may have been Cal’s best piece of coaching outside the National Championship. The team was not very deep, Knight and Lamb both picked up twisted ankles in the SEC tournament but played through it and you could see that team wanted it bad after going to war and coming up just short in several battles in the SEC. That SEC Tourney win was well earned and very exciting. Cal cared about winning that one, that was back when that dude had some fire.

I could feel it in my soul they’d knock off Ohio State, I liked the matchup for that team. Ohio State had a big, solid, efficient, experienced team, but Kentucky had them in talent. And we had Jorts to set the tone and be a Big 10 type brawler to show there was no intimidation about their size. I was riding the high after beating Ohio State after all their fans talked shit and I just kept saying “all I know is the Cats are ready for them”. Ohio State fans thought that team was unbeatable at that point. I knew we could beat that UNC team because the game with them in November went to the wire. I was excited about that game, expected it to be close, wanted it bad for them but thought they had already proven/redeemed themselves, plus I had been crushed by the Elite 8 loss the year prior so I remember being less nervous going into that game.

Not sure I see a "move" here. I am not busting your chops, just looking for something a little more specific than he won some games he was not expected to.

How did he do it?

 

[Aike]

Turning Julius Randle into more of a playmaker in 2014.

 

[The Snoke]

Dovetailing off of the "What is the most bizarre thing Cal has done?" thread:

What is the best\smartest coaching move Cal has ever done?

My vote is for the 1-4 he ran against UCONN with Wall in 2009. Of course he never ran it again that season, but I thought it was brilliant at the time.

I’ll say the last contract. That was too smooth and Mitch, myself and most of BBN thought it was great. He coached us all without even knowing what the crap was to come. That to me, is a really good coaching move and most of us bit.

 

[BBNinSC]

Sticking with Justin Edwards when dozens of internet experts suggested he should be benched

 

[KYExtemper]

Can you name any of the specific adjustments?

It's been a while since I've seen the game but we definitely keyed in more on Kemba. He still had 18 points but he didn't go off for close to 30 like he did in Maui.

 

[yoshukai]

Hiring Welch .

 

[FurdTerguson]

Making Karl Towns concentrate on post play and not shooting threes. It's why we beat Notre Dame.

 

[NociHTTP]

Getting ejected from a game.

 

[NociHTTP]

Hiring Welch .

Is Cal even using Welch?

 

[ukwazoo]

Switching to Zone vs UConn in '14

His worst move was coming out of it

 

[BlueBomb]

He did some fantastic stuff with UMass.

 

[cathouse]

Leaving Memphis and bringing their #1 recruiting class with him.

Destroyed their program on the way out the door.

That move has changed his life.

 

[NothinButNylon]

Convincing Reeves to return and be a superstar on this team.

“He was worried about the wrong stuff,” Calipari said. “When you have five of the freshmen that we have, and you’re finding out they’re really good. ‘So what’s going to happen to me?’

“What? You’re the vet. What do you mean what’s happening to you? So he did the right stuff. Proud of him, and he’s playing good.”

 

[RunninRichie]

Not sure it was would be considred a "move" but one thing I alwasy gave him credit for was getting Terrance Jones (who was struggling so bad his last year) to just stop trying to do anything except be a rim eater and attack the rim on every shot and just be a physical beast dominating around the rim as our junk man. Terrance took to this notion and started craching the glass on both ends and started getting lobs and put backs and that lead to him learning to post up and score too. He went from a totally lost floating around the floor to a force for us that made a difference in our championship run.

I do remember one move Cal made with him on his post moves. Terrance was so left handed he would post up on the left block and then turn to his left. By that time he was being super agressive but in doing so he would turn himself behind the basket a lot of times with no angle to score unless he got completely around his man to dunk it. Cal finally moved him to the right block so that he could turn to the middle in front of the basket and score better.

So thats mine . . . now can I please get back to picking on Cal again for all the stupid stuff he does?

Terrance Jones was a total beast both of his years at UK.

 

[FurdTerguson]

Terrance Jones was a total beast both of his years at UK.

Seemed like he missed a lot of open shots in the paint in the 2012 Final Four. Drove me crazy. And free throws.

But his hustle saved us when someone tried to throw the ball away when Kansas was coming back and he ran it down at mid court.

 

[KyCatFan]

Using the UCLA job opening to con Mitch into that ridiculous contract. Great coaching move by him.

 

[Bluesbrother]

Terrance Jones was a total beast both of his years at UK.

Yes, he was a pleasure to watch play the game. How much better would it be if Cal had run a TWO and DONE system, rather than the failed OAD? His career would be an altogether different trajectory, IMO. Win-Win for ALL.

 

[kats23]

Turning Julius Randle into more of a playmaker in 2014.

Especially in that Louisville tournament game. He basically ran the same play with Randall coming into the paint with a spin move over and over again. Finally, when UL doubled it, he kicks it out to Harrison for the dagger.

 

[KAB Cats]

Reeves running floppy action 2nd half vs Auburn this year was fantastic

 

[RunninRichie]

Seemed like he missed a lot of open shots in the paint in the 2012 Final Four. Drove me crazy. And free throws.

But his hustle saved us when someone tried to throw the ball away when Kansas was coming back and he ran it down at mid court.

He was crazy in the 2012 FF. Dunking on everybody.

 

[FurdTerguson]

Using platoons until Alex got hurt in 2015. We were bludgeoning people. That second unit really came in wanting to show something.

 

[BigKari]

Not sure I see a "move" here. I am not busting your chops, just looking for something a little more specific than he won some games he was not expected to.

How did he do it?

If you weren’t so quick to try to correct, you may have noticed I quoted someone else’s opinion and was responding to that, not the question the OP asked. Thus the quote. Try to keep up Poindexter.

 

[Eagles_Ball]

Sticking with Justin Edwards when dozens of internet experts suggested he should be benched

He had a good six game stretch where he shot the ball much better than anytime during the rest of the season. Those six games might prove to be more fools gold than anything else. I sure hope not, but that's literally been the only difference in his game. He made shots at a crazy high rate for a few games.

 

[yoshukai]

Is Cal even using Welch?

He used him to implement the offense we run . Without his input Cal would probably have all three 7 footers in the game together, lol .

 

[Jeff2Reed]

I’d say deciding to keep Jorts on the roster in 2010. Brought him a final four and our first in a long time.

I miss that Calipari, the one that was hungry and didn’t put recruiting NBA players and the “NBA players coach” persona ahead of the mission to the degree he does now. He used to to do both I will never understand why he adjusted to the way he does it today. And I do believe he adjusted to an “all in” sort of way that he didn’t before.

I personally think what happened is the portal changed everything far more than he ever suspected it would, coupled with the success he didn’t handle well. When Calipari wanted to be one of the coaches at the big boys table he was unstoppable. When he tasted it? Man. Some just doesn’t handle success as good as others.

I’d also say deciding to keep Jorts on the roster when he first came is the reason for the first final four and that cemented his early years here. Jorts was the last man taken on the roster. Hella good move and developed him well too. Again this is when Calipari played who needed to play regardless.

 

[bigbluedon]

His best move is yet to come. It will be when he leaves after this season is over.

 

[Kentucky fan 1989]

Sticking with Harrellson rather than Matt Pilgrim.

 

[Diggers_Matching_Highlighter]

If you weren’t so quick to try to correct, you may have noticed I quoted someone else’s opinion and was responding to that, not the question the OP asked. Thus the quote. Try to keep up Poindexter.

If you weren’t so quick to try to correct, you may have noticed I quoted someone else’s opinion and was responding to that, not the question the OP asked. Thus the quote. Try to keep up Poindexter.

As the OP...just trying to keep everyone on topic. You both missed the assignment.

Good to know you can at least comprehend that.

 

[Caintuk]

Best coaching move for him…take the UK job. Not the very best for us, but certainly enhanced his resume.

 

[Bluesbrother]

Best coaching move for him…take the UK job. Not the very best for us, but certainly enhanced his resume.

"Caintuk" ... interesting moniker name. Spin on "Caintucky" ... loose translation for old Shawnee name given to lands south of the Ohio river that meant "bloody hunting grounds" during the time Simon Kenton first settled what is now Maysville/Washington, Kentucky ... as I best understand it. Are you familiar with that history? Just curious.