You’re the coach: how do you fix the offense?

#26
#26
I'm not advocating for a change, but if UT offers up top 5 money (you know like they are currently paying), you will get a lot of qualified applicants for the job. Don't be silly.
No guarantee…UCLA who is a blue blood was offering Top 5 money and got turned down by multiple coaches before finally circling back ti Cronin, which has worked out, but wasn’t saw at the time as some great hire.
 
#27
#27
No guarantee…UCLA who is a blue blood was offering Top 5 money and got turned down by multiple coaches before finally circling back ti Cronin, which has worked out, but wasn’t saw at the time as some great hire.

I was responding to someone who said "name a decent coach who wouldn't be a total rebuild". If you throw around top 5 money you aren't getting some unproven up and comer. It doesn't mean it will work out obviously, but you aren't dumpster diving for scraps. We aren't some broke, garbage program, with zero resources to bring in quality coaches. That was my point.
 
#28
#28
I'm not advocating for a change, but if UT offers up top 5 money (you know like they are currently paying), you will get a lot of qualified applicants for the job. Don't be silly.
We aren’t going to spend $5 million a year on a new hire. That’s more than we paid for Josh Heupel.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DuckInAPen
#29
#29
I was responding to someone who said "name a decent coach who wouldn't be a total rebuild". If you throw around top 5 money you aren't getting some unproven up and comer. It doesn't mean it will work out obviously, but you aren't dumpster diving for scraps. We aren't some broke, garbage program, with zero resources to bring in quality coaches. That was my point.
Gotcha, and I agree…that’s something that regardless of how this goes/ends we can thank Barnes for, is that this job should now been seen as a legitimate Top 10-15 job nationally.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GenRRN
#30
#30
Powell, Vescovi, and Chandler are the only 3 guys allowed to shoot 3 pointers.

There are way too many guys on this team that thinks they can hit from 3 point range that actually can't. It has been comically bad this season.

Make the front line guys about 40 percent more athletic than they currently are LOL.

They looked slow and consistently got abused against LSU getting beat on the boards, in transition, and had few answers down low on offense.

This is a flawed team. No doubt they can make the tourney but they need to accept and start understanding their weaknesses on offense.
 
#32
#32
Mentioned this in another thread,,,,the team's early season success behind the 3 point line created a false picture of the team's offensive personality. Now we have settled into reality and we do not have the tools to easily respond with a plan B. You can only "coach up " under the rim offensive ability so much.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Namorto1
#33
#33
Define roles would be a good start. JJJ starts at SF but should be told never shoot a 3 unless no one is within 10 feet from him. He puckers up when he shoots. Give Powell at least 15 minutes to spell him per game and give him some slack if he makes a mistake. Last year I advocated for small ball with James at the 4, but he had a pulse last year and we needed another competent ball handler. Not so much this year. We need to feed post (which James cannot and will not play), and work inside out and when all things fall apart give it to Chandler with 10 seconds on the shot clock and let him create.

At the post rotate 4 players rather than 3. Nkamhoua is primary and tell him to be aggressive. Everyone else, get in threat position and kick out to shooters if they don’t feel it. Fulkerson….doesn’t want the pressure, so just tell him to play hard. BHH needs consistent minutes off the bench. Our opponents have size and we need more on the floor.

The rotation of Vescovi, Chandler and Ziegler is fine. Bailey should never play. I’m okay with Mashack if someone gets in foul trouble but otherwise spot minutes for him. Tell the guards to push tempo and attempt to get first good shot available. The ball cannot stick in anyone’s dribble or hands long except Chandler or Ziegler. Defensively I would use a full court passive press the entire game and ratchet it up when we need a stop. Another opportunity for Mashack to get minutes perhaps. Put Ziegler on primary ball handler when we ratchet up full court. Pressing makes other teams shoot quicker and if we can rebound defensively with court spread perhaps we will have more opportunities to run. Vescovi, Chandler, and Nkamhoua become primary scorers and everyone else complement them. Powell needs to be a scoring threat off the bench every game. Lastly when Chandler penetrates our bigs need to be ready to receive the ball. We drop gimmies often.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Volfan1000
#35
#35
Curious to everyone’s opinions on how to fix our offense. It’s clearly what is holding this team back.

To me the “shoot if you are open” philosophy needs to go. There are too many players launching 3s that can’t shoot them. Seems as though Vescovi, Powell, ON, and Chandler should have the green light, the rest not so much. We should be throwing the ball into the post and kicking out for the 3 instead of just passing around then launching a 3.

It’s probably best if JJJ plays the 4, even if it means Fulky comes off the bench. JJJ needs to play around the basket and not out on the perimeter.

Powell needs more minutes on the floor, Vescovi needs to shoot more, Chandler needs to drive to the goal with the option to dump it off if he doesn’t have a shot. And I know BHH is lost on defense but he can score so he needs 15 mpg.

You’re the coach, what do you do?

Drive to the basket and limit the three point attempts to 10 or 15 per game.
 
#36
#36
2 Birds with 1 shot:

Must make an extra number of free throws after practice for every turnover in a game.

That way with worst case scenario, even if we keep shooting ourselves in the foot with turnovers, at least we can
make up some of the points at the charity stripe.

Best case scenario on the other hand is turnovers decrease and FT% increases.
 
#37
#37
It’s probably best if JJJ plays the 4, even if it means Fulky comes off the bench. JJJ needs to play around the basket and not out on the perimeter.
.You’re the coach, what do you do?

I agree JJJ as more of a Dane Bradshaw type? Possibly??
 
#38
#38
Go back to paint touches on every possession. There is only two or three guys on this roster that should attempt a three without the shot clock buzzer going off. Have those guys look for their shot and everyone else looking for something else. People keep complaining that we miss open looks. The opponent is giving us open looks by design with most of our players.
 
#39
#39
I’ve been watching vol basketball for a lot of years, both men and women. One thing I have noticed is that when a coach over emphasizes defense his shooter start loosing their touch. Pat was very strict and although she had top 5 talent every year they were never consistent outside shooters. O’Neal, Conzo and now Barns all suffered from the same problem. I understand the importance of defense, but you don’t sacrifice everything for it. You play with the talent you have. Would you rather have a number 2 defense and a terrible offense or have a number 20 defense and a terrific offense? Selling out to defensive mindset puts the players if the wrong frame of mind to be able to score. Shooters must have confidence. They need to lean toward scoring. If the personnel you have is not good at defense, you teach them while allowing them to do what they love and do best. You don’t sit them on the bench all year and have them transfer out the next season.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Volfan1000
#40
#40
I’ve been watching vol basketball for a lot of years, both men and women. One thing I have noticed is that when a coach over emphasizes defense his shooter start loosing their touch. Pat was very strict and although she had top 5 talent every year they were never consistent outside shooters. O’Neal, Conzo and now Barns all suffered from the same problem. I understand the importance of defense, but you don’t sacrifice everything for it. You play with the talent you have. Would you rather have a number 2 defense and a terrible offense or have a number 20 defense and a terrific offense? Selling out to defensive mindset puts the players if the wrong frame of mind to be able to score. Shooters must have confidence. They need to lean toward scoring. If the personnel you have is not good at defense, you teach them while allowing them to do what they love and do best. You don’t sit them on the bench all year and have them transfer out the next season.
It's not so much an emphasis on defense as it is an emphasis on fg% defense that doesn't seem to work. Teams that win in modern day basketball are good on offense and create more offense with their defense. The opponent can shoot 50% as long as you are able to get defensive rebounds and force turnovers.
 
#43
#43
It's not so much an emphasis on defense as it is an emphasis on fg% defense that doesn't seem to work. Teams that win in modern day basketball are good on offense and create more offense with their defense. The opponent can shoot 50% as long as you are able to get defensive rebounds and force turnovers.
I agree with you. Especially players who are meant to be scorers. Think of good defense as creating more offensive opportunities.
 
#44
#44
Pick and Roll. Pick and Roll. Pick and Roll.
Pick and Roll Pick and Roll
Don’t you just love it
Pick and Roll Pick and Roll
Don’t you just love it
Pick and Roll Pick and Roll
Don’t you just love it
Pick and Roll Pick and Roll Roll Roll!
…. I’ll show myself out
 
#45
#45
Pick and Roll Pick and Roll
Don’t you just love it
Pick and Roll Pick and Roll
Don’t you just love it
Pick and Roll Pick and Roll
Don’t you just love it
Pick and Roll Pick and Roll Roll Roll!
…. I’ll show myself out
It is the simplest play in basketball but with an elite PG it is also the most effective play. Why do you think the NBA utilizes it so much?
 
#47
#47
Curious to everyone’s opinions on how to fix our offense. It’s clearly what is holding this team back.

To me the “shoot if you are open” philosophy needs to go. There are too many players launching 3s that can’t shoot them. Seems as though Vescovi, Powell, ON, and Chandler should have the green light, the rest not so much. We should be throwing the ball into the post and kicking out for the 3 instead of just passing around then launching a 3.

It’s probably best if JJJ plays the 4, even if it means Fulky comes off the bench. JJJ needs to play around the basket and not out on the perimeter.

Powell needs more minutes on the floor, Vescovi needs to shoot more, Chandler needs to drive to the goal with the option to dump it off if he doesn’t have a shot. And I know BHH is lost on defense but he can score so he needs 15 mpg.

You’re the coach, what do you do?
It is very difficult to fix an offense when you are short on talent and/or experience at the 4 and 5 positions. This is not a new problem for our basketball team. Fulkerson has had at least two bouts with Covid 19 and has been hampered by by it for the last two years. His game against Arizona was an example of how he can play when healthy. Remember that Plavsic has been here two years and has never been a starting player but has been playing a lot because of Fulkerson's illnesses. Olivier has hardly seen the floor until this year and while he has improved, he does not play well against SEC caliber teams. BHH and Aidoo are tall but are really still high school aged players who we all knew they were not likely to see much playing time this year. We are play SEC teams, many of whom, have outstanding players at the 4&5 positions. When our three point shooters are not hitting their shots, we do not have any other avenue to take unless the 4 and 5 players play way above their head.
 
#49
#49
I'm not advocating for a change, but if UT offers up top 5 money (you know like they are currently paying), you will get a lot of qualified applicants for the job. Don't be silly.

Tennessee is paying to keep things steady and not blowing up.

In this case, paying Barnes a boatload to stay here is worth more than starting over with a new coach. Barnes took this job as his last school to work at before retiring. I’d rather have 3-4 more years of Barnes keeping us as a NCAA tourney team year in and year out than starting over with a new coach who may or may not get us to be a consistent recruiter and tourney team.

The people even contemplating starting the fire Barnes or time to start warming his seat are dumb.

There are times you pay big money to keep the boat from rocking more than elevating results. This is the case with Barnes considering his shelf life here is close to expiring aka his retirement.
 
#50
#50
Go back to paint touches on every possession. There is only two or three guys on this roster that should attempt a three without the shot clock buzzer going off. Have those guys look for their shot and everyone else looking for something else. People keep complaining that we miss open looks. The opponent is giving us open looks by design with most of our players.
Makes a lot of sense, then the defense is only guarding 3 players every possession, at least until the shot clock winds down.
 

VN Store



Back
Top