Coaching / teaching defense is one thing but as a team I believe it exists at the level of philosophy so in that regard it comes from the head coach and has to be pervasive through everything that you do. It has to be at the core of your identity as a team starting at the top and resounded by your staff and players. You don't just fix it with more / different drills. I'd say every game this season we lost out on the 50/50 battle with maybe 2 or 3 games where we had a decent effort for most of the game. Owens was probably the only guy that shined in consistent hustle.
Rebounds, defense, 50/50 all point to an issue with motivation/hustle. The way we showed up for Providence epitomized the symptoms. Part of this is youth. Mental / physical maturity between an 18 yo vs guys 2-5 years older can be dramatic.
Agree. Defense minded teams reflect the coach. It will also require better teamwork and working together on the court. There was very little success with our D this season with the exception of the times full court pressure was used. But once past halfcourt, there was little carryover.
Our guys need to learn how to prevent multiple shots on a possession by learning how to box out and get good position. Too often out of position on D.
And we are out of position too often because by and large our guards get beat consistently and our defense is always scrambling. Certainly coaching is part of the equation but I think the idea of a coach motivating players is much more difficult than many realize. It is difficult to teach heart, kind of like creating a leader out of someone with no innate leadership skill. You can mold, harness, direct desire but if it not there it is hard to create, especially in players who have played a thousand games by the time they get to college.
I am a Mullin guy but if a coach recruits kids then coaches them and there is a lack of effort the coach is the guy that takes the blame. For bringing them in and then not getting through to them. I blame the roster configuration more than anything but you can't absolve Mullin from everything.
Not absolving Mullin from anything, I have been very open about criticism of the team falls on both coaches and players. Was merely commenting on this idea that coaches can motivate players, I don't believe that is generally the case, I think the ability for coaches to get "through to them" is very much the exception, not the rule. Not that it never happens but it is not as common or as easy as many fans believe. Generally speaking, I think coaching is vastly overrated but I agree with you wholeheartedly recruiting the right players is key. And to expand, I don't mean coaching isn't important, it is, but getting the right players is way more of a factor than a coaches influence. Million of examples of how much better coaches are when they upgrade talent, from John Wooden to Coach K.
Coach should instruct and motivate by controlling a player's PT. Team also needs an identity. We were going to be the best conditioned team in the BE. Not thrilled with playing wide open offense.