BOB BOYD CLINIC NOTES (PART I)

Tough day today learning of the passing of Coach Bob Boyd who I had the privilege of working with for a year at LSU.  Years before, Coach Dale Brown sent me to the West Coast to spend a couple of days with Coach John Wooden and then on to Coach Boyd's house where we spent a day out by his pool with me peppering him with questions and soaking in his knowledge.  When I came back I told Coach Brown we had to get Coach Boyd to Baton Rouge for our fall Coaching Clinic which we did.  Over the next few days, I will share some of my notes from Coach Boyd that I got from both his home and our fall clinic:

If Bob returned coaching today he be more aware of conversion defense and defensive rebounding. Don Haskins was excellent at teaching conversion defense. Can not overteach it. Two important points in conversion defense is to get into the ball at midcourt and have someone take away the goal.

Larry Eustacy (Utah State) has lead the nation in rebounding margin twice in the past five years. Drives his staff as well as his team on defensive rebounding. Everyday they do a series of defensive blockout drills. He makes it embarrassing for a player to give up a second shot. Bob didn’t feel like he emphasized defensive rebounding enough when he coached.

First two weeks of the season are formative stage of a team. “Getting the bottom into the team” – build from the foundation up.

If coaching again, he would play both man-to-man and zone (there are numerous ways to guard the goal).

Wishes players would show the same kind of disgust when a man beats them on a drive as they do when they miss a lay-up.

Doesn’t believe that extended pressure win in the long run (counterproductive); he just doesn’t want to give up any long ones.

 Use zone against teams that have poor zone execution

 - Not because of foul situation

 - Must have a good “zone teaching attitude” – don’t play zone because your man to man isn’t working

 - Lots of coaches can’t teach gap penetration

Once brought a goal out and showed it to his team and said, “This is what we are guarding.”

Critical to dictate direction of basketball on defense. Most defenders lose their man because they lose their gap.

Advantageous to prepare against a team that plays only one defense.

Doesn’t think it is a good idea to collapse on the post with the defender on the passer. Like’s prostyle collapses with weakside defenders and stunts to recover.

If you pressure the shot, you are vulnerable to the drive – must have an order of priority either as a team defense or through scouting.

Would work on driving line from the wing every single day of practice.

Help is nearly useless if you don’t teach recovery. Don’t compliment help if they don’t recover.

Motion players – must concentrate. Nothing more important than concentration if you play motion.

Look – See and Hear – Listen.

He would not want to be known as a multiple defensive coach but would want to have options.

Two important areas in attacking zone defense are the skip pass and the short corner.

Likes the double skip (“one deserves another”) vs. zone.

Zone defense must not be considered a lazy man’s defense.

Good time to trap – sideouts and inbounds under

Feels it is difficult to zone press than effectively drop back man-to-man

Can confuse a press offense by changing from man pressure to zone pressure. Also feels that the back man of a zone press is a critical part of zone press success.

Wooden – extended defense to create tempo.