While fans are busy filling out their brackets,
coaches are busy making preparations to face their first
round opponent. And shortly after the brackets are
unveiled, coaching staffs immediately begin the process of
preparation.
Methods to the madness differ, but all are consistent with
being very thorough.
We have always had a very detailed approach to preparing
for both our first and -- potential -- second round
opponents, which does not vary much from our regular
season scouting system.
One of the most often used expressions is, "Our focus is
solely on our next opponent." That is not exactly true.
In practice our attention is focused squarely on the next
game and nothing else, but -- as a staff -- we are always
trying to stay two steps ahead. As a coaching staff, we
have our next three opponents scouted and that is
something that we carry over to the NCAA Tournament.
And that process begins all over again when the brackets
are announced on Sunday evening.
More likely than not, we already have game tapes on our
first round opponent. We have an excellent video crew who
tape every single college basketball game throughout the
season.
One assistant coach is assigned the responsibility of
breaking down every aspect of that first round opponent,
from the tapes we have available. While he is examining
film, another assistant will begin utilizing contacts to
obtain updated game tapes.
Five to six hours after the brackets have been announced,
the assigned assistant has a complete scouting report
mapped out.
One of our other two assistants has the assignment of
working with him on specifics of defensive approach. He
answers the questions, what players do have to be
concerned with, what types of sets the opponent will run
in a given situation, what are their tendencies and so on.
When we convene as a staff on Monday morning, we are fully
prepared to discuss approach and implement our game plan.
At the same time the first round opponent is being
examined, a third assistant draws the assignment of
scouting the two teams who we would possibly face in the
second round, assuming that we win our opening round
affair.
His breakdown also begins on Sunday evening and often goes
late into the evening. But his assignment is not discussed
during our Monday morning meeting. I do not want to know
anything about our potential second round opponent until
the first game has gone final.
Still, it is of the utmost importance the assistant that
draws that assignment to have a complete understanding of
both teams in advance. By the time we board the plane for
our first round destination, we have a thorough breakdown
on three teams.
In the days leading up to that first game, every
conceivable scenario is played out. We break our
preparation down to the finest detail with one simple goal
in mind -- We want our players prepared for everything.
One thing that we always preach to our players is that
they will never be surprised by what they encounter on
game day.
Once they step foot on the floor they will know that when
the opponent's guard goes left he will probably look for a
screen to get his shot, if he goes right he will look to
pass to the post, if he penetrates to the middle he will
look to kick it back out and so on.
By no means do we do anything radically different than
every other coaching staff in America. More likely than
not, our approach is very similar to every team
participating in the NCAA Tournament.
Some coaches put a heavy emphasis on their own teams, with
the idea that if they execute their own stuff they will be
successful. I have always taken a different approach, in
that we want to be sure we are sound in what we want to
do, but we also want to be sound and secure about what our
opponent will do.
There are always going to be variations in approach and
philosophy, but one thing is the same with all sixty-five
coaching staffs -- They are all very thorough.
