🏀 How Texas Tech defends various offensive concepts

Published: Fri, 10/02/20

Hi Coach,

Why is Texas Tech so hard to score against?

They force you to take incredibly hard shots.

A college defense will see 100+ variations of offensive sets and actions over a season.

That is a huge number of defensive reads & rotations to prepare to defend.

For Texas Tech that's not as daunting as it sounds.

Their philosophy of “no middle" is what makes the task easier.

No Middle Half-Court Defense Bundle

Chris Beard & Mark Adams (Architect of the defense / Assistant Coach) prepare their players the day they step on campus to rotate early & often, and to arrive at the ball in a really foul mood.

If you look at every college possession from the last twenty years then that data tells you one thing:

The data tell you that baseline drives are the least efficient way to score the basketball.

Forcing dribblers to the baseline and having a helper immediately stop the ball just outside the paint, the driver tends to get pinned against the baseline — almost behind the goal & backboard so there’s not an angle to even attempt a shot.

The data also suggests that the game’s elite scorers make most of their money from the middle of the paint.

Here are a couple of quotes on the "No Middle" Defense:

“If you think of basketball, it always turns into advantages. It’s a scramble. In today’s game, it’s the ball screen. The ball screen makes you help. Then it’s a scramble. Or guys you can’t guard one-on-one get by. You have to help, and there’s a scramble. Really, that’s what defense is. It’s three guarding four, it’s four guarding five, it’s two guarding one. We put our guys in those situations every day.” – Chris Beard

“Playing Texas Tech is like going to the dentist without Novocaine.” – Kevin Willard, Seton Hall.

“Maybe I should have picked out the tape of the best defense [in the country] and look[ed] at how we should attack them a few months ago, and in the off-season. Hard with a one day prep. You got one day between games and you got to figure out how to beat the number 1 defense in the country.” – Nate Oats, Alabama

(The quote is when he was the head coach at Buffalo)

To help you better understand the details of Texas Tech's No Middle Defense we have put together a collection of playbooks for you.

No Middle Half-Court Defense Bundle

It has the following playbooks:

Texas Tech Offensive - Defensive Playbook

Virginia - Texas Tech: NCAA Championship X`s and O`s Playbook

Texas Tech Championship Defense vs "Any Offense" Playbook

We also decided to throw in two bonus playbooks:

Baylor Bears `No-Middle Defense` Playbook

Game-Winning Strategies & Plays from the ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac 12, and Mid-Majors

Normally all the playbooks would sell for $89.75

But from now through Sunday we have them discounted at $37 which is a 59% savings.

CLICK HERE FOR INSTANT ACCESS

Talk to you soon,

Brian Williams

The Coaching Toolbox