Ok so I like to go back and watch older Duke games. Sometimes, they'll show you the post game interview. I've noticed after a lot of big games where the team made a great comeback or went on a big second half run that Coach K said "we stopped calling plays and I just let the players play". He said it after the big comeback in 2001, championship in 2015 and last week against Notre Dame. Each game the team looked GREAT during those stretches. HMMMMM! Got me thinking why doeshe not do this more often in second halves of games. The team is so talented that if you just let them play they're clearly better than the opponent. I don't believe he should go Calipari and just roll the ball out, BUT for stretches during the game it may not be a bad idea. Let's say 8 minutes every game we don't run any plays and just let the athletes take over. That would put us over the top. What do you think about this?
Let them play? Hmmmm
- Thread starter LouisiAaron
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I'm sure he resorts to this quite often. What's the point of sticking to a playbook if it's not working? Time to go all Michael Vick on the opposing team. SMH at Madden football games of the early 2000s. No one was allowed to pick the falcons.
Keep it up then. Let the ballers ball. We need that trophy so we can have more titles than UNCheat and they won't have anything to say
My question would be what does he mean by that exactly. It's not like he just says ok do whatever you want right? I mean they are still running the offense it's just the motion/free lance aspect of the offense instead of the set actions portion. If any coach just let them play like pick up ball it wouldn't be very pretty because the guys would be on different pages all the time. Even Cals teams run an offense...It doesn't have patterns etc. so it doesn't look like one, but the players are executing specific roles and concepts. I am all for simple free lance action.
Yes when he says let them play he means he just let them run motion and they decide when they want to attack. Set plays are definitely good. I just said I noticed he always says that after a big game when we are down and we make a comeback. When they get that freedom they gain a certain swag and look unstoppable
Ironically last night I rewatched the final 5 minutes of the 2010 NC game. Yaaaa that was a-lot of play calling
Games that we made comebacks where we played bad for a long stretch then all of a sudden we just take off.
Have you ever thought that he says that after big wins just so the players get the recognition they deserve?
That's obviously because he says that. I think he's also telling the truth about not calling plays as well. I don't care if they call plays are not. As long as we win I'm good. It's just interesting how the success rate is when plays aren't called for stretches.
I think it is giving the kids credit. And, I think he also gives them some freedom within the motion offense.
But, I also think he does this in the huddle for psychological effect. He wants them to play "free" rather than "tight" or "thinking" or "forcing" the game; because that allows their talent to come out.
Sometimes K and the players will say that he tells them, "just play basketball." And, when they feel freed that way, that doesn't mean their training and reputation about what to do in the offense doesn't come through. It means they stop worrying about it.
Take even their fast break baskets. It actually takes a good bit of training to learn how to run down the floor on a fast break if you have 2-3 players. You have to stay in lanes, keep distance, and have a sense as to where the defenders are, which teammate has the ball and what he likes to do, etc. so you can draw the D away or find an open lane to receive a pass. They've been working on that since September I'm sure. But, if they are still thinking about that then they make mistakes. Or if they are trying to force it, they make mistakes. But, if they just let their training instincts take over then they are at their best.
I think that's why he took Grayson out late in the ND game. Grayson was trying too hard to force the action and making mistakes. He got out of control. There's a fine line between being passive/scared and forcing the action. Grayson is still learning to control that - he did great against UNC. Not so great late against ND. But, hopefully he can continue to be more comfortable going forward. These kids are still very young and learning and will make mistakes. The hope is they can remain mature enough to catch on and improve each game going forward. And that the moment doesn't become too big for some of them. If so, they have a great shot.
But, I also think he does this in the huddle for psychological effect. He wants them to play "free" rather than "tight" or "thinking" or "forcing" the game; because that allows their talent to come out.
Sometimes K and the players will say that he tells them, "just play basketball." And, when they feel freed that way, that doesn't mean their training and reputation about what to do in the offense doesn't come through. It means they stop worrying about it.
Take even their fast break baskets. It actually takes a good bit of training to learn how to run down the floor on a fast break if you have 2-3 players. You have to stay in lanes, keep distance, and have a sense as to where the defenders are, which teammate has the ball and what he likes to do, etc. so you can draw the D away or find an open lane to receive a pass. They've been working on that since September I'm sure. But, if they are still thinking about that then they make mistakes. Or if they are trying to force it, they make mistakes. But, if they just let their training instincts take over then they are at their best.
I think that's why he took Grayson out late in the ND game. Grayson was trying too hard to force the action and making mistakes. He got out of control. There's a fine line between being passive/scared and forcing the action. Grayson is still learning to control that - he did great against UNC. Not so great late against ND. But, hopefully he can continue to be more comfortable going forward. These kids are still very young and learning and will make mistakes. The hope is they can remain mature enough to catch on and improve each game going forward. And that the moment doesn't become too big for some of them. If so, they have a great shot.
I was under the impression many years ago that Coach K ran a motion offense which was controlled but not scripted. Lately he seems to be running more "plays" for Kennard, Grayson, Tatum, etc., but still pretty basic with lots of player options. It gives players freedom but also makes it awfully hard to scout and prepare for.
That's all true. I just noticed when he feels it getting away he stops calling plays and just let them run a free motion offense. It seems to continue to work in big games when we absolutely need it. I wonder how often he does it on a game to game basis though.
It has to be controlled. Any offense in basketball is controlled. There are certain principles and spacing with every offense. Duke runs about 6 plays that I've noticed from the outside looking in. The last three games I think he went away from plays and let them loose
This is one of K's "go-to's" just about every year. Part of the reason is because of the talent he's able to put on the floor. One thing Duke rarely lacks is great individual players. I think he's confident enough in them to make plays and pick their spots. But I also agree that it's a way for him to shine a lot of the credits on his kids.
Whatever it takes for them to show their full talents and win, I'm fine with. I'm starting to feel more at ease with the ball in Tatum's hand more than anyone else. He has figured it out and he's playing unselfish. Late game he has to be the playmaker. Unless Grayson is just on that day.
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They never run unstructured offense. Now when a play breaks down they may scramble around and shoot a bad shot. But they will never just run unstructured offense.
How often does that actually happen? You'll only see that when it's heat check or when someone tries to be the hero. Nine times out of 10 they run a play and the guy who got the ball just doesn't pass it.