Coach Calipari

[Original Rookie]

I may start a thread on this...but is CAL a defensive Coach specialist? He has made IMO great moves this year on the defensive end with Liggins. He totally over whelmed U of L with Liggins on Siva, tonight he used Liggins on the PG to put a damper on things and also with WVU. The more I watch UK and Cal the more I believe he is a defensive minded coach.

It helps when you have a guy like Liggins but the Cats do play great team defense.

 

Liggins is just a game changer on defense. Against Louisville (Siva), Florida X2 (Walker) and now Ohio St (Craft).

[okie1]

It helps when you have a guy like Liggins but the Cats do play great team defense.

 

Liggins is just a game changer on defense. Against Louisville (Siva), Florida X2 (Walker) and now Ohio St (Craft).

 

I agree, but Cal understands who is the most important player to a team is, not necessarily who is the best scorer ect...that is great coaching! He also trusted Harrelson to handle the OSU big men which he did...IMO Jorts has become a GREAT defender...he is a smart player!

[Original Rookie]

I agree, but Cal understands who is the most important player to a team is, not necessarily who is the best scorer ect...that is great coaching! He also trusted Harrelson to handle the OSU big men which he did...IMO Jorts has become a GREAT defender...he is a smart player!

 

You are absolutely right. Who is the best player Louisville has? Knowles. But who makes them go? Siva.

 

Jorts is a very smart defender. He has learned how to bother shots without fouling and he uses his body extremely well.

[okie1]

You are absolutely right. Who is the best player Louisville has? Knowles. But who makes them go? Siva.

 

Jorts is a very smart defender. He has learned how to bother shots without fouling and he uses his body extremely well.

 

2 Huge plays in the game...Harrelson stuffing Sullinger for a jump ball, Harrelson out battling OSU for rebound and blasting it off of Sullinger's chest. IMO this gave UK those toughness plays that gave them confidence later in the game!

[Blue Magic]

Coach Cal got them prepared perfectly for the Buckeyes. What a fantastic job coaching on both ends of the floor.

[mobaar]

This thread is even more awesome now.

[Voice of Reason]

I may post this in the game thread also, but it applies here. The more I think about last night's game vs. OSU, the more I realize what an incredible piece of coaching that was. The defensive game plan was what everyone expected - Harrelson on Sully, stop the threes and very few double downs. But thinks about these moves in the game:

 

-Offensive game plan - take it to the rim, attack, make OSU play defense, wear them down and get them in foul trouble if possible. I would bet that was one of UK's lowest # of threes shot in a game all year. Great offensive game plan by Cal.

 

-Liggins on Craft - everyone has commented on what a great move this was to throw OSU's offensive rhythm off. Plus UK has the athletes to guard Diebler, Lighty and Buford.

 

-Roster management - think for a minute about how Cal handled his roster last night. Guys were getting into foul trouble but Cal managed around it. Jones going in and out. Harrelson sitting from the 12 minute mark to the 8 minute mark with his 3 fouls. When we got to the 5 minute mark, not one of the guys had 4 fouls. In fact, I don't think any of them ended up with more than 3. Great, great job by Cal.

 

- Timeouts - Plays out of timeouts, UK consistently won this battle all night like they have the whole post season.

 

-Momentum - Cal got UK in control of the pace of the game. One great move he made on this front was the early TO in the second half right after OSU hit a second three. Calling that quick timeout stopped any potential momentum and got UK refocused.

 

- Liggins, Harrelson, Miller - Just the fact that these three are playing the way they are when many fans probably wanted them out of the program or at the end of the bench is a big testimony to how Cal gets all his players to play at their best level.

 

The fact is, that game is a trophy game attesting to the fact that Calipari truly is a GREAT COACH, not just a recruiter.

[Blue Magic]

FWIW, UK is on a 9 game win streak.

[Bluto]

FWIW, UK is on a 9 game win streak.

 

Let's make it 12.

[5wide]

It's just a number I threw out there to illustrate a hypothetical end-game situation.

 

Examples? Last 2 minutes? 3? 5? I won't hold you to 35 seconds. What has he done that makes him a bad coach?

 

Look, to be fair, I bought that myth before I watched the guy for 2 years at UK. It simply isn't true. He gets it done across the board, from recruiting, to motivation, to prep, to x's and o's, to adjustments. I'm sure he's made some mistakes, nobody is perfect, but he is money most of the time. When your players make plays, you suddenly look smarter. The NCAA Tournament isn't the first time Brandon Knight has been given the ball at the end of a game. He had chances in some of those close road losses and didn't deliver. Now he is.

[5wide]

I may post this in the game thread also, but it applies here. The more I think about last night's game vs. OSU, the more I realize what an incredible piece of coaching that was. The defensive game plan was what everyone expected - Harrelson on Sully, stop the threes and very few double downs. But thinks about these moves in the game:

 

-Offensive game plan - take it to the rim, attack, make OSU play defense, wear them down and get them in foul trouble if possible. I would bet that was one of UK's lowest # of threes shot in a game all year. Great offensive game plan by Cal.

 

-Liggins on Craft - everyone has commented on what a great move this was to throw OSU's offensive rhythm off. Plus UK has the athletes to guard Diebler, Lighty and Buford.

 

-Roster management - think for a minute about how Cal handled his roster last night. Guys were getting into foul trouble but Cal managed around it. Jones going in and out. Harrelson sitting from the 12 minute mark to the 8 minute mark with his 3 fouls. When we got to the 5 minute mark, not one of the guys had 4 fouls. In fact, I don't think any of them ended up with more than 3. Great, great job by Cal.

 

- Timeouts - Plays out of timeouts, UK consistently won this battle all night like they have the whole post season.

 

-Momentum - Cal got UK in control of the pace of the game. One great move he made on this front was the early TO in the second half right after OSU hit a second three. Calling that quick timeout stopped any potential momentum and got UK refocused.

 

- Liggins, Harrelson, Miller - Just the fact that these three are playing the way they are when many fans probably wanted them out of the program or at the end of the bench is a big testimony to how Cal gets all his players to play at their best level.

 

The fact is, that game is a trophy game attesting to the fact that Calipari truly is a GREAT COACH, not just a recruiter.

 

Not to mention, UK abused Sullinger on the pick-and-roll. Anybody think that was a coincidence? There's a reason Harrelson was 7 for 7 to start the game...layups and dunks are high %.

 

For the record, forget recruiting, and last night doesn't change my opinion, but I'll take Calipari over Tubby Smith in every aspect of coaching, including the dreaded "bench coach" category. Tubby was never overly impressive to me in that regard. Good? Sure. Top of the game? No way. He didn't call a TO against Duke. How long can you live on that?

[Michael Corleone]

Not to mention, UK abused Sullinger on the pick-and-roll. Anybody think that was a coincidence? There's a reason Harrelson was 7 for 7 to start the game...layups and dunks are high %.

 

For the record, forget recruiting, and last night doesn't change my opinion, but I'll take Calipari over Tubby Smith in every aspect of coaching, including the dreaded "bench coach" category. Tubby was never overly impressive to me in that regard. Good? Sure. Top of the game? No way. He didn't call a TO against Duke. How long can you live on that?

 

You beat me to it. I thought putting Sullinger in the pick and roll situations was brilliant and abused is an appropriate term.

[hoopboy]

To each his own...I think Cal's coaching abilities are spot on by most people. He can prove me wrong any day now.......waiting......

 

 

You really have top let Tubby go though. He has no bearing in this conversation. We know what Tubby is.

 

Just using the Tubs for comparison purposes. I had no idea it was a sore topic still.