I'm expecting some heat from this post, BUT...

[phil77]

Our problem was never zone, per se.

The problem was that (a) we played it badly and (b) we played it exclusively (aside from a desperation press that we also played poorly).

I agree our coaches stopped demanding maximum effort on defense at some point along the way I can tell you when but I don't want to start that conversation again.

 

[EnviroSciGuy]

Our problem was never zone, per se.

The problem was that (a) we played it badly and (b) we played it exclusively (aside from a desperation press that we also played poorly).

As the primary weapon in our defensive arsenal, I'm okay with it.

But if that's our identity, it needs to be elite, as it has been in the past. The roster needs to be constructed with that in mind. In the portal era, I'm not sure that new additions will have enough time to pick up the schemes. As someone else mentioned, Will Wade seems to do a good job of mixing and matching defenses to keep opponents off-balance. That's probably the best approach in this era rather than 100% relying on one base defense.

 

[orangenauburn]

Our problem was never zone, per se.

The problem was that (a) we played it badly and (b) we played it exclusively (aside from a desperation press that we also played poorly).

We lost our edge in zone when we lost our athleticism

Playing it with the Boeheim Boys and Girard wasn't a harbinger of success.

The zone can be dangerous with elite athletes.

 

[rhcuse]

JB also had Mike Hopkins, Rob Murphy, Wayne Morgan, Louis Orr, Bernie Fine, etc on the bench to teach his zone. Griffin, Englestad and Strahn….. not so much.

 

[upperdeck]

We lost our edge in zone when we lost our athleticism

Playing it with the Boeheim Boys and Girard wasn't a harbinger of success.

The zone can be dangerous with elite athletes.

and even worse when you try to play man with guys who cant play man or understand D concepts.

 

[CardiacCuse]

I've always thought, especially with shorter shot clock times, that it would be advantageous to switch from man to zone more often, like every couple of possessions to keep the offense off balance and burning a few seconds identifying what set they need to be in. Couple that with token full court pressure (even just by one person) after made baskets to burn a few more seconds off the shot clock as well and you give them a lot less time to work with.

this years team was so perfect for full court pressing...deep roster without any one star

red didnt even try it

he doesnt experiment enough...he couldve played eddie at PF and Naheem at C...never did

reds first year he did try different things and it worked at times...this year i guess the team was just so bad defensively he didnt even try to scheme anything

by the very end of the season, the defense was at least passable aafter being horrific most of the year

biggest problem for red is it seems he needs about 4 or 5 months to get his team to play the way he wants...he doesnt have that luxury (obviously)

i predict we will see some zone this year...maybe the default defense

must have tall guards, long athletic wings, and rim protecting centers...and players who can be quick and smart learners...

i doubt a team of frehsman and newcomers will hit the ground running under red esp in zone...


red needs to come up with a scheme that works and that he can install with efficiency from day 1

does he need smarter players? or is he just incapable? or both??

 

[pfister1]

It's not the coach.....it's the players......unless, of course, you want to say its the players that he's recruited.

 

[SUFan44]

Our problem was never zone, per se.

The problem was that (a) we played it badly and (b) we played it exclusively (aside from a desperation press that we also played poorly).

Towards the end, the zone was terrible not because it was a terrible idea but because the talent level was downright awful and had no defensive aptitude.

In 2018 & 2019, our defense was top 30 with the zone. But our offense was terrible, due to the bad point guard play and overall lack of shooting. We got more shooting at the expense of defense (Boeheim, Girard) over the next 3 years.

The last two have been a struggle to do anything right.

Doesn’t matter what defense you run - need better players.

 

[Frozen]

Either buy this DVD or hire the guy.

 

[UnknownOrange]

the zone is very effective when teams can’t shoot

It’s college basketball. Most teams can’t shoot. I’m all for it since the M2M defense this past season was booty (obviously next year will be a very different roster)

 

[kirbivore]

I agree our coaches stopped demanding maximum effort on defense at some point along the way I can tell you when but I don't want to start that conversation again.

The square peg era

 

[kirbivore]

the zone is very effective when teams can’t shoot

It’s college basketball. Most teams can’t shoot. I’m all for it since the M2M defense this past season was booty (obviously next year will be a very different roster)

This was true pre Steph Curry era. Kids are much better shooters now. The post after the first round NCAA loss to Baylor said it all. "Steph Curry killed the zone."

 

[JOC44]

Based on what we saw so far, it doesn't appear that he is a student of the game. He was a good player but that doesn't necessarily make him a good teacher.

Is it possible that the one guy on last year's staff that could actually coach is now at Siena? Not saying GMAC is the next coming of Hubie Brown, but the way we played this year made less sense than the way we played last year. Maybe it's reduced talent, but it might be reduced coaching.

 

[UD1954]

Nobody could coach mtm with our roster... Bell and Moore had no interest in playing defense if their shot wasn't falling plus they didn't have any dog in them when things got tight... Cuppa was good on defense but too inconsistent on offense to be a factor. If Autry and Kline can find a point and center next year's team will be more enjoyable to watch

 

[CU44SE]

I just want to be multiple. It’s harder to play a team that can do a couple different things. Throw the offense off base. 2-3 zone, press, matchup zone.

 

[Brooky03]

I agree our coaches stopped demanding maximum effort on defense at some point along the way I can tell you when but I don't want to start that conversation again.

We also stopped stocking the back of the zone with 6’8” guys who would bump their head on the rim

 

[Owens guy]

Top recruits didn’t want to go to a school that played all zone defense because they thought the zone would hurt their NBA chances.

Maybe if Syracuse went all or mostly transfers, players wouldn’t care as much if we played zone since they may be looking mainly at NIL & they may realize by their 3rd or 4th year that the NBA is not possible for them.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Pass. Here’s a radical thought though— play multiple defenses depending on the opponent and the situation. Better yet… coach better.

It’s 2025. Playing zone full time just doesn’t make sense in almost every circumstance.

 

[donniesyracuse]

The Glove is currently the HC at something called the College of Alameda.

It’s where they keep the nuclear wessels.

 

[BlazeOrange]

Top recruits didn’t want to go to a school that played all zone defense because they thought the zone would hurt their NBA chances.

Maybe if Syracuse went all or mostly transfers, players wouldn’t care as much if we played zone since they may be looking mainly at NIL & they may realize by their 3rd or 4th year that the NBA is not possible for them.

Maybe we could find a niche that way, but we'd continually be behind the learning curve if the zone/teamwork concepts aren't conducive to teaching quickly.

I'd prefer to play a system that would attract transfers from NBA prospects who want to improve their chances over something for those with broken dreams looking for a last cash-in.

 

[Dcuse]

Wild thought now that it seems like the entire roster might be turning over for next year. We know now that Red cannot coach man defense. The guy that we supposedly brought in for that purpose (Englestad) can't coach man defense. We have a clean slate to recruit, with some really athletic wings coming in.

*Whispers* does Red say screw it and build next year's team as a 2-3 zone defensive team?

Personally, I wouldn't be completely against it after watching Kansas almost zone Arkansas to death on Thursday...

Here's another wild thought...why don't we wait and see if they can coach man defense when they actually have guys that WANT and have the ABILITY to play man defense. Things like a tall guy that can jump and put his arm in the air at the same time to disrupt an easy basket. Coach has one year to get this done. If he can't, you can all revel with great joy in the removal of Adrian Autry.

 

[cuseincincy]

No heat. But I'm not sure we learned that Red can't coach man to man defense. I think Taylor was the only player on the team equipped to play man defense. Oh and Westry too.

 

[CardiacCuse]

We lost our edge in zone when we lost our athleticism

Playing it with the Boeheim Boys and Girard wasn't a harbinger of success.

The zone can be dangerous with elite athletes.

the zone falls apart when the roster has weaknesses...

IF you have a perfect roster...the zone is lethal

IF you do not have a perfect roster...the zone sucks

for a perfect zone roster - you need tall athletic guards that can play good d, smart forwards who can range around guarding the 3 and getting on the glass and a very good rim protecting center that can also cover the corner 3 (lol)...and you need backups capable of filling in if there are injuries...

are we really going to get that???

plus, the zone takes a while to learn and requires a coach who is good at in-game tweaks to play chess with opposing teams

 

[M2MPrinciples]

You can't really plan for any roster beyond the current season, so whatever style you want to run must be digestible to your roster in a very short amount of time, rather than needing 2+ years to master. So knowing what you're doing and being able to communicate it and having players who can pick it up is key. I won't say that *nothing* else matters, but everything else is just details.

 

[cuseincincy]

You can't really plan for any roster beyond the current season, so whatever style you want to run must be digestible to your roster in a very short amount of time, rather than needing 2+ years to master. So knowing what you're doing and being able to communicate it and having players who can pick it up is key. I won't say that *nothing* else matters, but everything else is just details.

That's why I am a proponent of playing various defenses. Mix it up man, 2-3, 1-3-1, press, half court trap, triangle&2, box&1. Play aggressive and full speed. I think the confusion it gives the offense is worth any trade off in not being perfect at each of them.