Mercer University Head Coach, over 450 career wins;
back-to-back Atlantic Sun Conference Coach of the Year (2013-14);
2014 Atlantic Sun Conference regular season and tournament champions;
coached the first NCAA tournament victory in program history (2014 over Duke);
2012 CollegeInsider.com Tournament Championship
Take your ball screen offense to the next level! Mercer Head Coach Bob Hoffman focuses on offense and the various plays you can implement to make your offense more adaptable and less predictable. In 2014, Coach Hoffman led the Bears to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1985.
Using chalk talk and live practice footage, Coach Hoffman shares the ins and outs of his system from transition offense to quick hitters to zone offense and more. A key element of Coach Hoffman's offensive philosophy is to keep plays simple yet adaptable in setup and execution to keep opponents guessing.
Before hitting the court, Coach Hoffman explains the offensive philosophy behind his mode of attack. He believes a fast tempo secondary transition is a crucial element. Using the whiteboard, he covers some of the different quick hitters he uses in his version of the Carolina Break. These actions are utilized based on defensive reads and can easily flow into the main offense if a scoring opportunity does not immediately present itself.
Coach Hoffman shares two examples of box set plays used by his teams to score off of delayed ball screens. Both of these plays make use of some early screening action to transform into any Horns set you'd like to run.
Believing that dead ball situations should be viewed as opportunities to score instead of just getting the ball in, Coach Hoffman shows you two baseline inbounds plays to attack man or zone defenses.
Once the Mercer basketball team hits the court for practice, you'll see more plays from their ball screen offense. In both 5-on-0 half-court and full-court practice segments, players work through scoring options in their transition offense and also run through several series of plays in their early offense.
With the Double, both posts set up a double ball screen in transition that the point guard can use or reject to initiate different options. Use this play to confuse the defense over who has help responsibilities on the ball handler or the roll player. Chin offers set plays that use a down screen to free up a post to run into a high-ball screen without a defender in position to help. You'll also learn how to flow into early ball screens in your transition offense along with a couple variations to the play that will help you tweak this basic action.
This practice also gives you a chance to look at other aspects of the Mercer offensive system. You'll see a review of four baseline inbounds plays that make use of stagger screens and screen-the-screener actions.
Coach Hoffman practices his zone offense against a 1-2-2 zone defense with the "Muscle" and "Muscle Runner" set plays. Both of these plays overload the defense and create post-up opportunities against the zone with a high ball screen and quick reversal to a corner shooter.
You'll also learn how to confidently advance the ball against full-court defenses with a simple press offense.
This presentation is a culmination of over 25 years of coaching offense. Coach Hoffman has created a diverse and adaptable offensive strategy that is easily learned and used by his players. These strategies will keep you in the driver's seat while your opponents are left guessing.
86 minutes. 2015.
BD-04806B: with Bob Hoffman,
Mercer University Head Coach, over 450 career wins;
back-to-back Atlantic Sun Conference Coach of the Year (2013-14);
2014 Atlantic Sun Conference regular season and tournament champions;
coached the first NCAA tournament victory in program history (2014 over Duke);
2012 CollegeInsider.com Tournament Championship
Offense wins games, but defense wins championships. Put your team in championship mode with these defensive strategies and skills from Mercer Head Coach Bob Hoffman. In 2014, Coach Hoffman led Mercer to the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history. In addition, the 14 seed Bears knocked off a 3 seed to advance to the third round.
In this presentation, Coach Hoffman emphasizes and builds on the fundamentals of closeouts, footwork and communication in every drill - in a live practice setting. His overall defensive philosophy can be summarized in one word: flexibility. Throughout a season, he teaches many different defensive principles to counter the most common offensive approaches. You'll see how he balances the importance of defensive fundamentals while teaching different shell drill variations, as well as different ways to defend on-ball screens.
Coach Hoffman begins his practice with small-group defensive stations. His assistant coaches take charge of teaching as the team hustles through a series of drills focused on improving defensive tactics. The Single/Double drill will help your players learn to coordinate the way they handle single or double off-ball screens. The Closeout/Contain/Chest Up drill helps players improve their on-ball defense by recovering to the ball and stopping the offense from scoring. The Show drill focuses on hedges when defending a side ball screen.
In this segment, you will pick up numerous strategies for handling on-ball and off-ball screens. Nearly every coach uses a variation of shell drill to practice team defense. Using several progressive layers of the shell drill, Coach Hoffman teaches players how to work together to defend basket cuts, staggered weak side screens, staggered screens and baseline drives.
The Box Screening drill is a great tool to work on both setting and defending screens. In a small area, 4-on-4 setting, offensive players work on timing and spacing while the defense fights through and/or around down screens and back screens.
In a 5-on-5 scrimmage segment that ends the practice session, you'll see how to mix up your strategies for defending on-ball screens with switches, jamming the roller, showing and more.
This segment from the Mercer Open Practice series will inspire you to examine your defensive approach. Coach Hoffman is a great communicator and his emphasis on fundamental defensive skills and communication will resonate with any coach.
65 minutes. 2015.
BD-04806C: with Bob Hoffman,
Mercer University Head Coach, over 450 career wins;
back-to-back Atlantic Sun Conference Coach of the Year (2013-14);
2014 Atlantic Sun Conference regular season and tournament champions;
coached the first NCAA tournament victory in program history (2014 over Duke);
2012 CollegeInsider.com Tournament Championship
This Open Practice look at skill development will show you how to build players who can take care of the ball and finish at the rim. Coach Bob Hoffman demonstrates drills to enhance footwork, passing and ball handling, cutting and screening, and position specific skills; all shown in a live practice format.
Ball Handling
For ball handling, players work on improving their ability to use both hands to dribble and pass. This segment includes individual and partner drills. In groups of two, players work on their footwork for both offense and defense. A major defensive topic in Coach Hoffman's philosophy is proper closeout technique. In this partner setting, one person works on closing out under control while the other person works on straight drives, crossover drives, jab steps, lifts and front pivoting.
Triple Threat
A good offensive player must have a solid, diverse arsenal of moves out of the triple threat position. Here players work to improve, solidify and automate jump stops, jab steps, rips, shot fakes and the first step. Eliminating wasted motion makes your players harder to guard as they explode out of their triple threat to attack the rim.
Passing
You'll see how players work on a variety of different passes through their Partner Passing drill. In groups of two and each player with a ball, the team works on a variety of entry passes with either hand, as well as overhead skip passes. Being able to deploy the pass from different angles enables your players to deliver the ball whenever it's needed versus a tough defender.
Position Play
While each player should have an all-encompassing skill set, a heightened position-specific skill set is a must. Guards and forwards are separated for this segment. Guards work on the perimeter to improve cutting, filling and fanning. Spacing and timing are big topics here, too. At the other end, forwards work on sealing the defender in the post, dives and duck-ins, Mikans and power moves.
Finishing
Coach Hoffman also emphasizes finishing lay-ups with three different drills that work on attacking the rim in half-court and full-court situations. Train your players to make strong drives into the paint and use different finishes at the basket with the Live Ball Lay-Ups drill. In the Full Court Lay-Up drill, players simulate bursting out at full-speed for a fast break lay-up. The 2-on-0 Lay-Ups Off the Glass drill teaches players to complete quick outlets and sprint lanes in transition to score.
Regardless of skill level, teaching the basics is an open-ended challenge. Footwork and ambidexterity with the ball are essential components of success. This presentation offers plenty of short drills you can easily implement in your practice or use as an hour-long workout.
44 minutes. 2015.
BD-04806D: with Bob Hoffman,
Mercer University Head Coach, over 450 career wins;
back-to-back Atlantic Sun Conference Coach of the Year (2013-14);
2014 Atlantic Sun Conference regular season and tournament champions;
coached the first NCAA tournament victory in program history (2014 over Duke);
2012 CollegeInsider.com Tournament Championship
In a live practice setting, Coach Bob Hoffman presents a great collection of intense and effective practice drills and coaching techniques for creating a culture of teamwork and communication. This constant emphasis on building players into a cohesive unit has enabled a small-conference underdog like Mercer to take down powerhouse basketball programs in the NCAA tournament.
Transition Offense
Learn how to develop your transition offense using five full-court drills that emphasize different aspects of the fast break.
- The Three Lines, Two Balls drill works on finishing lay-ups and igniting the offense with a quick outlet.
- The Pacer drill challenges players to make jump shots in transition.
- Watch as Coach Hoffman progressively increases the challenge of his Three Man Weave drill by shrinking the time goals and passes allowed on trips up and down the court.
- Work on scoring in advantage situations in transition with the Five Man Weave to 3-on-2 Back drill.
Defense is emphasized as well with the "Line Transition" drill. This drill pressures the defense to protect the rim in a temporary disadvantage situation.
Early Offense
You'll also get new ideas on how to develop your own early offense using break down drills. Using a series of 3-man and 4-man full-court drills, Coach Hoffman's team practices the scoring actions they'll look for in their transition attack such as open jump shots for their guards and different ways to feed the post for the big who sprinted the floor.
Scrimmages
Finally, see how the coaches control their scrimmages to teach players the details of their offensive and defensive system. Each stop in the action includes a brief huddle where new strategies and cleanup from the previous play can be discussed.
This presentation can be used as a template for a full practice and can also be dissected drill by drill for your own purposes. This open practice gives drills and skills for building the teamwork needed to have an effective up-tempo offensive attack.
53 minutes. 2015.