It’s a lot for the untrained eye to follow.
But in the eyes of Tennessee head coach Donnie Tyndall, the shifting of players in the Volunteers’ press-zone defensive scheme represents the core of UT’s gameplan.
The implementation of the defense, however, has been the main focus of the Vols this offseason with nine newcomers entering the program, and the six returning players having played primarily in a man-to-man scheme.
“We are a lot more comfortable than when we first saw it,” freshman forward Jabari McGhee said. “When we first saw it, we were like, ‘what is this?’ But as you keep doing it and watch film, you realize it really does work, you just have to buy into it.”
With the Vols first contest of the season – a exhibition matchup against Pikeville on Nov. 3 – just on the horizon, the total but in of that system has had to come along a little quicker than expected.
Last week, Tyndall mentioned that the team had about a “60 to 70 percent” understanding of the defense and when he talked on Monday, he gave an update on how far his squad has come.
“We are definitely improving in that area through film study, through guys really trying to improve and learn the terminology and understand our rotations,” Tyndall said. “It’s a complex defense, and I would say we are at about 75 to 80 percent (in understanding the defense).
“We still make some simple fundamental mistakes with our rotations and coverage in our zones, but the guys are getting better.”
Tyndall has stated numerous times throughout the offseason that the defense has come along much further than the offense has and that the Vols would be a “better defensive team,” especially in the beginning of the season.
With defense being the emphasized priority, the Vols have maintained their focus on keeping the opposing team off the board.
“The main thing we have to do is focus on our defense,” junior guard Devon Baulkman said. “Once our defense comes together, our offense will come naturally.”
And that natural offensive attack may be exactly what Tyndall wants as the Vols inch closer to the season’s tip-off.
“It’s just the kind of coach he is,” McGhee said. “Every guy wants to be able to have his own shots on the offensive end, and while he won’t let you just freelance on offense, he gives you the freedom on offense as long as you are giving everything you have on defense.”
Turnover troubles: The inability of UT’s offense to get any traction has come from the team’s abundant amount of turnovers in the Vols run-and-gun style of offense.
“We have to do a much better job of taking care of the basketball,” Tyndall said. “We are still turning it over at way too high of a rate. You have to value the basketball to beat anyone of any quality.”
The turnover problems for the Vols, however, have not stemmed from a lack of chemistry between a group of players that has only been a collective unit since the summer.
“Of course, it (the team’s chemistry) will get better throughout the course of the year, but we have pretty good chemistry right now,” McGhee said. “That’s not the problem with our team right now.”
