A SEASON WITH MAJERUS: ENERGY + ENTHUSIASM

During a team meeting on February 27, 2000, Coach Majerus was obviously wanting more energy from his team.  Here are some notes:

Energy + Enthusiasm

We just ask you to play hard

Come out every game to compete mentally and physically

Charges to be had by all

Consistency of effort vs. Momentum

A SEASON WITH MAJERUS: BE AN IMPACT PLAYER

From the February 23, in Utah Team Notebook during the 1999-2000 season, Coach Rick Majerus talked to his team about what "impact players" should look like:

1. Ability to score
2. Moving the ball
3. Effort/Dirty Jobs -- loose balls, screens blockout
4. Stopper
5. Encourager

"Find your way to be an impact player."

A SEASON WITH MAJERUS: MOTION NOTES

Some motion thoughts for a practice on January 26, 2000 from Coach Majerus:

1 flash per possession

Spacing after screens

Hold ball on elbow -- wait for flare

Work to get catch in attack area

More speed to picks

Look for duck-ins

Cuts to open block, back picks, flare

A SEASON WITH MAJERUS: SOME POST THOUGHTS

Here are some, offensive notes from early January 2000 as part of our "Season With Majerus" series.

Mikan Drill: rotate shoulder (11 & 12 release) -- "climb ladder w/trail leg"

Major turnover in the low post -- pulling out on the pass

"Look to the moon" -- not the baseline
          -see the cutters better
          -see shooters better
          -see double teams better

"Point toes to the ball" on post feed

Same angle feed is difficult

Lob -- don't throw it to the post players -- throw it to the rim

Post players must be selfish
          -Selfish posting
          -Selfish coming off screens
          -Selfish hitting the offensive boards

A SEASON WITH MAJERUS: SOME DEFENSIVE NOTES

The following are some defensive notes from the Coach Majerus in a staff meeting December 19, 1999:

Body down bigs on the block

Matched should to shoulder on extensions

No bumps or protections to flex cut

Stay attached

We must communicate the white

If you hear "white" (guards) must keep pressure and active hands

If you are beaten on the drive, keep coming...if someone takes your man rotate to the rim

A SEASON WITH MAJERUS: BREAKING SWITCHES

The following is the practice plan for Utah on November 23, 1999:

1. Teaching Breaking Switches
       1st - Pass & Cut
       2nd - Backcut and Replace hard
       3rd - 7 Cut and set man up for down screening coming
       4th - Tight Curt and Replace hard
       5th - Flare

2. 4/4 Man to Man Motion

3. 5/5 Scrimmage

4. Zone Offense Concepts 5/0

The rest of "A Season with Majerus"

A SEASON WITH MAJERUS: POST GAME NOTES FROM NOVEMBER

Our latest entry on our series "A Season With Majerus" includes post game notes after a game in late November.

Spacing: tight curls and back cuts

We had a good competitive effort -- we need a GREAT one

Bigs come back on By-Pass

We did a B job but we all has some A+ moments

Character to play hard

The real warriors take it to heart.

A lot of positives

We want to coach at halftime vs. yelling

Practice tomorrow at 10:30 -- be a better player

A SEASON WITH MAJERUS: A SUNDAY PRACTICE IN NOVEMBER

Our latest entry from A Season With Majerus looks at practice on Sunday morning, November 11, 1999.

1. Coverdown on Post Feed
--Drop - see biggest part of the floor...if shooter drop then finger touch & deny back
--Cover is leave 2 hand trace ball on recover breakdown right away
--Sandwich
-Yo-Yo (50/50) (70/30 to post) (70/30 to ball)

2. Weber
--3 outlets and deep diagonal
--Attack

3. Defending Flex
--Take away low cut...with body on down screener on shooter...up middle on all others.

*Switch if you have to...the mismatch won't beat us -- the open shot will.]

4. Skill
Guards: 3/3 Dribble Weave
Post: 4 Out/1 In -- 1/1 in Post

5. 5/5 vs. White
--Red ball pick on wing/leave on dead

6. Big Up

7. Zone O...Yankee and Rebel

8. #2 Flop

9. 5/5 Scrimmage

MAJERUS ON DEFENDING THE UCLA HIGH POST

Here is short entry in A Season With Majerus. Today we review staff notes where Coach Majerus spoke to the team about defending the UCLA High Post (October 24, 1999):

1. Half man to outside to take away back cut from the wing

2. Bump cut/Destroy route and timing

3. Watch for duck back on inside cut

4. Bump late and long

He closed the team meeting with "It's an honor and privilege to be your coach."

A SEASON WITH MAJERUS: 2ND DAY OF PRACTICE

Here is another of our posts in A Season With Majerus.  Today we look at Utah's second day of practice (October 16, 1999):

1) Skill (20 minutes)

2) Conversion (10 minutes)

3) Invert - Full Court (10 minutes)
       3 Ball Shooting
          --Wing Feed Big
          --Small coming off down screen
          --Point spacing away

4) Invert Backcut (10 minutes)
       3 Ball Shooting
          --Back cutter
          --Elbow jumper for Big off screen
          --Point screens own for wing that screened big

5) Draw & Kick w/Baseline Drive (5 minutes)

6) Defending the Flash (20 minutes)

7) Draw and Kick w/Middle Drive (5 minutes)

8) Celtic Drill (20 minutes)

9) In-Out Game
       Pass out to Small/Follow Bigs Eyes for Shot
       All Bigs jump hook

10) Build Break
       --Score it/Pass ahead
       --Wing jump shot or drive
       --Throw to big
       --Invert all the way thru to the top

A SEASON WITH MAJERUS: A VIDEO CHECKLIST

Those that know Coach Majerus, know that video was a major component of his program.  Few coaches if any took video to it the limit in which he did with his staff and his team.  He was one of the first guys to make the video coordinator such an important position on his staff.  He also expected his assistant coaches and graduate assistants to be able to handle in video assignments.

Here are some notes in regards to video from August 26, 1999:

Cameras -- how they work
Clean VCRs
Re-Do scouting form
DSS Satellite
Tape labels made
Late December -- clean VCRs again
Buy laser lights - Radio Shack - 10 of them
Tuesday night with Avid guy
VCR downstairs
Cowboy remote -- buy another
Never give Coach an original
Film pre-practice
8-10 tapes
Tape shoot around
Game tape to ESPN
Road - Hotel tape set up
Order case to travel w/VCRs

A SEASON WITH MAJERUS: STAFF PHILOSOPHY MEETING - DAY 3

If you are following along with us on "A Season With Majerus," you will probably notice that some of the notes below, which come from Day 3 of their staff meeting on teaching philsophy are somewhat repetitive of what they talked about on Day 2...which is somewhat repetitive of what they talked about on Day 1.  That within itself gives you a quick glimps into the genius of Coach Majerus -- great detail and repetition -- even with his staff.

DAY #3

On The Ball Defense
1. Dead Ball - Discuss
2. Review stance -- leveling off

Denial Stance
1. Never give up stance -- always talk
2. Butt to the ball
3. Vision of ball/ear in chest
4. High hand in passing lane/thumb higher than eyes/point the toe

A SEASON WITH MAJERUS: STAFF PHILOSOPHY MEETING - DAY 2

In late August of 1999, Coach Majerus met with his staff to review philosophical components of what they wanted to teach...here are just a few of the many notes of those meetings that lasted over three days:


DAY #2   Review conversion defense   Three stances -- on the ball, denial, and help  
Ball Stance -- 2 wings and top of the key
1. Jump to stance
2. 90 degree -- we give up no middle, keep ball on sideline
3. NO MIDDLE - keep the ball on the sideline
4. Outside hand up, flexed and active
5. Inside foot up, hand bent and active
6. Call shot, get a hand up late to a shot -- have wrist wrinkled
7. Never lunge or make a high risk play -- we are about deflections
8. Blockout and Rebound down
9. Foot and shot fakes -- jump back
10. Leveling off the driver -- throw your hands up and lead with your chest
11. Defending the back dribble -- we attack the penetration, level him off.  

Denial Stance
1. Butt to the ball -- be back doored     
      a. Never quit -- keep coming at all times
      b. Try to recover to your man
      c. Switch - you take he takes yours or trap
      d. Go opposite (to the rim) and build out
      e. Be ready to blockout
2. Maintain vision over inside shoulder
3. Outside hand up, thumb must be above your chin...open hand...deflections
4. Inside arm bent and used to feel the defense
5. Point your inside toe -- quickness
6. Ear in chest  

Attacking Penetration/Attacking Mind Set
1. Come and attack with high active hands -- make throw a bounce pass
2. Attack in a low stance
3. Make the hit, take the charge...jump back up     
        This should create energy and enthusiasm
4. Don't get caught in no man's land

A SEASON WITH MAJERUS: STAFF PHILOSOPHY MEETING - DAY 1

In late August of 1999, Coach Majerus met with his staff to review philosophical components of what they wanted to teach...here are just a few of the many notes of those meetings that lasted over three days:

DAY #1:

Goals:
1. Technique is the key -- habits -- give yourself a chance to succeed
2. Talking/Communication -- best in the country
3. Attacking/Committed - defense
4. Be physical -- be smart -- no fouls -- make the first hit
5. Blockout/Loose balls
6. Force opponent to make an extra play or pass

Team Defense:
"I'll get my man and your too if you need help."

Four times Straight Arm:
1. Contest shot
2. Denial
3. "White" = full front post
4. Dead Ball

Back Dribble: "We never attack it.  Stay in our stances and get lower and wider."

Attack Penetration -- to the ball not sideways
1. High active hands -- make them throw a bounce pass
2. Low stance
3. Verbal/Talk
4. Take the charge -- jump back up (teammates help up)
5. Recover to your man

Try not to switch, only if it makes us stronger.

Denial Stance -- Be Back Doored
1. Point the front toe
2. Always maintain your vision over your shoulder
3. Outside arm up, straight and active.  Thumb must be be above your eyes
4. Inside are is bent with a closed fist to feel the offense
5. Butt to the ball
6. Ear in the chest

Conversion Defense -- Defense starts when we shoot
Goal: to get 5 guys to defend, not just run with your guy
1. No lay-ups
2. No catch and shoot jump shots
3. No penetration
4. 1st 3 steps are vital, look over inside shoulder at half line to find ball

Conversion Responsibilities:
1. Hole -- usually 2-man but our line up determines this...get to hole...secure the basket, lane line on ball side, then closeout to your man -- deny...talk for the team.
2. Driving Line - Be aggressive....get the ball out of the middle of the floor...get it to the sideline and keep it on the sideline...hands active but be quick.
3. 1st Big...run the center of the floor/talk and take over the Hole...get your work done and give the first hit...3/4 to behind...no paint catches.
4. 3 Man...run back to the other lane line and look to help
5. 2nd Big...get to the level of the ball...shadow half line and top of the key

A SEASON WITH MAJERUS: 1ST TEAM MEETING

There was an outstanding article written on Coach Rick Majerus by By Gene Wojciechowski.  Here is one of the quotes from the article: "He also loved practices more than games. Academic All-Americans more than Associated Press All-Americans. Sheboygan, Wis., boyhood friends more than big-money boosters." The article is extremely well written -- read it in it's entirety here: http://tinyurl.com/chq4odt

Academics are obviously important as you can see in these notes from Utah's first team meeting on August 25, 1999:

Most important thing — get an education!
  Get assistance
Go to class prepared — be a student

Get tutors — better early than late

Set goals high academically

Take care of it — every day

If you miss a class you are suspended for a game

It is an honor and a privilege to get an education

Majerus also spoke to the team about the choices away from basketball:

Be careful who your friends are...they can help or drag you down

You test positive and you are done for the year -- we will get you help

Your actions have consequences...lives involved in pregnancy...choose your girlfriends carefully.

A SEASON WITH MAJERUS: 1ST STAFF MEETING NOTES

The following comes from Utah's Program Notebook from their first staff meeting in 1999...Coach Majerus was certainly a stickler for details -- especially in the way they taught defense:

Stance is everything!

Defensive Field Goal Percentage is most important

Nose in chest

Hand up late on Shot

Make people back cut

Ear in chest

Contact

Vision on ball

Never leave stance

One step off line of the ball

Airtime of the ball

4 Reasons to Leave the Paint:
1. Attack penetration
2. Block out
3. Cutter to pain — Meet and greet
4. Skip pass