The Flash System: Team Offense

with Jeff Duncan,
Kent State University Head Coach;
2018, '17, '16 MAC Conference Champions; 2x MAC Tournament titles ('14, '18);
3x MAC Coach of the Year ('16, '17, '18);
188-95 overall head coaching record; has coached four All-Americans; former MLB outfielder for the New York Mets

Jeff Duncan, the head baseball coach at Kent State University, lays out his entire offensive philosophy in this video. You'll see Duncan's keys for good offense that include:

• Mechanics - The foundation of the swing
• Approach - Using aggressive discipline at the plate
• Mentality - Being relentless and positive at all times
• Preparation - Doing as much as you can ahead of time in order to find success
• Execution - In-game strategy to manufacture more runs

Coach Duncan reiterates that trust between players and coaches is paramount for his system to work. He allows players a certain amount of freedom to be themselves, but also provides some structure in order to put athletes in position to succeed.

Hitting Approach & Drills

The first three points in Duncan's philosophy - mechanics, approach, and mentality - are the focus during individual drill work. He believes that being "on-time" for the fastball, possessing great plate discipline, and being able to recognize and hit pitches up in the zone are the biggest factors that go into a championship batting approach.

You'll get drills from Coach Duncan and Kent State assistant coach Derek Simmons that improve athletes' ability to hit fastballs, breaking balls, and recognition for which breaking balls to hit and which to let go.

Baserunning

To kick off the baserunning portion of this video, Coach Duncan shows one of his favorite games that features a runner in scoring position. The drill trains hitters to avoid over-swinging while trying to drive in the runner. Duncan explains the different scenarios that he'll use in the drill, including varying where baserunners are and how many outs the team up-to-bat has. Since players split into two teams for this game, both will get a chance to score runs and play in the field. Additionally, athletes get plenty of reps in the cage and on the base paths.

Batting Practice

Batting practice can get monotonous and boring if not done correctly. Duncan offers his version of BP, which includes fungos for fielders and pitchers, that get all players involved in the practice. This is also the time in which he trains his batters to bunt in both directions so they are prepared to do so during games.

To close the video, Duncan shows more drills that focus on baserunning without a live defense. Reacting to the ball off the crack of the bat becomes key, as players must make the decision to take off immediately or recognize when to retreat and tag up.

This video is a great option for any coach who wants ideas for team offensive practice and has players that need help in their approach at the plate. Allow Coach Duncan to teach you some of his tried and true techniques for hitting!

84 minutes. 2019.