Adapting & Implementing Pressure Team Defense (Without Fouling)

with Brad Underwood,
University of Illinois Head Coach;
2026 Final Four;
2x Elite Eight (2024, 2026);
2x Big Ten Tournament Champions (2021, 2024);
2023 NABC Coaches vs. Cancer Champion Award;
2022 Big Ten Regular Season Champions;
Oklahoma State University Head Coach from 2016 to 2017;
Stephen F. Austin University Head Coach from 2013 to 2016;
2014 Joe B. Hall Award Recipient (Nation's top first-year coach);
3x Southland Conference Regular Season Champions (2014 - 2016);
3x Southland Conference Tournament Champions (2014 - 2016);
3x Southland Conference Coach of the Year (2014 - 2016);
South Carolina Associate Head Coach from 2012 to 2013;
Kansas State Associate Head Coach from 2011 to 2012;
Daytona Beach Community College Head Coach from 2003 to 2006;
Western Illinois Assistant Coach from 1992 to 2003;
Dodge City Community College Head Coach from 1988 to 1992;
Hardin-Simmons University GA from 1986 to 1987;
played college basketball for Kansas State, Independence CC & Hardin-Simmons (guard)

Good defense can change a program, as proven by Brad Underwood multiple times during his coaching career! Underwood took an Illinois basketball program that ranked 330th in the country in defensive efficiency and helped turn them into a top ranked defensive team. He did this through changing a few key points to his defensive philosophy and reteaching that vision to his players. In this video, you will learn the principles and drills used to build a top 5 defensive program.

Defensive Principles

Cutting down on fouls, easy buckets, and open 3-pointers is key to any defense. In guiding his team from the bottom to the top, Coach Underwood had to start by focusing on one of those concepts at a time. By studying the best team in the world, the Milwaukee Bucks, he taught his teams how to not foul and make each game a winnable contest.

One of the principles you will learn to control as a coach is your team's communication and listening skills. Changing your pick up point and ball screen principles can improve you players' communication and listening skills. Through communicating early, loud and often, your defenders will have time to process a screen and get over the top. To help control open 3-pointers, Coach Underwood demonstrates how to use your closeouts to force shooters from the 3-point line and instead shoot contested mid-range jumpers.

Rounding out his key principles, Underwood explains how to use on-ball defense to keep players in front of you to avoid having to rotate and break down defensively. By containing ball handlers to one side of floor and forcing mid-range jumpers, you can create a defense that succeeds by "guarding your yard."

Shell Drill

In a 5v5 format, you will see how Coach Underwood installs his defensive principles in the Shell Drill. Starting with closeouts, your players will learn to take away driving lanes and fill gaps to deny an easy look. Additionally, athletes work on throwing their hands up to contest a shot and force the offense away from the 3-point line.

Building on closeouts, Underwood takes you through wing drives, middle drives, ball screens, and post defense. Within the Shell Drill, you'll see how to teach and defend one pass away and help side defense. For players who are one pass away, teaching the flat triangle changes the way an offensive player can attack driving lanes. As Coach Underwood states, he looks for the rhythm of his defense as they go through Shell Drill. This rhythm has helped them become one of the best defensive teams in the country.

Teaching an old coach new tricks is never easy. When your team is struggling defensively, you have to change the way you teach things. Coach Underwood found that out the hard way and had to adjust his defense. His new philosophy and vision has taken Illinois back to championship contention. This is a great video that demonstrates how you can make little changes to your philosophy and turn your program around!

70 minutes. 2022.