Defensive Automatics Against Horns, Zoom, Brush & Princeton Actions

with Jeff Mittie,
Kansas State University Women's Head Coach;
2025 Sweet Sixteen;
TCU Women's Head Coach from 1999 to 2014;
2010 Mountain West (MW) Regular Season Champions;
2010 MW Coach of the Year;
2002 Conference USA Regular Season Champions;
2002 Conference USA Coach of the Year;
2x MW Tournament Champions (2003, 2005);
2001 WAC Regular Season & Tournament Champions;
2001 WAC Coach of the Year;
Arkansas State Women's Head Coach from 1995 to 1999;
Missouri Western Women's Head Coach from 1992 to 1995;
2x MIAA Regular Season Champions (1994, 1995);
2x MIAA Coach of the Year (1994, 1995);
1995 MIAA Tournament Champions

Your defensive identity begins to take shape well before the season tips off. Kansas State's Jeff Mittie has mastered the ability to train his team to take away rhythm, force contested shots and eliminate easy buckets - and they rank as one of the top defenses in the country. By focusing on taking away open shots, the Wildcats hold teams to shooting just 37% from the field.

In this on-court video, you will learn how Coach Mittie coaches his defensive philosophy and the automatics his team relies on to neutralize modern offensive actions.

Defensive Philosophy
Players want to know the "why" behind every coverage. Coach Mittie shows how he establishes principles from day one, giving his team clarity on how to defend actions and limiting preparation time for each opponent. With strategies like switching ball screens, influencing players to their weak hand, and forcing shots over the top, his teams consistently hold opponents to low percentages inside and beyond the arc.

Defending Today's Hottest Actions
From Horns sets to Brush and Zoom actions to Princeton backdoor cuts, Mittie breaks down how to take away each option. His teaching points, such as jamming ball handlers, switching effectively, and taking angles that force cutters away from the basket, help ensure that shooters face constant pressure and finishers encounter traffic.

Building with Drills
Coach Mittie uses a progression of drills to instill these defensive automatics. In his 1v1 One Dribble drill, players learn to guard tightly and influence toward the sideline. The All Screen Defense drill gives players confidence in guarding every screen they will face. The Gap Defensive Drill builds team accountability, requiring three consecutive stops without giving up an offensive rebound, sharpening both toughness and trust.

Film and On-Court Teaching
This part of the video blends film study with live demonstration. Coach Mittie shows how video can prepare players to recognize actions before defending them, enhancing understanding and speeding up the learning process.

By combining clear defensive principles, progressive teaching drills and answers for the most common offensive actions, Coach Mittie equips you to build a program that thrives on stops and toughness. This video is a complete roadmap to creating defensive automatics that your team can depend on when it matters most.

66 minutes. 2025.