Dustin Kerns: Zone Defense Change-ups to Disrupt Offenses

with Dustin Kern,
Appalachian State University Head Men's Coach;
2024 Sun Belt Regular Season Champions;
2024 Sun Belt Coach of the Year;
2021 Sun Belt Tournament Champions;
2021 NCAA Tournament appearance

Learn the Keys to Creating a Gap Defense

• Learn how to disrupt offensive rhythm by changing your defensive looks
• Install multiple zones that operate with the same basic rules
• Learn to be creative with zone play that will allow your players to apply pressure
• Utilize simple wrinkles to vary the zone pressures

Coaches understand the value of establishing a defensive philosophy that allows you to change the tempo and the mindset of your opponents. This video provides you with conceptual ideas for wrinkling zone defenses into your defensive package.

Coach Dustin Kerns has spent many seasons learning and coaching at the highest level of basketball. During that time, he has emerged as one of the greatest defensive tacticians. His teams routinely rank in the top echelon of defensive metrics. Kerns utilizes his zone concepts to complement his tough, hard-nosed man-to-man concepts.

Reasons to Play Zone
Coach Kerns challenges you to consider implementing both man and zone concepts into your defensive package. His introduction dictates the reasons why he utilizes both concepts and explains why it is important to vary your looks. By examining situations that occur in the game, you will discover why Kerns has come up with his reasons to institute zone concepts into his defensive package.

Zone Defenses
Coach Kerns begins the on-court demonstration by showing you his package of zone alignments that he utilizes. His “1” zone is a 1-1-3 alignment. Coach Kerns teaches the basic assignments of his 1-1-3 and emphasizes the shots that you have to be willing to give up.

After demonstrating his first zone, Coach Kerns demonstrates how you can manipulate into different looks. His “2” zone morphs into a 2-3 zone. While it gives the appearance of you playing a different zone, the simple assignments and expectations allow your players to execute this complementary look seamlessly.

At the end of the on-court installation segment, he installs “3.” His “3” zone is a 1-3-1 look. While it appears to the opponents you are shifting into multiple zones, your players understand the assignments and expectations so that nothing changes for your team when it comes to the zone.

Wrinkles to Disrupt Offense
After the base zones are installed, Coach Kerns shows how you can vary the pressure of the zone.  

The first wrinkle he shows is how he traps out of the zone(s). By trapping, you can dictate the action of the offense. In addition, it allows you to rush their decisions in the half court.

The last wrinkle he gives you is “tilt.” This wrinkle is designed to account for teams that attempt to overload your zone. With “tilt,” you will be able to account for the offensive concept and stay with your basic zone rules.

Coach Kerns is one of the top defensive minds in the college game today. This video provides in-depth insights into how he changes his defensive concepts to disrupt the flow of offense.

This is a great addition to every coach’s video library!

78 minutes. 2025.