Jerrod Calhoun: Full-Court & Half-Court Principles, Concepts & Drills for a High-Scoring Offense

with Jerrod Calhoun,
University of Cincinnati Head Coach;
Utah State Head Coach from 2024 to 2026;
2026 Mountain West Conference Regular Season Champions;
2026 Mountain West Conference Tournament Champions;
2026 Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year;
Youngstown State University Head Men's Coach from 2017 to 2024;
2023 Horizon Coach of the Year;
2023 Horizon Regular Season Champions;
2023 NABC District 12 Coach of the Year;
Holds program records for most conference wins and most wins in a four-year span;
Fairmont State University Head Coach from 2012 to 2017;
2017 Division II NCAA National Championship Runner-up;
4x NCAA Tournament appearances;
West Virginia Assistant Coach from 2007 to 2012 (with Bob Huggins);
Walsh University Assistant Coach from 2004 to 2007;
2005 NAIA National Championship;
Cincinnati Student Assistant from 2003 to 2004 (with Bob Huggins);
played at Cleveland State (for Rollie Massimino)

Coach Jerrod Calhoun built an offensive machine at Youngstown State that was consistently among the best in the nation in terms of scoring. In this excellent on-court presentation, Coach Calhoun covers offensive principles as well as drills and philosophies related to full- and half-court offense.

Offensive Principles
Coach Calhoun begins by discussing his offensive principles; the following principles he shared are designed to help develop and teach an offense that can consistently score points:

• “Find an advantage, create the advantage, keep the advantage.”
• “Define your language.”
• “What is your shot profile?”
• “Know the read in passing drills.”
• “Minimize turnovers by valuing the possession.”
• “60% of time in practice is spent on offense.”
• “Find ways to manufacture points.”
• “Divide your coaching staff according to your goals.”
• “Practice shooting, passing, and hurry-up offense.”

Full-Court Offense
Coach Calhoun begins by introducing his offense using “Fast” actions. These are actions and plays that can be run from a five-out alignment. The plays demonstrated from this alignment include “Fast Pinch,” “Fast At” with wing and middle ball screens, “Fast Draymond,” “Fast Toss,” and “Fast Punch.”

In transition, the players are taught to take advantage of what the defense gives them. Since much of the action involves ball screens, players will learn how to read ball screens in subsequent breakdown drills.

Four-Out Offensive Drills
Playing from slots and corners, Coach Calhoun introduces a drill that works on reactionary movements. The drill can be run as “Drive, Pass, Drive” or “Pass, Pass, Drive.” When given a command by the coach, the players will have to read the next drive. While the drill can work on making 45 or “Clyde” cuts, the drill is presented as a great way to work on maintaining good spacing.

Another passing drill that can be used to build the offense is “Zip Passing Drill.” With players at the slots and corners, a player begins with the ball in one of the slots looking to make a middle drive and pass to the opposite corner. The player in the opposite corner will then pass to the slot on his side who will then drive to the middle and pass to a cutter going to the basket.

“Celtic Read Drill” helps players read the feet of defensive players. Using four coaches for the demonstration, Calhoun shows a four-out drill where players have to read the feet of the defensive players to create an advantage.

Unconventional Concepts and Families
With some basketball ‘food for thought’, Calhoun presents ideas that are different from many conventional approaches to offensive basketball. The first of these is dribble handoffs with a big in the post who comes uphill to a guard before either popping or rolling.

Another of these concepts is to fake a handoff out of “Five-Side, Oh no!” In an action involving his three best players, Calhoun has a handoff faked before the ball handler drives and attacks the basket.

To create a deep playbook that is simple enough for players to understand, Calhoun groups his actions and plays into “families.” One of these families is “Thumbs Down” which includes multiple actions to create one-on-one sets for a 5-man or a Spain pick and roll.

Customer Review: 5 Out of 5 Stars!
“Coach Calhoun shares a deep playbook and an offensive system that is complex enough to create confusion for the defense while keeping the game simple for his players. He is a terrific teacher and this video is outstanding!”

69 minutes. 2024.