Tad Boyle: Game-Like Defensive Practice Drills

with Tad Boyle,
University of Colorado Head Men's Coach;
2021 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) 'Guardians-of-the-Game' Award for Advocacy;
first Colorado Head Coach to lead the men's basketball team to four straight 20+ win seasons;
2012 Pac-12 Tournament Champions;
2012 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) District 20 Coach of the Year;
Northern Colorado Head Coach from 2006 to 2010;
In 2010, Northern Colorado advanced to the postseason for the first time in school history;
2010 NABC Division I All-District Coach of the Year;
2010 The Sporting News Big Sky Coach of the Year;
2010 CollegeInsider.com Big Sky Coach of the Year;
played collegiately for the University of Kansas (1988 NCAA Champions)

In this on-court presentation, Coach Tad Boyle shares the key defensive drills that have helped him turn around programs at Northern Colorado and the University of Colorado, including a Pac-12 tournament championship in 2014.

Defense
Coach Boyle shares a series of drills that support his philosophy on the defensive end of the court. One of the most valuable lessons he shares is how he scores each drill. Points are almost always awarded for defensive stops. This simple tactic begins the process of learning and buying into the value of a defensive stop.

One of the best drills in the presentation is the "Bubble Drill." This scrimmage drill gives one team the lead in a late-game situation. The team with the lead must be patient on offense, attempt to get offensive rebounds and must get stops on the defensive end. Communication, effort and a belief in their ability to get a stop are all emphasized in this terrific drill, which gives players confidence that they can win with great defense.

Transition Defense
Another area of emphasis for Coach Boyle is getting back on defense and preventing easy baskets. He shares a transition drill that starts 2-on-1 and builds to a 5-on-5. This build-up drill lets you rehearse every fast-break scenario in one drill to maximize your practice time. It's another great way to get players to buy in to playing defense in the full court.

Rebounding
Solid rebounding leads to success in basketball. Coach Boyle's "Circle Drill" places a special emphasis on rebounding skills. While the drill may be familiar to some coaches, the emphasis on boxing out, which is highlighted within the drill, may be less well known.

Throughout the presentation, Coach Boyle clearly explains his drills and his insights on building a program that consistently competes with the best in the country. The information he shares is of value to any coach who wants to take his team to the next level. Seeing how Coach Boyle incorporates his core beliefs into his drills feeds the belief that if you commit to something you can find success.

Produced at the Spring 2014 Las Vegas Clinic.

81 minutes. 2015.