Valpo's Motion Offense

[wh]

I don't know how many have people picked up on this, but coaches of our last 2 opponents both commented favorably (almost admiringly) about Valpo's new motion offense.  INS coach Lansing noted that no one has run "motion" in the MVC since Evansville did it under a former coach.  He said it's not easy to play against and that they didn't spend enough time preparing to stop it, which he took responsibility for.  He noted that Valpo executed it very well. UNI coach Jacobson said that most teams don't use it because it's hard to teach and hard to learn. He also said it's hard to defend against because there are no set plays.

The 2 most successful "motion" programs in the country are Texas Tech and Virginia, who as I'm sure everyone recalls met in last year's national championship game.  Not surprisingly, TT's coach Chris Beard served as an assistant to Bob Knight and subsequently Pat Knight at TT.  He has patterned TT's motion offense after Knight's infamous Indiana motion offense, with some changes. He is now considered one of the new coaching geniuses in D-1 basketball. Motion is also the offense of choice for Steve Kerr and the Golden State Warriors, which Matt Lottich specifically referenced before the season began as an example of how teams have gotten away from using a true center.

Following is a 5-minute video from last spring, in which Jay Bilas demonstrates how TT's motion offense works.  Watch closely - you will recognize it almost immediately as similar to what we do.

https://www.twitter.com/jaybilas/status/1114206539915694080

IMO this is a stroke of genius on Matt's part.  He started by shedding the program of a group of "me first" players, and in the the case of Smits and Sorolla, players who would never work in a motion offense with no set plays, and assembled a new nucleus of players perfectly suited for it.  It has taken time, but its easy to see over the last 2 games, especially, that everyone has finally got it, and they're confidently jamming it down the opposition's throat - to the admiration of the opponent's coach. This says to me that Matt isn't just trying to play catch-up, he's looking to take Valpo to the top, and is finding innovative ways to do it.  BTW I've seen several high schools dabble with motion, but with mixed results.  It takes a really smart coach (like someone with a Stanford degree undoubtedly would be) and players with high basketball IQ's and total unselfishness.       

[justducky]

INS coach Lansing noted that no one has run "motion" in the MVC since Evansville did it under a former coach. 

I think Jim Crews and Marty Simmons both used it.

UNI coach Jacobson said that most teams don't use it because it's hard to teach and hard to learn. He also said it's hard to defend against because there are no set plays.

Our players match the system perfectly. We have intelligent kids who can pass, penetrate and shoot. You look at the floor, recognize your opportunities, make your moves, then "hope" your teammates have read your mind. Two things happen. Baskets get easier and miscommunications can create TO's and passes to open spaces with no good guys close to the action.   

He started by shedding the program of a group of "me first" players, and in the the case of Smits and Sorolla, players who would never work in a motion offense with no set plays, and assembled a new nucleus of players perfectly suited for it.

Big guys can fit in this system (Bobby Knight had a few) but those with 3 point range are better fits.

[NativeCheesehead]

We've actually run this for a few years, or at least a variation of it. What's been different is we've added curl cuts the last couple of games. Those high post screens and curl cuts destroyed ISUb in the last game.

[wh]

We've actually run this for a few years, or at least a variation of it. What's been different is we've added curl cuts the last couple of games. Those high post screens and curl cuts destroyed ISUb in the last game.

You may want to let the INS and UNI coaches know. Apparently, they missed it. lol

No, we have never run a true "motion" offense at Valpo. Homer never did, Bryce never did, Matt never did. We have run patterned motion sets, but those are highly structured. The point guard calls a play, or a play is called from the bench with a board signal, and you run a pre-determined pattern. As Bilas points out, "motion" changes on every set, according to how the defense reacts. That's why it's tougher to coach and learn. There's no rote. It's the equivalent of calling a football audible in mid play. Lastly, the low post (inside/out) offense we ran with Smits and Sorolla was the polar opposite of motion. I had every variation of that bland offense memorized by game-2.

[4throwfan]

This is a little bit off-subject, but along the same lines,

I've wondered why Valpo's homerun play seems so successful, and so hard to stop.  Surely, opposing coaches have seen it on film.  I recall questioning in a post-game conference several years ago, and when the player started to answer, Bryce cut him off. 

I've also seen the larger schools simply keep someone back, which seems to me to be the obvious solution.

Nonetheless, I'm wondering whether the players make adjustments just before the play starts or mid-play that cause some sort of defensive preparation difficulty. 

A couple of years ago, I thought one thing was really funny.  VU ran the play to perfection against RI.  Since I was at the game, I didn't hear the TV PbP, but apparently the announcers (Todd?) noted that it was coming.  The fans on the RI fan board were really miffed because the announcers new the play was coming, but the coaches apparently didn't.

[oklahomamick]

Valpo's motion offense giving UNI and Indiana St. fits? 

Whats our MVC points per game?  Where does that rank?  (granted we haven't played everyone)
Where do we rank in offense efficiency? 

I mean I noticed more set plays and cuts second half....

Running Golden State's motion offense, we need more 3 point shooters. 

[VUGrad1314]

He was building something all along and I was too stupid and reactionary to realize it... He wasn't learning on the job overmatched or unprepared, he had a plan and a system and just didn't have the pieces to execute it... He deserved (and deserves) much more credit than I ever gave him... All the slow starts and tough halves make SO MUCH SENSE now. It wasn't bad coaching the team was learning a new and unfamiliar super complex offense. If the last three games are any indication it looks like we're finally figuring it out. Having players as smart and talented as JFL certainly helps as well. Matt again I am sorry. Just promise me this will run better (and we will be more successful than) Marty Simmons' Evansville teams okay? 

[oklahomamick]

Slowdown my friend.  Although the Indiana St. game showed a lot, it's going to take a lot more to convince me.  Back when you were about to jump off the cliff, you had pretty good stats that painted a contrary picture of Matt. 

[VUGrad1314]

In fairness, most of that came from a team full of a bunch of dysfunctional me-first players (as Todd Ickow said it's clear now that they were more the problem). Of course, Matt DID recruit most of them as I recall so it's kind of a chicken egg thing I guess. I would say it is nice and good progress that Matt has refined his recruiting strategy and has identified a more successful type of player for the program. That certainly bodes well for our future.

[wh]

He was building something all along and I was too stupid and reactionary to realize it... He wasn't learning on the job overmatched or unprepared, he had a plan and a system and just didn't have the pieces to execute it... He deserved (and deserves) much more credit than I ever gave him... All the slow starts and tough halves make SO MUCH SENSE now. It wasn't bad coaching the team was learning a new and unfamiliar super complex offense. If the last three games are any indication it looks like we're finally figuring it out. Having players as smart and talented as JFL certainly helps as well. Matt again I am sorry. Just promise me this will run better (and we will be more successful than) Marty Simmons' Evansville teams okay? 

Listen to the Lansing postgame press conference again. He never said Simmons ran a motion offense.

[VUGrad1314]

Oh wow I remember a lot of people saying that he did. I guess what I heard was mistaken information.

[ValpoHoops]

This is a little bit off-subject, but along the same lines,

I've wondered why Valpo's homerun play seems so successful, and so hard to stop.  Surely, opposing coaches have seen it on film.  I recall questioning in a post-game conference several years ago, and when the player started to answer, Bryce cut him off. 

I've also seen the larger schools simply keep someone back, which seems to me to be the obvious solution.

Nonetheless, I'm wondering whether the players make adjustments just before the play starts or mid-play that cause some sort of defensive preparation difficulty. 

A couple of years ago, I thought one thing was really funny.  VU ran the play to perfection against RI.  Since I was at the game, I didn't hear the TV PbP, but apparently the announcers (Todd?) noted that it was coming.  The fans on the RI fan board were really miffed because the announcers new the play was coming, but the coaches apparently didn't.

It's all based off of the defensive setup. If the defense has someone either guarding the ball or helping defend the inbounds to the two guards, its on. Nearly every team does this in desperation situations.

If they play someone back, it's a simple back screen/cut/pin action that leaves one of the two guards open (or a post can flash from half court to catch near the sideline).

I've run this at every place I've coached. Mostly with high school girls. And it works every time. Just a simple read of how the defense lines up.

[Just Sayin]

New Shockers get their first look at Evansville's motion offense

Four members of Wichita State's rotation will face Evansville's motion offense for the first time on Tuesday at Ford Center. In recent seasons, WSU's experience facing the myriad screens and cuts used by the Aces blunted the effectiveness.
Much of that experience is gone and the Shockers (15-4, 5-1 Missouri Valley Conference) are preparing for the Aces (10-9, 1-5) on a two-day turnaround.
Simulating Evansville's motion offense, a specialty of coach Marty Simmons, is difficult because few teams run that system. Stopping it relies on discipline and communication that tests a defense in ways other offenses don't. Simmons will run guards Jaylon Brown and Ryan Taylor through a web of bodies, always looking for a defender to hesitate or take a bad step to free up the shooter or the screener cutting to the basket.

Read more here: https://www.kansas.com/sports/college/wichita-state/article126853214.html#storylink=cpy

[SanityLost17]

Although I have been mad at Lottich the past few seasons, I have remained a "keep him guy" because I thought he was just having trouble getting the right mix of guys he wanted to do things his way.   This team is still incomplete and doesn't have all the pieces, but we are starting to see some things come together. 

MY BIGGEST COMPLAINT against him was the past few seasons we NEVER got the ball to people with momentum to the basket.   The last 2 games we are getting the ball to people in positions where they have momentum to the basket, thus are harder to stop.   

I know we will still have some games that we regress and look terrible, but you can't deny how big of a leap Lottich has taken as an offensive coach this season.   We don't have a great record because we have an incomplete team right now, not because of poor coaching.    Lots of fairly close loses this year and we ARE getting better as the season progresses.   Lots of reasons to be optimistic. 

[wh]

New Shockers get their first look at Evansville's motion offense

Four members of Wichita State's rotation will face Evansville's motion offense for the first time on Tuesday at Ford Center. In recent seasons, WSU's experience facing the myriad screens and cuts used by the Aces blunted the effectiveness.
Much of that experience is gone and the Shockers (15-4, 5-1 Missouri Valley Conference) are preparing for the Aces (10-9, 1-5) on a two-day turnaround.
Simulating Evansville's motion offense, a specialty of coach Marty Simmons, is difficult because few teams run that system. Stopping it relies on discipline and communication that tests a defense in ways other offenses don't. Simmons will run guards Jaylon Brown and Ryan Taylor through a web of bodies, always looking for a defender to hesitate or take a bad step to free up the shooter or the screener cutting to the basket.

Read more here: https://www.kansas.com/sports/college/wichita-state/article126853214.html#storylink=cpy

Thanks for sharing. Clearly, Evansville did run "motion" under Simmons. Excellent info in the article on why motion is difficult to defend. Obviously, motion is not a magic bullet by itself. It still takes talented players with high Basketball IQ's, and strong "team" orientation.

[covufan]

I remember when Kelvin Sampson was coaching Washington State and played in one of the IU cupcake tournaments and he said that after playing IU (and Bob Knight) that IU was one of the easier teams to prepare for and most difficult to execute against. You knew that IU was running the motion offense and playing man-to-man defense, but executing was difficult.  The motion offense, when multiple players on the floor recognize what the defense is giving you, is one of the more fun things to watch executed.

[valpo84]

Seems like it's time to dust-off the old Knight School DVDs ...