Coach Lennie Acuff is currently the head coach at Lipscomb University. He has over 30+ years of coaching experience and has accumulated a win percentage of over .600. Here’s some notes he shared on offense and culture.

• Get the right staff.
• Live out culture – well done is better than well said.
• 6 pillars we live by – selfless, humble, committed, thankful, driven and responsible.
• Coaches –> have a consistent message, get better – One of two options 1. you can be negative and suck 2. be positive and work to get better daily.
• What’s the best way for your team to play? Coaches number one job is giving your team the best chance to win. Adapt to personnel.
• Try to be as balanced as we can while getting our best players the most shots.
• Develop 1-2 guys to be better than their current level – higher level.
• Teach what you know and know what you teach.
• Prep going into the game -> go to actions to give player A a shot – who are you going to attack on the other team? Bad defender or someone you want to not have to go against all night.
• ATO success -> consistent language and vocabulary. Run complete sets out of side out of bounds, spend lots of time on it and get the kids to believe they will be great at it.
• Skill Dev – have to be able to handle the basketball and pass it. Shooting is the difference maker. Have to be able to start and stop.
• Skill Dev – invest in it everyday! Core of every single thing we do. We drill it to fit our offense.
• 6-7 things we do everyday – catch off the screen and drive the ball. Eyes to the rim on every catch (look and load) from there drive the ball hard – win the crucial moments of a possession. Be the hammer not the nail.
• Can you finish great? Drive and finish off offensive actions every day – catch and shoot off actions every day.
• Once you get stopped on the drive, where do you look?
• Transition – we want to win the first 6 seconds, one pass ahead, get the ball up the court, love to have 1-5 get the ball up the court – it takes no talent to run – get the ball to the paint and get a layup. Room and rhythm 3’s with the right guy. Deep post catch, straight line drives, draw fouls and hit free throws.
• Get them on the run and keep them on the run – fast but not reckless. Hunt space and great shots. Run to be patient in the half court.
• 50/50 secondary action vs. flow (default movement)
• Put layer on layer on layer offensively, flow from one action to the next.
• Stay 1 step ahead of the competition – be different than opponents but maintain values.
• Have a default call if you don’t score the (4 out 1 in, flex, etc)
• Handoff efficiency – stop behind the handoff, if the defender goes under stop right behind your teammate (cat and mouse). Pace, have an act, make them think you are doing something you aren’t. Best way for us to get a good quick shot.
• Post to pass – if I dribble at you, either go backdoor or come behind for a handoff – dribble at the defenders butt and make the cut or shot read.
• Where is the ball and where is the five
• Ball screen – navigate and have a plan to guard it – really like movement, ball screen movement to ball screen – Difficult to cover the pick and pop, little to big ball screen.
• Back player conversations up with data and stats – the most powerful words to tell a player are I Believe In You! A, B, C shooters have to be willing to tell the truth but also to tell players how they can get where they want to get.
• Shoot 25 threes in 1:50 and be above 70%.
• Much more concerned with live play numbers.
• First 30 minutes of practice everyday is 1 on air skill development – dribble, passing, shooting -> make layups different ways – scrimmage a ton of live action – short sided games – 5 on 5 for 30 minutes each practice. Time of year dictates different practice regiments.
• Advice – Have the chance to impact people, relationships, life lessons and make memories.