Changes coaches would like to see

[Markedman]

http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/jeff-goodman/post?id=3904?ex_cid=InsiderTwitter_GoodmanRuleChan ges
If there is a foul, the shot clock is immediately reset to 35 seconds)

Bill Self (Kansas Jayhawks): “Foul in the frontcourt not reset to 35, only about to 20. I’d also like to see the block-charge made easier to call.”

Flopping
[+] EnlargeTim Miles
AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh
Nebraska coach Tim Miles wants rules implemented to limit flopping.
This is an area of concern at every level of basketball, especially with last year’s rule change in college basketball limiting the amount of hand checking on the perimeter, thus making it easy to draw fouls by flopping as the offensive player.

Kevin Stallings (Vanderbilt Commodores): “Intentional attempts at flopping should be assessed with an unsportsmanlike conduct technical foul. That includes the dribbler who throws his head and shoulders back to bait them for a call.”

Tim Miles (Nebraska Cornhuskers): Flopping -- on both offense and defense.”

Bruce Weber (Kansas State Wildcats): “Put the jump ball back in the game. Reward defense for effort to create jump ball situation. Also, the new foul rule allows the offensive player to put his head down, get out of control and run over defense and receive a foul call.”

Tony Bennett (Virginia Cavaliers): “The flagrant foul of elbow above the shoulders.”

Post play
Perimeter play was altered last season, but some coaches want post play to be cleaned up

Scott Drew (Baylor Bears): “They adjusted how they called the perimeter last year. Now they need to address it in the post.”

Freedom of movement
Sean Miller (Arizona Wildcats): “When an offensive player pivots and swings the ball high to create space from the defender, it should not be an offensive foul. He has to have the ability to create space for freedom of movement. The way the rule is now, even if there is no contact, they can call a flagrant 1. I also feel that going to a 30-second shot clock would help the quality of the play.”

Advance the ball to half court in final two minutes
The ball is now taken out under the basket after a timeout. In the NBA, the ball is advanced to midcourt. ESPN colleague Seth Greenberg feels as though this would allow for more special situations, make time and score far more relevant and create for more exciting finishes.

Fred Hoiberg (Iowa State Cyclones): “Advance the ball after a timeout in the last two minutes.”

Charge circle
The NCAA voted on a 3-foot wide charge circle in college basketball in 2011, but it’s still closer to the basket than the NBA circle

John Groce (Illinois Fighting Illini): “I would probably say NBA charge circle instead of current college version. I played with it last year against Oregon, and I thought it promoted fewer collisions at the rim. I liked it farther out.”

Charge call
Last season, the NCAA amended its block/charge call to where a defensive player is not permitted to move into the path of an offensive player once he has begun his upward motion with the ball.

Mark Turgeon (Maryland Terrapins): “Take out the airborne player charge.”

Make the lane wider
The college lane is just 12 feet wide, while the international and NBA games feature a lane that is 16 feet wide. This is one of the areas in which Greenberg agrees the game can be improved. “By widening the lane, it would open up the floor for more cutting and also help with spacing.”

Archie Miller (Dayton Flyers): “I’d like to see the lane wider.”

Mick Cronin (Cincinnati Bearcats): “Width of the lane. That will help clean up the game and open up the court. They have it in Europe and in the NBA. Why not us?”

Make the court wider
The court is 94 feet by 50 feet and hasn’t changed.

Frank Martin (South Carolina Gamecocks): “The court needs to be wider and longer. Players are bigger, stronger and faster. Give everyone more space.”

Six fouls
College basketball’s rule is that a player fouls out on his fifth foul

Thad Matta (Ohio State Buckeyes): “The one that comes to mind for me is going to six fouls.”

No live timeouts for coaches
College coaches are allowed to call a timeout while the action is ongoing.

Mike Brey (Notre Dame Fighting Irish): “Coaches should not be able to call a timeout during a live ball.”

Shot clock
Men’s college basketball has used a 35-second shot clock since 1993, and there was a consensus among coaches that this needed to be altered. This was the No. 1 winner for most common answer.

Josh Pastner (Memphis Tigers): “Change the shot clock to 24 seconds.”

Rick Pitino (Louisville Cardinals): “It’s a tie for me. Change the shot clock to 30 seconds, and also, if there’s a 4-second call in the backcourt, that’s what you get to advance -- not 10 seconds.”

Billy Donovan (Florida Gators): “I’d like to see a shorter shot clock or being able to move the ball across half court during the last two minutes.”

Lon Kruger (Oklahoma Sooners): “Go to a 30-second shot clock.” Shaka Smart (Virginia Commonwealth Rams): “Twenty-four-second shot clock for sure.”

[Goose85]

I don't like the 24 second shot clock for college, but I'd be ok with 30.

In the pros 24 seconds is ok because teams really don't full court press, so they generally have close to 20 seconds on the offensive end.
If there was a 24 second clock in college I think you would see a lot more pressing just to try and limit teams to 15 or 16 seconds to set up and execute offense.

[TheSultan]

I have to hand it to Weber...I haven't heard anyone call for a return to the jump ball. I do hate alternating possession though. I don't understand why it would be so hard to institute the "pick up game" rule whereby the defense gets it.

I do like the widening of the lane. I would go to the NBA lane instead of the FIBA trapezoid however.

I know a lot of people don't like the advancing to half court rule a la the NBA, but I like it.

I am also on board with Brey's idea for no live ball timeouts. But it seems that would have to be a switch made at all levels of basketball instead of just college.

[CaribouJim]

I agree with Thad Matta to a point. If the game goes to OT and you haven't already fouled out you get one additional foul - 6 in total. No matter how many OT's though.

[CaribouJim]

I am also on board with Brey's idea for no live ball timeouts. But it seems that would have to be a switch made at all levels of basketball instead of just college.

Totally agree with this one also - these coaches are control freaks as it is - let the players call the timeouts.

[MayorBeluga]

Hizzoner's rule changes:

1. No live ball timeouts. Limit a TO to either at a deadball or immediately after a made basket.
2. Cut the number of timeouts. There are way too many stoppages in play, especially in the last 2 minutes of a game.
3. Eliminate the 30 seconds to substitute a player upon someone fouling out. It's used as a free timeout.
4. Strip the NCAA and conferences of their tax exempt status.

Thing not to change:
1. Do NOT move allow the ball to inbounded from halfcourt in the last 2 minutes. The court is 94 feet. If you have to go 94 feet after a made backet during the first 38 minutes, why not the last 2? It's like saying that after football's 2 minute warning, a team takes over at the 50 instead of their own 20 after a touchback "just because." Stupid.

[TheSultan]

Totally agree with this one also - these coaches are control freaks as it is - let the players call the timeouts.

See, I misread what Brey said. I agree with Beluga. No timeouts by anyone except for dead ball situations and after a made basket.

[TheSultan]

Hizzoner's rule changes:


4. Strip the NCAA and conferences of their tax exempt status.



Or simply pass a law that says "athletic activity" is unrelated business income and tax schools accordingly.

[IWB]

Disagree. Coaches have to be able to call timeouts and why not allow a player who is in trouble call a time out? I don't mind the number allowed being smaller, reason why there are so many stoppages is because of the damn TV timeouts.

Allowing the team to get the ball at 1/2 court is one of the reasons why I dislike the NBA.

A agree on the tax exempt change.

[CaribouJim]

See, I misread what Brey said. I agree with Beluga. No timeouts by anyone except for dead ball situations and after a made basket.

So if a guy is being pressed and starts to panic calling a timeout is not an option? That is not what Brey was saying - at least the way I understood it. In any event, that would be a pretty big change to the game - you would think that teams would be pressing a lot more.

[CaribouJim]

Disagree. Coaches have to be able to call timeouts

I disagree with this, respectfully of course being your board and all. This is not biddy basketball and most coaches are screaming and yelling incessantly anyway, can't they just scream and yell some more for their team to call a time out?

[TheSultan]

So if a guy is being pressed and starts to panic calling a timeout is not an option? That is not what Brey was saying - at least the way I understood it. In any event, that would be a pretty big change to the game - you would think that teams would be pressing a lot more.


Right that's not what Brey was saying, but that is what I would like to see. No other sport can call a timeout during the course of play. Basketball shouldn't be an exception. This is the rule that FIBA uses.

BTW, the FIBA rule is that the coach calls all timeouts, but it is done through the scorers table. They can call a timeout whenever they want, but the table only grants it after a dead ball or a made basket.

[mutpm]

I would like the NCAA to give each team 7 timeouts a game and change the automatic time outs to team charged time outs like the NBA. For example, if the home team is going to get charged with the 1st ATO, they could call it with 17:30 left in the half instead of watching the team struggle to the 1st ATO.

[IWB]

Caribou - No problem with disagreeing with me, but coaches call time outs for a lot of reasons....
1) Fed up with the play of their team
2) Sees an opportunity and wants to draw up a play to expose it
3) A player is getting burned and he wants to address it
4) A players is getting abused and he wants to sub him out immediately

Most common is #1

No problem with that. I coach a lot of grade school hoops. If I had to get my kids' attention to have them call a timeout I would likely never get one.

In a packed stadium with 20,000 people going crazy at the end of a game - you have to allow the coach to call timeouts because too much time would burn off while he is trying to get his team's attention to then have them call a timeout. 10 seconds left - Coach calls a timeout and clock stops at :09. Packed house - ten seconds left - team has the ball and the coach has to get the attention of his players who then call a time out - you might get the ball back with :03 instead of :09. Huge difference.

[Goose85]

I would like the NCAA to give each team 7 timeouts a game and change the automatic time outs to team charged time outs like the NBA. For example, if the home team is going to get charged with the 1st ATO, they could call it with 17:30 left in the half instead of watching the team struggle to the 1st ATO.

Interesting idea. That would remove coaches trying to ride out a really bad stretch trying to get to the TV timeout.

I'm fine with coaches calling a time out, and I guess I don't really care if a time out is called while someone is dribbling or not.
Often a coach wants to set up a half court play (and not a press break and then half court play) so they will wait until the ball crosses half court to call the TO to control the spot of the inbounds.

[MayorBeluga]

IWB - you post reasons coaches call timeouts. Great. But that doesn't get at the matter of WHEN they should allowed to call timeout. All the reasons you accurately cite can be dealt with at the next dead ball - including after a made basket. As for it being tough in a loud arena, well, isn't that the point of home court advantage? Heck, if we limit timeouts to deadballs or after a made basket, then it seems like the coach should be able to call it.

Finally, you reference your experience coaching grade schoolers. Setting aside the quesiton of when the restraining order was lifted (to Caribou and other humor impared, I kid, I kid) that is totally different. We're talking about changes to college basketball, not 5th grade girls.

[CaribouJim]

Mayor, if they enacted that time out rule that you and Sultan are proposing what about this situation - is it a live ball when the ref gives you the ball and starts the 5 second count and therefore the player throwing it in play would not be able to call a timeout or is this a separate category?

[IWB]

Mayor - I understand that this is college and not grade school (boys). Either way, the coach is part of the game. Why take him out of the game? Pretty much all a coach can do during a game is call a timeout. Assistants can't, but head coaches can. That is a huge part of coaching. I don't understand what the benefit of eliminating this would be.

[Goose85]

Mayor, if they enacted that time out rule that you and Sultan are proposing what about this situation - is it a live ball when the ref gives you the ball and starts the 5 second count and therefore the player throwing it in play would not be able to call a timeout or is this a separate category?

Correct, that is a live ball so no time out.


In just watching Buzz coach in the past few years, he liked to have his players advance the ball to half court before calling a time out, so as to set up a half court play, not a full court play. If you are no longer able to do that, or call a time out if you can't get the ball in bounds, my guess is we would see a lot more full court pressing defenses in basketball.

I guess I don't get why fans don't like coaches calling a time out. Often in late game situations a coach will say to a ref, if he makes this free throw I am going to call a time out. I guess now, the coach would need to instruct his players - hey, if you make this free throw quick call a time out before they can get it in bounds.

[MayorBeluga]

The college game is too choppy right now, with coaches way too controlling. There are far too many breaks in the action, and the last 5 minutes last an eternity. Limiting timeouts to deadballs or after a made basket keeps the game moving. Plus, it has the added advantage of not bailing out a player who gets trapped. No other sport allows you to call a timeout to prevent something from happening that is part of the game. Football doesn't allow the QB to call a timeout when he's about to be sacked. Baseball doesn't allow it when the pitcher realizes he's just sent a fastball down the middle.

If we limit it to the times Hizzonner suggests, then it doesn't matter if the coach or players call it. Heck, I don't see a problem with a coach saying "if they make this basket, we're calling a timeout."

[IWB]

Football doesn't allow the QB to call a timeout when he's about to be sacked.

But the QB can launch the ball out of bounds. Either way, football is a different animal where there are huddles and stoppages after every play. In football a coach can send players in after every play and change things dramatically. That would be like free substitutions after every missed shot.

Baseball stops in between every single pitch, and the clock is completely irrelevant.

Basketball goes and goes until something happens.

Yes, I coach grade school boys basketball, and grade school football, and I used to coach grade school girls basketball. I know it is only grade school, but being able to call time outs is a huge part of how a coach at any level manages a game and or his players. Completely necessary.

For the record, now that the Mayor is married he may one day produce a little beluga calf. I want to be there the day he coaches his first stress ridden grade school game and tell him he is not allowed to call a timeout no matter how many times his team does the opposite of what he asks/calls.

[Goose85]

I may be wrong, but I thought there was a time when coaches couldn't call time outs, and they changed the rule back. That may have only been in high school.

I also like the time outs when the ball is in play. Consider the following.

MU has 2 time outs left.
MU is down by 1 with 20 seconds left.
The other team makes a poor pass and MU steals the ball. Now there are 15 seconds left.

Would you rather ...
Have MU call a time out and set up a play based on current situation? or
Have the rule where no time out can be called when the ball is in play, so you just have to play on.

[MUAlphaBangura]

The college game is too choppy right now, with coaches way too controlling. There are far too many breaks in the action, and the last 5 minutes last an eternity. Limiting timeouts to deadballs or after a made basket keeps the game moving. Plus, it has the added advantage of not bailing out a player who gets trapped. No other sport allows you to call a timeout to prevent something from happening that is part of the game. Football doesn't allow the QB to call a timeout when he's about to be sacked. Baseball doesn't allow it when the pitcher realizes he's just sent a fastball down the middle.

If we limit it to the times Hizzonner suggests, then it doesn't matter if the coach or players call it. Heck, I don't see a problem with a coach saying "if they make this basket, we're calling a timeout."

Marco Estrada would love that rule!

[TheSultan]

Mayor, if they enacted that time out rule that you and Sultan are proposing what about this situation - is it a live ball when the ref gives you the ball and starts the 5 second count and therefore the player throwing it in play would not be able to call a timeout or is this a separate category?


Clock isn't running therefore it is a dead ball.

[TheSultan]

But the QB can launch the ball out of bounds. Either way, football is a different animal where there are huddles and stoppages after every play. In football a coach can send players in after every play and change things dramatically. That would be like free substitutions after every missed shot.

Baseball stops in between every single pitch, and the clock is completely irrelevant.

Basketball goes and goes until something happens.


You make it sound like its endless or something. In a typical college basketball game there is about 40-50 made field goals, and numerous turnovers, fouls and other dead balls. There would be plenty of opportunity for a coach to use a timeout - probably averages one every 30-45 seconds or so.

I just don't like it during live action....that a timeout can be used to get yourself out of trouble on the court. It is unique to basketball.

[TheSultan]

I may be wrong, but I thought there was a time when coaches couldn't call time outs, and they changed the rule back. That may have only been in high school.

I also like the time outs when the ball is in play. Consider the following.

MU has 2 time outs left.
MU is down by 1 with 20 seconds left.
The other team makes a poor pass and MU steals the ball. Now there are 15 seconds left.

Would you rather ...
Have MU call a time out and set up a play based on current situation? or
Have the rule where no time out can be called when the ball is in play, so you just have to play on.


Play on.

[TheSultan]

Correct, that is a live ball so no time out.


In just watching Buzz coach in the past few years, he liked to have his players advance the ball to half court before calling a time out, so as to set up a half court play, not a full court play. If you are no longer able to do that, or call a time out if you can't get the ball in bounds, my guess is we would see a lot more full court pressing defenses in basketball.


Well in my basketball world that wouldn't matter because you could advance it to halfcourt with a timeout.

[MUMac]

Clock isn't running therefore it is a dead ball.

By clock, you mean "shot clock"?

[TheSultan]

By clock, you mean "shot clock"?


No the play clock. It doesn't start running until the ball touches a guy in bounds.

[MUMac]

No the play clock. It doesn't start running until the ball touches a guy in bounds.

The play clock may still be running (eg made basket outside of the last minute of the game). The shot clock does not start until the ball is touched in bounds/

[TheSultan]

The play clock may still be running (eg made basket outside of the last minute of the game). The shot clock does not start until the ball is touched in bounds/


That's not the situation that Caribou was talking about though.

The rule should be that a timeout can be called only in a deadball situation and only immediately after a made basket.