2008 Woodie Awards
FEATURE: Breaking down the dribble-drive motion offense
Jeffrey R. Larnard, Collegian Staff
Issue date: 11/24/08 Section: 2008 Basketball Season Preview
Memphis was just 2.1 seconds and a miracle 3-point shot by Mario Chalmers away from an NCAA Championship last season.
It wasn't Vance Walberg's team, but it was his offense.
Walberg created the dribble-drive motion offense while he was coaching in Fresno City, Calif. He experienced success with the scheme at both the high school and community college levels, but it wasn't until he went to study former UMass coach John Calipari that it started to get national recognition.
Six years ago, Walberg went to Memphis to study Calipari, but instead he became the teacher.
"Every year since 1987, I would go to a different coach to watch his practice," Walberg says. "I would spend the week with them and I did that just so I could get to know more myself, get better and do different things that way."
One night while Walberg and Calipari were discussing their philosophies at a Memphis steakhouse, Calipari - the Division I and former NBA coach - asked the community college coach what he ran.
"You really don't want to know, it is a little bit off the wall," Walberg told Calipari.
But Calipari insisted, and using salt and pepper shakers and sugar packets, the two discussed the X's and O's of what Walberg ran. Five years down the road, Calipari was playing in the NCAA championship game with the offense he had adopted from Walberg.
With just over 2 minutes, 12 seconds remaining, Calipari and his Memphis team had a nine-point lead over Kansas. The Tigers had executed the dribble-drive offense to a 31-1 record and were on the brink of the most coveted prize in college basketball.
Memphis proved that the offense could be used to win a national title; it was just a few missed free throws and one memorable shot that prevented it.
While Calipari and the Tigers made their run through the NCAA tournament, Walberg spent time with the team, including ots assistant coach, Derek Kellogg. As soon as Kellogg knew he was coming back home to coach the Massachusetts men's basketball team, he asked Walberg to join his staff as his assistant coach.
It wasn't Vance Walberg's team, but it was his offense.
Walberg created the dribble-drive motion offense while he was coaching in Fresno City, Calif. He experienced success with the scheme at both the high school and community college levels, but it wasn't until he went to study former UMass coach John Calipari that it started to get national recognition.
Six years ago, Walberg went to Memphis to study Calipari, but instead he became the teacher.
"Every year since 1987, I would go to a different coach to watch his practice," Walberg says. "I would spend the week with them and I did that just so I could get to know more myself, get better and do different things that way."
One night while Walberg and Calipari were discussing their philosophies at a Memphis steakhouse, Calipari - the Division I and former NBA coach - asked the community college coach what he ran.
"You really don't want to know, it is a little bit off the wall," Walberg told Calipari.
But Calipari insisted, and using salt and pepper shakers and sugar packets, the two discussed the X's and O's of what Walberg ran. Five years down the road, Calipari was playing in the NCAA championship game with the offense he had adopted from Walberg.
With just over 2 minutes, 12 seconds remaining, Calipari and his Memphis team had a nine-point lead over Kansas. The Tigers had executed the dribble-drive offense to a 31-1 record and were on the brink of the most coveted prize in college basketball.
Memphis proved that the offense could be used to win a national title; it was just a few missed free throws and one memorable shot that prevented it.
While Calipari and the Tigers made their run through the NCAA tournament, Walberg spent time with the team, including ots assistant coach, Derek Kellogg. As soon as Kellogg knew he was coming back home to coach the Massachusetts men's basketball team, he asked Walberg to join his staff as his assistant coach.
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