At the beginning of the year, I was tracking how fast Tech was running offense in the first few games. It was warp speed and definitely inflated by the quality of our opponents. It also didn't really work that well. Our defense (mainly in transition) was horrible during this phase and, while we shot the ball well from the field in transition, we turned it over so much that it made our efficiency numbers average within D1.
We've since slowed down, but still play much faster than any other Beard team.
The 2020 Tech team's attempted 36% of its FG attempts within the first 10 seconds of the shot clock; 35% in the middle 10 seconds; and 28% in the last 10 seconds.
The 2019 team attempted 27% of its FGAs in the first 10; 40% in the middle 10; and 32% in the last 10.
If the above numbers hold up, this will be the first Beard-era team that (1) did not attempt the majority of its shots in the middle 10 seconds, and (2) attempted more shots within the first 10 seconds than the last 10.
In other words, this year's team plays faster on offense than any other Beard team. Playing fast leads to high-possession games; playing slow leads to low-possession games.
Of the 8 games with the fewest possessions, the 2020 team's lost 6 of them. Two of this year's team's best wins were the 2nd (Louisville) & 4th (WVU) most up-tempo games, respectively.
For comparison, in the 10 games last year with the fewest possessions, the 2019 team had an 8-2 record -- notable games: Michigan State (slowest paced game of the year); Virginia; 30-pt win v. Kansas; and Michigan.
In the 5 games last year with the most possessions, the 2019 team had only a 2-3 record (loss to Duke was the fastest paced game Tech played last year).
Not only have Tech's shots occurred faster in the shot clock this year, they also look a little different.
Of shots attempted in the first 10 seconds by Beard's first three teams, approx. 27% were from the 3PT line.
This year, nearly 35% of those "quick" FG attempts were from the 3PT line, which is a pretty substantial increase.
Note also that the new shot clock rules would make it less likely for teams to attempt a shot in the first 10 seconds of the clock (since the clock resets to 20 after a foul or offensive rebound).
What's also been odd about when Tech's shot attempts have occurred this year, is who's attempting them. Last year, Culver took the most shots in all the 10-second thirds of the shot clock. The year before that, Keenan took the most in the middle and later third (Zhaire runaway freight train in transition took the most in the first 10 seconds). In 2017, Keenan took the most in all the 10-second thirds of the shot clock.
This year, Ramsey's attempted the most in the first & middle 10 seconds, while Kyler's attempted the most in the last 10 seconds (by quite a bit, too).
If you narrow it down to the last 5 seconds of the clock, Kyler's taken the most. Shannon is a good bit behind him, and then Morro/Holyfield/Ramsey are behind Shannon, all about the same.
This is not the way Beard's other offenses were structured, when Culver & Keenan single-handedly carried the late-clock scoring responsibilities.
We've since slowed down, but still play much faster than any other Beard team.
The 2020 Tech team's attempted 36% of its FG attempts within the first 10 seconds of the shot clock; 35% in the middle 10 seconds; and 28% in the last 10 seconds.
The 2019 team attempted 27% of its FGAs in the first 10; 40% in the middle 10; and 32% in the last 10.
If the above numbers hold up, this will be the first Beard-era team that (1) did not attempt the majority of its shots in the middle 10 seconds, and (2) attempted more shots within the first 10 seconds than the last 10.
In other words, this year's team plays faster on offense than any other Beard team. Playing fast leads to high-possession games; playing slow leads to low-possession games.
Of the 8 games with the fewest possessions, the 2020 team's lost 6 of them. Two of this year's team's best wins were the 2nd (Louisville) & 4th (WVU) most up-tempo games, respectively.
For comparison, in the 10 games last year with the fewest possessions, the 2019 team had an 8-2 record -- notable games: Michigan State (slowest paced game of the year); Virginia; 30-pt win v. Kansas; and Michigan.
In the 5 games last year with the most possessions, the 2019 team had only a 2-3 record (loss to Duke was the fastest paced game Tech played last year).
Not only have Tech's shots occurred faster in the shot clock this year, they also look a little different.
Of shots attempted in the first 10 seconds by Beard's first three teams, approx. 27% were from the 3PT line.
This year, nearly 35% of those "quick" FG attempts were from the 3PT line, which is a pretty substantial increase.
Note also that the new shot clock rules would make it less likely for teams to attempt a shot in the first 10 seconds of the clock (since the clock resets to 20 after a foul or offensive rebound).
What's also been odd about when Tech's shot attempts have occurred this year, is who's attempting them. Last year, Culver took the most shots in all the 10-second thirds of the shot clock. The year before that, Keenan took the most in the middle and later third (Zhaire runaway freight train in transition took the most in the first 10 seconds). In 2017, Keenan took the most in all the 10-second thirds of the shot clock.
This year, Ramsey's attempted the most in the first & middle 10 seconds, while Kyler's attempted the most in the last 10 seconds (by quite a bit, too).
If you narrow it down to the last 5 seconds of the clock, Kyler's taken the most. Shannon is a good bit behind him, and then Morro/Holyfield/Ramsey are behind Shannon, all about the same.
This is not the way Beard's other offenses were structured, when Culver & Keenan single-handedly carried the late-clock scoring responsibilities.
