Top Five X’s & O’s Coaches In College Basketball

2. Tony Bennett – Virginia

Mar 23, 2014; Raleigh, NC, USA; Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Bennett directs his players against the Memphis Tigers during the first half of a men

The System: Bennett was practically born in a gym. His father, Dick Bennett led Wisconsin to a Final Four in 2000 and spent over 30 seasons on the sideline. The younger Bennett followed in his father’s footsteps and borrowed greatly from his playbook.

Virginia uses two of the elder Bennett’s innovations to perfection – the Blocker Mover offense and the Pack Line defense. In this offense, players are designated as either a screener (blocker) or a cutter (mover). While those roles appear restrictive, allowing blockers to screen all the way out to the sidelines creates a five-out, position-less offense that is hard to stop. On the defensive side, the Pack Line man-to-man puts great pressure on the ball while clogging up the lane with other defenders whose sole purpose is to stop dribble penetration.

Why it Works: It’s not always beautiful basketball, but the sound shot selection of the patient offense and the suffocating nature of the defense helps the Cavaliers win big. Virginia’s players understand their roles and play within them better than anyone in the country.

Why it’s Here: Bennett’s offensive and defensive systems produced staggering results in 2013-2014. The Pack Line helped the Cavs lead the nation in scoring defense (55.7ppg). That resulted in 30 wins and ACC regular season and tournament titles.