Jeremy Shulman on Defensive Tradeoffs, Uniqueness as a Strength, and Attacking the Hedge {UT Martin}

UT Martin Head Coach Jeremy Shulman joins the Slappin’ Glass podcast for a deep dive into building a defensive system around conviction, trade-offs, and player fit.

Shulman discusses the philosophy behind his unique defensive approach, including why his teams lean toward containment, switch heavily, borrow matchup-zone principles without playing zone, and still find ways to generate turnovers without relying on full-court pressure. He also details how he thinks about solving mismatches after switches, layering post coverage, recruiting for basketball IQ, and turning rotations and closeouts into a strength.

In the “Start, Sub, or Sit” segment, Shulman breaks down attacking hedge coverage, including flipping the screen, RAM screens, and re-screens, before sharing broader thoughts on pick-and-roll offense, the power of the pass, and studying ideas that genuinely fit who you are as a coach.

What you’ll learn

•  Why defensive identity has to begin with what a coach truly believes in 
•  How Shulman blends man-to-man, switching, and matchup-zone principles 
•  Why switching everything can reduce confusion against slips, ghosts, and misdirection 
•  How UT Martin thinks about post mismatches, doubles, digs, and defensive layers 
•  Why putting two on the ball can create steals without becoming a pressure team 
•  How scouting, film, and player processing shape scramble defense and closeouts 
•  Why trust is the hardest thing to build quickly in the current roster-building era 
•  How agents and NIL have changed the way coaches think about buy-in 
•  The teaching details behind flipping ball screens against hedge coverage 
•  Why Shulman views pick-and-roll as a way to move the ball, not just create downhill scoring

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