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Denny Crum still knows how to attack a zone ... and every other defense

Denny Crum

Recently, a picture of Denny Crum appearing to diagram a play for Chris Mack went somewhat viral around the Louisville social media world.

The pair had been part of a photo shoot for Crum’s annual cystic fibrosis dinner that will be held this April. After telling Mack multiple times that he’d like to talk with him about the best way to attack Syracuse’s 2-3 zone, Crum finally got to sit down with the current Cardinal head coach.

“He’s said to me the last two or three times that I’ve seen him that he wanted to talk about how to attack Syracuse’s zone,” Mack said on Tuesday. “I guess he saw our game last year and said, ‘you idiot, I need five minutes of your time.’ I said, ‘all right, I’ve got five minutes.’ We sat there for 10 minutes and he gave me a version of what he thinks will work against their zone.”

Mack added that he does plan on utilizing Crum’s suggestion when Louisville hosts Syracuse next Wednesday. The Cardinals shot just 25.9 percent from the field in an embarrassing 69-49 road loss to the Orange last season.

When Crum was informed that Mack had told the press the Hall of Fame coach knew how to attack Syracuse’s zone, he wanted to make it known that it’s not just Jim Boeheim’s defense he knows how to exploit.

“I’d imagine I know how to attack most every zone,” Crum said. “Not just that one. What do you think I’ve been doing all my life?”

A king today, tomorrow, and every day after that.