I've been watching a number of college teams I have interest in, if not connections to, struggle. Some of their issues are primarily pitching-related, but they aren't getting any help from their offense; a good offense can cover up a LOT of pitching problems.

I've considered approaching the head coaches and offering my help, but before I can do that, I need to figure out what I would say.

How I would tackle the problem.

Especially given that the season is on-going and there's no time from dramatic interventions.

Here's the start of a basic plan, based on what I did when I started working with the hitters at HSSU in 2016, just a few weeks before their season started.

Approach

1. Are You Getting a Good Pitch to Hit?

When Tommy Pham was called up to the Cardinals in early July 2015, his mechanics were pretty good, but I quickly realized that his approach sucked.

And I told him as much in a short, curt text on July 8, 2015.

"Stop swinging at crap down. Pitchers' pitches. Especially when the count is in your favor. Look for fastballs up until you get two strikes."

2. Are You Hitting the Ball Where it's Pitched?

The most common approach flaw in hitters is getting Pull-Crazy. That's a problem because, when you try to pull an outside pitch, you will get close to Wrist Roll, which reduces your ability to hit for average.

Contact

3. Show me Contact (On a Fastball).

When I'm looking at a hitter who is struggling some of the first things I look for are...

3.A. Extension at Contact.

Hitting the ball at Extension WILL tend to produce more power, and will look great on HitTrax, but there's a reason why it's not what the best hitters do. Consistently. Actually.

3.B. Dropping the Hands.

Many hitters don't understand Adjustability, and Dropping the Hands is the most common manifestation of that.

Coil

4. Lack of Coil/Loading the Shoulders

When I see people -- trying to/thinking they are -- teaching Coil, much of the time I see a focus on the wrong thing.

Rather than teaching Coil, they are instead teaching Loading the Shoulders, something that the best hitters don't do.

When it comes to naming names, that starts with Teacherman and his followers; their display of Coil is at best inconsistent.