Layouts: The Huddle’s Stuff, And Mine
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Loading ...Miranda Roth and others tout the inside lane for when you’re going to get the block, and the reasoning for this is solid (namely, that it’s nearly impossible to get the reach-around outside-shoulder D sans dangerous play); however, I’d caution enterprising stud defenders out there to recognize the copious warnings against overzealous baiting, and to only take the inside lane (aka conceding the deep cut) when you’re certain the throw will go up–or it already has.
The Huddle’s authors don’t go into a ton of depth on the technical side of laying out, which underscores the importance of how you deploy the layout (i.e., in the context of a larger team defensive strategy) over fixating on the details. If you’re looking for a slightly more technical look at layout technique, however, I’ve posted on that previously (note that I’ve tidied up the original a little…the topic bears revisiting, and once I have some fresh victi-uh, fodder-er, athletes to work with next year, I’ll likely have some more concrete experience teaching to draw from for that purpose).
I’ve written about the mental side and visualization a bit too (I’d take the Huddle’s “Many mediocre players spent many hours visualizing these outcomes” line more as a caution against fixating on daydreams of sweet universe-point callahan layouts to the exclusion of visualizing a realistic one, rather than a condemnation of visualization itself).
While I agree that baiting on the inside lane of a cutter is usually not a great way to play team defense (especially when the disc is trapped on the sideline), there are instances where adjusting to the inside lane IS the best way to protect against the most damaging option.
Adam Goff’s article does a great job of illustrating a common scenario where changing your position from the force side to the inside lane of the cutter helps shut down the most dangerous option–regardless of whether you’re trying for a layout block or not. With the disc in the middle of the field, the inside-out lane is a huge space that would be entirely unguarded if the defender diligently sticks to the force side of the cutter during an entire diagonal cut. IMO, that inside-out throw to open up the break-side is a much easier throw than a pin-point huck curving to meet the cutter in stride. Using the sideline as a defensive tool is a great concept to master.
Although, now that I think about it, the biggest threat on the cut Adam diagrammed would likely differ depending on where the rest of the cutters were (i.e. running horizontal stack or vertical stack patterns). I’ve been assuming a ho stack…
Gwen,
Funny, I assumed a straight stack–New England bias I suppose. You’re right it depends on where the other cutters are, but Adam’s diagram does a good job of illustrating an adjustment to the inside lane without over-committing to the under. The defender is still a bit behind the cutter and presumably still under control to respond to a deep cut, while “controlling the angle” on a potential under pass, as Adam suggests.
I suppose I’m cautioning more against an over-aggressive adjustment to take away the inside lane, where you’re accelerating to take away the under before the throw is guaranteed–this is what I’ve seen more commonly, and this is what I’ve seen get burned.