The count

Geoff and I had a good conversation over dinner (while Eric H. listened in) about stall counts in Ultimate.  Given different strategies in Ultimate the highest levels have in recent memory simply involved moving the disc around very quickly and quite a bit in order to create the chance for a huck (long pass downfield).  Our primary concern was that at lower levels people hang on to the disc for quite a long period of time.  What it came down to was that it almost always takes the same number of plays to make it to the end zone (n).  When one hangs on for the disc (assuming they don’t throw it away) until stall 8 before dumping the offense has been running around furiously for 8 seconds.  If instead you dump the disc at stall 3 or 4 then the offense is continuing the cuts and runs from the previous pass and they’ve only been running hard for 3 second tops.

So consider that it takes 10 passes to make it to the end zone regardless of how long you hang onto it.  In that case the offense can either be running for 80 seconds (for stall 8 counts) or for 30 seconds (for stall 3/4 counts).  What’s the more attractive option?  Running for 80 seconds or running for 30 seconds?  Move the disc around fast and often.

“You can run for 80 seconds or you can run for 30."