![]() Teams can still pull the disc short and force a team to start near the sideline if the pull both lands and stays in bounds, but it seems more likely that defenses will choose to try to trap an offense in the caverns of their end zone as opposed to simply double-teaming near the sideline. Along with moving the new pull’s release point from the end zone to the brick mark, another corresponding rule change states that any pull rolling out of bounds shy of midfield will be centered. One of the primary motivations behind this new rule is to limit the proliferation of sideline roller pulls, which became more and more popular in recent seasons. “We’ve been practicing with two pull-catchers,” said DeByl. Other teams will keep more players in the end zone to prevent any ricochet from reaching the end line. But some teams may decide it’s worth the risk rather than having a blade bounce to the back line and then not having any option of a backwards reset. Of course, if a pull is dropped, it’s a turnover. “People who can catch the disc at an angle.” “Pull catchers are gonna be extremely valuable,” added Yearwood. Quite the contrary, coaches around the AUDL generally believe that teams will attempt to utilize viciously angled blading pulls that are notoriously tough to catch and often bounce or roll beyond the initial landing spot. ![]() Yearwood and others are not necessarily anticipating a bevy of majestic floaters that hover endlessly before landing in the corner of the end zone. The thing that I find really interesting is this league is very heavily skewed toward the offense, and this change really brings that power balance, if not in favor of the defense, it shifts the balance it makes it much more even.” That may be a good thing that may be a bad thing. “I think it’s gonna make pulls in the AUDL look very different from any other ultimate league. “I think it’s gonna introduce just a different layer of strategy and complexity, and it may have unanticipated effects on what pulls look like in this league,” said Toronto Rush Head Coach Adrian Yearwood. The length of the field prevented fans from seeing this too often in past seasons, but it should be way more prevalent in 2023. Remember, unlike in USA Ultimate club play, the AUDL has always prevented offenses from gaining free yards on pulls that land in bounds and roll out the back. The most intriguing dynamic pertains to the added number of instances where the offense could be trapped deep in its own end zone or even be forced to start the point from the back-line. The pull is much more interesting to watch.” “We’ve been practicing with it all spring,” said Madison Radicals Head Coach Tim DeByl. “It definitely creates a lot more tension on the first passes. Only the greatest distance throwers across the league, a small handful of players, could seriously endanger the other team by floating a pull toward the back corner of the end zone or forcing the team to begin from the back line.īut now, considering that most if not all pullers can sling it into Callahan country, along with the fact that the defense has 20 fewer yards to cover in their sprinting surge downfield, the initial throws of a possession could be way more intense than years past. Typically, they would land or be caught somewhere near the goal line and immediately get centered with a short-gaining first pass. In the past, pulls needed to soar 80 yards to reach the front of the opposing end zone, 100 to sail out-the-back. “The pulling thing, especially, is such a game-changer.” “Anybody who’s not thinking about is gonna lose,” said Chicago Union Head Coach Dave Woods. It’s just a 20-yard difference, but coaches around the league have been busy contemplating the ramifications, which many feel are significant. Instead, each point will start with the defense unleashing the disc from the brick mark. Pulls will no longer be released from the end zone. Amidst all the enticing chatter about pivotal players and marquee matchups, it’s easy to forget that the league has also decided to drastically change how every single point will begin. ![]() When the Seattle Cascades and Salt Lake Shred take the field on Friday night to officially launch the 2023 AUDL season, the opening pull might catch viewers off guard.
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