The first ultimate offensive formation or “stack” that many learn is called "vertical stack" or “vert” for short. Today’s post will discuss what vert stack is, why it works, and how to implement it on the field.
What is Vert Stack?
As shown in figure 1 above, the seven offensive players are
arranged according to their respective positions. The two handlers, who are the
main throwers for the team, set themselves towards the back of the field,
farthest from the endzone in which the offense aims to score. The five cutters
set themselves up in a vertical line in the center of the field. They are often
referred to as the one, two, three, four, and five, starting with the
individual closest to the handlers and ending with the player farthest from the
handlers. A space of about 3 yards separates each player in the stack going
backward.
The stack should stay relatively close to the handlers,
about 5-10 yards between the handler and the “one,” or the front of the stack.
Figure 2
How does the formation work?
The responsibility of starting the formation often falls on
the five in the stack or the player at the “end” of the line farthest from the
handlers. However, there are many variations, and the first cut may come from a
different player on the field. The initiator cuts away from the disc and then
sharply changes direction, running back towards the handler with the disc as shown in figure 2. This
“cut” creates space between the offensive player and the defensive player who is guarding him. This allows the cutter to catch the disc without the
defender pressuring the catch. Because of the inherent nature of the vert
stack, the cutter can choose to cut into any of the green spaces on the field,
creating options for the cutter to shake his defender.
There are two common scenarios for a cutter when they make a
cut. The first is that they are open, and the handler throws them the disc
which they catch. As the disc is caught and yards are gained, the stack moves as
one unit downfield (closer to the scoring endzone) maintaining 5-10 yards
between the front of the stack and the disc on the field. The second scenario
is that the cutter is not open, and the handler does not throw the disc. At
this time the cutter must merge back into the stack, usually becoming the two
in the stack.
Why is Vert Stack Effective?
Vert stack is more effective as it creates three zones, displayed as green circles in the diagram above, to where a cutter can run to and catch the disc. With the other players centered in an organized stack, there is more space on the right and left sides to catch the disc with ease. The deep space, the green circle in figure 1 above the stack, is also opened. Vert stack also creates a good rhythm that can be felt by the cutters on the field. The formulaic nature of vert is easy to understand in practice yet also effective.
