Using Timeouts Effectively

Some tips on good and bad uses of timeouts

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Timeouts are a tool that can change the course of a game. I don’t think they are used well by the majority of teams in Europe.

It's very interesting (to me anyway) to go back through the game logs of close games on ultiorganizer and look at the timeout usage.

For example, here I can see the team in green (Italy) took two timeouts in the first half and one in the second. The team in purple (France) took none in the first half and two in the second. By comparing the time the previous point was scored to the time the timeout was taken we can determine if the timeout was taken between points or during the point i.e. if the times match then the timeout was taken between points, if they don’t it was taken during the point. In this example none of the timeouts were taken between points.

I'm continually amazed when I check the gameplay logs and the losing team either:

1. uses no timeouts at all

2. uses their first timeout when they have essentially already lost the game i.e. when the other team is on gamepoint or

3. only uses timeouts midpoint.

Most games I watch or check the stats for see patterns like that: here, here, and here are examples from each division in EUC of major games that fall into these categories.

Let’s take a look at some different timeout scenarios and what I think are good practices to follow. I’m dividing these into two categories: the mid point timeout and the timeout in between points*.

The Mid Point Timeout (The Turnout)

The mid point timeout is getting a bad reputation and it’s mostly a fair one. It’s noticeable once you’ve watched a few games that timeouts taken during points don’t have a very high scoring percentage.

The most obvious reason for this is the nature of when these timeouts are taken - generally it’s by a D line who think they can secure a break by setting up their offence. But of course the issue with this is that a D line will not generally be very practiced playing from a set situation**, and the O line you are trying to score on is usually very strong defensively - particularly when they are given 60 seconds to get over the turn and focus on playing defence. It’s quite natural for players involved in a turnover to have a loss of concentration immediately after which is an edge a D line can exploit***.

Besides that fact of life there are some simple, avoidable, mistakes teams make:

a) taking the timeout in a bad position

This is mostly taking the timeout from a sideline, or very deep in the pitch.

Don’t take timeouts in unfavorable positions. Just don’t do it. This isn’t a very sophisticated point, I know. If you want to use a timeout, see if you can move the disc into a better situation.

b) taking a timeout immediately after a turn

This isn’t the most egregious example of this situation - De Maree does look for a quick forward pass initially - but it’s still a very quick timeout decision when he has a free player available - why not see if you can take advantage of that first, then decide whether a timeout if worth it?

c) taking a timeout when you have lots of time to organise and rest

The clips in (a) both also fit this - if you are already taking 20-30 seconds to get the disc back into play I don’t think you need a timeout.

d) calling a timeout after a huck

Listen: if you’ve just caught a huck and are right outside the endzone, find a teammate and score, OK? Don’t let the whole defence set up and give them a chance at making a block.

Of course it’s really the opportunity cost that’s my issue with the mid point timeout. You only have a limited number, so they need to be used where they can have the biggest impact on the game. Potentially slightly increasing your chances of scoring on a single possession isn’t as impactful as some of the other potential uses in my experience.

This isn’t to say that ALL mid point timeouts are bad. Hey, if you scored it was probably worth it. I quite often save a timeout at the end of close games for the O line to use if they need it - that is, if we are in the lead and I’m trying to maintain it. Even knowing that the option is there can be psychologically reassuring for the offence, knowing that if play breaks down or the defence is doing something new the option is there to pause and take a breather.

The real issue is not that mid point timeouts are inherently bad and always result in turnovers - it’s that I don’t think they drive enough extra value compared to using them between points.

Timeout Between Points

I am very much in favour of reserving timeout use for in between points. I believe these have a larger impact on the game overall as their impact can change the course of the game rather than giving a slight bump to the chance of scoring on a single possession. If they are used well that is.

Going into each game I have a flexible script in my head of how the game will go, and included in that are inflection points where I may want to use a timeout. I’m going to share some of the main scenarios that I consider as part of that script here.

Offence broken twice in a row

Generally after a break the offence line will get another chance to score, maybe with a tweak or two depending on what happening, but if there’s a second consecutive break that’s always a timeout. Gives everyone (on both teams) a chance to reset, and gives me a minute to consider the options.

Momentum breaking

The previous inflection point was a very objective one. This one is less objective - sometimes there are moments in a tight game where the opposition gets a dangerous surge of energy.

In this example from U24s this year, Belgium had been up all game and looking fairly comfortable. After their first major error Italy punched in a break to tie things up. But it was really the manner of the break that was so important in the game - a lot of calls and physicality over the next couple of minutes meant that when Italy finally scored they were extra HYPED and ready for battle. I actually applauded in my living room when I saw Belgium take the timeout!

Gearing up for a big defensive point/change in defence

I criticised a timeout Italy mixed used in their EUC semi against Ireland earlier, and it was particularly surprising after they had used an earlier timeout to great impact. After two points of match defence to start the game Italy call a timeout at 2-2 and come out with an assassin zone to generate the first break of the game. A really pivotal moment in the game, driven by a good timeout use.

Resting players

Aka the comeback timeout.

One of the key uses of a timeout can be to give players a rest if you need to them to play lots of points. I will quite often call power lines early in games if I have a timeout in reserve, intending to use that timeout to rest the O line players if the point goes on for too long and we don’t score.

Here’s an example from the EUCF final last season where we have just taken the lead 13-12, on the back of a power line featuring players that had played 3 points in a row. Normally having taken the lead at this stage I would revert back to our regular defence line and rest our O line players. However, I had 2 timeouts in hand so I was happy to play a power line again and call a timeout if we didn’t score - which we didn’t. I probably wouldn’t have used my last timeout to do this - it could be needed to swing the game back our way again later.

Point for half (7-7 or, more importantly, 7-6)

7-7 is obvious. If you are on O you probably don’t need it, but if you are on D you might want to use it to load up a line and get everyone prepped.

That’s also fairly obvious- 7-6 is the scoreline to keep an eye out for. If you are up 7-6 and pulling with a timeout in hand, it’s a good time to load up a power line and try and take half 8-6. If you don’t get the break you can use the timeout to rest any O line players crossed over for D.

At 7-6 down coming out on O you know you need to score and then break - so similarly you may want to use that timeout to reset your power line players once you have (hopefully) score to level at 7s.

I do realise I’m still taking the timeout at 7-7 by the way, but the important part is to consider those points in advance and not to arrive at 7-7 and then try to make the decision.

Point for game (14-14 or, 14-13)

Same as above - except the stakes are higher. This is why I mentioned above I wouldn’t have used Ranelagh’s last timeout at 13-12 - I’m saving that for the very end.

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*Timeout between points are also better for spectators. Extending a stoppage that is already happening feels a lot better than having live play interrupted for two minutes.

**I have had people make the - ‘but you use pull plays’ - argument with me but I don’t agree it’s the same. Even off a bricked disc, while the disc is being moved to the brick mark you can move around which allows you both to disguise what you want to do and also see how the defence is reacting and adapt. From a timeout the defence is in total command - it’s maybe the only situation in ultimate where the defence has a concrete advantage over the offence like this

***Of Ranelagh’s breaks vs Clapham in the EUCF final last season, only one came from a slow pick up after a turn with the others featuring either catch blocks or instant pickups.