Film Study: Whipsnakes bring back the slam picks
By Joe Keegan
PLL Analyst
Aug 9, 2022
The Whipsnakes have struggled to put together a full 48 minutes of offense this season. Head coach Jim Stagnitta estimates that they played a solid 44 minutes against the Archers. Their offense flowed well, with Brad Smith (3G, 1A) dodging downhill and Zed Williams (2G, 2A) playing his best game of 2022.
The difference? They went back to an old but familiar set.
"We changed up the set this week. We've gone back and forth over the years and within the same seasons," said Stagnitta. "We wanted to get some more long dodges from the midfielders. We feel like with [Wheaton] Jackoboice up there and we were using Keegan [Khan] a little bit today, and Brad [Smith] is so athletic when he has room to run. We didn't necessarily go to that set just for Zed and Matt. We went to that set to open up our long dodges from up top. I thought that we were able to create some opportunities getting them to slide."
The Whipsnakes’ dodge-pass-pass-dodge sequences into slam picks have been unstoppable for years. Those picks are set on GLE and into the rotation of the ball for the two most physical dodgers in the league: Zed and Rambo.
Jay Carlson – back in the lineup for the first time since June – often orchestrates those sequences. As Smith dodges here, Carlson points from the weakside, calling for the slam pick for Zed. Then the ball swings from Zed to Mike Chanenchuk and back to Brad Smith for the finish.
The @PLLWhipsnakes O went back to this set for the first time in ‘22: Notice Jay Carlson calling for the pass into the slam pick. Then it’s Zed to Chanenchuk to Brad Smith. 💰 pic.twitter.com/Y9pCloA2HO
— Joe Keegan (@joekeegs) August 7, 2022
When the ball is moving clockwise, it’s Rambo coming off those picks. And when the initial alley dodge can draw attention, there’s no help ready for Rambo.
Another slam pick set by Jay Carlson for a switch and a Rambo goal pic.twitter.com/R4tVvMBDLz
— Joe Keegan (@joekeegs) August 7, 2022
Rambo shot 4-for-12 (33.3%) with every goal and every shot coming off the dodge. This was a vintage Rambo performance. Physical but in control. Assertive without disrupting the flow of the offense. He loved his matchup, and dodged often.
"I just think I'm a little bit bigger than Ratliff. And they weren't sliding a lot so it gave me a lot of opportunity to get topside or get underneath. With no slides the field is so small and a lot of things can go," said Rambo.
