I have been reviewing some of the play by play games to get an Idea on how the game planning works, this being my first season. I  have found a few schools, successful ones I might add, that use only one offense in their game plan.   Now I am sure they are changing the tendency and style.  Is this the way one wins a national championship, finding a glitch in the system and running with it? If it is I would like to know so I can save myself a lot of frustration and "Just Win".  I do like the game so far and plan on playing more, that is if I have a chance of winning and moving up.  Sorry to ramble.

I'm sure you ran across teams with multipile offensive sets that were successful also. Shows that are more ways of winning than one. If you feel you've found a glitch then run with it. Thats the only way to know for sure.

not always, running one offense or defense just always you to specialize and reduce the number of minutes pulled from individual practice.

i would never run a one scheme set myself but coaches have to do what works for them. there isn't just one way to win.

Running one offense makes a little sense.  When it gets set up that you put the formation you are using in all three slots and on 1st down say Pro Always run/very agg, Pro Always Run/Very/cons, and Pro Always Pass/Balance.  The opponent only has 1 choice to make to stop you.  His best bet would Formation?/bal/bal.

But with the way the game is now I don't think formation practice makes a hill of beans.  So even if you don't practice I think 3 defenses are minimum.  Two can work but 3 is easier to plan.  I would never go to 1.

I think these guys said it best.  I have no NC's to my credit, but I have seen multiple ways to be successful in this game.  But, there is NO SHORTCUT.  I think you have to just decide how you want to play the game, set your team up to play that way, and be good at recruiting the players that fit your system.  

Posted by harriswb3 on 2/3/2012 10:36:00 PM (view original):
I think these guys said it best.  I have no NC's to my credit, but I have seen multiple ways to be successful in this game.  But, there is NO SHORTCUT.  I think you have to just decide how you want to play the game, set your team up to play that way, and be good at recruiting the players that fit your system.  

Recruiting to fit your system is probably the one thing you can do to have the biggest impact on your team right now.  I'd also say to avoid running WB and Shotgun at the same time.  That just spreads you too thin at both RB and WR positions.  Similarly, it is hard to load up 4-4 and Dime as your two primary defenses.

thanks for the input and after thinking about it, there a lot of schools that run primarily one offense ie. the wishbone.  It just seemed strange that an undefeated team was running trips on every down.  But as you say he may have recruited and built his team with that in mind.  Who knows maybe I'll give the ole Wishbone offense a try


thanks again for the input.

All Gino and I run is SG and Trips at Buffalo St.  We don't even draft RBs.  On defense I think the best combination to cover everything is the 3-4, 4-4, and Nickle.  The Nickle isn't the best at Stopping the SG but once you get enough vision you can get the players to do it.  The 3-4 and 4-4 do a great job against everything else.

For my balanced teams I like Pro, Trips, WB and SG.  It is hard for only 2 formations to stop them.  But with that scheme you need 60 minutes min if you want to practice the formations. 

I get giddy EVERYTIME I see a 3-4 defense.

I'm that way with the 4-3. 

I agree with grindi

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Posted by gazgul on 2/3/2012 11:37:00 PM (view original):
thanks for the input and after thinking about it, there a lot of schools that run primarily one offense ie. the wishbone.  It just seemed strange that an undefeated team was running trips on every down.  But as you say he may have recruited and built his team with that in mind.  Who knows maybe I'll give the ole Wishbone offense a try


thanks again for the input.

Wishbone: I'm not suggesting it or telling you to use it.  But you can win by running the WB full time.  I've been running it for 8 seasons full time in D-III and now D-II.  And I don't even throw the darned pigskin...I run, run, run.  I don't know if I can win a NC with it, but I plan on moving up to D1A and will continue to use it as long as it is successful.  

My point is that you really can win with any formation, or combination of formations.  But you HAVE to recruit specifically to fit your system and you have to experiment a little to find what settings work for your team.  

Same on defense.....as you see above, some love the 3-4, others the 4-3.  Some coaches have been successful using the Nickel as their ONLY defense against all formations.  Some find that the Nickel does not work well against the Shotgun, others (like me) always use the Nickel against the Shotgun.

There are advantages and disadvantages to using and recruiting for each different formation.