First off, I apologize for the length of this post. My mind kept going and I couldn’t stop my fingers from typing. I wanted to offer a few practical suggestions which develop into more “pie in the sky” ideas.
I have broken down my suggestions into 2 primary categories; Depth Chart Suggestions & Game Plan Suggestions. The Game Plan suggestions build on the concepts described in the opening Depth Chart section
Depth Chart Suggestions Overview;
1. Custom Depth Charts
2. Set QB Progression among RB, WR & TE by Depth Chart
3. Player Roles
Game Plan Suggestions Overview;
1. Specific Run Style & Pass Styles
2. Choose Blitz Frequency inside specific Game Plans
3. Choose defensive coverage inside specific Game Plans
DEPTH CHART SUGGESTIONS
1. CUSTOM DEPTH CHARTS
Why couldn’t we treat Depth Charts just like we treat Game Plans? Meaning, we can create up to 10 custom Depth Charts or use 1 of the X number of Default Depth Charts. That way, a coach who wants more control can create his own Depth Chart while other can simply choose a default depth chart. Also, this gives us flexibility to create formation specific depth charts on our own. Actually, we can create multiple formation specific depth charts (i.e. I-Formation Base, I-Formation Goal Line, Etc…)
This would give us situational depth charts, not situational settings within a depth chart
2. QB PROGRESSION
Allow us to choose the QB pass progression per depth chart.
I suppose the easiest way to accomplish this is to return to the previous version of GD where we assigned a number to a player and that number, relative to all other player’s number in depth chart at that time, would determine who is the QB’s 1st look, 2nd look, 3rd look, etc…
3. PLAYER ROLES
The Player’s role is a way for the coach to choose what a player would do in common situations for a specific depth chart. For each depth chart the coach would have the ability to alter the player’s role based upon the choices in the drop down box. These Player Roles fit nicely with your desire to have a counter balance to increased control for coaches. Each offensive and defensive position in the depth chart would have a drop down box for the selection of the player’s role within that specific depth chart. Player’s roles can change among depth charts.
QBs might have 3 choices for their role;
1. Default (works normally as QBs work now)
2. Scrambler (when he feels defensive pressure, he is more likely to run than work through his progression)
3. Pocket Passer (Opposite of Scrambler. Less likely to run, more likely to continue until he finds a receiver or is sacked)
For example, if you the offensive coach has a scrambling QB, the defensive coach can use a DE or OLB to “contain” the QB. Or, if a defense chooses to set multiple defenders to a “Blitzer” setting, the offensive coach can set both his RB & TE to “Pass Block”. If a an offensive coach wants to choose to run “Always Inside” because of his RB STR & FB blocking ability, a defensive coach can set his ILBs to “Blitzer” and his DT to “Run Stopper”. If an offensive coach wants to set his passes for “Deep”, then a defensive coach can set a few of his DL / DE to “Pass Rusher”. I think you get the idea
Below are just a few of my ideas for the Player Roles based on positions;
OFFENSIVE PLAYER ROLES
Player Roles for a QB;
1. Default
2. Scrambler
3. Pocket Passer
Player Roles for a RB;
1. Default
2. Pass Block (this would grey out the Pass Progression for this RB as he would always pass block when passing plays are called)
3. QB Outlet (this RB would always go to the flat as a safety for the QB. If your Pass Style is Deep, this would allow your RBs to be a safety outlet in the flats)
Player Roles for a TE;
1. Default
2. Pass Block (same as RB)
3. QB Outlet (same as RB)
Player Roles for a WR;
1. Default
2. Fly (attribute bonus on deep passes, attribute penalty on short passes)
3. Possession (attribute bonus on short passes, attribute penalty on deep passes)
Player Roles for an OL;
1. Default
2. Zone Blocking (attribute bonus against a Blitz, attribute penalty for running plays)
3. Man On Blocking (attribute bonus for running plays, attribute penalty for Blitzes)
DEFENSIVE PLAYER ROLES
Player Roles for a DT;
1. Default
2. Run Stopper (attribute penalty for QB pressure, attribute bonus on tackling)
3. Pass Rusher (attribute penalty for tackling, attribute bonus for QB pressure & sacks)
Player Roles for a DE;
1. Default
2. Contain (attribute bonus for “outside” runs & scrambling QB, attribute penalty for “inside” runs)
3. Pass Rusher (same as DT)
Player Roles for ILB;
1. Default
2. Run Stopper (same as DT)
3. Blitzer (This player would blitz when a blitz is chosen using the Blitz Frequency – see below)
Player Roles for OLB;
1. Default
2. Contain (attribute bonus for “outside” runs & passes to the flat)
3. Blitzer (same as ILB)
Player Roles for S;
1. Default
2. In the Box (attribute bonus on running plays, attribute penalty on passing plays)
3. Blitzer (same as ILB)
Player Roles for CB;
1. Default
2. Bump & Run (attribute bonus short passes, attribute penalty on deep passes)
3. Cushion (attribute bonus on deep passes, attribute penalty on short passes)
GAME PLAN SUGGESTIONS
I think the game plan setting for each down and distance should look like the following;
Offense Game Plan screen would look like the following;
SET DEPTH CHART TENDENCY PLAY STYLE RUN STYLE PASS STYLE
Defensive Game Plan screen would look like the following;
SET DEPTH CHART TENDENCY BLITZ FREQUENCY COVERAGE
The PLAY STYLE would still be Very Aggressive through Very Conservative and dictate at what level of “openness” the QB throws a pass (the more Aggressive the PLAY STYLE, the less open a WR needs to be for the QB to throw him the ball), a yardage benefit for RB, WR & TE with the counter balance being a higher likelihood of fumbles and on defense a higher likelihood of fumbles and INTs at the expense of a yardage benefit for RB, WR & TE
1. SPECIFIC RUN STYLES & PASS STYLES
The dropdown selection for RUN STYLE would be;
1. Always Outside
2. Heavy Outside
3. Balanced
4. Heavy Inside
5. Always Inside
The dropdown selection for PASS STYLE would be;
1. Deep
2. Deep/Medium
3. Medium
4. Medium/Short
5. Short
This would allow a coach to run sweeps while still attempting to throw short. Or, pound the ball up the middle while still throwing deep. In our current situation, if you choose a more aggressive style, you will throw more deep passes and run more sweeps. The choice should be split.
2. BLITZ FREQUENCY
This would allow a coach to specifically choose the frequency of a blitz per down and distance. The dropdown box for the BLITZ FREQUENCY would be something like;
1. None (0% of the plays)
2. Rarely (25% of the plays)
4. Often (75% of the plays)
5. Always (100% of the plays)
If a blitz is chosen, any defensive player with the Player Role of Blitzer would blitz. This would allow a coach to blitz every LB and the S if they really wanted to. Obviously, if a defensive player blitzes, it removes them from pass coverage.
3. COVERAGE
Allow the coach to choose between the following coverages;
1. Zone
2. Man-to-Man (Position vs. Position)
3. Man-to-Man (Talent vs. Talent)
I guess zone coverage would work as the defense works now against a pass. A coach might choose zone for several reasons. One reason, may be because they have chosen to blitz multiple defenders leaving more offensive players going out for a pass than defenders able to cover those players. Another reason may be because of several very talented WRs which in a man-to-man coverage would expose a weakness if the defense did not have multiple talented CBs.
Man-to-Man (Position vs. Position) would mean the WR in depth chart position #1 would be defended by the CB in depth chart position #1, the WR in depth chart position #2 would be defended by the CB in depth chart position #2 and so on and so forth.
Man-to-Man (Talent vs. Talent) would mean that regardless of what position these players are in in their depth charts, the most talented WR would be defended by the most talented CB, the 2nd most talented WR would be defended by the 2nd most talented CB and so on and so forth.