Posted by frankum on 9/11/2026 7:18:00 PM (view original):

Posted by Armchair on 9/11/2026 6:58:00 PM (view original):
Thanks, Transwarp

I'm just at a level of frustration, combined with the realization that I'm spending far too much time on GD, that I think I need to step away for a bit. But it's difficult to walk away because most of the time I really like the challenge ... and I have severe FOMO. Like, if I leave the job at USC, what could I have been accomplishing at USC if I didn't walk away?!?

If I absolutely aced every game planning for every game I could maybe make the national championship with this team. More likely I view it as a guaranteed 3rd round or a final 4 team.

DEF formation IQ: good enough
OFF formation IQ: a little lower than I would want

QB1 - good enough
RB1 - a little low
WR1 - I don't know, I don't use them
TE - I don't know, I don't use them
OL starters - athleticism low, technique low
DL starters - athleticism low, game instinct low, technique really low
LB starters - game instinct low
DB starters - athleticism low, game instinct low

Good grief, if his numbers are low, then mine are devastating...LOL. I can relate to what he is saying as I have leveled off and have no clue how to move forward. Am I not assigning attribute weights properly in my talent evaluation during recruiting and when setting my depth charts? Who knows, I derived my own spreadsheet system from forum input four years ago. I even used AI to evaluate the top 10 team's rosters one post-season and it generated an attribute evaluation system - based on what it saw - and it did not differ much from what I already had. I've had it pour over season-long gameplans/results for top-10 teams against human-coached teams and it does not dig up anything out of the ordinary. It does not see depth charts, though. I don't know how to ask it to do that.

Linebackers cover WRs? See, I thought only CBs and SAFs only covered WRs. If LBs are covering WRs, are the CBs and SAF just taking the play off?

Way back when, a group of us older players met in New Orleans for a weekend - some may still be playing currently. I was coaching Mississippi Sate and this was when the game was heavily populated, so that was my only option. One of the successful coaches asked to gain access to my team. He went in and reordered my depth charts (putting my best WR in the second slot rather than the first...put my best DB in the first SAF slot..etc...no clue why) and tweaked my gameplan. After doing so, he told me to not touch a single thing. That team - Mississippi State - went on to win the SEC. All I did was open the website and look at half-time and post-game at my stats. He understood something about how putting my best WR in slot 2 versus slot 1 would pit him against my opponents CBs and SAFs. That is just one sample, he did stuff with the DBs and LBs as well. Too long ago to remember. This was before that overhaul the game had.

Like my participation in this game, I am not sure where this message is going. Too much bourbon.

This is something for the owners of WIS to look at. If there are some settings that can manipulate opposing defenses and offenses. It would be worth it for them to update the instructioons or videos showing some advanced settings. I know some players won't like that but if you end up with a game where the majority of players think they have no chance to win then they will leave the game.

I dont feel there are any secret settings or anything. Just feel a few have put in the time and effort to figure some things out. And now that they have its working for them.

There is absolutely no “secret” to winning in this game. The information is available on the forums, on blog posts, or from asking other coaches. I have sent screenshots of every setting I use to multiple people. I have had elite owners answer hundreds or thousands of questions that I have asked them. It takes a whole lot of effort to be good, to develop an offense and a defense and recruit properly to it. This game has so many different layers and I am learning something all the time.

To say people are using a secret or cheating or playing unfairly is just disrespectful to the amount of work some people put into the game.

I feel the same sometimes. In my 39 season I have made the NC nine times and only won two. 2-7 in title game. I feel like the LeBron of GD.

I've definitely noticed a difference over the years. A couple years ago I was in a few different worlds and coached at places like Syracuse, Cincinnati, Rutgers and South Florida. We were quite often competitive in games versus the elites, and pulled off a handful of upsets in both the regular season and playoffs. Now any time I play a very good team we get annihilated, so I've dropped down to one team just to scratch that itch. The frustrating part is that I can watch a football game and decipher how the coach schemed it up to get a mismatch or a wide open play...but GD is more of a math formula game, and the equations aren't visible to everyone.

On roster construction, you need 5 OL on every single offensive play regardless of formation. You have 7 on that USC roster and #7 has horrifyingly bad stamina. I suggest you establish a coherent offensive philosophy and recruit toward that end. 6 RBs when you aren’t running wishbone seems excessive in terms of the value you would gain from OL depth. Just my two cents … good luck with whatever you decide.

Posted by ddingo on 9/12/2026 8:05:00 PM (view original):
On roster construction, you need 5 OL on every single offensive play regardless of formation. You have 7 on that USC roster and #7 has horrifyingly bad stamina. I suggest you establish a coherent offensive philosophy and recruit toward that end. 6 RBs when you aren’t running wishbone seems excessive in terms of the value you would gain from OL depth. Just my two cents … good luck with whatever you decide.

Examining a roster can be deceiving. Having an overabundance of RB or TE or weak OL on a roster may mean that other positions were very competitive and the RB/TE options were to save recruiting money for the next season. All rosters visible may not be exactly what a coach wanted, but it was what the coach could get.

Posted by 0bigzeke0 on 9/13/2026 3:27:00 PM (view original):

Posted by ddingo on 9/12/2026 8:05:00 PM (view original):
On roster construction, you need 5 OL on every single offensive play regardless of formation. You have 7 on that USC roster and #7 has horrifyingly bad stamina. I suggest you establish a coherent offensive philosophy and recruit toward that end. 6 RBs when you aren’t running wishbone seems excessive in terms of the value you would gain from OL depth. Just my two cents … good luck with whatever you decide.

Examining a roster can be deceiving. Having an overabundance of RB or TE or weak OL on a roster may mean that other positions were very competitive and the RB/TE options were to save recruiting money for the next season. All rosters visible may not be exactly what a coach wanted, but it was what the coach could get.

I'm not offering generic advice applicable to all coaches across GD. He's coaching at Southern Cal -- the nearest elite is around 1000 miles away. If you run an elite program, you should be recruiting directly to address your needs. He's been there long enough to establish the roster in the image he wants. Additionally, he asked for advice. I genuinely don't care to argue with you. The roster is NOT a national championship caliber roster at the D1 level -- that's my opinion. Then again, if you have experience winning national titles at the D1 level with 7 OL and the #7 OL has less than 30 stamina, I'm probably way off base in my assessment.Good luck either way.