would be possible to add in the gameplan, the date/time you last modified your gameplan?  for me, it would save time trying to figure out if/when I've changed a gameplan
 

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. 

One additional point to my previous post, I realize that incorporating custom depth charts with the ability to change depth charts with every down and distance in the Game Plan reintroduces the “Hockey Style Line Changes” that were one of the primary reasons for the overhaul in Mid-November 2010.

I believe these unrealistic mass-changes can be handled in a better way than limiting depth chart flexibility.

We all know It’s common for the offense and defense to switch players from one play to the next in real life.  This happens all the time.  I propose a 2 pronged method to limit the “Hockey Style Line Changes” while still giving us the ability to change personnel from one play to the next.

1. INCREASE CHANCE OF PENALTY
First, the more players that change from one play to the next the more likely a penalty.  For the offense the penalty would be delay of game or too many players in the huddle.  For the defense the penalty would be illegal substitution.  The chance for one of these penalties would increase based up the number of players that change from one play to the next.  The table would look something like the following;

Offense / Defense Substituting;
4 players of less:   0% (additional chance above normal penalty levels)
5 players: 20%
6 players: 30%
7 players: 40%
8 players: 50%
9 players: 60%
10 players: 70%
11 players:  75%

This doesn’t forbid the coach from “Hockey Style Line changes”, but it sure makes it much riskier

2. MORE IMPORTANCE ON FORMATION IQ
Mass substations means we would have to get into our SO and FR.  If more importance was put on Formation IQ, then we have a deterrent to using younger players.  This makes sense and is already part of the game

  chalvorson

"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"

Great idea. I could go with a Heavy personnel package at the goal line, and a  Third Down package with a RB that has better receiving skills.
 

One more thing, can we change the color of our unopened e-mails to provide an indication of whether it is a positive or negative e-mail? For example, an injury e-mail where a player will be out for 1 day or more would be RED. An injury e-mail where a player is simply less than 100% will be YELLOW.  An e-mail from a player who is ****** because a coach isn’t keeping their promise would be RED.  An e-mail where they player is OK with a redshirt season would be GREEN.  Conversely, an e-mail with a message where the player is unhappy with a redshirt season would be RED.  I’m sure there are other e-mails at higher levels that a coach receives when his job is in jeopardy and those would be RED.  I think you can even carry this concept over to recruiting if you wanted to.  A very positive response to a recruiting action could be GREEN, a neutral response could be YELLOW and a poor response could be RED.

I think you get the gist of where I’m going with this concept.  I just think it would be a more efficient way for a coach to visually interpret an e-mail without having to open each and every one.