I've seen many posts about O-line that talk about tackles vs guards, D-Line differentiating between tackles and ends, Linebackers between ILB and OLB, and finally Safeties vs CBs. Can anyone give a fairly comprehensive answer to how to differentiate amongst those different positions, and does it matter which division you're in? I cut and pasted this from the "Guide to the Game":

Position Most Important Secondary

DT TKL, STR, TECH ELU, ATH

DE TKL, TECH, SPD, ELU, STR, ATH

ILB TKL, GI, TECH STR, ATH

OLB GI, SPD, TECH, TKL STR, ATH

CB TECH, GI, SPD STR, ELU, HND

S GI, SPD, TKL ATH, STR, TECH

I will be honest with you. I just take my top guys for each position that will be starters on D depending on formation you use and plug them in in any order.
I just wanna make sure they start. I use 3-4 so my top 3 DL, 4 lb and 4 db are in any order. If you use 4-3 it is 4 dl, 3lb and 4 db. Etc.
On Offense I do the same with the exeption of skill positions. I want my top rb and wr and TE(in nd) to get most touches so there I will plug them in in order.
I am very good at growing teams to NC contender and Keeping NC winners at that level. I tell you this not to brag but to qualify who this info is coming from.
Backup players I list in order I want them filling in for starters.
GL !

main question is - when doing my depth chart, how do i position defensive linemen to put ends and tackles in the right spot. Same with ILB and OLB, and with CB and Safeties. I think O-line may work as a group... does the answer to this depend on division?

As per your division question I would have to believe what works for one div would work for all. But I almost exclusively play d2 now so I am probably not the best to answer this question.

thx, mojo. i appreciate the info. just weird to see posts and strategy laid out to treat these different positions specifically, even suggesting to recruit CB's and Safeties. To look for different characteristics for ILB vs OLB...

There may be other coaches who have opinions different than mine. One idea is to sitemail a coach you know is excellent and ask him questions. Most coaches don't want to advertize to all GD how they win so they would be less likely to put information in the forums than they would in private sitemail.

I don't know what division you are playing at...but I don't think you can choose at D3. At the higher levels each of those positions has its own depth chart...and the "formulas" for each are already in as defaults. You can modify these or use the defaults. But you have to choose which guy you want at which position....example: many times your best DE will also be your best DT.....so you have to decide which depth chart to put him in. Same thing for other positions.

For me, I have done things in different ways depending on what I wanted to do. For 3-4 I have usually put in my best DE first...then the next best goes at DT. I am changing that philosophy and only recruiting DT types. For LBs, I have usually only recruited OLB types..and I'd fill out my OLB roster first...then put the next best guys in at ILB. Same thing for CB/S, T/G, RB/FB.

In short...there is an overall philosophy that you have to develop and stack your guys the way you want to play them. When you have top talent...it might not even matter, as long as they are in the game (which is sort of what I get from mojo)

As you learn the game and what attributes are better for which positions, you should Definitely Customize the way your players should be rated.
Even though I have played this long time and feel pretty good understanding of the game, every once in while I notice something and will change the way I weight the numbers for certain positions.

thanks, guys

I seem to recall Bob H. explaining that WIS just uses the average of all 5 offensive linemen rather than position-by-position. This would support Mojo's approach. I can't remember if DL, LB, DB were the same way.

Unless they have changed it the DL also acts as a "unit" like the OL when the play is simulated.

I just was reading the posts regarding the 3-4 defense and the posters were talking about their defensive ends vs tackles. If they are recruiting a DE differently than a DT, then there has to be a way to intentionally play a player at DE as opposed to the interior line.

As I recall the Tackles vs Guards have more "influence" on outside vs inside running plays. The defensive positions are the same way (as I recall).

schoolyme: you can certainly put a player at DE vs DT at all levels above D3, using the depth charts and playbook.

I would move up immediately to d2 when the season turns over. You won't/can't learn advanced settings unitl d2 or higher.