Do you need a QB for running the Wishbone? Topic

I have a team in Warner running exclusively the Wishbone formation. And with running I mean running, we run on every play. The last few seasons we didn't recruit a QB. In games the SIM choses a player, mostly a WR, to serve as QB. What do you think: Would I be better off with a 'real' QB or is it of no importance who is handing over the ball to the RB?
2/23/2023 4:04 PM (edited)
Technically you don't. If you don't have one the AI will fill the position with whoever the backup is when there is no QB. But I wouldn't try passing without a QB. And if you aren't gonna pass , any live coaches will realize that and play all run D.
There is no way a team can win vs good teams without a QB.
But you "can" have a team without one.
8/14/2020 6:30 PM
My question is why have WR if you are going to run all of the time and have no QB? Harris used to do some serious experimenting like this with the Bone....you may want to look up his old posts. They make for great reading. He stopped recruiting TE. OL is sub according to charts...
8/14/2020 11:08 PM
That's the fun of it: Everybody knows what is coming and to be successful with it anyways. Having no WRs will be the 'next step' in the process.I still guess it's important having a player with a good hand rating handling over the ball to the RBs.
8/15/2020 3:19 AM
Posted by tiltwar on 8/15/2020 3:19:00 AM (view original):
That's the fun of it: Everybody knows what is coming and to be successful with it anyways. Having no WRs will be the 'next step' in the process.I still guess it's important having a player with a good hand rating handling over the ball to the RBs.
It depends on your definition of success. If you mean beating mediocre teams then fine. But I don't believe you could beat a Final Four team.
If you 0prove me wrong then my hats off to you.
8/15/2020 6:02 AM
I’m building several 100% SG teams with no RBs. I think the engine contemplates WR rushing somewhat, so that’s no as unusual as a QB that never throws. Also, rushing WRs now and again can be effective vs Dime/nickel with PsL setting. I do not run my QB though as I focus on passing stats for my QB.

made several final 4 appearances in DIII thus far, no NCs though...yet :) honestly, I think the all SG will work after I have a roster full of high vision recruits. All my teams were SIM AI bottom feeders. It’s taken me 3/4 season to get solid vision. Most of my current upperclassmen were low vision recruits. I suspect I have 2/3 years still per team to see if the “All SG All the Time” experiment works. If it does, then I will take what I’ve learned to DII and higher where the expanded playbooks should only make it that much more effective.

But like Howard Dean said, you know something, if you would have told me that only a few years into the SG experiment we would finish 3rd in the playoffs, we would have given anything for that. But, you know something, now we’re going to New Hampshire, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Arizona, North Dakota, New Mexico, California, Texas, New York, South Dakota, Oregon, Washington, Michigan and then we’re going to Washington DC to the win the NC, bbbyahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!
8/15/2020 1:49 PM
And finally - The WORLD ! (Blahahahaha......) !
GL with the SG. I enjoyed my times with it.
8/15/2020 4:55 PM
Posted by mojolad on 8/15/2020 6:02:00 AM (view original):
Posted by tiltwar on 8/15/2020 3:19:00 AM (view original):
That's the fun of it: Everybody knows what is coming and to be successful with it anyways. Having no WRs will be the 'next step' in the process.I still guess it's important having a player with a good hand rating handling over the ball to the RBs.
It depends on your definition of success. If you mean beating mediocre teams then fine. But I don't believe you could beat a Final Four team.
If you 0prove me wrong then my hats off to you.
I like the strategy. I'm almost sure that you could have success, and win NCs with this strategy, but you'd have to tune the offense to perfection, and I don't think tiltwar has gotten the tuning right. My view is this, recruit a QB every year....you want that formation IQ. He doesn't have to be good, but emphasis on GI. I'm sure you can pick up a lower division QB cheap. WRs pick guys who you can get cheaply and help in blocking. Use the recruiting saving to recruit the guys who are going to be the difference makers on offense and that is RBs and OLs. You can't have any weakness on offense because the defense will go to 100% run, so I'd recruit 2 backs and 4 OL every year. I'd red shirt a back and OL every year. You need a stud OL and RB. With the bone, all 4 of your RS would get good playing time each year. Really, only your best back should be getting carries....a top back can handle close 40-50 per game.
your regulars should be
Backs
Sr* (750ish carries)
Jr* (450ish carries)
So*/Sr/Jr/Fr* (rest of carries)

OL (all guys who should get playing time), you could/should try to get the Fr* lots of playing time so he starts growing well.
Sr* - Sr - Sr - Sr - Jr* - Jr - Jr - Jr - So* - So - So

You can recruit TEs, but I wouldn't get into battles for them. You'll scout a lot of OLs....you can probably pick up a good one (probably average potential) fairly cheaply that no one else wants and convert to TE.
8/15/2020 10:58 PM
@goldencats, I have an all SG team too. It is a lot of fun. We just are in our first season at D-IA and get pretty much hammered, but I think it's because of poor formation IQ. i hope to be competitive in a few season. Each game there are a few rushing attempts by QB. I guess that are situations where the QB has to scramble.

@islandersbob Thank you very much for your insight! That all WB team is at D-IAA and we could not crack the top ten yet at season's end, It will be a long process, but I think we get a little better each season.
8/16/2020 3:11 AM (edited)
Just playing devils advocate here....why not just recruit one QB every four years just to have one under center? Eventually, if you are wanting to win 'Ships....you will have to pass a little.
8/17/2020 10:11 AM
@holdaway Thanks for the hint on harriswb's experiment! Does anyone know how he's doing right now? I really will try to stay with running on every play and doing it without a QB and - soon - without WRs and TEs.
8/18/2020 4:42 AM
If you're going to go that route I would also recruit and RS 3 RB's every season - then you have a stable of top end backs to lean on. You could probably recruit 4 - 5 OL every season to if you don't have QB's, WR's, and TE's. That would give you a very upper class led offence every season.
8/18/2020 6:41 PM
Discussed on 8/20/20 TTATO!
8/21/2020 3:54 PM (edited)
Thank you very much!
8/21/2020 12:47 PM
Posted by tiltwar on 8/21/2020 12:47:00 PM (view original):
Thank you very much!
YW! Feel free to join us on the show anytime!
8/21/2020 3:54 PM
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Do you need a QB for running the Wishbone? Topic

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