Prior to the Season Seven DSFL draft, I figure it would be a good idea to share my football thoughts with the rest of the league to get a feel for what kind of player I hope to be and what sort of team I aspire to be on. Primarily, I believe in a Coryell style offense. The passing game is the key to any long term success and league wide dominance. We’ve seen this in recent seasons between the Orange County Otters and the Arizona Outlaws. Bronko and Boss are considered to be some of the greatest players to ever grace this young league, and they happen to thrive in a system that allows them to surpass their own limitations by the talent around them. From what I understand, the run game is mostly dominant in the league because of the accessibility and ease of using a running back to gain chunks of yards and shorten the field of play. However, I believe that’s mainly a strategy used by inferior teams against superior teams. If you don’t have a quarterback worth his salt, of course you will run the ball down the other teams throat for 60 minutes. It’s true that the defense won’t tire out or be put in dangerous situations by interceptions or key sack fumbles, but you won’t score all too much either.
What exactly is the Coryell offense? Well, it is an offensive game plan that relies on spread like passing and deep routes into the heart of the opposing defense. In theory, this opens up the running game. It is much more difficult to stop a passing play than it is to stack eight to ten players in the box and call it a day. You play to win the game and score as many points as possible on every drive. Sure, the completion percentage of the quarterback will suffer because of these passes and there’s a greater chance of a three and out, but the reward is worth the risk. Short passes chip away at a defense; big plays win games and deflate the morale of the other team. Running plays can be reincorporated at this point to close out games and secure a hard fought lead.
Admittedly, the downside of the Coryell is its scripted nature. Hypothetically, the game plan begins to break down if the defense gives up too many points where the defense expects a pass every down or the quarterback happens to be terrible. Certain personnel are needed on a team such as speedy receivers, athletic tight ends, and all around solid offensive linemen. The system is designed to win games fast and send the opposition to the buses a few minutes early. As a game goes on, the defense may begin to exhaust itself as drives last only a minute or two and the other teams offense starts to pound the rock every play to extend the game. Now, how do I fit into all of this? I want to be on a team that isn’t afraid of who we play and will treat them accordingly. Playing scared is playing to lose, and I don’t plan on doing too much of that if I can help it.
Specifically, I’d expect these things from my team:
First, and foremost ideally I have a number one wide receiver that can stretch the field and is big enough to catch contested passes in coverage. I would venture to say that this is the biggest factor in my own success. This is not to say that I would not succeed on a team with many key roleplayers. An offense with few playmakers is doomed to fail. The same can be said of offenses with only a number one wideout and no other options. Any defense playing against me could simply double cover him and leave me to work with significantly less talent. I can only elevate those around me to a limited extent. Scheme and quality at quarterback are a good foundation to build upon, but that’s all it is.
Tight ends who can do it all would be incredible. Wide receivers are the ones who put up huge numbers throughout a season are great. The players that block and receive are magnitudes more valuable alongside a solid receiving corp. They open up the middle of the field while the flankers and split ends work the edges of the field and spread the defense. There are untold numbers of big plays to be found when a tight end is streaking across the middle of the field behind a receiver who is heading for the end zone. Receiving is only one part of the offensive equation. Tight ends who can’t block are virtually useless and make the offense one dimensional. The run opens up the pass and vice versa.
Running backs are incredibly important in the functioning of a healthy two dimensional offense. Relying on only one to break out a few big runs and catch some passes is a bad idea. The duties should be divided up between every back on the team to ensure maximum efficiency. They will not tire out as easily, and each will be excellent in the respective fields. A power running back with stone hands should never seen the field on a third and long unless you expect to surprise the defense with a draw. The safe and reliable option is to have these specialists.
Offensive linemen are the lifeblood of a team that wants to get anywhere. Sacks and pressures are lost plays where yardage and points may have been gained. The days of ground and pound date back to the stone age, and that’s where it belongs. The future is entirely in linemen who skew towards pass blocking with some skill in opening some holes for run plays. That does not change the archetypes for either the left or right tackles. Left tackles will always continue to be players who throw aside the rushing left defensive end or weak side linebackers to protect a right handed quarterback’s blind side. In very much the same way, right tackles will never deviate from being massive, colossal players who throw aside strong side players like ragdolls on the run. These two positions are the cornerstones of the offensive line. Really, if you have two ideal players there, they can compensate for the weaknesses of the interior.
Now, as a linebacker turned quarterback, of course I have some defensive opinions. Quarterbacks are essentially general managers who are always on the field on play. Thus, their input should be valued by the front office and coaching staff in regards to the direction of the team. Sure, a quarterback may prefer to add a few new weapons to his arsenal instead of some defensive backs, but ideally they would know what the team needs or does not need. The defense holds the responsibility of putting the offense in great field position and stopping the other team from putting the game out of reach. The team is comprised of these units to win, and the incompetence of one means the failure of the other. Anemic offenses cannot support stellar defense and vice versa. That is mostly my reasoning for the quarterback’s role beyond the field.
Technically speaking, I believe the ideal defense is the 4-3; although this should come with the caveat that the 3-4 has much more potential schematically. The 4-3 is simple to run with two defensive ends and two tackles at the one and three techniques on the interior. Unlike the 3-4, the ends are allowed to be smaller and more athletic than the tackles, providing for outside pressure along the tackles. Generally, the 4-3 much more geared towards stuffing the run than the 3-4 and allows for the possibility of dropping everyone but the linemen into coverage with four rushers. That reveals one major issue with the 4-3; it is a highly predictable formation. Almost every single play will have those four rushers in their designated gaps, and any more rushers will guarantee that someone will be open.
A perfect 4-3 will still generate pressure regardless without blitzing, but it is exceptionally hard to find four linemen who can specifically slot in anywhere along the line and get to the quarterback. The 3-4 simply chooses when and where blitzes come. The initial disadvantage of three linemen versus five is overcome by delayed blitzes setup by linemen that are the size of 4-3 tackles. Linebackers have to be prototypical large and speedy players that can reach either side of the field on any given play. This is the primary reason I do not believe the 3-4 is used to any great extent in either the DSFL or NSFL. The personnel in the league right now do not fit into the roles the 3-4 needs to function correctly. On the other hand, it is interesting that the 4-3 is still employed as means to stop the pass.
The 4-3 is weak at pass defense because much like the Air Coryell on offense, it can be easy to read and have its deficiencies exploited. Quarterbacks like Oles and Boss lit up the league in season six, yet it doesn’t appear that any team will transition to a new scheme over the offseason. Even without considering the last Ultimus, it’s no wonder that the Orange County Otters have won three straight championships when teams refuse to adapt to a changing environment. I’m not advocating a mass conversion to the 3-4, but something is off when a quarterback leads the next by twelve touchdowns and completes five percent more passes. My individual guess is that there is a focus on playing man to man defense rather than zone.
Statistically, Orange County ran the second least and Philadelphia the least. That could be one possible explanation for this stat inflation, although I am more inclined to believe they played to their teams strengths and not their weaknesses. All but three teams averaged more than four yards per attempt on the ground. The difference in success appears to be motivated by superior quarterback play. Out of these three teams, only San Jose made the playoffs, but they were sent packing in the first round. It is essentially a requirement that a team has a respectable run game to even make the playoffs. Boss and Oles could have gave their backs the rock more than they did yet it is unlikely it would have gave them any greater advantages than they already had. According to the stats, they had middling running capabilities to lean on if the pass was not moving the offense up the field. At least on the Liberty, backs were used to either score or in short yardage situations, evidenced by their collective seventeen touchdowns.
I can’t say for sure how much defensive schemes affected this. Teams playing Philadelphia and Orange County should have been overwhelmingly expecting the pass and must have adapted accordingly. If they did not, then it’s perfectly clear why Oles and Boss ran wild all season long against practically any defense they played against. Zone coverage may not have been the only way to prevent them from acquiring any meaningful success. Creative blitzing and constant adjustments would have done just as well as any fundamental changes in philosophy.
To be fair, a lot of what happens in the sim is outside of general manager control. The sim is basically a fancy random number generator anyway. I have heard that it has multiple issues, such as no passes going more than 10 yards in the air and bizarre playcalls that make no sense in a given situation. I have faith that if the league switches to the OOTP sim, nobody will be disappointed in the slightest. The combination of the OOTP interface with the Front Office Football style of simming is going to be great. I’ve learned a lot about the specifics of football through Front Office Football multiplayer sim leagues.
Onto the more personal side, I have only been in one sim league, the SHL. There is a huge disparity in how this league is ran and how the SHL goes about its business. I appreciate the professionalism here and the basic respect everyone has for each other. I wouldn’t call the SHL a bad league, it’s just not exactly my cup of tea. I only passively watch hockey. Football is my actual favorite sport. I forced myself into the SHL, but I wasn’t aware of how the rest of the sim league sim operated. I met Dermott in the SHL and he certainly charmed me into joining the NSFL. I made a mistake in starting out as a linebacker, primarily because if I am heavily invested into this league, I would prefer to be at the position of most importance. It should be emphasized that I will never change positions; I’m a quarterback now and that’s how I’ll end my career. The whole Ad thing was my idea to convince Cal and Blast to join the NSFL. I figure that a bit of showmanship is a key part of the football experience along with some storylines. Some people are curious about the whole “staying together” thing, and yeah it’s preferred because I dragged them into this. I can’t speak for either of them, but I plan on being here for quite some time. The franchise cornerstone to be built around and given the tools to succeed. I’m one of the most, if not the most active players who will be in the season eight NSFL draft. It’s a pick that is almost guaranteed to pan out unless an unforeseen circumstance presents itself sometime in the future.
I have heard that many general managers are expected to recreate as quarterbacks so that they can manage the position and know exactly what to expect from year to year. That takes a bit of the fun out of things when the uncertainty at quarterback is apart of the game. In real life, teams like the Jets and Browns have spent years searching for quarterbacks and stability at the position. Circumventing something like that which comprises an integral part of the sport is not something to take lightly whatsoever. This is not to specifically reference myself and my future career aspirations, but a trend like that is certainly troubling as a new player entering the league.
Honestly, the wide receivers and supporting cast of the team does more than the quarterback himself. Football is a team sport, relying on a number of players to succeed despite the increased emphasis on offensive positions and neglect give to the defense. It’s perfectly acceptable to win with a great team that lacks a true standout quarterback. Besides, it seems to be popular in the NSFL to focus on the run game instead of passing. Boss and Oles are outliers who do not set the rule for everybody else. All I expect is to be in the room when strategies are discussed and to have the full backing and trust of the staff which selects me in either the DSFL and NSFL drafts. I think awfully highly of the general managers I’ve spoken with. The incredible locker room activity from the Ads will certainly be worth it alone for any team to select any of us. Either way, I’d be glad to be apart of any organization in the DSFL or NSFL. Although as I mentioned, there should be a level of understanding between me and the decision makers. Communication is a key part of success and I’ll discuss practically anything with the front office.
Word Count: 2609
What exactly is the Coryell offense? Well, it is an offensive game plan that relies on spread like passing and deep routes into the heart of the opposing defense. In theory, this opens up the running game. It is much more difficult to stop a passing play than it is to stack eight to ten players in the box and call it a day. You play to win the game and score as many points as possible on every drive. Sure, the completion percentage of the quarterback will suffer because of these passes and there’s a greater chance of a three and out, but the reward is worth the risk. Short passes chip away at a defense; big plays win games and deflate the morale of the other team. Running plays can be reincorporated at this point to close out games and secure a hard fought lead.
Admittedly, the downside of the Coryell is its scripted nature. Hypothetically, the game plan begins to break down if the defense gives up too many points where the defense expects a pass every down or the quarterback happens to be terrible. Certain personnel are needed on a team such as speedy receivers, athletic tight ends, and all around solid offensive linemen. The system is designed to win games fast and send the opposition to the buses a few minutes early. As a game goes on, the defense may begin to exhaust itself as drives last only a minute or two and the other teams offense starts to pound the rock every play to extend the game. Now, how do I fit into all of this? I want to be on a team that isn’t afraid of who we play and will treat them accordingly. Playing scared is playing to lose, and I don’t plan on doing too much of that if I can help it.
Specifically, I’d expect these things from my team:
First, and foremost ideally I have a number one wide receiver that can stretch the field and is big enough to catch contested passes in coverage. I would venture to say that this is the biggest factor in my own success. This is not to say that I would not succeed on a team with many key roleplayers. An offense with few playmakers is doomed to fail. The same can be said of offenses with only a number one wideout and no other options. Any defense playing against me could simply double cover him and leave me to work with significantly less talent. I can only elevate those around me to a limited extent. Scheme and quality at quarterback are a good foundation to build upon, but that’s all it is.
Tight ends who can do it all would be incredible. Wide receivers are the ones who put up huge numbers throughout a season are great. The players that block and receive are magnitudes more valuable alongside a solid receiving corp. They open up the middle of the field while the flankers and split ends work the edges of the field and spread the defense. There are untold numbers of big plays to be found when a tight end is streaking across the middle of the field behind a receiver who is heading for the end zone. Receiving is only one part of the offensive equation. Tight ends who can’t block are virtually useless and make the offense one dimensional. The run opens up the pass and vice versa.
Running backs are incredibly important in the functioning of a healthy two dimensional offense. Relying on only one to break out a few big runs and catch some passes is a bad idea. The duties should be divided up between every back on the team to ensure maximum efficiency. They will not tire out as easily, and each will be excellent in the respective fields. A power running back with stone hands should never seen the field on a third and long unless you expect to surprise the defense with a draw. The safe and reliable option is to have these specialists.
Offensive linemen are the lifeblood of a team that wants to get anywhere. Sacks and pressures are lost plays where yardage and points may have been gained. The days of ground and pound date back to the stone age, and that’s where it belongs. The future is entirely in linemen who skew towards pass blocking with some skill in opening some holes for run plays. That does not change the archetypes for either the left or right tackles. Left tackles will always continue to be players who throw aside the rushing left defensive end or weak side linebackers to protect a right handed quarterback’s blind side. In very much the same way, right tackles will never deviate from being massive, colossal players who throw aside strong side players like ragdolls on the run. These two positions are the cornerstones of the offensive line. Really, if you have two ideal players there, they can compensate for the weaknesses of the interior.
Now, as a linebacker turned quarterback, of course I have some defensive opinions. Quarterbacks are essentially general managers who are always on the field on play. Thus, their input should be valued by the front office and coaching staff in regards to the direction of the team. Sure, a quarterback may prefer to add a few new weapons to his arsenal instead of some defensive backs, but ideally they would know what the team needs or does not need. The defense holds the responsibility of putting the offense in great field position and stopping the other team from putting the game out of reach. The team is comprised of these units to win, and the incompetence of one means the failure of the other. Anemic offenses cannot support stellar defense and vice versa. That is mostly my reasoning for the quarterback’s role beyond the field.
Technically speaking, I believe the ideal defense is the 4-3; although this should come with the caveat that the 3-4 has much more potential schematically. The 4-3 is simple to run with two defensive ends and two tackles at the one and three techniques on the interior. Unlike the 3-4, the ends are allowed to be smaller and more athletic than the tackles, providing for outside pressure along the tackles. Generally, the 4-3 much more geared towards stuffing the run than the 3-4 and allows for the possibility of dropping everyone but the linemen into coverage with four rushers. That reveals one major issue with the 4-3; it is a highly predictable formation. Almost every single play will have those four rushers in their designated gaps, and any more rushers will guarantee that someone will be open.
A perfect 4-3 will still generate pressure regardless without blitzing, but it is exceptionally hard to find four linemen who can specifically slot in anywhere along the line and get to the quarterback. The 3-4 simply chooses when and where blitzes come. The initial disadvantage of three linemen versus five is overcome by delayed blitzes setup by linemen that are the size of 4-3 tackles. Linebackers have to be prototypical large and speedy players that can reach either side of the field on any given play. This is the primary reason I do not believe the 3-4 is used to any great extent in either the DSFL or NSFL. The personnel in the league right now do not fit into the roles the 3-4 needs to function correctly. On the other hand, it is interesting that the 4-3 is still employed as means to stop the pass.
The 4-3 is weak at pass defense because much like the Air Coryell on offense, it can be easy to read and have its deficiencies exploited. Quarterbacks like Oles and Boss lit up the league in season six, yet it doesn’t appear that any team will transition to a new scheme over the offseason. Even without considering the last Ultimus, it’s no wonder that the Orange County Otters have won three straight championships when teams refuse to adapt to a changing environment. I’m not advocating a mass conversion to the 3-4, but something is off when a quarterback leads the next by twelve touchdowns and completes five percent more passes. My individual guess is that there is a focus on playing man to man defense rather than zone.
Statistically, Orange County ran the second least and Philadelphia the least. That could be one possible explanation for this stat inflation, although I am more inclined to believe they played to their teams strengths and not their weaknesses. All but three teams averaged more than four yards per attempt on the ground. The difference in success appears to be motivated by superior quarterback play. Out of these three teams, only San Jose made the playoffs, but they were sent packing in the first round. It is essentially a requirement that a team has a respectable run game to even make the playoffs. Boss and Oles could have gave their backs the rock more than they did yet it is unlikely it would have gave them any greater advantages than they already had. According to the stats, they had middling running capabilities to lean on if the pass was not moving the offense up the field. At least on the Liberty, backs were used to either score or in short yardage situations, evidenced by their collective seventeen touchdowns.
I can’t say for sure how much defensive schemes affected this. Teams playing Philadelphia and Orange County should have been overwhelmingly expecting the pass and must have adapted accordingly. If they did not, then it’s perfectly clear why Oles and Boss ran wild all season long against practically any defense they played against. Zone coverage may not have been the only way to prevent them from acquiring any meaningful success. Creative blitzing and constant adjustments would have done just as well as any fundamental changes in philosophy.
To be fair, a lot of what happens in the sim is outside of general manager control. The sim is basically a fancy random number generator anyway. I have heard that it has multiple issues, such as no passes going more than 10 yards in the air and bizarre playcalls that make no sense in a given situation. I have faith that if the league switches to the OOTP sim, nobody will be disappointed in the slightest. The combination of the OOTP interface with the Front Office Football style of simming is going to be great. I’ve learned a lot about the specifics of football through Front Office Football multiplayer sim leagues.
Onto the more personal side, I have only been in one sim league, the SHL. There is a huge disparity in how this league is ran and how the SHL goes about its business. I appreciate the professionalism here and the basic respect everyone has for each other. I wouldn’t call the SHL a bad league, it’s just not exactly my cup of tea. I only passively watch hockey. Football is my actual favorite sport. I forced myself into the SHL, but I wasn’t aware of how the rest of the sim league sim operated. I met Dermott in the SHL and he certainly charmed me into joining the NSFL. I made a mistake in starting out as a linebacker, primarily because if I am heavily invested into this league, I would prefer to be at the position of most importance. It should be emphasized that I will never change positions; I’m a quarterback now and that’s how I’ll end my career. The whole Ad thing was my idea to convince Cal and Blast to join the NSFL. I figure that a bit of showmanship is a key part of the football experience along with some storylines. Some people are curious about the whole “staying together” thing, and yeah it’s preferred because I dragged them into this. I can’t speak for either of them, but I plan on being here for quite some time. The franchise cornerstone to be built around and given the tools to succeed. I’m one of the most, if not the most active players who will be in the season eight NSFL draft. It’s a pick that is almost guaranteed to pan out unless an unforeseen circumstance presents itself sometime in the future.
I have heard that many general managers are expected to recreate as quarterbacks so that they can manage the position and know exactly what to expect from year to year. That takes a bit of the fun out of things when the uncertainty at quarterback is apart of the game. In real life, teams like the Jets and Browns have spent years searching for quarterbacks and stability at the position. Circumventing something like that which comprises an integral part of the sport is not something to take lightly whatsoever. This is not to specifically reference myself and my future career aspirations, but a trend like that is certainly troubling as a new player entering the league.
Honestly, the wide receivers and supporting cast of the team does more than the quarterback himself. Football is a team sport, relying on a number of players to succeed despite the increased emphasis on offensive positions and neglect give to the defense. It’s perfectly acceptable to win with a great team that lacks a true standout quarterback. Besides, it seems to be popular in the NSFL to focus on the run game instead of passing. Boss and Oles are outliers who do not set the rule for everybody else. All I expect is to be in the room when strategies are discussed and to have the full backing and trust of the staff which selects me in either the DSFL and NSFL drafts. I think awfully highly of the general managers I’ve spoken with. The incredible locker room activity from the Ads will certainly be worth it alone for any team to select any of us. Either way, I’d be glad to be apart of any organization in the DSFL or NSFL. Although as I mentioned, there should be a level of understanding between me and the decision makers. Communication is a key part of success and I’ll discuss practically anything with the front office.
Word Count: 2609