Lock,

Reggie posted this up a while ago... there some good info in here:

Can you distinguish different coach's schemes in your league?

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One of the great things about being in a miniature football league is analyzing various teams schemes offensively, defensively, and special teams.

In the DFW, where there is a no-hands barred, stack if you want kind of action, it becomes rather apparent week-to-week that many of the coaches run different schemes.

Some coaches learn under one type of system and apply those concepts in offense and defense and others may learn off another. One of the great coaches in the DFW League, Don Hudson runs a particular scheme where his linemen are on regular TTC bases. He runs double-TE, one back and one receiver sets a lot. Because he does not use athletes of FF.COM, he employs the TEs to chip swoopers (loopers) and then go out for passing.

On defense, he runs a 2-deep zone sometimes using zone blitzes to try to bait you into throwing. Many of those who studied under Don tries to use similar schemes. Some add a little twist but by and large, it is eerily similar.

Then you have DeWone "Parcells" McDaniel who's philosophy is to slow the game up. Use the clock, ball control-type offense. He loves running off right tackle a lot. He uses 3 and 4 receiver sets from time to time but his intentions are to pound the rock. The linemen are closely intertwined. DeWone averages about 17 pts a game.

On defense, he plays a bend-but-don't break defense. A tyrpical 4-3 with pretty physical corners. He plays dime coverage a lot but will from time-to-time, bring the safeties up to threaten against the run. Needless to say, he's the second winningest coaches in league history. Others who have mimicked his stype have had difficult with it.

Then there's Mike Robertson. A 4-time champion who has etched his own mark. Mike tries to run my offense, the spread, but excels in running traps. Everyone thinks the play will not work but with constant practice, this guy has it down to a science. Mike is like a hound-dog in the game. When he knows he has you on the ropes, he will continue to pound you. Mike use a multitude of schemes but most are centered around his ability to run trap plays on you. He is willing to give up 10 yards on a run to set you up for a big play on the next play.

His defensive schemes are copied directly from what I do. Neither him or myself have the strongest teams in the league, so we do a lot of exotic coverages that the other team can not recognize. We leave our corners on islands, knowing 9 of 10 times, they will win the battle against the receiver. Mike's safeties are sometimes in a double zone coverage scheme but for the most part, he plays a base 4-3 or 5-2. The only difference in Mike's defensive scheme and mine is that his middle linebacker is on a rookie base, adding added pressure on run plays and mine is on a lateral, giving me the ability to rush ahead on runs and drop back on passing plays.

I run the spread offense. In past years, we had steroids in the league. Guys were killing me in a head-to-head battle! So I was desperate to compete but I did not want to resort to the limitations of straight ahead run blocking. I was watching a pro game and the analyst was speaking about how one team was stronger than the other (physically) but the weaker team was winning because of technique. Actually it was the Broncos that I was watching. I saw their zone blocking and wondered, "Could this be done in miniature?" That's when I re-shaped my philosophy. All gaps are base length a part. Defenses line players in the gap to no avail. With my athletes, who's hands are able to hit a player and knock the defender off course, we have a field day getting people open!

With such wide spacing and the ability to audible, it becomes a matter of which hole do you want to run in. Defensively, my Cowboys rank among the Top 3 every year. In a style of play that gets 100 plays in, giving up 11.0 pts a game is something I am very proud of.

So I guess my question becomes to you is that how diverse is your league in schemes? Do everyone have different schemes or is it pretty basic as far as being the same? And can you recognize those schemes and feel comfortable about your chances for success?

Sorry for the length. It's just a topic Greg Hardmon (Detroit League) and myself were discussing the other day.

Reginald Rutledge
DFW Dallas Cowboys 2007

thanks Jimbo
 

you explained it better than I did....... Thanks

Proline strong rookies at safties tweaked for speed, these bases stay on course, which is the most important thing, widetops if your doing the spin thing, blitzers must be the fastest IMO and be able to slid off a TE if someone motions a TE in front of him, I use widetops, LB's I use widetops mostly because you can get speed and alittle power at the same time, they have excellent range sideline to sideline, CB's (don't ask, I have the worst CB's in the country) smile, thank god for my blitzers, LOL, on offense it depends mostly on the format, (sticks, TTQ, FOB, ATT) I would have to know what style 1st before I explain how I set my team.

Norbert Revels

Bases
 

Good topic...

It really does depend on what type of defense you're running. I usually like to have someone (or two) as a safety behind the offense's most downfield guy. In EF, it is much more a game of plays than first downs. Giving up a FG at the end of the half or game if you're confident that you can score a TD is an ok strategy.

With the safety(s) back, that means a pass rush is necessary to not allow the receiver to get too downfield before the switch is turned off. I like the outside in pass rush because it also tends to negate the sweeps. One other underrated advantage of loopers is the defense against the shovel pass...suddenly you have a blazing speed guy somewhere in his backfield instead of him seeing a wall of blockers and being able to angle his runner to your weak spot. However, to leave someone back and to have a pass rush from both sides, a few things are necessary:
- Super strength up the middle to hold serve against the OL
- Being able to have that super strength from 3 or 4 guys instead of 5-6 committed to the middle

Therefore, a few things to ask yourself as you put together the team:
- Do your cornerbacks that play press coverage rush the QB if they miss the WR? (i.e. are they angled in and loop in so that you're still getting value from them instead of seeing them against the back rail)

- Are your LB's positioned more outside than inside so that they can cover the inside on a run if angled in or cover the outside


I want consistency as much as speed out of my LB's and Safeties. I want to know that if I point them at a spot, that they'll run to that spot. I use the "on off switch drill" when I test bases. How much do they jump when the switch is turned on? I want bases that will hit that same spot 5-10 yards away every time.

Finally, one important thing to note: Take time to look at the figure and the base combination. I've won many strongest man competitions without necessarily the strongest base. Defense is where you should have the most figures on your team and offense is where you can use the extra bases you are allotted and just switch out.

Certain figures do better against certain blockers. You want to be able to get a forklift against blockers...it puts them on two prongs and negates all the hard work or money spent by the offensive coach in tweaking. That's why you should have an ample supply of defenders compared to offense...it is a counterpunch to what the offense is doing.

If you can get the forklifts, you can definitely sacrifice some strength and then you've got a DL that can loop around the outside or plow the offensive guy back on the inside and that makes the offensive coach even more nervous.

Good luck!