[Reginald Rutledge]

My name is Reginald Rutledge and I will be acting as a consultant for the New York League. I am a member of the DFW League which plays under this system. I can tell you the logic behind the rules that you are referring to. Maybe it will enlighten you, as I do hope. I would like to address those two areas for you.

First, the locking of the arms of the O Linemen. I appreciate your concerns regarding this. As you know, these are inanimate objects. All things like reality can not be accomplished using these figures but it can be pretty close. One of the first questions we always ask is, "Can that be done in the real game?" If it can be, then we think we should be able to implement it into our game. On any level of football, you can have close line play. Teams can have their linemen very close together. It's really up to them. In close quarters, linemen lock on to defensive linemen. The O-Line form wedges to protect QBs and sometimes runner. While there is a limit in our league for the max distance apart of one base length, it never has mattered how close together the linemen are. Even if you do have some distance in between the line, if your line runs with all Proline strong bases angled in to make a V-form, then they will still create a wedge. In our brand of football, we never create limitations on a team's offense. If his schemes are designed for power football, that's his personality. He's creating a team in his own image.

However, this is where stacking comes in at. Many people have a false concept about stacking. First, many leagues have never implemented systems to detour teams from stacking. It is my feeling that if a person has problems on stacking, there's one of three reason why that is so. They are as follows:

(1) Hearsay-something you've heard others talk about and felt the pressure of agreement to think it's bad for the game,

(2) Not having a full grasp of ways to combat against stacking because you feel the limitations of what you can do, or

(3) Lack the ability/skills to complete passes consistently with the TTQB and feel that the only fair way to give people a chance is to push the linebackers back 5 yards.

Hearsay is something that often times is just the wrong answer or its taken out of context. Many times, guys don't do the research on the Shootout Rule system, they just go by "I heard". Until leagues begin play in the system and understand the limitless possibilities, they continue to use "I hear" as a means of not trying it.

Grasping the system will be difficult at first for the players of this league. I know they will have a hard time. But once they understand that the ability to audible will make teams honest will make all the difference in the world! People don't realize that in our system, it creates an disadvantage for the defense if they audible. The movement of players for the audible is 3 to 1. This simply means, the 3 players behind the offensive line can be moved from their original spot to different places in the backfield. For instance, the QB can originally be under center. The RBs can be in an I-formation (fullback and tailback). Most people say, "That's unfair to the defense". Yeah, we know that but again, that is what stops the stack! The defense may be in an 8-player stack (in a straight line) trying to get pressure on the QB. That's his perrogative!

Well, after the 35/45 second clock goes off, the offensive team looking at the scheme the defensive team has, shifts out of that formation into a shotgun, pro set. The RBs are placed about 8 yards behind the left and right tackle angled out. The QB is shifted into a shotgun type formation. At that point, the defense only gets to move one player. Basically, he is stuck. He can move one of his linebackers out on the edge to stop one back but because he did not play an honest defense at the start, the other back has freedom to run or catch a flair pass and potentially for big yardage. The question becomes, can you hit the pass? Or if you don't want to chance it, just call a pitchout to that back. If you have taken the time to train this player to run around right or left end, this should be at least 10 yards and potentially an 80 yard jaunt.

This essentially enforces the defense to line up in an honest manner. In the DFW League, teams rarely ever try high risk defensive manuevers because we know, the opposing coaches can pass like crazy! However, a team should never be stripped of having that opportunity that is so afforded in the real game.

You may have situations where extreme measures are needed. There may be a 3rd and 8 and its in the fourth quarter. You are losing and time is running out! You have not gotten to the QB all day. But because your rules do not allow extreme blitzing, you might as well pack up your little men and head home. Oh yeah, you can hope for a miracle and hope that the outside LB will get around to hit the QB. But if the other team has continued to pick that up, there may be no other exotic schemes to allow the potential for a sack. That's why stacking is allowed. It is a high risk manuever that allows game changing plays. I may be able to stack 4 in a line and "pierce" the O-Line. I may finally be able to get the necessary heat up the middle to make the big play. However, this exotic type of scheme forces you to give up something in other areas. It's just the risk you have to take.

The last point is the lack of skill to use the TTQB. It has been my experience that most that have issues with stacking tend to also not be a very accurate passer. That's something that most will not admit because their pride is questioned essentially. I promise you, if you master the techniques of passing with the TTQB, you will never worry about a guy stacking on you again. You will know that you are not limited to stand in the pocket and throw. With the right knowledge, you can having a rolling pocket O-line and QB and make for an easier throw. The defense will not take such exotic chances to stop you. They will remain in Cover 2 or 3-Deep type zones because they know you will be able to burn them with the pass. So practice with this TTQB. He should not be used as an excuse for not allowing stacking. If the skillset to pass is high, stacking never comes up in conversations.

I will attach the initial and before snap (audible) formation of what transpires during the course of a play. I am sorry this is a lot of information but this is a very interesting topic. How many owners of an EF/MF company would take that much time to explain one facet of the game if he did not want you to grasp and hopefully embrace a system so unfamiliar to you? Give it a chance before you jump to rash judgments and it could possibly open up a whole new world of thinking for you. It certainly has for the members of the DFW, Alamo City, Las Vegas, and LAEFL leagues.

Andre, if you you find this topic uninteresting to you, please let me know so I will not waste your time showing this type of information.

Reginald Rutledge
Consultant for the new New York League
Owner of Footballfigures.com