When all else fails, punt and play defense...

[RavennaAl]

It took me along time to try kickoffs and returns. For many years, I just used a chart for kicks and returns. Then I met Jim Jackson who showed me the light. In return, I showed him my Flaming Fairies and the poor guy has never been the same. :p Using the chart to determine the length of kicks and then actually returning the kick back brought a new level of enjoyment to my game. But I still use charts for punts. I want to try something different, but I'm not sure just for to go about it.

I'm asking you guys, how do you handle punts? I know some leagues just have a standard 40 yard kick with no return. I want to actually try having kicks with actual returns. So, how long do you run the board before you stop it for the return? How do you determine if the punt is blocked? What about coffin corner kicks? Fair catches? What about muffs or fumbles? How do you set up the offense and defense to cover for returns that resembles real games? Does anyone have a somewhat realistic way to do punts that doesn't take forever to run?

[Shabby J]

In my solitaire league, I roll dice for punts as follows:

Each side sets up their players, the rule I use is that each team must have 5 men on their 40 yard line and the remaining players anywhere behind that. The punt return man is designated on offense, he is set aside and a magnetic/stationary man will be used in his place for the initial kick.

I then roll a 12 sided die with the following rules:

1 = kicked into the end zone
2-3 = kick lands on 5 yard line
4-5 = kick lands on 10 yard line
6-7 = kick lands on 15 yard line
8-9 = kick lands on 20 yard line
10-11 = kick lands on 25 yard line
12 = kick lands on 30 yard line

Then I roll a six sided die:
1-2 = left side of hash marks
3-4 = in between the hash marks
5-6 = right side of hash marks

This determines where I place my stationary punt returner, once my stationary man is in place the board is turned on for four seconds to simulate the air hang time of a kicked ball (on my 308 field) three seconds on my 620, the players do their thing during these few seconds, then the board is stopped and the stationary return man is replaced with the running figure and the board is turned on again to finish out the play or it can be downed right there if two people are playing and the offense wishes to do so and not run it.

This was a quick simple way to punt for me. It is not perfect, it could use some modification, adding die rolls for coffin corners, squibs, blocks, etc... but it gets the job done and is somewhat realistic in my soliataire league.

You could also add some die rolls for simulated catches , fumbles, etc...

It's quick and simple yet simulates something of a real punt and return effort. Nothing is really charted it is simple to remember.

[detroitchild]

I just started solitaire play using "The Kicking Game" deck of cards made by Chris Lemay that I picked up off Ebay a little over a month ago. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWN:IT&ih=001

His website is http://hometown.aol.com/eflfanatic/m...ballindex.html

I've just started using them and they do add a bit of excitement, uncertainty and realism to kickoffs and punts. I use a 4 second hang time on my big board (still working on that). I use a stationary kicker and return man during that 4 seconds for punts and if the kicker is tackled the kick is blocked. To be fair I turn my back during the count so I don't favor either side. I still use the TTQB for fieldgoals.

As I stated I just started using this method and the jury is still out but I like it so far.

[Coach_J]

Here is an idea that you might want to consider. Do punts similar to kickoffs. The punt will be either 40 or 45 yards and the kicking team determines where the punt will be fielded. Set up like you would for a punt and let the board run for 5 or 6 seconds. The reason why I say 5 or 6 seconds is because the linemen, especially those on the coverage team, will immediately become engaged. Cut the board off after 5 or 6 seconds and if someone on the coverage team is too close to kick returner then you can call fair catch. If the receiving thinks they can make a return then the same rules apply for a kickoff. Any unengaged player on the coverage team can be turned towards the ball carrier and any unengaged player on the return team can be turned to block. Also if a player from the coverage team runs past the 40-45 yards during the 5 or 6 seconds then it immediately is a fair catch. I know this is lengthy but hopefully it makes sense.

Coach J

[5-13 Studios]

sent you a pm, al.