Gamer's Paradise: Sports/Hracuv-raj-Sportovni-Hry.bin/Coach/FOOTBALL.DOC

Text File | 2000-11-18 | 26.7 KB | 592 lines

                           NOTES ON FOOTBALL


CONTENTS

1. Football Week
 a. Page 2
 b. Page 3
 c. Page 4

2. Head Coach
 a. Training
 b. Depth Charts
 c. Coaching preferences
 d. Player preferences
 e. Playbooks
 f. Position Switches

3. Sideline Coach

4. Reference


1. Football Week

Football Week is the online sports section, where you can get all the stats
for the league.  The front page lists interesting game scores, either because
of upsets or huge wins.  Human-controlled teams are more likely to be listed
than computer-controlled teams.  Football week is organized like a newspaper,
and has three inside pages.  It is important to understand them all in order
to play Coach well.


a. Page 2

Standings.  Lists the overall and division records of every team.  Teams are
ranked by overall record, with ties broken first by division record and second
by rankings.

Human Box Scores.  A quick way to get your team's box scores.  See "Team
Stats" below for a description.

Players of Day.  Offensive and defensive stars from that game.

Leaders.  Lists league leaders in sixteen categories:
  -Passing yards, efficiency (min. 200 passes), and touchdowns
  -Rushing yards, average (min. 100 runs), and touchdowns
  -Receiving yards, average (per play, not per catch, min. 50 passes), and
   touchdowns
  -Rushing+receiving yards and touchdowns
  -Tackles
  -Sacks
  -Interceptions
  -Field goal percentage (min. 15 attempts)
  -Punt distance (min. 25 punts)


b. Page 3

Scores.  A listing of all the scores from the current game day.

Box Scores.  All box scores.  See "Team Stats" below for a description

Team Stats.  Asks for a team to select, and shows team stats and player
stats and attributes.  Player stats are as follows:
  -Offensive players:
    -Passes attempted (passing plays for OL)
    -Passes complete
    -Passing yards
    -Passing TDs
    -Rushes
    -Rushing yards
    -Rushing TDs
    -Interceptions/Fumbles
    -Blocks made
    -Blocks attempted
    -Average:
      -QB: efficiency
      -RB/WR/TE: yards per play (pass and run)
      -line: block percentage
  -Defensive players:
    -Tackles attempted
    -Tackles
    -Batted passes
    -Interceptions
    -Fumbles recovered
    -Passes defended
    -Tackle percentage
  -Kickers:
    -Punts
    -Punt yards
    -Kickoffs
    -Kickoff yards
    -Field goals attempted
    -Field goals made
    -Average kicking distance
  Notes:
    -Sacks listed for offensive linemen includes every time the QB was tackled
     by the man that player was guarding, whether or not there was a loss on
     the play
    -QB scrambles count as rushing plays for QBs, but as passing plays for the
     team stats
    -fumbles are counted in individual stats, regardless of which team
     recovered.
Attributes are the following:
  -QB: speed, weight, scrambling, passing accuracy, passing distance, run block
  -other offense: speed, weight, rushing, receiving, pass block, run block
  -defense: speed, weight, tackling, pass coverage, pass block, run block
  -kicker: leg strength, accuracy
  -all players: intelligence, stamina
  -training: how developed the player is
  -Injury: estimated days until recovered, severity (A=least, P=most severe),
   type of injury (A=leg, B=arm, C=both, D=concussion)
  -Play injured: Maximum injury serverity that the player will play under
Note that the QB passing distance is listed in the same column as pass blocking
for other positions, so don't be confused by that.  Also, the kicker attributes
will be listed under speed and weight for other positions.

Analysis.  This gives an overview of the performance of each position in a
team, looking at various aspects of the game.  For each, two numbers are given:
the actual value and the rating compared to other teams, from 1 to 10.  The
statistical categories are as follows:
  -Offense: Completion percentage, yards per pass attempt, yards per run, block
   percentage, and turnovers commited per play (pass and rush)
  -Offensive line: Block percentage and sack rating (1-#sacks/play)
  -Defense: Tackle percentage, pass defense percentage, interceptions per pass
   defended, sacks per pass play, and fumbles per tackle attempt
  -Kickers: Punt distance, field goal percentage, and kickoff average
Obviously many of these values cannot be taken at face value.  For example,
the tackle percentage of linebackers will be significantly worse if your team
blitzes every play, since they have to fight through the offensive linemen to
make the plays.


c. Page 4

Schedules.  Schedules and past scores for all teams.

Rankings.  A computer ranking, from best to worst.  In college only the top
25 teams are shown.

Lines.  Projected favorites and spreads for the coming game, based on the
rankings.  Even if the spread is 0, the team listed first is the favorite

Info.  You can get a listing of past champions, player and coaching awards,
league records, and the hall of fame.  In pro you can see draft pick trading,
and in college you can get a list of bowl matchups.


2. Head Coach

The coach takes care of the day-to-day preparations for coming games.  He
does nothing at all during the offseason except for running the training
camps.


a. Training

During training camps, and before each game, you get the option to train
your team.  The training camp options are passing, rushing, pass defense,
rush defense, kicking, and conditioning.  The options before games are the
same, minus kicking, and with films added which can increase intelligence.
In training camps you get 15 days, which should all be used.  Before the
games, however, you get up to 10 points of training but do not need to use
them all.  In fact, the more you train, the more fatigued your team will
start the game.

b. Depth charts (deciding who starts)

Select "O Lines" or "D Lines" for offensive lineups or defensive lineups,
respectively.  The first player listed will be your first string, the second
player your second string, etc.  The number of players from each position who
will play depends on your formation choices.  Also, backups will play whenever
a starter is injured or takes a play off to rest.

Keep in mind that players who are on the field will, at random times, get
permanent bonuses added to their attributes whenever they make a good play.
Players who sit on the bench all season, on the other hand, have their skills
deteriorate.  Also keep in mind that the number of starters in many positions
is not always the same.  Only QB (1), C (1), OG (2), and OT (2) have a fixed
number of starters.

c. Coaching preferences

There are three sets of coaching preferences you can set to change how your
team is run during the game.  The first set is offensive preferences.  The
formation choices are wishbone, I, pro set, run & shoot, shotgun, and spread,
and will influence the formations chosen in the auto playbook creator.  The
remaining choices are all 1-5, with 1 low and 5 high.  Aggression helps
performance but causes penalties.  Risky plays influence the auto playbook
creator.  The remaining four are used if the computer runs the game for you.
  -Formation
  -Offense aggression
  -Risky plays
  -Kneel on ball at end of game
  -4th down attempts
  -2 point conversions
  -Spiking ball to stop the clock
For defense, formation and aggression work the same as offense.  Choices for
formation are 4-3, 4-4, 3-4, nickel, and 4-3b (weak OLB is an ILB instead).
The zone and blitz settings affect the auto defensive playbook generator.
The select key WR option needs some explanation.  For most positions, what
is important is if you are on the strong or weak side.  But for CB, what is
important is who you are matched up on.  So the key WR option allows you to
define the strong side as one a certain receiver is on.  Either you can
select the receiver higher on the depth chart as the strong receiver, or you
can select a specific receiver.  For a general coaching set, key the
receiver higher on the depth chart and #1 or effecitive strong for your CB
sides settings.  If you are coaching for a specific game, you would want
to key the best receiver.
  -Formation
  -Defense aggression
  -Zone coverage
  -Blitz
  -Pull starters if winning a blowout
  -Pull starters if lowing a blowout
  -Select key WR
Finally are the special teams preferences.  "Long FG" is a relative term,
depending on the strength and accuracy of your kicker.  All are 1-5 settings,
again with 1 low and 5 high.  "Run on fake" sets the liklihood of running
as opposed to passing on a fake.  5 is always run, 1 is always pass.  The
returners option allows you to designate your punt returner and two kickoff
returners.  Kickoff returner #1 should be the better of the two.
  -Long FG
  -Onside kicks
  -Fake punt
  -Fake FG
  -Fake PAT
  -Run on fake
  -Returners

d. Player preferences

This set of options allows you to choose how you use your players.  The
first two options are bench usage, namely how much you want the reserves
to be used when the starters get tired.  Each position except kickers gets
a setting from 1 to 5, with 5 meaning the reserve gets nearly equal time.

The second set chooses how you line up your players, on strong or weak
sides, with five choices at each position.  The first is no preference,
meaning that the top players will be put randomly at strong or weak sides.
The second two are #1 strong and #1 weak.  This means that the #1 player
on the roster or his replacement will be put on the chosen side.  Finally,
there are rested strong and rested weak, meaning that the most effective
player (decided by roster position, bench use, and fatigue level) is put
on the chosen side.  RBs have no strong or weak side; instead they have
runner and blocker.

The last set of options allows you to set specialists and players to play
if hurt.  In college, you can also set redshirts here.  The specialist
setting allows you to designate a player to be moved up to the top of
the depth chart in situations of your choice: short, long, catchup, and
protect a lead.  Whenever that playbook is used, he will be moved up on
the depth chart.

To set a player as a specialist, go to the specialist menu and choose the
player and the situation you want him to play in.  To unset a player, do the
same thing a second time.  Place kickers can be given long or short
specialist settings as well.  A "long" PK specialist will be preferentially
used for kickoffs, while a "short" specialist will be used for field goal
attempts.

Normally, if a player is injured he will not play.  But you can override that
to make them play.  Note that an injured player is more likely to get
injured than a healthy player, so you are taking a risk by doing this.  If
a player is injured, his attributes will get diminished according to the
injury level.  An injury level of A is a 6.25% penalty, B is 12.5%, three
is 18.75%, and so on.  Level P is a 100% penalty, meaning the player would
be useless.  You can set the maximum leg injury and maximum arm injury
the player will play with.  A player with both an arm and leg injury or
a concussion will not play unless his injury level is lower than both
settings you have given him.

Finally, college coaches can set redshirts here.  A redshirted player does
not play for that year, and in return is allowed to remain in college an
extra year.

e. Playbooks

The last aspect of coaching is creating your own playbook.  The amount of
time you spend doing this can range from almost none to being the most time-
consuming part of the game.  There are three levels of managing playbooks
that are available.

For those who are more interested in the GM aspects of the game, the computer
can create a playbook automatically.  Simply select "plays" from the coaching
menu, "edit playbook", and "auto", and the computer will design an offensive
playbook for your team, taking into account the key players, your offensive
formation choice, and your risky play choice.  You can also create defensive
playbooks with the same option in the "Dplays" menu, using your formation,
blitz, zone, and risky play options into account.

The second option is to manually edit the playbook yourself.  There are
five areas of the playbook, for different situations: normal, short yardage,
long yardage, red zone, and goal-line.  In each of these areas, you must
choose between five and fifteen plays that can be run if and when the given
situation arises.  Each play has a liklihood of use, ranging from one to
five.  A play with usage 5 is used 5 times as much as one with usage 1.
In addition, each play has a use in catch-up situations, which can be
1 to 5.  A high number means to increase the play's usage when you need
to score quickly (and of course decrease when you are ahead); setting to
3 uses the play the same amount throughout, and a low number means to
decrease the play's usage when ahead.

The options in the playbook editing menu are adding a play, erasing a play,
changing the weight (liklihood of use) of a play already in the playbook,
and changing its catch-up use.

Finally, you can design your own plays for use in your playbook.  To enter
the play design menu, select "plays" from the coach menu.  The options for
play creation are to design a new play, remove a play, or alter a play.
You may not remove a play that is in use.

When creating a play, you are asked whether the play is a run or pass, and
the backfield that you wish to use.  This will set the player assignments
to something close to what you want, and you will then be placed in the
play editing screen.

The following options are available while editing a rushing play:
  -Play name: what you want to call the play
  -Formation
    -Alteration: how free the runner is in picking his hole
    -Backfield: no backs, 1 TB, 1 FB, split backs, I, wishbone, power I
    -WR alignment: balanced, extra on strong side, extra on weak side
    -TE alignment: none, strongside TE only, two TEs
   There are certain restrictions on formations, and the game will "fix"
   any formation that fails to meet them.  The primary restriction is
   that it there must be three eligible receivers to the strong side
   (including backs).
  -Play type: normal, draw, trap/misdirection, reverse, option
  -Runner(s) and holes: for a reverse, two runners, with runner 1 being
   the initial carrier and runner 2 the final.  For an option, two or
   three, with the QB always runner 1.  All runners in an option must
   go generally the same direction; a reverse must start as a sweep to
   the side of the second runner, who then must run the other direction.
The following options are available while editing a passing play:
  -Play name: what you want to call the play
  -Formation
    -Alteration: how free the QB is to use second and third receivers
    -Backfield: no backs, 1 TB, 1 FB, split backs, I, wishbone, power I
    -WR alignment: balanced, extra on strong side, extra on weak side
    -TE alignment: none, strongside TE only, two TEs
   The formation restrictions above are also enforced here.
  -Pass type: normal, play-action, screen.  A screen gives weaker
   blocking, but allows the receiver to get downfield blockers.
  -QB drop: 3-step, 5-step, roll to strong or weak.  3- and 5-step
   drops should be timed to the length of the routes (3-step for short
   and 5-step for long).
  -Receivers: Up to 3 receivers (1 for a screen) can be defined, each
   with an individual pattern.

Defensive playbooks work exactly the same as offensive playbooks, except
that only one play is required in a defensive playbook.

Finally, you can create defensive plays similar to the offensive plays.
The options here are as follows:
  -Play name: what you want to call the play
  -Formation:
    -set number of players from each position in formation.  Certain
     restrictions apply.  The difference between the number of SF and CB
     in a formation cannot exceed two.  Likewise with ILB and OLB.  The
     difference between DT and DE cannot exceed one.  The number of ILB
     and OLB can be 0-3, the number of CB 1-4, and the number of SF, DT,
     and DE 1-3.
    -set whether the play will be used against 0 WR, 1 WR, 2 WR, 3 WR,
     4 WR, and/or 5 WR sets.
  -Coverage: 0-deep man, 1-deep man, 2-deep man, 3-deep man, 2-deep zone,
   3-deep zone, and 4-deep zone
  -Rush: expect run, pass, or neither
  -Blitz: select up to three linebackers and backs to join the rush, and
   up to one lineman to fall back into coverage (zone blitz).

f. Position switches

This is a good tool if you have players who are ineffective in their given
position, but would be much better in a different one.  The drawback is that
the players switched will suffer a diminished effectiveness for a few games
(while they learn the new positions.)  There are some limitations to switching
players.  QB, PK, and PN may never have their positions changed.  In addition,
offense and defense players may not be swapped.


3. Sideline Coaching


If you selected play-by-play control, you will call each play and defensive
set during the course of a game.  For the most part, the only part of the
coaching menu that really matters is depth charts and playbooks.  Everything
else you will do yourself.

Before each offensive play, you will choose a formation, play, and clock
option.  The formation choices are the same as in the coaching menu, plus punt
and field goal.  The play will be chosen from the appropriate playbook.  The
clock options are normal, out of bounds, or timeout.  Normal will run the
play normally.  Out of bounds will sacrifice yards in an attempt to get out
of bounds.  Note that this does not always work though, and if a defensive
lineman makes the stop, the clock will continue to run.  If you want to be
absolutely certain of stopping the clock, select timeout.  A timout will be
called if the player does not get out of bounds.

Before each defensive play, you will choose a defensive play from your
playbook.  Defensive options are never asked for if the offense is punting
or attempting a field goal (even in case of a fake).

The above options are also used for point after touchdown attempts,
although the punt option is not available.


4. Reference

This section has descriptions of the positions and formations used in Coach
and College Coach, along with notes on the coaching options.


a. Offensive Positions

Quarterback (QB).  This is the player that runs the offense.  On a running
play, he normally hands to ball off to a running back (but occasionally runs
it himself).  On a passing play, he throws the ball.

Running back.  Running backs normally are used in running plays, although
they are eligible to receive passes.  As receivers, they usually are involved
in short plays.  A second running back will always act as an extra blocker.
There are two types or runners: tailbacks (TB) and fullbacks (FB).  A tailback
is usually smaller and faster, and does best running outside.  A fullback is
usually bigger and a better blocker, and does best blocking or running up the
middle.

Wide receiver (WR).  These are the ones who make the spectacular plays you
see on highlight films.  Their only job is to try to catch the ball.  Although
they are most noted for their long plays, they go medium most of the time.

Tight end (TE).  This a linemen eligible to receive a pass.  A tight end
must also protect the quarterback if the defense is blitzing.

Offensive Line.  There are five linemen, who protect the QB on passing plays
and make holes in the defense for runners to run through on running plays.
The center (C) is in the middle, an offensive guard (OG) on either
side, and an offensive tackle (OT) on the ends.


b. Defensive Positions

Cornerback (CB).  Defends against the wide receivers.  Can rush the
quarterback on a rare cornerback blitz.

Safety (SF).  Usually not assigned to defend any player, rather is the last
defensive player between an offensive player and the end zone in case a
linebacker or cornerback misses a tackle.  Can rush the quarterback on a
not-quite-as-rare safety blitz.

Linebackers.  Defend the tight ends, wingbacks, and running backs on a
pass play.  They are also supposed to stop and running backs that make it
beyond the line of scrimmage.  Can rush the quarterback on a linebacker blitz.
They are divided into inside linebackers (ILB) and outside linebackers. (OLB)

Defensive ends (DE).  Line up on the offensive guards.  They try to sack
the QB and stop running plays early.

Defensive tackles (DT).  Line up on the offensive tackles and the center.


c. Special Teams Positions

Punter (PN).  The player who kicks the ball downfield on fourth down.  The
kickoff after a safety is also a punt.

Place Kicker (PK).  The player who kicks field goals and extra points.  He
is also the player who kicks the ball to the other team at the beginning of a
half or after a score.


d. Coaching Options

Risky plays
  This will decide how often your team will run draws, reverses, and other
sorts of risky plays.  In general, you want to be risky when you're playing a
team better than yours and safe when playing a team worse than yours.  Note
that changes in this option will only affect your team if you create an
automatic playbook.

Two point conversions
  This is above and beyond the normal situations for two point tries (down by
2, up by 1, etc.)

Zone Coverage
  Higher number means more zone.  In Man-to-man, your corners and linebackers
will stick to one specific receiver, giving them a slightly better chance to
break up the play.  However, it means that if they miss the tackle, help is
further away.  The negatives usually outweigh the positives, so zone normally
is preferred against passing teams.  However, man-to-man coverage means that
you usually have one or more linebackers free to blitz.  In a zone, each
linebacker and defensive back is assigned a specific part of the field to
cover.  This means that you don't rely on speed as much, and that help will be
one zone away.

Blitzing
  A blitz is when a linebacker or defensive back (usually a linebacker) will
leave his position and join the defensive line for a play.  This can only
happen in a man coverage situation, since it would leave a gaping hole in any
sort of zone coverage.  The advantage of blitzing is that it gives your team
a chance to stop the play early, either by tackling the QB in a pass play, or
stopping a running play right away.  The disadvantage of course is that
whatever that player normally does defensively is now not being done.  So if
the play makes it past the line of scrimmage, the defense is worse off.

Spiking the ball
  Generally a team will spike the ball to stop the clock when the game is
nearly over and they need to get a field goal.  Spiking the ball costs you a
down of course, but stops the clock after a play that ended inbounds.


Appendix: Some useful hints.

1. Offenses.

Due to the extra blocking backs, the 3 back sets run with more power than
the 1 back sets.  But the defense can put extra defenders between the
tackles when you use one of these sets, while they are forced to spread
out more against a 1 back set, so the gain is minimal.

A steady ground game will score points consistently, and will eat up the
clock.  If you're up be 5 points with 3 minutes to go, a run up the middle
will take about 30 seconds off the clock, while an incomplete pass will take
about 5.  Also a ground game is less likely to have 3 straight bad downs,
while a passing game can easily have 3 incomplete passes, forcing you to punt.

On the other hand, passing is the quickest way of getting the ball down the
field.  You tend to get more long passes than long runs.  Also, an incomplete
pass stops the clock.  Therefore, if you are down by 5 points with 1:30 to go
in the game, the computer will tend to pass more often than otherwise.  The
conclusions are:
  -If you want to score 50 points per game, you want to draft some wonderful
quarterbacks and wide receivers, and use a spread.
  -Even if you want a balanced attack (or a running attack), you NEED some
good passing players in case you need a come-from-behind win.

A note about tailbacks - they run sweep plays (around the sides of the
linemen as opposed to between them, so they are capable of gaining more yards
than are fullbacks.  On the other hand, if they are stopped in the backfield
while running a sweep, they are running sideways, and tend to lose more yards.
Therefore, a good tailback is normally better than a good fullback, while a bad
tailback is worse than a bad fullback.

The pro set gives you the best mix of passing and rushing, and gives very
good results.  For a novice, I would recommend using that.  You can use the I
if the opponent's defense seems to be weak against the run, or if you have an
incredible running attack.  The run & shoot or shotgun are good if the opposite
is true.  You are really going out on a limb by using the spread.  If your
opponent happens to have a good pass defense, you're out of luck. (The same is
true with the wishbone and rushing defense.)

A note about designing your own plays - don't get too creative in how you
line up.  If you give away your intentions by lining up a certain way, all
element of surprise is lost.  However, if you use the identical lineup for
every play, the defense will be kept guessing.

2. Defenses.

The man-to-man defenses have a harder time covering the pass.  This is
because each receiver has one player on him.  In a zone, the safeties are
available to double-team the receiver.  (This is true in man-to-man as well,
but to a lesser degree.)  The 3-4 defenses seem to have trouble covering the
rush.  This is because there are fewer men on the line to try to stop the
rusher.  Obvoiusly, 4 men can do a better job than 3.  The 4-4 defense has
more men up front, but no strong safety.  Thus, you have a better chance of
stopping a play early, but a lower chance of stopping it later.  The nickel is
a 4-2 I guess, but with only a few people in the middle of the field.  The
nickel and dime are generally only used when you're trying to keep a team from
scoring quickly.  They allow short passes and medium passes up the middle, but
try to take away sideline passes (the clock stops if the ball carrier runs out
of bounds) and long passes.

With all this in mind, I would recommend a 4-3 mix for the novice.  The best
reason to use a 3-4 is if your second tackle is really bad and your second
inside linebacker is really good.  A zone is good if the opposing team passes
a lot or is very bad at rushing, because of the improvement in the passing
defense.  As far as going man-to-man, I would only do that if my corners and
linebackers were outstanding at pass defense.  The man-to-man defense is a
gamble.  Your defenders have a better chance of breaking up the pass on man-to-
man, but a harder time tackling the defender if the ball is caught.  Since
about 60% of passes are complete, this gamble usually fails.  With sufficiently
good defenders, it could work out.

The same advice about designing offensive plays is useful here.  You should
have very few lineups that your team uses, and you should use a mix of
man and zone defense from each.  A smart QB or receiver can beat a zone
much easier if he knows it is coming ahead of time.


copyright (c) 1991-2000 Andy Dolphin