Inside the SFA Coaches' Minds - Building a Winner by Offensive Position - How are you Building?

[Nittany Boiler]

By Nittany Boiler

 

A new weekly-ish feature to invoke some thoughts, insights and maybe roll some marbles inside the minds of the Sim Football Association coaches. With every act, remark, and success or failure under constant scrutiny from the media and fans, SFA coaches must be either crazy, competitive or both. There should be a general agreement that what is required is the ability to learn and evolve especially in the inaugural season. Who shall emerge as the preeminent minds in SFA?

 

Today's Topic:

Building a Winner by Offensive Position - How are you Building?

Recruiting has begun for Season 2 and the future. One of the many appeals of college football is that coaches build their teams and develop their players in a narrow five year window. Forgetting the relatively new Transfer Portal, there is no Free Agency and most often, no instant replacements for graduating seniors as the physical makeup and skill sets of incoming Freshman need maturing to grow into seasoned veteran starters. Graduating Senior QB ? - you better have recruited two seasons ago to replace him! Looking for an instant impact five star Freshman? - so is every other coach. Do you have the planning, depth and patience to take a Three Star Freshman with an A+ potential to develop into a solid starter? As much as coaches would like, there are not enough 5 Stars to fill every offensive position. Without planning, there will not be enough experienced, mature players to field a full experienced squad - how do you plan to fill the open spots and shore up the weak areas? The question is: what offensive positions are you prioritizing to build your winning team? And how do you account for the stud Offensive player that wants to star at your school?

 

So how will it work inside the minds of the SFA coaches as they recruit the inaugural players for Season 2 and beyond? What offensive positions are you prioritizing to build your team as a strategy for the future?

 

Building Offensive Positions:

 

The Sexy Choice

 

Quarterback - the sexiest, easiest choice but the hardest to get. The obvious choice. Handles the ball on every play. Dictates the offense and hence the skill sets of the other offensive players. Dare start a highly rated Freshman? Perhaps after a redshirt year? Or are you a Junior/ Senior experienced QB leader starter who has earned his time by learning the playbook and maturing?

 

Inside Out

 

A strong, veteran Offensive Line can control the line of scrimmage to give a Quarterback (perhaps even not a superstar) time to shine or give the stud (or not) running back holes to reach the second level to exploit the running game. Five moving parts to coordinate - can you time five O-Line Seniors and Juniors to peak at the same time as a unit? Or are you prioritizing the OTs to be studs to protect your QB in the passing game? Or are you looking at the center of the line to aggressively run inside?

 

Skills and Thrills

 

Build around a workhorse running back? Of course, if your line can give him some room to run. Wide Receiver threats everywhere to stretch and test a defense? If your Quarterback can deliver the rock. Glamourous yes, but practical also as these are the positions that can gain the yards and score the points. Perhaps a place to have the combination of developed upper classman and the flashy Freshman.

 

Unsung Heroes

 

The big guys - tough, hard nosed, not flashy - run, catch, block - can do it all often without the accolades - Tight ends and Fullbacks. Are you spending extra recruiting points to secure the Fullback of your dreams? Probably not. Maybe only two on the roster. Maybe none. Some say an outdated position but some value the effectiveness and the ability to lead the stud running back to glory. Add in the Tight End. No longer the sixth lineman. On the spectrum from "big" WR and vertical threat to heavy blocker to control the line of scrimmage. Today's game favors the hybrid that can run, catch and block - too fast and athletic for linebackers to cover in the passing game but big and tough enough to block them. Still a place for TEs in the game but it all depends on scheme fit. Maybe these guys are your afterthoughts and final roster recruits.

 

Let's think about it, coaches. Offensive combinations are literally endless as a myriad of traditional football strategies are mixed with the Archetypes of the different player positions.

 

 

 

Player Archetypes:

Offense

QB: Scrambler / Pocket / Balanced / Field General

RB: Speed / Power / Balanced / Receiving

FB: Blocking / Rushing / Receiving / Balanced

WR: Possession / Route Runner / Speed / Red Zone

TE: Receiving / Blocking / Vertical Threat

OT and OG: Pass Blocking / Run Blocking / Balanced

OC: Pass Blocking / Run Blocking / Balanced / Line Captain

 

Discussion:

What works best for you? What are your plans for Offensive Position priority for recruiting and game plan?

How did you determine your best 11 Offensive players for Season 1 and how do you plan for your future offensive position depth?

How far ahead are you planning your Offensive position depth and development as a long term strategy?

"Inside the SFA Coaches' Minds" asks is this a planned step and deliberate coach thought as a season's strategy or let recruits dictate the priority?

What is your plan for this year's recruiting and next season's Offensive depth and development?

 

Thank you for looking inside the minds of the SFA coaches!

Edited July 30, 2021 by Nittany Boiler

[tsweezy]

I thought I was in the drivers seat for Brandon Savage which hands down is the best position to be in, but apparently TCU could still steal him which makes me sad.

In terms of offensive position recruiting though, I think QB > RB > WR > everything else, I don't think OL has proven to be a huge decisive factor thus far (although obviously it's early to tell). I also think TE and FB can play a very outsized role compared to IRL, so I'd basically treat those positions as RB/WRs. My gameplan recruiting-wise was QB of the future, then best players I can get. There's not a lot of detail in where these guys shine, and there seem to be a million WR who are kind of similar so I'm just trying to get as many good players as I think I can and scheme around them.

[kgreene829]

I did not go into this with much of a plan but there are so many good offensive linemen in this class I am trying to set up a great O-Line that will redshirt freshman year and hopefully play 4 great years for me

[subsequent]

I'm a big fan of upgrading the D and O lines. I think having good lines can do a great job turning a mediocre skill player to a good skill player. Also turning a good into a great. Time will tell if this works...

[cricket]

Not that I am playing CFB (and I might wind up not coming around), but there were things I took from my previous experience that I would l look at applying here. I have previously used a mule at RB and just force-fed him the ball because nothing else was useful on the team, and I have also alternated between some more balanced offenses with various formations and skills.

 

In an ideal world, where I could build any roster I wanted, I would probably go QB and OL as priorities. The skill positions matter, but they don't matter to me as much as the QB and OL.

 

I would obviously prefer a veteran QB, but if what I had was a Freshman phenom then that is what I got. Mobility is nice if I can get it, but I will take a pocket guy if that is the best option. OL is harder, because you can build a unit up and cultivate something amazing, but then you have it all wiped when most of them graduate. More stability is better in my opinion, and perhaps more stability on one side of the line to keep the balancing act.

 

I like the idea of TE as a place to have some impact players because they can fill multiple roles to an extent, but it is hard to get that elite one that can both outrun a DB and outblock a DL. In most offenses I like a mix of WR talent, and I feel flexible as to what type of RBs I have.

[Bingo415]

I think CB, after QB, is the most important position on the field. And, having been torched twice by good passing offenses, I'm doubling down on that theory.

 

Aiming for a solid 4* QB, who would be a very significant upgrade already, as a long-term starter. Going big on a 5* CB, but in a serious fight with USC about him. That SHOULD tell you all you need to know. But I'm also spending points on ILB, RB, and DE, as those are needed points for upgrade as well.

 

Ideally, I'd build the lines first, then work out. But, with this generated team, it's time to let the Lines develop naturally, and add talent on the outside.

[SageBow]

Screw the offensive line, elite level scrambling QB to bail you out with speed on the outsides and a talented pass catching back.

[rabidsnowman]

It is my intention to build a run-first power offense, with the best O-line in the NCAA, and a rushing FB/power RB to chew up yards consistently, while having a QB capable of delivering the rock to my track star WR corps on deep passes every once in a while to capitalize on the defense selling out to stop my run. Ideally, I want to be nearly undefendable, and on the off chance you can sell out on the run and stop us, we beat you over the top 2-3 times a game and our defense keeps us competitive in those situations.

 

My team was generated as a speed-heavy group on both sides of the ball. So the transition won't be immediate, but it'll be likely year 3-4 of the sim. Still not sure if I want to go 3-4 or 4-3 defensively, so for now I'm just grabbing talent and I'll wait and see how the meta shakes out, as to whether it's easier to recruit pass rushing DE and coverage OLB or run stopping DE and pass rushing OLB. Or better yet, if we get to see attributes of recruits on any level, which would make building a 3-4 much easier.

Edited July 29, 2021 by rabidsnowman

[rabidsnowman]

Yup. Gotta play defense too.