Do you Call Audibles?

[Terry43]

Hi,

In leagues — like in the NFL —  I understand the value of calling an audible when the QB sees a weakness in the defense and wants to exploit that weakness.

In solitaire electric football I always know what play the offense is going to run. My football brain simply can't keep a secret from the rest of my brain. 🤪 

All my teams have the same base defense which is sort of a 4—3 defense with man-to-man coverage.

All my teams run the same offensive plays. Usually I start the game with five or six scripted running plays. My philosophy is to run the ball until the base defense proves they can stop the run. But I never execute the same successful run play twice in a row because that can get boring real fast for me.

Many of my teams have receiving corps that are so good at getting open that man-to-man coverage can't work. The base defense must change to double teams and that opens up the running game. Ahhh. Back where I started: running the ball.

Usually the strength of the O-line — in conjunction with the consistency of the running backs — determine the outcome of the game. Once the game starts  I believe I could be replaced with a robot. And the robot would set up the plays a heck of a lot faster!

I guess that explains why I've never called an audible. 😃

Enjoy the Journey. T43 ⚡🏈

[nefgm.org]

Nope. No Audibles.

[Bob Davis]

I'll change the set-up on occasion, but the defense always adjusts with the appropriate defense. So it's not an audible in the sense that the offense is adjusting to a weakness in the defense, just me wanting to try a different play at the last minute.

[Greg F]

I’ve been pondering this exact same thing for my upcoming season starting in August.  
 

On one hand, I’m already “strategizing” for both teams on the original play, so what’s the point?   On the other hand, it might be another layer of “strategizing”.

I’m still contemplating, but leaning towards making an audible rule at the moment .  

[Terry43]

On 5/8/2023 at 10:36 AM, Bob Davis said:

I'll change the set-up on occasion, but the defense always adjusts with the appropriate defense. So it's not an audible in the sense that the offense is adjusting to a weakness in the defense, just me wanting to try a different play at the last minute.

That's what I do, too. 👍

[Jim Fitzpatrick]

I don't. I have certain rules governing the positions of defensive players which attempt to more-or-lass control my "knowing" where the ball is going, and these work fairly well.  The only way I can think of to call an audible is to start every play with the QB holding the ball, and either handing off or passing, depending on how the movement of players evolve.  This seems too clumsy to effectively do.

[Greg F]

I decided against an audible system this season 

[Daryl Collins]

Coach T43’s answer to calling audibles, in the opening statement, is valid. I believe, in a solitaire game, calling audibles would be disruptive to the flow of the game. In a head to head game the ability to “call an audible” or adjust a play within the rules is part of the chess match. 
I outfox myself enough as it is. I certainly don’t need to look for extra ways to do it in my entertainment.

BTW. I read the forum in my head in the voice of John Facenda. All of you coach’s comments carry much more gravity that way! It’s a lot more fun as well!

Exellent topic.

[Terry43]

8 hours ago, Daryl Collins said:

the voice of John Facenda.

I'm humbled. 

Enjoy the Journey with John Facenda, AKA T43. ⚡🏈♾️

[Daryl Collins]

Thank you so much for sending that out! I sit here on a cloudy day. I’ve finished one Uni-Forms team. I’ve played one quarter of a game. Now, I’ve seen a great NFL Films episode and have a tear rolling down one cheek. I’m a sentimental old man who’s having a good day.

Blessings to all of you coaches! Have a great Saturday!

[Coach Shawn]

On 5/8/2023 at 1:17 PM, Greg F said:

 

On one hand, I’m already “strategizing” for both teams on the original play, so what’s the point?   On the other hand, it might be another layer of “strategizing”.

In my setup sequence:

1. the offense sets up its formation.  
2. the defense sets up.

3. the offense rolls dice to determine their play that they must run.   However, they can call an audible if the play is a run.  The audible is perhaps not a true audible as the new play is limited to simply mirror the rolled run to the opposite side.  Also this audible costs the offense one pivot (they get two pivots normally after the defense has setup).  The defense gets no pivots.

I started doing this as some of my solitaire teams can only run one way and this allows them to run to their preferred direction.   Though I do try hard to run the dice direction if at all possible.

I also allow the offense to use a timeout instead.  This allows them to either:

re-roll the play, or,

to mirror the run to the opposite side but keep both pivots.