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Punts?


zak99b5

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My league is wrapping up its first season (5 guys, play each other twice, playoffs start next week).  Three guys are new to EF, and one other played it as a kid.  It's primarily a beer league kind of thing, so I have kept gameplay simple--only stop is for passing (using sticks) to keep it fun.

We have used an automatic punt rule: receiving team gets the ball 55 yards downfield if punting team is on their side of the 50, 35 yards if on the receiving side of the 50 (touchbacks happen of course).  But I want to add the element of a return.

For kickoffs, I developed a system that works pretty well: kicking team lines up at or behind the 50, receiving team has 5 on the 40, 4 on the 20, and two returners on the goal line.  Ball is dropped between the receivers, and the closer guy is the return man.  Pivot players and run the board.  Results are realistic.

We were toying with ideas to make punt returns a part of the game, such as maybe starting 5 coverage guys say 30 yards down field, keeping the 5 interior linemen at the original LOS and the punter behind them.  Receiving team would put 5 men on LOS, cover the 5 guys downfield where they are, and put a return man 60 yards deep.  Punting coach drops the ball from above the yard line where the return man is, move the return man to where the ball ends up, everyone pivots, then run the board.

Thoughts and suggestions?

 

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The cards only provide a distance and placement on the field for Kickoffs, Onside Kicks, Punts and Punts from Inside midfield. I also use them to get Field Goal Attempt results and PAT results. I set up kickoff and punt returns much as you do but have the receivers actually run to the ball to make the catch and then adjust and pivot all remaining players to block for the return and cover the return. This system works for me and is very entertaining and adds the excitement of kickoff and punt returns to my solitaire game play action. I plan on making some videos of how to use them in the future. But they are not for everyone and I never try advocate this system over another. 

Playing the game of electric football for me is just about having fun and playing the game. There is no right or wrong way to play it. The main thing about playing in a league or with a group of fiends is to find a way to play it that everyone can agree on and enjoy the fun and fellowship.  

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My punting system starts just like the pros: punt team sets up at the line of scrimmage with two gunners split wide.  The receiving team has 1 or 2 men back (depending on the team), with two men trying to impede the gunners. The rest either rush the punter or drop back to form the wall for the return.  I run the board for a count of 9 to give the rushers a chance to block the punt.  After the 9 count, I stop the board and use the TTQL to punt the ball. Wherever the ball ends up, the punt receiver(s) have to go and get it.  Then, depending on the length of the punt, I will count off some time (varies by the length of the punt) while running the board, to simulate hang time and to give the gunners a chance to get downfield, before adjusting and pivoting blockers and coverage guys, then letting the returner start running.  This results in pretty realistic results for me.  Short kicks often end up in fair catches, whereas on long punts, the punter often out kicks his coverage.  I use a similar system for kickoffs, from when the ball is kicked..  Again the returners must run to the ball and I then delay the returner to allow for the kickoff coverage to make its way downfield.  This is a system I have been using for 50 years and it works for me in my solitaire league.  Since I was a kick and punt returner in high school, I like the "realism" and strategy using this system over dice rolls or cards.  I know my system won't work for everyone, but as nefgm said, there is no right or wrong way, just have fun however you do it!

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Nefgm, I understand better what you mean now. I had thought the cards were the play, not just placement. 
 

Rick, I had already tried something very similar to what you do when I first got back into Ef (1990s), but I could never get the ttqb to make a scale punt. Plus I had a hard time simulating hang time, so I abandoned it. 
 

I also agree that there are many ways to play, and we should all do what works for us. Most important thing is to enjoy the game. 

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I have adopted from another set of rules( Beenutt) using gunners. The gunners are 2 guys, i usually use wide outs, unblocked run the board for 3 to 4 seconds depending on which give best results. Stop board the receiving team gets the ball 10 yards from furthest gunner down filed.  You can then pivot all unengaged players toward ball for tackle or blocking or take a fair catch.

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12 hours ago, TOEPRO Football Kit said:

Play according to TOEPRO Football and you will play with ALL the aspects of special teams using the same things in football, 🏈 and a kicker.  Just make a TOEPRO Punter. 
👍🏾573123EB-2E90-42EE-B7E8-4A6FEC0F57D8.thumb.jpeg.b520734d1ca68ece6060a3f97bef24f9.jpeg

Kit, I do believe that if a person is physically able to use a TTQB passer / kicker they should practice and work on developing the necessary skills to become proficient with them. Alternate methods of passing and kicking were primarily developed to help coaches with physical handicaps to be able to include passing and kicking in their game play rather than just always having to run the ball or "go for it" on fourth down. In the Music City EFL, right now, we have one coach who suffered a stroke last year and is recovering but does not have the use of his left arm. He uses passing sticks for passing and rolls dice for field goal attempts and is the number one seed in our upcoming playoff tournament. He also plays in the Deep South MFL. With out these alternative methods of passing and kicking, he would not be able to compete in these higher levels of competition. 

TOEPRO is a very good representation of how to play electric football using the rules of the NFL to simulate games. But there are also many other ways to play and enjoy the game.     

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Good point nefgm.  One of the coaches in our league has CP, so his learning curve with the TTQB would be way steeper than most (but I’m sure he would eventually be able to do it). None of the other guys in the league have used it at all.  I’m fairly proficient at passing with it, but I didn’t want to have a leg up that way. Using the passing sticks has made it much more level a playing field. 

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6 minutes ago, zak99b5 said:

I did spend some time reading about the toepro PAKs. I will try to make some. 
do you need the 3rd and Long footballs to get that type of performance? Currently out of stock. I do have the white felt as well as a couple ice-cream sandwich balls. 

Yeah, I think, the type of football used does make a difference, but then again, every one has there own preferences. I primarily use the 3rd and Long balls in league play but some use the foam rubber balls and some use the white felt. The ball that I prefer above all others is the EFDW - Electric Football Discount Warehouse - (aka "the pill"). This is a ball produced by an independent supplier of electric football products from way back at least 15 -20 years ago. It was banned from league and tournament competitions a long time ago mostly because it was heavier and significantly bigger than the balls that were primarily being used at the time, the foam rubber balls made by Miggle / Tudor. The big concern with that ball was that it could be thrown at such a high rate of speed and with such force that it would dent the metal game boards and knock the players over. This was all at a time just before weighting players, customizing figures and using custom built game boards became so prevalent as it is today. Very limited supply of these balls around anymore. I still have 15 of the original 20 I bought when they first came out, but I don't know of anyone else that might still have them or use them.          

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Size comparison of balls that I have. EFDW on the far left, Tudor Saturn on the far right. Others from left to right - newer foam rubber, ice cream sandwich, white felt, older foam rubber, extremely used and frayed white felt. Forgot to include the 3rd and Long, but they are not much different than the ice cream sandwich balls.  

DSC00992.thumb.JPG.5666f051160ff7f06d540dba7a22688f.JPG

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👍🏾
I offer that TOEPRO Football allows for various conditions and is ADA compliant. For example a base can have a magnet to hold it still, one bounce on passes for beginners or different abilities.  
We want TOEPRO Football to play user friendly and use only the things in football.  I punt with the current Saturn Football.  They land soft. 

Edited by TOEPRO Football Kit
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I like to use the TTQB for passing, punting, and kicking, just because I'm a hands on kinda guy. 😊 However, I think that as many have said before, use whatever makes you happy.  If someone has a physical problem with using the TTQB, just can't get the hang of it, or just doesn't like it, I don't see a problem with using passing sticks and dice.  Of course, I only play solitaire, so I don't have to deal with questions as to whether all the coaches are playing on a level playing field. 

I have tried all the footballs nefgm showed above, and I have my favorites.  I use the Saturn football for punting and kicking because it's bigger (easier to see with my old eyes) and because it kind of floats through the air and as TOEPRO Football Kit says, "They land soft".  I prefer either the ice cream sandwich or the 3rd and long footballs for passing because they hold their shape over time, and I seem to be more accurate with them.  Once again, whatever floats your boat.

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13 hours ago, nefgm.org said:

Yeah, I think, the type of football used does make a difference, but then again, every one has there own preferences. I primarily use the 3rd and Long balls in league play but some use the foam rubber balls and some use the white felt. The ball that I prefer above all others is the EFDW - Electric Football Discount Warehouse - (aka "the pill"). This is a ball produced by an independent supplier of electric football products from way back at least 15 -20 years ago. It was banned from league and tournament competitions a long time ago mostly because it was heavier and significantly bigger than the balls that were primarily being used at the time, the foam rubber balls made by Miggle / Tudor. The big concern with that ball was that it could be thrown at such a high rate of speed and with such force that it would dent the metal game boards and knock the players over. This was all at a time just before weighting players, customizing figures and using custom built game boards became so prevalent as it is today. Very limited supply of these balls around anymore. I still have 15 of the original 20 I bought when they first came out, but I don't know of anyone else that might still have them or use them.          

I have ordered from Efdw back in the day. They were in NH, close to me. Sad to see they have closed years ago. 
 

looks like the ice cream sandwich balls aren’t available anymore. 
 

I lost my last foam ball a long time ago. Always used a little spit so they would release off the TTQB’s hand. Not covid apporived lol. 

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1 hour ago, zak99b5 said:

I have ordered from Efdw back in the day. They were in NH, close to me. Sad to see they have closed years ago. 
 

looks like the ice cream sandwich balls aren’t available anymore. 
 

I lost my last foam ball a long time ago. Always used a little spit so they would release off the TTQB’s hand. Not covid apporived lol. 

Do you remember the guy's name who sold the EFDW balls? I met him at a Miggle Convention way back when. First name was Bill, I think. 

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Welp, I tried out my punt rules a few times, and it actually seemed to work out pretty well. 
 

The drop is pretty crucial. I think the punting coach’s elbow needs to be on the frame, hand up a forearm’s length, to keep it high and add some bounce to the landing.  Only can aim from center of the field to the side with the elbow ( need to move to other side of the board if kicking to that side). 
 

This formation lacks a punt block option, but that’s ok.

some punts bounce pretty far from the intended spot, which adds some realism. Had a few bounce into the end zone for a touchback. And if the ball hits a receiving team player, we have a muff that anyone can recover (happened twice!). 

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