Not enough time to pick plays on Defense

[Swolecat]

I may be wrong, but every version I remember playing up til this year gave at least double the amount of time to pick a play on defense. You would see the computer cycling through offensive plays for a good 10 seconds or so, then a countdown would begin if you hadn't chosen a play on defense yet. This year, you get 12 seconds, PERIOD. Why no option to have it at least the way it has always been, giving at least an extra 8-10 seconds? Now I know some people will say "you don't have all day to pick a play in real life". Of course you don't, but you also don't have to navigate an awful playcalling screen in real life either. That is really beside the point if you ask me. We've always had longer to pick a play on defense up til now. All I'm asking for is an option to give us longer if we so choose.

[smadog]

I agree with you swolecat. I also think the new playcall interface makes it harder to find plays. I liked the old interface where you had three plays on the screen at a time and could call any play above or below. Now I know you can hold L2 to bring up bluff play (which brings up 3 plays on the screen at once), but the process does not feel very fluid to me. I can live with the new playcall screen, but I believe it's a step back compared to previous years.

[Pokes]

Quote: Originally Posted by smadog

I agree with you swolecat. I also think the new playcall interface makes it harder to find plays. I liked the old interface where you had three plays on the screen at a time and could call any play above or below. Now I know you can hold L2 to bring up bluff play (which brings up 3 plays on the screen at once), but the process does not feel very fluid to me. I can live with the new playcall screen, but I believe it's a step back compared to previous years.

I agree with this. I liked the older method much better, esp. since thats the way its been done for as long as I can remember.

[wepr3]

Quote: Originally Posted by Swolecat

I may be wrong, but every version I remember playing up til this year gave at least double the amount of time to pick a play on defense. You would see the computer cycling through offensive plays for a good 10 seconds or so, then a countdown would begin if you hadn't chosen a play on defense yet. This year, you get 12 seconds, PERIOD. Why no option to have it at least the way it has always been, giving at least an extra 8-10 seconds? Now I know some people will say "you don't have all day to pick a play in real life". Of course you don't, but you also don't have to navigate an awful playcalling screen in real life either. That is really beside the point if you ask me. We've always had longer to pick a play on defense up til now. All I'm asking for is an option to give us longer if we so choose.

I concur. They've done a decent job giving us varied defensive plays - just give us more time to choose one!

[Frank the Tank]

I dig your argument. This new play call system is certainly a case of fixing something that was not broken.

Most defenses, you can't scroll through the whole playbook to find what you want in the time allotted. Which means you really have to know where to find the defense you want and zip to it. Usually I can, but once in a while I'd like to mix it up and call something unusual and there usually isn't time for that. I can only imagine the frustration of players picking up the game for the first time!

Putting the numbers of the players on the field at the top of the screen was actually a good idea. But sadly, I'm far too rushed to take advantage of that information when it comes time to pick a defense.

[Frank the Tank]

Forgot to mention I wouldn't mind seeing the number of defenses simplified. I mean, does the dime defense really need 20 different zone blitzes that all result in 3 men playing deep and 3 playing short? You would think half a dozen would be ample. Nick Saban would approve, perhaps, but for us mere mortals of coaching it seems like overkill.

[Amoo316]

Quote: Originally Posted by Frank the Tank

I can only imagine the frustration of players picking up the game for the first time! Putting the numbers of the players on the field at the top of the screen was actually a good idea. But sadly, I'm far too rushed to take advantage of that information when it comes time to pick a defense.

These two things combined would be the biggest reason I would support allowing more time. I realize the shorter play-call timer is more "SIM" then what we had before, however most people are not going to know their playbooks like a coordinator who has a 400 page notebook of plays he designed sitting on his desk. For most of us, this isn't going to be a problem after a season of play, but I do feel for the new guys and more casual fans who are going to be hurt from this change.

[Amoo316]

Quote: Originally Posted by Frank the Tank

Forgot to mention I wouldn't mind seeing the number of defenses simplified. I mean, does the dime defense really need 20 different zone blitzes that all result in 3 men playing deep and 3 playing short? You would think half a dozen would be ample. Nick Saban would approve, perhaps, but for us mere mortals of coaching it seems like overkill.

I certainly don't think simplification is the right answer. In the spirit of realism it is very common for Coordinators to call the same defense a few plays in a row out of different formations and alignments. It's all about timing and disguising when you're playing D and the more options we have the better we are able to do this.