*ANNOUNCEMENT* Rule Change For Next Season (Read Option & QBs)

Gentlemen,

Trust me when I say, that I don't enjoy creating new rules. Any time it becomes a necessity to do so, please know that a lot of consideration and discussion when into any change, well before it is decided upon and put into effect. With that being said, there is a new rule being instituted beginning with our next played season (2015).

In all honesty, this was a rule we had intended to implement at the very beginning, but it kind of got lost in the shuffle and forgotten. There have been some concerns voiced this season about the legitimacy of non-mobile QBs running R/O plays, and so we decided to revisit the original idea for this rule.

The reason we have decided to wait until the next played season to implement this, is so that anyone that may be affected by it would have the opportunity to adjust either their personnel or play style for the new season.

Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.

Thank you all in advance for your understanding and cooperation,

~Jim
QSF Commissioner

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Damn i was just about to unleash the beast in Andrew Luck in 2015

lol jk, rule is fine with me. Luck stays healthier this way lol

Great rule. Luckily for me I have a mobile, although slightly fragile QB in Geno.

How are we looking for play calling as well? I sort of figured mixing up the play calling such that the entire offense isn't based around the read-option would be somewhat obvious and covered by the the general play-calling rules. I'm not entirely sure though, I haven't seen anyone use it exclusively (or close to) so I don't think this is an issue. Personally, I might use it 2 or 3 times a game at most.

What are your thoughts on the extent of usage of the read-option? I don't recall seeing them anywhere, and I definitely don't want to go overboard given how effective it can be.

True. Don't want to break your franchise QB in half.

As much as I'm a fan of DeNiro, I'm not entirely sure where you're going. Is it posted somewhere and I missed it?

Not at all. It's an "I see what you did there" animation expressing that you have pointed out a topic of concern that has been discussed between Jim and I privately.

Would it be too much to ask for a list of some sorts of something that points out those qb's with "mobile" on their player card or should we do that on our own?

Just think it would be easier if everyone knew who was and was not a mobile qb

I see. Unfortunately, I don't know what's been discussed between you and Jim privately.

You know me well enough that I hate to cross any lines of what this league would consider "not sim" play. I'd like to know where my boundaries are with the Read-Option just in case I play in a game where I may need to utilize it more often than I'm used to. Furthermore, I'd also not want to call someone out for using it too much if in fact we're not regulating how often it can be called, or if it's well within the league's expectations of usage.

We're all new to the read-option this year. I don't believe it has been discussed at length, and I certainly am not trying to sway opinions one way or the other. I'd just like to know what is expected and what is allowed so we're all on the same page and to avoid any future conflicts.

Also, I dont want to be one to assume, but I'd like to think this rule was put in place due to some misuse of the read-option. I could be wrong though.

Off of the top of my head:

Ryan Tannehill
Geno Smith
EJ Manuel
Andrew Luck (I think)
Jake Locker
Alex Smith
Terrelle Pryor
Robert Griffin III
Michael Vick
Cam Newton
Colin Kaepernick
Russell Wilson

I'd be happy to address this. As with anything else in the game, all good things in moderation.

First off, while I agree that the Read Option CAN be very effective, I personally don't think it's overpowered (as i have heard it referred to). I think the problem lies, when someone gets beaten by it, there is a tendency to get beaten BADLY. But the read option can definitely be stopped, or at the very least contained.

As far as the moderation thing. I will say flat out that I am more concerned with the type of read option runs where the QB has the opportunity to pitch it to the HB before being crushed by a defender (or keep it for a big run himself). Ideally even the most read option oriented offense won't utilize those more than a handful of times in any given game. Obviously different games lead to different circumstances, but just as a general guideline.

The runs where the upback gets the hand off up the gut or off tackle aren't as much of a concern to me. Some playbooks (my own included) have an abundance of these types of runs, and I don't view them as being much different then a standard run play. Should EVERY run play be one of these? Absolutely not, but I am not going to penalize a read option type team with a run heavy game plan for utilizing these plays regularly.

The best way I can say this is the same old requirement. MIX UP YOUR PLAY CALLING, ON OFFENSE AND DEFENSE. We should all be able to run our playbooks without relying too heavily on any one aspect. If you are not able to gain any yards without using go to plays, time to hit the practice field or find a new play book. If you aren't able to stop your opponents offense and they have become one dimensional, same advice.

Thanks for the Question TJ. The response isn't aimed squarely at you, just gave me an opportunity to address the concerns I have heard as a whole.

Appreciate the informative reply. Thanks, it's helpful moving forward.

Luck (Balanced), Tannehill (West Coast), Smith (West Coast), and Locker (Strong Arm) are not classified as Mobile.

Thank u sir

Ah. So for these players, you can not use RO at all, or just not as a normal part of the playbook? From your initial post, I gather they are prohibited from RO use.

I have a question as I run some pistol formations to run and pass. I don't run any RO plays but I do run counters,straight runs and something they call sift. Is this against the newly announced rule? I dont even make an attempt to RO because Weeedn is slow as molasses.

Matt Stafford runs Read Options for Lion's in real life. However it maybe 1 or 2 a game. I wouldn't make the Pistol my Base formation. Or even run more than 2 because I don't want to injure my most important part of my Offense!

prohibited

I sit and watch this all the time and feel that pistol keepers and zone read is overpowered unless you are a terrific user on D and contain your DE. Problem is if you contain and are wrong, also I have watched on streams and in my own games DE/OLB with high ovr, awr and play rec follow the fake no matter what it's an AI issue. In my other league we had to put restrictions on pistol/read plays and QB runs because of it, not saying it's the correct move but it's what I have seen and the only way we found to contain the abuse of it.

How do you see the QB type? If I go to the free agent pool and try and find a QB who is mobile, where does it list that at?

Can I get an answer to my question please?

Did you even read the rule change? The last two sentences of it answers your question to a T....

teams run no huddle exclusively in real life as well but that is not allowed here. Doug had a great post about this sort of comment not too long ago....

Chiming in here... Stopping the RO is really not that difficult and I don't feel it's overpowered. Really the key is just containing the QB by making sure you select contain QB pre-snap then user your MLB and follow the RB.

...says a Redskins owner with RGIII who runs pistol RO in TMFL...