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Play Design Rules and Guidelines |
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Section 1
- Offensive play design |
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| 1)
All plays must be designed using
the play editor within FBPRO '98. |
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2) Any play that obviously takes advantage
of the AI of the game is considered illegal. Questionable plays
will be reviewed by the Assistant Commissioner for legality. This
will require all owners to police themselves and ensure that the
plays they create or use do not jeopardize the good sportsmanship
the league expects. The use of illegal plays will require different
levels of penalties which will be determined by the Commissioner.
Known AI breakers are handing off across the LOS, QB Drops of
more than 15 yards, throw fakes (not pass fakes) by any player,
passing to players who start a play ineligible, using check receiver
logic after crossing the LOS, moving OL across the LOS and then
back behind the LOS, QB handing
off or pitching the ball while outside of the box, delaying
receivers behind the LOS until the defense reads the play as being
broken, and the use of a QB rollout with movement towards the
LOS in combination with a receiver going deep and looking for
pass at the end of his route. |
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3)
The offensive team must have exactly seven men on the Line of
Scrimmage ( 7 players on the LOS initially and at the snap ) The
seven men must include a skill player (RB/WR/TE) on each side
of a balanced offensive line (2 OL on each side of the player
snapping the ball). Players at each end of the Offensive
Line may shift to other eligible positions before the snap as
long as they are replaced on the LOS by other eligible receivers,
so that there is exactly seven men on the LOS at the snap of the
ball with a skill player on each side on the LOS. Special Team
plays are excluded from this rule. |
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4)
Skill players (RB/WR/TE) may not double up ( Stack ) outside of
the backfield on any play.
AMENDED
05-25-2004
Below is an example of Stacking: |
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5)
Only QB's and RB's ( halfbacks and fullbacks ) may line up inside
the box. ( the area behind the LOS between the Hash Marks in the
Play Editor) in the pre snap formation. WR/TE/RB may shift into the
box and can only have Block or Pass logic. There must be at least
one RB in the backfield in the pre snap formation on all offensive
plays. RB's ( HB's and FB's ) may line up outside of the box as
long as there is at least one RB in the pre snap formation. Any
RB that shifts into the box from outside in the initial formation
should be treated the same as a WR or TE shifting into the box. |
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6) All designed pass plays must register
in the game as a pass and all designed run plays must register
in the game as a run. So if the QB
(or the recipient
of the snap)
has check receiver the play must result in a pass.
If the QB
(or the recipient of the snap)
has handoff pitch to logic, the play must result in a run.
CLARIFICATION
11-22-2005 |
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7) After Creating a play it must be saved
and
identified as the type of play that it is. A RUN must be
saved as a RUN play, and a PASS play must be saved as a PASS play.
Below are examples: |
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8) Timing Passes are Illegal. |
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9) All
Receivers (WR-TE-HB-FB) must have "Look for pass" no farther than
20 yards from the LOS down field.
ADDED 4-29-2010 |
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10) Plays which shift players effecting eligibility
of the player shifting. (shifting an ineligible man to eligible
is not always handled by the defense) are illegal. |
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11) Plays which send a receiver backwards for any reason other
than pass blocking, or a reverse is illegal. Exception being the
intended receiver on a screen pass. |
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12)
Players inside the box must line up within 10 yards of the LOS
with the QB
(or the recipient of the snap)
lining up within 7 yards of the LOS.
CLARIFICATION
11-22-2005
Below
is an example of the 7 yard rule: |
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13) The QB (or
the recipient of the snap)
drop may not exceed a distance of 10 yards behind the LOS after
the ball is snapped. One exception is on a screen pass. On screen
pass plays the QB (or
the recipient of the snap)
may drop up to 13 yards behind the LOS and the QB
(or the recipient of the snap)
must pass to an eligible receiver who's "Look for Pass"
logic is no closer than 5 yards behind the LOS.
This means that if the QB
(or the recipient of the snap)
stays within 10 yards of the LOS, he must check at least 2 eligible
receivers that have "Look For Pass" logic, and if the QB's
(or the recipient of the snap)
logic takes him more than 10 yards behind the LOS, he can only
check 1 eligible receiver.
You can only have 1 logic box with "Check
Receiver" logic per play. On Passing Plays ( Plays that has Pass Logic ) The QB
(or the recipient of the snap) may
not at anytime come within 6 yards of the LOS while outside of
the box.
The QB is
limited to 0.5 "stop & wait". The QB is limited to 1 fake
pass and 1 fake hand-off.
CLARIFICATION 07-19-2004
CLARIFICATION
01-22-2008
ADDED 4-29-2010 |
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14) No player(s) may line up between the QB (or
the recipient of the snap)
and the OL that snaps the ball. This
applies
to "before snap" and "after snap". ADDED
05-24-2004
CLARIFICATION
11-22-2005
Here is an example of this infraction, unless that HB receives
the snap: |
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15) Players outside the box must line up
within 5 yards of the LOS. |
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16) Players shifting out of the box must
shift to a location with in 5 yards of the LOS. |
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17) The "Throw a fake" command
is illegal. This means "NO PLAYER CAN HAVE "THROW A
FAKE" LOGIC. The QB
(or the recipient of the snap)
can have "Fake Pass" or "Fake Hand-Off".
CLARIFICATION
11-22-2005
Below
are 2 examples of the 'Throw a fake" command: |
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18) Motion is illegal on all pass plays.
A player may go in motion on run plays only. |
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19) On any pitch play, the RB must catch the pitch at least
one yard behind the LOS. Should a play be questioned, the replay
must show clearly that the ball was at least one yard back.
ADDED 10-13-2004 (pre TC 2009 Season)
Here are 2 examples
of this infraction, both sides of the ball: |
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20)
"Stop and Wait" logic is NOT allowed past the LOS. |
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21)
"Stop and Wait" logic is NOT allowed after any "Move to Logic"
behind the LOS
ADDED 10-01-2004 (pre 2009 season) |
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22) QB
Sneaks, QB Draws, QB Bootlegs or QB Sweeps
A QB Sneak, QB Draw, QB Bootleg or QB Sweep is run in which the
intent of the play is to
have the QB run the ball.
You can ONLY run a QB Sneak, QB Draw, QB Bootleg or QB Sweep in
the following situations:
On 3rd/4th and short (2 yards or less)
Inside your opponents 10 yard line.
Inside of your own 5 yard line.
If you run a QB Sneak, QB Draw, QB Bootleg or QB Sweep you may
ONLY have "Move To" OR "Run
To" logic on the QB.
AMENDED 09-04-2007 (pre week 5 2015 season)
NO "Block Logic"
NO "Stop & Wait"
NO "Check Receivers"
NO "Fake Pass"
NO "Look for Pass"
NO "Stop Looking for
Pass"
NO Fake Handoff"
CLARIFICATION
08-05-2006 |
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Section
2 - Defensive
play design |
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| 1)
All plays must be designed using
the play editor within FBPRO '98.
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2)
No defensive player with zone defense logic may have any portion
of their zone located within the offensive "Box". The
movement phase of a zone is considered part of the zone. The box
is the area from Tackle to Tackle and the LOS to 10 yards behind
the LOS. Zones and zone movement across the LOS is legal as long
as no part of the Box is breached. |
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DL cannot have any "Zone" in their logic. |
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| 4)
At least 3 DL must be in every play. ALL DL in the play must be
in a 3 point stance. No DB or LB may line up between DL
and the LOS.
(Allowing Flex-D)
AMENDED 04-22-2010 (pre 2018 season) |
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Section
3 - Special team play design |
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| 1)
All plays must be designed using
the play editor within FBPRO '98 |
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| 2)
Any
situation in which a special teams play is to be used (i.e. Punts,
Field Goals, Kickoffs, etc.) requires the use of a special teams
formation and play (as opposed to a regular play formation) on
Offense only. The Defense may use a regular play as long as it
is not designed to block kicks.
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| 3)
All Special Teams plays must use stock formations. The Logic
may be changed and personnel may be substituted but,
the lineman must remain lineman and down in
a 4pt stance.
AMENDED 10-07-2006 (pre wk 8 2013 season) |
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