Now that the majority of NFL and collegiate teams have begun to turn their eye towards next season I've been thinking a lot about team building. This is the time of year when coaches and GMs must begin to evaluate their roster and decide where improvements must be made.
So what type of team would I build?
I believe that to win in football, you must be able to control the middle of the field, both offensively and defensively.
Offensively this starts with having a QB who can win the game mentally. I want a QB who is able to beat defenses with his mind before beating them with his physical skills. The physical skill-set isn't as important to me as the mental skill-set. My ideal QB would have the mental toughness to overcome adversity, to lead his teammates both by his own preparation and work-habits and his in-game ability to rally the troops and get the job done when the game is on the line. Great QBs all share the 'Over My Dead Body' attitude towards losing. I want a QB who wants to play on the biggest stages and against the best opponents. Physical toughness can't exist without mental toughness. If I have a QB who is mentally tough then I believe the physical toughness will be there when it needs to be.
Winning in both the run game and pass games requires winning up front. The most difficult thing for an offense to deal with is pressure that comes from right up the middle. Being unable to provide a clean pocket for your QB will result in far too many turnovers and bad throws. And being unable to win in the middle means the inability to be effective in your running game.
We've seen a few very good instances this NFL season where teams with plenty to offer at the skill positions simply cannot move the ball because they cannot win up front. The Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals come to mind. And a large part of the Houston Texans late season swoon has come from their inability to get their running game going or protect the quarterback.
The two most important positions on my offensive line would be left tackle and center. My left tackle must be able to win one on one battles against the elite pass rushers in the league. He must be long and athletic. He would have the foot quickness to handle speed rushers and the strength to anchor versus power rushers. I want to think about my left tackle the same way I think about my shutdown corner. You've got this guy and we will play 10 vs. 10.
My center needs to be brutally strong and smart. I want my center to be able to push a nose tackle around in the run game while being able to keep himself from being bull rushed in pass protection. I need a center who will be able to keep the pocket clean for my QB to step up into and deliver a strike down the field with confidence.
My guards would resemble my center more than my tackles. I want two strong guys who can get movement in the run game and keep a clean pocket for my QB to step into. My guards would be almost exactly what the Saints have. Jahri Evans and Ben Grubbs are earth movers in the run game and they're almost impossible to bull rush.
All of my lineman will have the nasty attitude that all great lineman have. Length, strength, and athleticism will be important at each position.
My wide receivers will be a mix of player types. My #1 receiver must be able to attack coverages vertically. He must be tall, long, and have leaping ability. He must be unafraid to challenge the middle of the field in the passing game. This receiver will be responsible for the explosive plays in the passing game.
My second receiver must be another big bodied guy who can work the intermediate routes. He must be a technically savvy route-runner with great hands. His feel for zone coverages and his ability to separate versus man will be very important. This will be my possession type receiver. He must also be the guy willing to do some dirty work in the run game when were in 2 WR sets.
The third receiver would be the 'slot' guy. This guy must be able to create on his own once the ball is in his hands. He will need both quickness and speed. This guy will be a match-up nightmare for big corners and safeties. This WR must also be able to contribute on special teams. He should be a capable kick returner as well. Run after catch ability and open field elusiveness will be paramount for this player.
All of my running backs, weather it be my every down back, my short-yardage back, or my third-down back, will be no nonsense runners. I want running backs who see whats available and get it. If a play is blocked for 4 yards I want those 4 yards.
My every down back will have equal parts vision, balance, speed, and size. My running backs will know when to be physical and when to be elusive. All 3 of my backs will be difficult to tackle. My premier back will have a combination of skills such that he can defeat tacklers with each of my aforementioned attributes.
The power back must be a smart runner. He must know exactly the distance to gain for a score or a first down. He must be relentless in his running style. He must never be satisfied being tackled by one man. He must be smart enough that he can be counted on in pass protection.
My third down back must be a very difficult match-up for linebackers and safeties in coverage. This back will have unmatched quickness and burst. He would be very similar in make-up to my slot receiver. His run after the catch ability must be top notch. This is a player who will be explosive with the ball in his hands. He will run primarily out of one-back sets where there are fewer box defenders and the opportunity for an explosive run is much higher.
My tight end group would again consist of 3 different players. The first guy must be the most versatile. He needs to be long and strong to win against run defenders but he must be able to run and stretch the field vertically. He must be a very tough player capable of making tough catches of the middle of the field. He will be a very savvy route runner who can create space for himself and then outrun defenders. This would be a player that would very rarely leave the field.
My second tight end would be versatile, but in a different way. He must be able to flex away from the line of scrimmage and win battles outside the numbers. This would be my wildcard player on offense. His athleticism and run after the catch ability would be his most important attributes. He must be a serviceable as a run blocker but his main duties would be to wreck havoc on those trying to cover him.
My third tight end would be another hybrid type player. The other type of player he would resemble would be my fullback. Again, his athleticism would be important, as would his physical attitude. He must be willing and able to be a lead blocker. He would be a special teams demon as well. I wouldn't ask this player to ISO more than a few times a game but he must have that physical attitude that accompanies good run blocking.
Schematically, my offense would be based around versatility and balance. My versatile personnel would allow me to keep defenses guessing. My offense would be centered around big plays, staying in manageable third down situations, and being unpredictable. I want to be able to throw it as effectively from 11 personnel as I do from 13 personnel. I want to be able to get into my big personnel packages and take advantage of the predictable match-ups that come from 8, 9, and 10 man fronts. I also want to be able to run the ball effectively from each personnel grouping. I want to spread the field in 11 and let my back use his vision to control the ball and the clock. I want to spread it out to give my QB a clear picture of what the defense is doing. I want to create explosive plays vertically in the passing game. I'll create easy mismatches by using a large amount of formations, shifts, and motions. Each gameplan will involved ways to attack individual defenders as well as individual coverages and fronts.
Overall, the hallmarks of my offense will be toughness, big play ability, and brutal efficiency.
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