Ordering your Inputs - General
The advanced tactics system of GLB works just like a computer program (because that’s what it is): it reads top to bottom and if it encounters a match at the top it won’t even read any lower. This means it is important to some extent in what order you set up your inputs. The general principle is that since whatever is at the top overrides whatever is below it, put all of your special circumstances inputs at the top. I arrange them in this basic order:
Goalline - This is when you set up a defense for the formation Goalline. Because the computer reads your formation you could put this input anywhere and it would still work. I just put it at the top to keep all the Goalline stuff together
Goalline I, Pro, Shotgun, etc. - This is when you set up a defense for some formation besides Goalline but you are wanting a special outcome when that formation happens, say inside your own 10. For example, if you want to run Cover 2 Man against Strong I everywhere except once they get inside your own 10, and then you want a more run-heavy defense, then you would set up a special input for Strong I in a Goalline situation. You want all these at the top because you want them to override your normal settings. In our example, you want the Strong I Goalline above the regular Strong I inputs so that in that situation the computer overrides your normal defense for Strong I. Not to worry. If the computer gets to your Strong I Goalline input and your opponent is not inside your 10 (or whatever you set it at), then the computer will pass over it and go down to your normal Strong I input. You want your regular formation in the Goalline inputs up at the top.
4th and Short - This is when you set up a defense usually to stop a power run on 4th and short. Most teams, if they go for it on 4th down, try a power run. Thus if a team goes for it on 4th and short, even if they typically pass from Strong I it is a good bet they will run it so you set up a very run-heavy defense for this situation. If they decide to Punt on 4th or kick a FG the computer will automatically bring out the right special teams package regardless of your input so you don’t have to worry about that. As before you want these inputs to override your normal formation inputs so you place these at the top above your normal inputs.
Backed into Own Goal - This is when you set up a defense for some formation when your opponent is inside his own goal (usually the 3). Typically offenses try to run when they are backed into their own goal so just as before this is a specal circumstance and you want it above your normal formation inputs.
All Formation Inputs for Specialized Situation - This is where you set up your defense for every formation in a special situation, either under a certain amount of time or when the score is within a certain range. Again remember that if the condition is not met, the computer will skip this and continue to your normal inputs.
Formation Inputs (except Normal I) - This is where you set up your defense for every formation except Normal I. I will write more about ordering your inputs within a formation (i.e. what order to put all your Strong I inputs in).
Normal I Inputs - This is where you put your Normal I inputs. There is no Normal I choice in the formations menu y so you have to select “I (any variation)” and put it at the very bottom. When the computer gets through all your Strong and Weak I inputs the only I formation with 2 WRs left will be your Normal I.
Ordering your Inputs - Within a Formation
Just as in the case of your overall input system, within your formation the order does matter for the same reasons: the computer will read your inputs from top to bottom. Here are some things to consider:
Create a basic input for each formation and put it at the bottom. Why? Just in case you exclude some situation in your specific inputs this will serve as a catch-all. Let’s look at Singleback. Here is what you would usually see in my playbook (could vary depending on the team).
Singleback Backed Up - The defense I want if they come out in Singleback backed into their own goal (between Opponent’s Goal and Opponent’s 3) - Way Up at the top above the rest of the primary Singleback inputs.
Singleback Goalline 1 - The defense I want if they come out in Singleback in the Goalline (between Own Goal and Own 10) on 1st down. Way Up at the top above the rest of the primary Singleback inputs.
Singleback Goalline 2 - The defense I want if they come out in Singleback in the Goalline (between Own Goal and Own 10) on 2nd down. Way Up at the top above the rest of the primary Singleback inputs.
Singleback Goalline 3 - The defense I want if they come out in Singleback in the Goalline (between Own Goal and Own 10) on 3rd down. Way Up at the top above the rest of the primary Singleback inputs.
Singleback Goalline Basic - The basic defense I want if they come out in Singleback in the Goalline (between Own Goal and Own 10) on any down in case my other inputs missed something. Way Up at the top above the rest of the primary Singleback inputs.
Singleback 4th and Short - The defense I want if they come out in Singleback on 4th and short (0-3 yards). probably I am defending against the Strong Slam. Way Up at the top above the rest of the primary Singleback inputs but below the Goalline ones.
Singleback 1st down - The defense I want if they come out in Singleback on 1st down.
Singleback 2nd down - The defense I want if they come out in Singleback on 2nd down.
Singleback 3rd down - The defense I want if they come out in Singleback on 3rd down.
Singleback Basic - The catch-all defense if they come out in Singleback and one of my other inputs does not cover it. Notice this will also cover Singleback on 4th down and 3.1-100 yards as well.
Now of course I may not need this many inputs. It depends on the team and the type of offense they use. If they use the same offense on multiple situations I may be able to cover it with one play. Also if the combo of plays they use on 1st and 2nd down can be covered with one defensive play then I won’t need a separate input for each situation. Take my inputs vs. the Boston Nighthawks:
Singleback Backed Up - a play to stop the Strong Slam
Singleback Goalline 1 - they run a HB screen on 1st down inside the 10
Singleback Goalline 2 - they run a WR screen on 2nd down inside the 10
Singleback Goalline Basic - Singleback never comes up on 3rd or 4th down, but if it ever does this will catch it
Singleback 4th and Short - a play to stop the Strong Slam and the WR screen
Singleback 2nd and 0-10 - they like to run on 2nd and 10 or fewer yards from the Singleback set so this is a play to stop the run
Singleback 3rd and 0-4 - they like to run on 3rd and 4 or fewer yards from the Singleback set so this is a play to stop the run
Singleback Basic - they pass on 1st from the Singleback, and also on 2nd and longer than 10, 3rd and longer than 4, but notice this defense will cover all those situations without me specifying them because I have placed it at the bottom. Any situation not covered by the inputs above will fall into this category.
Now consider my Singleback inputs for the Detroit Demon Lions:
Singleback Backed Up - a play to stop the Strong Slam
Singleback Goalline - They do not run a different play on 1st, 2nd or 3rd in the Goalline so this play is just designed to stop the play or play combos they use from Singleback in the Goalline
Singleback 4th and Short - a play to stop the Strong Slam
Singleback 1st down - The defense I want if they come out in Singleback on 1st down.
Singleback 2nd and 0-2 - The defense I want if they come out in Singleback on 2nd down and 0-2 yards. They like to take a shot down the field in this situation.
Singleback 2nd and 10+ - The defense I want if they come out in Singleback on 2nd down and 10 or more yards to go. They also pass it deep in this situation.
Singleback 3rd/4th down - The defense I want if they come out in Singleback on 3rd or 4th down.
Can you immediately see a mistake I made in these inputs? That’s right, there is no input to cover 2nd down from 2-10 yards. What would happen? Well time and space would not cease to exist; the CPU would simply pick what it thought was an appropriate play to cover my mistake. Notice if instead of the Singleback 3rd/4th play I had done a Singleback Basic play that covered downs 1-4 and put it at the bottom it would have covered 3rd down, 4th down, and 2nd and 2-10 yards to go. Mistakes like this are easy to make, which is why it is good to get into the habit of making a basic play for each formation as a catch-all.
Another important point is that I cannot use decimal points. The system won’t allow them and I believe it just strips the decimal off if you enter one (e.g. if you said from 10.6 to 15 yards it would save it as from 10 to 15 yards). The significance of this is that you must order your inputs so that if you duplicate a yardage number, the play you want to come up on that exact number is first. An example will make this clear. Let’s say I want to defend the run on 2nd and 0-10, but the pass if it is 2nd and greater than 10. I would set up 2 inputs like this:
Singleback 2nd and 0-10 - Run Defense (Covers 2nd and 0-10)
Singleback 2nd and 10-100 - Pass Defense (Covers 2nd and 10.1-100)
If I order them this way, then on 2nd and 10 my first input, the Run Defense will come up, on 2nd and 10.1-100 the Pass defense will come up. If I switched their order:
Singleback 2nd and 10-100 - Pass Defense (Covers 2nd and 10-100)
Singleback 2nd and 0-10 - Run Defense (Covers 2nd and 0-9.9)
If I order them this way, then on 2nd and 10 my first input, the Pass Defense will come up. So if I wanted to make sure my Run Defense came up on 2nd and 10 (a very common situation), then I would have to order my iputs so the 0-10 one comes up first. I have to be very careful with this because if this were 1sta dn not 2nd down and I had them in the wrong order
Singleback 1st and 10-100 - Pass Defense (Covers 1st and 10-100)
Singleback 1st and 0-10 - Run Defense (Covers 1st and 0-9.9)
my Run defense play would almost never come up barring a penalty to produce a 1st and 15.
Also notice that if I setup my inputs as
Singleback 2nd and 0-9 - Run Defense (Covers 2nd and 0-10)
Singleback 2nd and 10-100 - Pass Defense (Covers 2nd and 10.1-100)
I have left a gap between 9 and 10 and anything betweenn 9.1 and 9.9 yards would not be covered. If I flipped the order of the plays
Singleback 2nd and 10-100 - Pass Defense (Covers 2nd and 10.1-100)
Singleback 2nd and 0-9 - Run Defense (Covers 2nd and 0-10)
I would still have the same problem.
