EFLI needs a Player Draft

The fans have spoken: 50% of the poll votes show that fans would like to see some sort of draft and combine be introduced into the league.



An EFLI Draft would be a night where all the coaches of the EFLI would choose rookie players to draft them to their team's roster. This gives the league a fair competitive environment that will only strengthen the league as a whole.

How it can be done?

A Combine.



A combine is a day where all the coaches show up to one field and make all the rookies who want to enter the league to try out and run football drills so the coaches can see who the top athletes are. Players would have to complete the following:

• Full Name
• Positions Interested in playing
• Address
• Age
• 40-yard Dash time
• Bench Press Reps
• -Other drills vary on what position players try out for

The combine would be fun for players to try out for, and will also expand the sport across India even more.

How will the draft actually work?

Online. Simply have all the coaches on stand-by online at a certain time, and stream a live feed of the draft. It could all be run by the commissioner or someone willing to cover it fairly. LIKE A REPORTER. That's right, this would be such a simple set-up, all it would take would be myself blogging the picks while coaches select what players they choose to draft. Fans can watch and read online about the new rookie and what they bring to their favorite team. The hardest part would be selecting and promoting a date for all rookie players and coaches to show up for, maybe in Colombo, Sri Lanka and Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in India and make it a 2 day event.

The league needs to start pushing forward, uniforms and players aren't enough. Fans are the most important part of a successful sport, and a draft and combine will help teach fans more of the players and help incoming players get a better grasp of the game.

DRAFT ORDER (if this happened, worst team gets first pick-champion gets last pick)
1. Kolkata Vipers
2. Pakistan Wolfpak
3. Hyderbad Skykings
4. Mumbai Gladiators
5. Bangalore Warhawks
6. Colombo Lions
7. Delhi Defenders
8. Pune Marathas

PLEASE SHARE AND LIKE THIS POST, LETS SEE IF WE CAN MAKE THIS HAPPEN BY JULY.

Kolkata Vipers can use insane trick play as a constant weapon

The 0-6 Kolkata Vipers are in a strange position but great position.

It appears as it stands now, 2012 punter Rajib Mondal will be the Vipers' quarterback since they lost Ron Banda.

Mondal may not be a bad idea at all. Think about it, he is a fresh new quarterback, but still has football experience under his belt to be effective. He was 2-for-3 in passing, which means we know he can at least throw the ball.

The video above show NFL superstar Tom Brady doing a surprise punt on 3rd down, stunning and trapping his opponent deep in their own territory.

Mondal and the Vipers should incorporate this play not just once in a season, but every 3rd and 4th down.

Mondal is a good solid punter, imagine him in shotgun on 3rd and 10 with maybe a running back in the backfield, like so (only imagine a running back with the quarterback and one less wide receiver in this picture):

Now the defense has no guy to catch the punt, so if this play works once and teams catch on, it turns into the greatest 3rd down option play possible.

Option 1: Mondal hikes the ball and runs a proper passing 3rd down play if the coach chooses to.
Option 2: Mondal hikes the ball and punts it if the defense is not ready and it is a long 3rd down.
Option 3: Mondal hikes the ball, sees they have a return man ready just in case of a fake, this creates an 11-on-10 man advantage. [Option 3A Mondal fakes a punt and runs a play or Option 3B Mondal hikes and runs a quick play with no fake.]

This formation can be used on 4th downs too to keep defenses honest (meaning they will have to be safe and aware of a fake, keeping them on there toes.)

Mondal could probably punt the ball up to 50 yards. The Vipers should embrace his unique talent as a passer and punter to use it to create an identity for the team...and come on, it would be so original and awesome it would attract fans to see this new gadget/trick formation.

2012 Elite Champions: Pune Marathas Highlights

Video via Prateek Khanna

Marathas Highlights Click Here!!!


Rewatch the EFLI Champs...

I will post more teams as the Youtuber uploads more videos. Be sure to like them on Youtube to help his account... 

Who will the QB be for the Kolkata Vipers?

EFLI Kolkata Vipers via Facebook

Are the Kolkata Vipers in trouble?

The Vipers posted an 0-6 record in 2012, and now they have lost their star quarterback Ron Banda is now is Skyking colors.

The picture above shows Arijit Sharker, who last year played on the defensive line, is taking offensive snaps. Now obviously, this is an OTA (organized team event) which never requires the full roster to be there, but it still raises questions...

How will the Vipers replace Banda?

Will Rajib Mondal be forced into the QB slot if they can't find anyone else?

Will the Vipers manage to win a game this year?

A Defense that could dismantle EFLI teams

India, I give you: The Zone Blitz.






I like to call it: "bend, but don't break."

EFLI is still in the learning stages of football, but if a team adapted the zone blitz, it may prove to be unbeatable. Offenses struggled getting points in season one, but now teams will have only improved, so this defense is for teams who aren't as good as their opponent defensively, but strong offensively. 

You have a 5-man rush, while everyone else drops back in a zone coverage, where you guard the passing zone of a particular area. If you have fast pass-rushers, it could cause a rushed pass or even an interception. The downside to the defense, is that it gives your opponent chances for dump-off passes to the running-back or closer receivers. 

Your opponent will get a lot of yards, but have trouble scoring any points because it works great against the run if you hold the runner to within three yards every touch. It can also be misleading to the quarterback and coach on who is blitzing and who is dropping back, as seen in the picture, where it appears SCF/Seam and Hook/#3 could be potential pass-rushers, but they drop back into coverage.

This is a really good play for second down situations, maybe even first down. Third down should always be man-to-man coverage unless it is 4th and long. It is also better to use against an offense when they have four or less receivers. 

Well, there you have it, an effective "option defense formation" that creates a wall up the field and forces the QB to make rushed decisions if pass-rushers are getting to him quick enough. Also, if the quarterback is a scrambler, simply make one of the linebackers a spy, which means he just plays parallel with the QB to contain him. 

Skykings: Twirl Up

Still a long way to go until Season II of EFLI, but the Hyderabad Skykings have a new game face...and yes...he has a killer mustache.

Expect more posts weekly this summer as more new information is released for Season II.

Happy to be back blogging for the next best league in the world.

SKYKINGS: Busy Month

The Kandy Skykings are now the Hyderabad Skykings.



In bigger news, a projected roster has been released showing none other than Kolkata Vipers' quarterback Roni Banda as the projected starting quarterback.

More news to come.

PS My spring break is over and back to cover EFLI...