Anchor
The power runner. The heaviest player who still accelerates. Carries Nor’easter and Undertow and blocks the edge on passes.
Momentum, 10-yard sprint, contact grade, vertical jump.
The system
Roles and testing
Players are not labeled running back or receiver. Each of the five skill roles has a job, and a set of tests that predicts who will do it best. Testing takes two sessions with a stopwatch, a tape measure, cones and a hand shield. None of it is live contact.
Hinge
The extra blocker who can catch. Kicks out ends, leads through the hole and slips into the seam. His side of the formation is the strength call.
Contact grade, Catch 20, momentum, shuttle.
Jet
The fastest player. In motion on most snaps, carries Riptide and runs the flat and the seam. Always lines up off the line.
40-yard dash, 10-yard sprint, shuttle, Catch 20.
Mast
The tallest target and the best blocker among the receivers. Always on the line as the end on the Hinge side. Runs the post and the go.
Jump reach, Catch 20, 40-yard dash, contact grade.
Slip
The quickest player with the best hands. Always on the line as the end on the quick side. Runs the over, the corner and the slant.
Shuttle, Catch 20, 10-yard sprint.
Quarterback
Makes one read per pass and carries only on Keel, Breaker and Boardwalk. Picked by the staff, with two tests to inform it.
Target 20: five throws each from 5, 10, 15 and 20 yards at a 2-foot square. 10-yard sprint.
The tests
| Test | How to run it | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Height and weight | Tape and scale, shoes off. | Feeds momentum and jump reach. |
| 10-yard sprint | Two runs from a standing start. Keep the best. | Acceleration, the first thing a blocker or tackler feels. |
| 40-yard dash | Two runs. Keep the best. | Top speed in the open field. |
| Shuttle | Pro agility, 5-10-5 yards. One run each direction, keep the best. | Change of direction. |
| Vertical jump | Standing reach subtracted from jump touch. Best of three. | Leg power. |
| Catch 20 | Twenty throws from 10 yards: five at the chest, five high, five low, five on the run. Count clean catches. | Hands. |
| Contact grade | Fit and drive on a hand shield or sled. The coach grades 1 to 5. | Willingness and leverage as a blocker. This one is a judgment. |
| Momentum | Weight divided by 10-yard time. Calculated. | How much force arrives at the point of attack. |
| Jump reach | Height plus vertical jump. Calculated. | How high a player can catch the ball. |
The role fit score
How the numbers become roles.
Each measure is turned into a standard score against your own roster, with faster times scoring higher. A role’s fit is 50 plus 20 times the weighted sum of those scores, held between 0 and 100. The table gives each measure’s share of each role.
| Role | Momentum | 10-yard sprint | 40-yard dash | Shuttle | Vertical jump | Jump reach | Catch 20 | Contact grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAnchor | 40% | 25% | · | · | 15% | · | · | 20% |
| HHinge | 25% | · | · | 20% | · | · | 25% | 30% |
| JJet | · | 25% | 40% | 20% | · | · | 15% | · |
| MMast | · | · | 20% | · | · | 40% | 30% | 10% |
| SSlip | · | 25% | · | 40% | · | · | 35% | · |
A score of 50 is your roster’s average and every 20 points is one standard deviation. The scores rank your players against each other. They say nothing about how you compare with an opponent, and the role weights are a starting model to adjust.
Run it on your roster
The role fit calculator takes one row per skill player, scores every role, picks the starting five with the highest combined fit, and gives you the Power, Speed and Air dials for the Tide Table. It is part of the free coach account.
Common questions
Questions coaches ask.
Why roles instead of positions?
Because the position names players arrive with say little about what they can do. Each of the five skill roles has one job, and a set of tests predicts who will do it best. The same scores also tilt the call sheet toward what this year’s roster does well.
How long does testing take?
Two sessions with a stopwatch, a tape measure, cones and a hand shield. None of it is live contact: height and weight, 10-yard sprint, 40-yard dash, pro-agility shuttle, vertical jump, the Catch 20 and a coach’s contact grade.
What is the Catch 20?
Twenty throws from 10 yards: five at the chest, five high, five low, five on the run. Count the clean catches. It is the hands measure for every receiving role.
Which test matters most for which role?
Momentum for the Anchor (40 percent of his score), contact grade for the Hinge (30 percent), the 40-yard dash for the Jet (40 percent), jump reach for the Mast (40 percent) and the shuttle for the Slip (40 percent). The full weights are on this page.
What does a fit score of 50 mean?
Your roster’s average. Every 20 points is one standard deviation. The scores rank your players against each other; they say nothing about how you compare with an opponent.
How is the quarterback chosen?
By the staff, with two tests to inform it: Target 20 (five throws each from 5, 10, 15 and 20 yards at a 2-foot square) and the 10-yard sprint. He makes one read per pass and carries only on Keel, Breaker and Boardwalk.
Can I run the calculator with my own roster?
Yes, with a free account. The role fit calculator takes one row per skill player, scores every role, picks the starting five with the highest combined fit, and gives you the Power, Speed and Air dials for the call sheet.