Change the field size to legitimize players and records.

[bigbadwolf]

First of all, I feel I must apologize. I'm a 6 man fan and new to this site so this may be a stupid question/statement.
6 man players and stats seldom get respect due to the fact that it's 6 man. While there has been some success with some players transitioning into the 11 man world it's pretty rare. It's definitely NOT my intention to cause embarrassment but arguably one of the best 6 man players to ever play the game, who was an absolute beast on the 6 man field was pretty much a bust at one of the smallest universities in the nation as he tried his 11 man legs out.
Just thinking out loud but the 6 man field in proportion to the 11 man field is HUGE!!! Being so proportionally huge it gives great advantage to speedy, shifty players. Now....if you shrunk the field size down in proportions to what it should be (compared to the 11 man field) the 6 man field would be approx. 27.5 yards wide, and 54.5 yards long. In doing this you would certainly slow the game down but you'd also have firmer ground to stand on when arguing that stats of 6 man players should be recognized more.
Thoughts?

 

[Leman Saunders]

I can promise you it wouldn't help.

And it is a misconception that it is rare for a 6man player to make the transition to 11man...in fact most make it pretty easy.

 

[tdog5344]

First of all, I feel I must apologize. I'm a 6 man fan and new to this site so this may be a stupid question/statement.
6 man players and stats seldom get respect due to the fact that it's 6 man. While there has been some success with some players transitioning into the 11 man world it's pretty rare. It's definitely NOT my intention to cause embarrassment but arguably one of the best 6 man players to ever play the game, who was an absolute beast on the 6 man field was pretty much a bust at one of the smallest universities in the nation as he tried his 11 man legs out.
Just thinking out loud but the 6 man field in proportion to the 11 man field is HUGE!!! Being so proportionally huge it gives great advantage to speedy, shifty players. Now....if you shrunk the field size down in proportions to what it should be (compared to the 11 man field) the 6 man field would be approx. 27.5 yards wide, and 54.5 yards long. In doing this you would certainly slow the game down but you'd also have firmer ground to stand on when arguing that stats of 6 man players should be recognized more.
Thoughts?

You said it best yourself.. This may be stupid... Yes your statement was just that sorry. If you don't feel you got or your kid got the recognition they deserved, then load up and put them in 11 man.

 

[rainjacktx]

Stats would be even more skewed if you moved 6-man to an 11-man field. 6-man will just never get the respect of the 11-man world - no matter what you do.

 

[51eleven]

Don't change anything about the game itself without careful consideration. It is what Epler intended, a way for towns that can't field an 11 man team to play Football. Not some watered down substitute but real, tough, fast hard hittn' Football.
I've argued myself before that it is a better alternative in big city schools (say, Allen) for say "B'" and "C" teams. The result of more teams means more playing time for more players. Still playing Real football. Though the stigma will always exist, let them live in their ignorance, if they choose so.

 

[Warcat82]

UMHB, arguably one of the best D3 colleges in the nation has several 6 man guys on its team and they transitioned very well. Also, there have been success stories at the D1 level as well for 6 man guys. I coached 11 man for many years, and then jumped over to 6 man, and I will never go back to 11 man as long as I have the choice. It is a much better game and the challenge of 6 man makes coaches better coaches because you have to scheme for all players not just a few like 11 man. Also, 6 man guys transitioning to 11 man is much easier than 11 man switching to 6 man. 11 man guys don't understand it, and they struggle to grasp the strategy and speed of it all. 6 man guys understand get the ball and run or catch the ball and run or go block that guy there or go tackle that guy, which in basic terms is all 11 man really is.

 

[Thirtysix]

The math can be deceptive on 6man players making it in 11man. I think the percentage of 11man to 6man players playing in college is pretty close. I played 6man from jr high through high school, and I was recruited and played college football. I love football (watching, playing, studying it), but The speed of playing 11man is not as much fun a 6man. Anyone can play college football there are thousands of D2 D3 and NAIA schools who need to fill a roster. My roommate was on the team and he never started a game and was on J.V. all four years of high school. There are not many D1 players on most of the 11man teams. The truth is an NFL caliber player sticks out doesn’t matter if you play 6 or 11.

 

[sinfonian]

It's more than just six man vs. eleven. The eleven man players from the smaller schools rarely get looked at by colleges looking to give scholarships either. They mostly watch the 6A and 5A schools. I know that there are exceptions, but as a general rule, that's the way it is.

 

[PaleRider]

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