One of the powerful features of Easy-Scout XP Professional, that is also found in Easy-Scout XP Analyzer and now Easy-Scout XP Plus, is what we call the "filtered report". By "filtered report", we mean that a subset of plays are selected from "within" one or more games according to some "criteria". 

Since Easy-Scout products have an extensive collection of reports that have "pre-set" filters - things like Down and Distance, Formation, Field Position, Personnel Groups (primarily college) and Hash are "standard" requirements.  Easy-Scout's "standard" reports cover these things very well and produce them with very little effort (just select the Games, Select the Reports and Print).

So, while coaches don't really need a "filtered report" often, when one is needed, its nice to have that capability.

The Group of Reports to the left illustrate one instance (a real one) in which the nature of the Offense dictated a different way to look at their formations, and the plays run from those formations, since even Personnel Groups did not reveal enough.

The Scenario

The Offense was a Spread Gun attack that mixed in occasional one or two back, I or offset I sets with their predominant "direct snap" attack.  Like most Spread teams, they used a variety of 2x2, 1,3 and 3x2 empty sets, with and without inverted wideouts.

Initial Analysis - Basic Formation and Run/Pass tendencies

A traditional formation analysis can be seen by viewing the Overall Formation Tendency report.  Without dissecting the report, lets stay focused on the top 10%, so, for example, any Formations used more than 10 % of the time. If we click to Page 2, we see that OVERALL, this team is balanced between Run and Pass.

A traditional Run/Pass Analysis can be seen by viewing the Pass/Run by Down and Distance report. Other than the obvious tendency to run on 1st Down and throw on both 3rd and Long and 4th and Long, this does not reveal much.

Advanced Analysis - Formation and Run/Pass tendencies based on the snap type, or QB Alignment.

Most Offensive teams have difficulty disguising "second level" tendencies. For example, teams that are balanced Run/Pass on 2nd and Long may reveal whether it will be a Run or Pass when they line up - by their formation.  Spread teams, particularly those who use a combination of Gun and "Under the Center" QB alignment with multiple receiver sets are frequently guilty of this.

Let's take a look at what happens to this team when we run a "filtered" report that shows us the same information, but in each "scenario".

Overall Formation Tendency - Under the Center

Notice that to produce this report, we simply specified that we wanted to "filter" plays so that only the Formation Names that DID NOT Contain the word GUN were shown. The "filter" statement is shown on this report.

For the DC, a number of great things happen here!  First, the formation list shrinks dramatically. Even better is the number of times 100% appears, illustrating some incredibly strong Formation Tendencies when the QB is Under Center.  Not to mention an overall Run/Pass tendency that is no longer balanced!

Overall Formation Tendency - Gun

Let's take a look at what happens to this team when we run a "filtered" report that shows us the same information, but in each "scenario".

Pass/Run by Down and Distance - Under the Center

Notice that to produce this report, we simply specified that we wanted to "filter" plays so that only the Formation Names that DID NOT Contain the word GUN were shown. The "filter" statement is shown on this report.

For the DC, even better things happen here, since the report illustrates some incredibly strong Run Tendencies when the QB is Under Center AND reveals just a handful of plays from very specific "situations" in which the team throws from Under the Center. 

Pass/Run by Down and Distance - Gun

To produce this report, we simply specified that we wanted to "filter" plays so that only the Formation Names that CONTAINED the word GUN were shown. The "filter" statement is shown on this report.  Again, these results are subject to individual interpretation, but there are clues here (think 100%), depending on one's point of view.

These are just two small examples of "filters" can work together with Easy-Scout's built-in reports to deliver EXACTLY the type of information that makes it possible to pinpoint tendencies with laser-like accuracy.  Best of all, "the user has the chalk"!

FILTERED REPORTING IS AVAILABLE IN THESE EASY-SCOUT PRODUCTS:

1. EASY-SCOUT PROFESSIONAL (Windows XP and Windows Vista)
2. EASY-SCOUT XP PLUS (Windows XP and Windows Vista)
3. EASY-SCOUT XP ANALYZER (Windows XP ONLY)