Zone Read And Running Out of the Shotgun

[Palo20]

The NCAA team should add everything that is written on Chris' site.

[jts20]

Has anyone tried running the HB mid draw out of shotgun? Works well for me. Only running play out of shotgun formations that work. My spread option offense was very one dimensional until I discovered that draws work well out of shotgun. And if the D comes to the line stacked with 7 or 8 in the box, use the generic audible to short pass and hit a quick slant

[Maxattax3]

Quote: Originally Posted by mgoblue678

The zone read play is flat out broken in the game.

It doesnt play realistically, but Ive had success with it. Motion a WR to opposite side, and/or keep with QB and run behind a TE.

[thelasthurtknee]

Quote: Originally Posted by cgrierwv75

I love the zone read and running the spread... (i played at wvu) but ncaa 10 makes it impossible. Even if you are facing a dime or quarters you cannot consistantly run the ball from shotgun this year. It's a shame... i could run from the shotgun all day last year against a dime (or anything else with 5 or even 6 in the box). Not this year... therefore i cannot stay turn to the spread That being said the OL in this year's game DOES have double teams and they do peel off for LB's. Although it does need to be improved greatly.

i agree that the blocking is completely jacked but im afraid the original team that worked on next gen might of done such a bad job at the base of this game it could be uncorrectable at this point.

as far as running out of shotgun i feel its the best way to run the ball. i am actually amazed that you guys think its hard to run out of.

one of the great things the ea guys did was remove the left and right blocking from run plays under center. that made it way to easy to run the ball last year because you could always block away from where you were running and get a zone block look and get tons of yards. this year they fixed that but since it was harder to run in shotgun they left it in shotgun sets. its also in a few undercenter sets still but only found it working in two(both new sets).

the draw play to the weak side (block to the side you are running. great play. any off tackle out of a hb weak set. hb power(only in spread books), any option to the wr's. choice plays will work but you have to hand it off. the qb will never be able to run with it very well. the qb draws are good and so are quick hits but you cant burst because the pulling guard is slow to seal. your best plays are out of split back formations (VT is good for this because they have alot of I so your personel is the same) using the fb(or hb) as a lead blocker. if you use a playbook like oregon you can obviously run for alot more because it has tons of functional running plays. remember to block with if you want a reach block, works well when you want to cut up in side the de because the de has outside containment. if your running to weak or one tech side you can block down or away and seal the end and get outside. depending on where the backers are you can run either. if its a slow developing run then block straight ahead or power so you can have time for play to develop. the qb choice keeper (cant remember real name) is terrible. never run it. i also have probs with the triple option but the speed and power options work well. now if you dive into miss st. or florida your basically a power run O but i dont use those. i like real spreads like the Ducks or Auburn. hell i use Wake Forest for 200 a game before i new what i was doing. its all about the zone and seal blocking using left and right going off numbers. and just so you know you will get your big gains up the gut unless its a option to the outside. i cut back against the grain alot for big runs and i use power backs. the ducks also have some really cool cutbacks and counters out of shotgun that work really good. remember to run counters at the one tech. and block away. the guard and tackle will wash down the dline. keep working with it. its the only way to get zone blocking looks.

[ftball11]

Quote: Originally Posted by thejake

This blog post is an excellent look at the basic zone read concept. Hopefully this type of blocking scheme and ways to defend it can be added into next years game. I want to have to read that backside DE. And another thing that would go a long way to improving the shotgun running game would be if the cpu would come out in at least nickel when I have 3 or more WRs on the field. It's really starting to bug me when I come out with 4 WR and have a running play called that the cpu will be in a 4-3 and when I come out with 4WR and a passing play called the CPU comes out in nickel. Here's another good read about it: http://smartfootball.com/run-game/th...adruple-option

The problem is the cpu plays the down and yards to go, not formations, player tendencies or game situations. It is very basic AI when you think about it. This is also what leads to the CPU using "cheeze" and unrealistic plays in order to be competitive. But, as several posters have pointed out to me in the past, NCAA is a video game first and a game about football second.

[thejake]

thelasthurtknee,

How are you telling your oline to "block away"? Are you using the slide protect audibles?

[thelasthurtknee]

slide protect. i just got used to last year saying reach or seal. if you block to the direction you are running then its reach if its away its backside or seal. the really cool thing is last year i would run with usc's book. all under center. i would always block away because the tackle would get a perfect seal on the de even if he was outside in a 7 tech. this year out of shot its not the case. you actually have to count numbers on numbers and see if you can get the backer playside to commit inside or out. you can do this before the play with motion if he doesnt move presnap. here's the big difference between reach and seal. if you seal or block away from run side you will try to get the ball outside or off tackle. its rare to see a hole up the middle(maybe a cutback lane). if you reach (zone block) which means your blocking to the run it will do what a zone play does. you just have to find your hole and explode into it. you will often get the guard blocking down and the tackle out and hope the te or center get second level.

one thing to remember is double teams will not really happen when you do this. it makes the line play one on one unless the rb(if you have two) or te get a scrap going to second level. use a H-back if you have one to block up the middle and you have a lead blocker.

one other thing is to watch the one and three tech. i like to run outside or counters on the one and 5 tech side. i like to attack the three and seven with power. now you can wash down the one and 5 and bust it out on dives but make sure you have the numbers in your favor. this is like the draw play. i like to run it to the one and 5 tech side. block with the run or to the side you are running. the tackle gets the 5 and seals him down. the guard goes second level and the center seals the NT. three on three and you will win. look at he numbers, then the tech of the dline. then you need to power run or slide left or right. oh, reminder, never run power when running a draw. for some reason the oline will step back on the fake to pass and then run ahead when you hand off. the oline misses alot of blocks when this happens for some reason. i think its because they are running at each other.

a good play to run to learn about this is either Shotgun Split off tackle. try blocking away, too and power. watch the line and learn how they react to whats in front of them. the other play would be Shotgun Ace off tackle. another thing is that i dont have alot of success running shotgun te plays that the HB is in normal and not weak. you need to run to the te side. it does work in spread or 4 wide because alot of time the D is in dime and you are even on numbers.

Edit: just dont get wrapped up in those wrap and choice plays. if you offense only has these and draw out of shot you will not run that great. you need a full on spread run game. the D will pick up the run game to easy if you cant hurt them to the outside. also i like to run the wr options. any play like this (jets and wr into backfield) use power block. anything that takes a second to set up just use power.

[yanks26ngoin]

Quote: Originally Posted by jts20

Has anyone tried running the HB mid draw out of shotgun? Works well for me. Only running play out of shotgun formations that work. My spread option offense was very one dimensional until I discovered that draws work well out of shotgun. And if the D comes to the line stacked with 7 or 8 in the box, use the generic audible to short pass and hit a quick slant

What?!? I am able to run on alot of plays in my playbook. And run them pretty well. But, I dont sprint from the on-set, because I like to read the defense and look for holes. If I cant find/get to a hole, I just jam it up the middle and fight for a few yards. Also, you should do the same thing on the QB choice, but try to get a feel for the defense before you make the decision to keep it or hand it off. Same thing on the options, dont sprint right away, look for holes, if you cant find one, or your about to get tackeled, pitch it to the rb and let him do his thing.