The option is broken: would EA fix it? (long)

[steebu]

This is in response to a previous post and thread. This topic makes me so angry I want to punch a baby. And start a new thread.

Quote: Originally Posted by xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It isn't cheese at all. I don't run the option, but I think it is implemented in the game enough to make it similar to real life.

If that is your opinion, then you know nothing about option football. The option is COMPLETELY broken in this game. Period. It resembles the real life implementation of the option the way horsecrap resembles roast beef.

Most people think the option is fullback dive over and over, and when the defense bites on the dive, you pull the ball out of the FB's belly and option down the line. This is an oversimplification of how the option works, and EA's producers do one of the most beautiful offenses a complete disservice with its abominable implementation.

Little gripes first:

1. Georgia Tech's playbook includes the wishbone. Do you know how many times the wishbone formation was used this season by GT? ZERO. How many times was it used by Navy last year, when Paul Johnson was their coach? ZERO. EA seems to think that because you can run the "option" out of the wishbone, an option team must use the wishbone, right? WRONG. In fact, Paul Johnson HATES it when people refer to his offense as the wishbone option. You will NEVER see any of his teams line up in the wishbone. EVER.

2. The pitch relationship between the QB and pitch man is usually off. Sometimes when I pitch, the pitch man is 10 yards behind the line of scrimmage when he receives the pitch and gets thrown for a 10 yard loss. This NEVER happens in real life with the frequency that it does in the game.

3. Wild and crazy pitches. My QB's getting wrapped up, he's nearly face-down on the ground wrapped up by 3 defenders. I wildly hit the pitch button over and over, and magically, the ball gets flicked out of his hand to the pitch man.

4. Not enough true option plays implemented. Forget about the Triple: is the midline option implemented? No. Syracuse Freeze? No. Counter trap? No.

5. "Option Pass"? What a joke. This is the play where the QB pretends to option down the line, then drops back to pass. The QB is stuck in the animation for so long that by the time he plants his feet to start his passing setup, he gets sacked.

But here is my biggest problem with the implementation of the option:

THE BLOCKING IS COMPLETELY WRONG.

And THAT is what breaks the option in this game.

It doesn't matter if you run the option out of the spread like GT. Or the single wing like Florida sometimes does. Or run the "zone read" like Texas. The option is based on one simple fact that EA misses: YOU OPTION OFF AN UNBLOCKED DEFENDER.

Let me repeat this so it is crystal clear (and hopefully someone at EA will implement this for 2011 - it's too late for 2010): THE OPTION IS BASED OFF OF NOT BLOCKING A DEFENDER AND OPTIONING BASED ON WHAT HE DOES. HE IS UNBLOCKED. UNBLOCKED! UNBLOCKED!!! HE IS FREAKING $#*!!# UNBLOCKED!!!!!!

Surprised? If you are, then welcome to option football 101.

Let's talk about one of the most basic option plays, the triple. You can run it out of a variety of formations, but I'll use GT as an example in this case. Watch this play, and watch it only ONCE.
This is from last week's GT-UGA game. Watch it once (and ONLY once) and then come back to my rant. Do not watch this again until you read the explanation of what's going on below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QdbSb6xdVM

This play is Trips Left Rip Triple Right. Josh Nesbitt, the QB, and Jonathan Dwyer, the B-Back (fullback) mesh. The Mesh Point is the meeting point between the QB and the B-Back. Nesbitt's read is the UNBLOCKED play side DE. The DE collapses on Dwyer, so Nesbitt pulls the ball and continues down the line. The play side LB then attacks Nesbitt, so Nesbitt's next read is easy: he pitches to the motioning A-Back (the Rip player) Roddy Jones. As an aside, the FS's responsibility is the pitch man, but he is dumb and irresponsible and attacks Nesbitt, neglecting his responsibility, the pitch man. The play goes for 62 yards. Now, with all that in mind, watch the youtube clip over and over, keeping in mind several things:

1. the play side DE is UNBLOCKED
2. the read is instantaneous: Nesbitt reads the collapsing DE and pulls the ball from Dwyer
3. Nesbitt reads the attacking LB and correctly pitches to the A-Back
4. Watch the other OL, in particular, the RG and RT. Watch the play side WR and who he blocks.

AT NO POINT DO THEY FIRE OUT STRAIGHT AHEAD LIKE THEY DO IN THE GAME AND BLOCK THE GUY DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THEM. Look at the freaking playbook in the game. The blocking scheme is "Everyone Fire Out Straight Ahead". Same with the WR.

The beauty of the Triple is that the blocking scheme is very complex and changes from play to play. Again, here's a very key point to the option: BECAUSE YOU WANT TO OPTION OFF A PARTICULAR UNBLOCKED DEFENSIVE LINEMAN, THE OL IS FREE TO GO DOWNFIELD AND CREAM SOME LB'S OR DB'S. THAT is why the option produces such big plays like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHzxEKEQle0

Again, watch the play side DE. Unblocked. Watch the non-motioning A-Back run straight down the field, past the linebackers, and destroy the FS (note he didn't do this in the previous example). Watch the RG and RT COMPLETELY IGNORE THE PLAY SIDE DE and try to block the LB's (they kinda whiff).

"Oh, that's just Georgia Tech and the triple option wishbone bull crap. Look at how cool Florida's option is with Tebow!"

OK. Keep in mind everything I just said. Now watch this clip, AND WATCH THE PLAY SIDE DE AND TELL ME IF HE IS BLOCKED.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A13tYMcmEf4

Yes, genius, that's right. NONE of the Florida linemen block him, and that's Tebow's read as he meshes with the RB. Tebow rides him until he sees the DE commit and crash so Tebow pulls the ball.

Still not convinced? Watch Vince Young run the "Zone Read". Oh, yeah, watch the play side DE. Is he blocked?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4l-CEt22-o8

Oh, right. He's unblocked.

Want even more proof? How about running the midline option? It's the same principle as the Triple, but instead of not blocking the DE you leave one of the interior defensive linemen unblocked. Think it doesn't work? Read this EXCELLENT explanation of the midline option by a Navy sports blogger:

http://thebirddog.wordpress.com/2008...idline-option/

Again, get it through your heads: THE OPTION WORKS BECAUSE YOU LEAVE A DEFENDER UNBLOCKED, OPTION OFF HIM, AND BLOCK EVERYONE ELSE. And that's precisely why the implementation of the option in NCAA football makes me so angry! It doesn't work like that in the game!

Look, I realize there are several other glaring holes in this game that need attention, but for now I wanted to concentrate solely on this one. Hopefully EA will take a look at this and try to fix it, cuz right now, it's so broke it ain't even funny.

[Psyblast]

Bravo.

[chia51]

Now thats some real talk! Its too bad we have some real "morons" programming college football games.

[SHO]

Co-signing the VERY powerful post. I hope the playbook guy takes a long look at this thread.

[CrayZT415]

Thank you! I prefer the option in football...I'm old school. I run with a team of decently fast QB's (Middle Tennessee State) and the option just isn't suiting my needs. If I want to run with my QB, I do the ol exploit of rolling out on a pass play and tucking it. Not cool, but at least I get some yards for my QB's. I would love to have a sophisticated and well thought out option system in the game, like the post above. Thanks again.

[DonkeyJote]

You are absolutely right about everything in your post (except GT not a running a wishbone - I don't care what Paul Johnson wants to call it, that's what it is). This is why all those team that run the spread offense in the game can't run the ball. Because the blocking on it is broken.

In a zone read, you let the de go, and pick up all of the second level guys. That way, if the DE pinches too hard, then the qb pulls it out, and only has the one guy to beat. If the DE keeps contain, then the qb gives the ball, and the DE is out of the play. With the spread becoming such a widely used offense, this is crucial, imo. But if they fix that problem in the spread, I think it fixes the problem in the triple as well. Then they just need to work on the pitch relationship.

The option is done pretty much exactly the same way it was last year. The only real difference is that they did a much better job of fixing the defensive responsibilities on the option, so it isn't as effective. But it is nowhere near true to what the option is.

[ChicagoSparty]

Thanks very much for this. They should fix it, because the option is only becoming more prevalent in the college game. Whether from under center or in the pistol or shotgun, it's everywhere now.

[ftball11]

I was a wishbone QB in high school...damn I am old...so I can shed some light on the option. Yes the play-side DE is left unblocked because that is the QB's first read. If the DE bites on the FB, you pull the ball and stretch out the play. If the DE bites straight up field, you give it to the FB. The first read is the corner stone to the play. The blocking scheme on a option play is very complicated as well, it is not just straight ahead zone blocking. The blocking assignments are designed to take out the LBs, which is something this game doesn't even come close to doing.