What am I doing wrong? (Oregon playbook)

[JonathanPDX]

I'm a Ducks fan so I'm playing Oregon in a single player dynasty, and I have absolutely no luck running from the spread. Every time I call the zone read I make the correct read (watching the DE) and then my QB is getting sacked in the backfield by linebackers. Even against cover 2, the secondary blows past my WR's and my only chance to gain yards is to hand it off or try and break tackles behind the line.

Every time I call play action there's a little lag between the fake handoff and my throwing options, and somehow the defense gets to me every time. It doesn't seem to matter how many they rush, how my O-line is rated, or what my call or theirs is; my QB is getting hit before I can get the ball off.

Just to test, I tried running a max rated RB with max blocking and RB ability sliders. If I run every play from the Ace 2-TE set (under center) I can put up a million rushing yards. If I call the zone read and sweeps out of the shotgun I have trouble moving the ball even against terrible defenses like Washington State.

Why is it so hard to run from the shotgun? Am I missing something obvious? I thought this year the blocking would be better, but it seems like any reads, options, or spread running that isn't a dive gets blown up from the outside, or takes so long to develop that the linebackers can teleport into the backfield to shut it down.

I'm very disappointed, I thought this year the read option and the spread blocking system would be improved. Instead it feels like the blocking is somehow dumber than last year, or at least unaware of anything outside of the defensive line. I don't expect to dominate with the option, but a correct read against the right defense should have a chance to pick up a few yards, shouldn't it? I'm not on a high difficulty setting, and I haven't messed with sliders at all. What am I doing wrong?

[Arkavian]

Are you setting up the read option and the runs from shotgun?

At first I had trouble as well until I realized that I was not setting up the play properly.

I find that running out the shotgun/pistol requires the use of setting up of a few quick slant play sets and then a couple of counters and maybe a draw or two before trying to run read option out of a formation.

I find after getting the defense to think I'm always going to give it to the back or that I'm coming out for a quick slant pattern, is when I can run the read option.

I probably have a 80 percent success rate with it now.

Also, FYI I find it easier to run the read option out of the pistol than the shotgun. I'm not familiar with Oregon's playbook so I don't know if they have the formation or not.

[sf.irish]

I usually play with ND and their spread attack. I love the fact that RB delays and end arounds work really well this time around.

However, like you, I'm having a really damn hard time getting the play action to work, even when I've been setting it up. I get sacked most of the time, so I've just stopped calling them.

I've also noticed that the slot receivers are open way too often, while I have a much harder time throwing to my split end(who is Mike Floyd, rated a 97).

What settings and sliders are you playing on?

[feeq14]

Quote: Originally Posted by JonathanPDX

I'm a Ducks fan so I'm playing Oregon in a single player dynasty, and I have absolutely no luck running from the spread. Every time I call the zone read I make the correct read (watching the DE) and then my QB is getting sacked in the backfield by linebackers. Even against cover 2, the secondary blows past my WR's and my only chance to gain yards is to hand it off or try and break tackles behind the line. Every time I call play action there's a little lag between the fake handoff and my throwing options, and somehow the defense gets to me every time. It doesn't seem to matter how many they rush, how my O-line is rated, or what my call or theirs is; my QB is getting hit before I can get the ball off. Just to test, I tried running a max rated RB with max blocking and RB ability sliders. If I run every play from the Ace 2-TE set (under center) I can put up a million rushing yards. If I call the zone read and sweeps out of the shotgun I have trouble moving the ball even against terrible defenses like Washington State. Why is it so hard to run from the shotgun? Am I missing something obvious? I thought this year the blocking would be better, but it seems like any reads, options, or spread running that isn't a dive gets blown up from the outside, or takes so long to develop that the linebackers can teleport into the backfield to shut it down. I'm very disappointed, I thought this year the read option and the spread blocking system would be improved. Instead it feels like the blocking is somehow dumber than last year, or at least unaware of anything outside of the defensive line. I don't expect to dominate with the option, but a correct read against the right defense should have a chance to pick up a few yards, shouldn't it? I'm not on a high difficulty setting, and I haven't messed with sliders at all. What am I doing wrong?

The first thin you have to understand is that the cpu is psychic. You may not have noticed, but most of the time when you call a spread option run you will notice taht the cpu is in a 4-3 or whatever their base defense is, regardless of how you call your plays or how many recievers are on the field. It is darn near impossible to get a good spread option attack going with 7 men in the box.

That said turn auto sprint off because it is of the utmost that you are able to very quickly hit the hole on your read option plays. Also, you do need to set up the pass. Even though the cpu will always come out in a 4-3, they still will call zone coverages if you pass enough which will keep the linebackers honest.

Play action is darn near worthless because as you said

1- the QB takes way too long to set up, but also

2- The cpu seems to always call a blitz whenever you call a Playaction pass which darn near assures you get blown up in the backfield.

Give a small bump to your run ability and run block and a small drop to cpu run defense to even things out.

[UtahUtes32]

I play on heisman, base sliders. I plywood with Oregon last night, against USC, I had 190 rushing yards, most on the zone read. The key to the zone read is never run against a blitz, and only run when you have numbers(6 or less in box) you can slow down the blitz of the CPU by running screens. I had a nice 40+ yd run on the zone read with Darren Thomas. You have to be disciplined though. I run a similar offense with Utah, in my dynasty and have the best rush offense after week 5, averaging 250 rushing ypg. But I mix in draws, power options, etc. One play I LOVe out of Oregons playbill is the Ace shotgun read. It is a power formation, and even if they come out in a base set, you should get yards.

[PhillyPhanatic]

Quote: Originally Posted by JonathanPDX

I'm a Ducks fan so I'm playing Oregon in a single player dynasty, and I have absolutely no luck running from the spread. Every time I call the zone read I make the correct read (watching the DE) and then my QB is getting sacked in the backfield by linebackers. Even against cover 2, the secondary blows past my WR's and my only chance to gain yards is to hand it off or try and break tackles behind the line. Every time I call play action there's a little lag between the fake handoff and my throwing options, and somehow the defense gets to me every time. It doesn't seem to matter how many they rush, how my O-line is rated, or what my call or theirs is; my QB is getting hit before I can get the ball off. Just to test, I tried running a max rated RB with max blocking and RB ability sliders. If I run every play from the Ace 2-TE set (under center) I can put up a million rushing yards. If I call the zone read and sweeps out of the shotgun I have trouble moving the ball even against terrible defenses like Washington State. Why is it so hard to run from the shotgun? Am I missing something obvious? I thought this year the blocking would be better, but it seems like any reads, options, or spread running that isn't a dive gets blown up from the outside, or takes so long to develop that the linebackers can teleport into the backfield to shut it down. I'm very disappointed, I thought this year the read option and the spread blocking system would be improved. Instead it feels like the blocking is somehow dumber than last year, or at least unaware of anything outside of the defensive line. I don't expect to dominate with the option, but a correct read against the right defense should have a chance to pick up a few yards, shouldn't it? I'm not on a high difficulty setting, and I haven't messed with sliders at all. What am I doing wrong?

I know what you mean, its hard. Are you using Costa or DT at QB?

[UnderRatedCoast]

Quote: Originally Posted by PhillyPhanatic

I know what you mean, its hard. Are you using Costa or DT at QB?

I've been playing with Oregon in my OD, and then have an offline dynasty I'm playing in, and at first I loved the read option playbook. However, I recently changed to the pistol for a couple of reasons. 1. You can't run a read option against a user controlled team, it's too easy to stop. They either use the DE you are supposed to be optioning, and since no one is set to block him he can speed burst in and tackle both guys at once, or use a safety quickly chase down whoever has the ball, which will get you 3-4 yards at most usually. 2. You can't run a read option against the 3-4. They've set up this option to read off of the unblocked DE, but since there is no DE out wide they block everybody. The play ends up turning into the old QB read play from older versions of the game. Also, as has been pointed out before, if you choose to run the read option on first down, the CPU will come out in a 4-3 defense even if you are in 4 wide. One thing you can do to counter this is to change your audibles to read option plays from a few different formations. Choose a pass play instead of the option, and when the CPU comes out in a nickel defense, audible to the correct option play that doesn't require you to change formations. You will also be torn between using Costa and DT, because Costa can't run and DT can't throw (unless you've edited the two to more realistic ratings). In that case, what I have been doing is using package subs and putting Thomas in when I want to run the option, and Costa in when it's time to pass. Other than that, just do like I did in my OD and change your playbook to pistol.

[StudiousSquid]

The problem with the option out of the spread is usually backside linebacker. You can have the right numbers in the box and keep when you're supposed to. The only problem is the linebacker is already coming after you as soon as you get past the end.

The way around this is the zone reads that have a receiver coming in motion. What happens is that linebacker goes to cover the receiver, leaving your QB to keep with some yards to pick up. If the linebacker comes after you still you can pitch and get some yards.

So any QB slot option, or WR motion option will do the trick.