The Option Thread: Understanding reads, help and discussion

[Slaticus]

HA!OP posted my videos! Thats cool lol.

[ashamael]

went through the same thing last year...

Can't say much about the triple option, but since this thread is called "The Option Thread," I'll comment on another type of option people often say is broke.

Last year, you could run the spread option in an offline dynasty... but you have to do a lot of prep work and be willing to throw the ball a lot. I.E. take what the defense gives you and have a great audible system worked out. Quick audibles are best as the defense doesn't shift much when you call one.

In THIS YEAR'S demo I ran the spread option with both Oregon & Alabama (using the 60-something speed AJ McCarron) and did well with it. That's with no tweaking, straight off the DL. With slider tweaking and the right personnel, playbook & audibles, you will be able to realistically run the spread option offense in this game, just like you could in 2011.

As for the triple... I'm sure with slider tweakage you can effectively run it for an offline dynasty. But the CPU will probably still suck at it.

[Kaiser Wilhelm]

My biggest issue with the triple option is that you cannot motion personel. So you either have to call the perfect play or audible out of it.

So if you run a triple option play and realise there is nobody to pick up a backside blitz, you cannot send your TE over to catch him. The other problem is very faulty OL logic.

Numerous times I have watched my linemen go after the linebackers or even the safties on in the secondary, rather than pick up the actual linemen or linebackers that are blitzing. It is so infuriating sometimes.

[SuperNoVa27]

I feel like 06 was the best year for the option


But whenever I run it on 11 I end up with a whole bunch of yards

[notoriouzwun]

One of my issues was running the option pass and keeping it mixed up and not being predictable. The option pass always seemed to move to slow in setting up. Also I think unless you practice reading the option especially QB reads and such out fo shotgun it can be difficult just to jump in and try to run it. I also find establishing a good run with the FB first opens the outside. Only downside is finding a true FB option in recruiting for this. This year I am going with a Option Spread/Pistol/Flexbone offense. Going to see if I can set this up to be a good working offense for myself.

[jarv]

Quote: Originally Posted by notoriouzwun

One of my issues was running the option pass and keeping it mixed up and not being predictable. The option pass always seemed to move to slow in setting up. Also I think unless you practice reading the option especially QB reads and such out fo shotgun it can be difficult just to jump in and try to run it. I also find establishing a good run with the FB first opens the outside. Only downside is finding a true FB option in recruiting for this. This year I am going with a Option Spread/Pistol/Flexbone offense. Going to see if I can set this up to be a good working offense for myself.

I find that recruiting a blocking TE that can carry the ball and converting them to FB is your best bet. Find one that can't really catch or stretch the field, there's plenty on there ripe for the picking.

And I hear you on the option pass. It's really slow setting up and can get your absolutely creamed. I plan on doing the same thing with a wishbone/flexbone/i-form/spread option playbook.

I plan on running a lot of straight ahead, between the tackles running plays, and then audible to the triple option when it looks like I'll be able to break a run to the outside. Also, I plan on re-doing all of my audibles in order to switch between the flexbone motion plays to change which side they go. I'm also going to try to eliminate any play action that I can. Part of what hurts the flex/wishbone playbooks in 11 is last of straight up passes. You can get away with playaction passes in an option in real life, but in the game it develops more slowly.

After playing with Oregon in the 12 demo tonight, it really seems like the option out of the spread has improved...and I guess it's actually better in the final build. Hopefully we'll finally see some guys dominating with the spread option in online dynasties this year.

[bgeno]

I love watching Paul Johnson's offense at Georgia Tech. The option is a thing of beauty when run well.

My problem with the option on NCAA 11 is that the load/lead option from I-Form is money. I changed sliders to try to fix it, but then running between the tackles became next to impossible. It's actually part of the reason I quit playing 11 (that and the stale dynasty where the rich get richer and poor get poorer). If you have a QB with even decent speed and good agility, the computer can't stop it. I found myself running it as a mid-line load/lead option a lot and it would net me at least 5 yards almost every time I ran it (with a sub-par O-line, to boot).

The option out of shotgun I found to be much different. When I ran it, I found myself hoping the DE would stay home so I could hand it to the fullback/halfback. Otherwise, I had a hard time getting yards.

[Tsao]

Quote: Originally Posted by jarv

I find that recruiting a blocking TE that can carry the ball and converting them to FB is your best bet. Find one that can't really catch or stretch the field, there's plenty on there ripe for the picking.

Last year TEs were key to running the flexbone and spread shotgun option later in the dynasty. Because generated WR recruits all had awful blocking skills and never progressed in them, you could never get good blocking on the edge if you lined up WRs out there. All TEs, even the receiving types, had run block ratings 3-4x higher than the best run blocking WRs, so recruiting them and converting to WR or just formation subbing them out to WR made a huge difference.

Honestly, it probably worked a little TOO well, because TEs lined up out wide would pancake CBs more often than not, so if the DE crashed down on the FB and the QB made it to the edge, it was one safety vs. QB + pitch man.