Utilizing a Fullback

[statdude]

Well, one of my favorite things to do is go in ace or pistol and spread the my WR's out in either a 2X2 or 3X1 formation and run it right into the a gap. This will force the defense to either go into dime or nickel effectively making it a 5 or 6 man box. From there, you can use a package where you can put your HB in the slot and the FB behind the QB and just run dives with him or stretch the D with a vertical Play Action game.

Also, if you want to use the Pistol Formation, I highly recommend the pistol diamond formation and the pistol train formation as well as 2X2 and 3X1 sets. From the diamond, you can try substituting a WR in your backfield instead of having your second RB there. Then you can run triple option both ways with either the FB or WR or HB.

From the train formation, try a package where instead of having the second RB there, use the fullback. From there, there is a nasty FB dive that I always use in goal line situations or when i'm close to the 1st down.

I'm more of a power run game that uses a lot of different formations to set up the PA, but I always try to get my best players on the field. PM me and we can talk a bit. I've messed with the spread before and I could use some tips and I could help you out with this very good dilemma that you have.

[PowerofRed25]

Quote: Originally Posted by statdude

Well, one of my favorite things to do is go in ace or pistol and spread the my WR's out in either a 2X2 or 3X1 formation and run it right into the a gap. This will force the defense to either go into dime or nickel effectively making it a 5 or 6 man box. From there, you can use a package where you can put your HB in the slot and the FB behind the QB and just run dives with him or stretch the D with a vertical Play Action game. Also, if you want to use the Pistol Formation, I highly recommend the pistol diamond formation and the pistol train formation as well as 2X2 and 3X1 sets. From the diamond, you can try substituting a WR in your backfield instead of having your second RB there. Then you can run triple option both ways with either the FB or WR or HB. From the train formation, try a package where instead of having the second RB there, use the fullback. From there, there is a nasty FB dive that I always use in goal line situations or when i'm close to the 1st down. I'm more of a power run game that uses a lot of different formations to set up the PA, but I always try to get my best players on the field. PM me and we can talk a bit. I've messed with the spread before and I could use some tips and I could help you out with this very good dilemma that you have.

I totally forgot about the Pistol Train formation. I actually had it in my playbook two seasons ago when I had a power back and a converted HB at QB. Put a 6th OL at inside TE, my main blocking TE at TE2 and then I made it essentially a wildcat look to run the FB Dive, Dive, Triple Option. That would work great with this group. I'll have to install that with my

Last year in my Air Raid I ran a lot of what you talked about early on. I spread them out 4 WR in Pistol and it was an automatic HB Dive check if there were only 5 in the box. I ran more than I threw because of that, people just had to spread out to defend my star WR's and then I ran. I will probably keep that same idea, but maybe a few less 4WR sets and a few more single TE sets.

I played my first game, using last years playbook and it was successful. I got my FB 4 goal line TD's, 60 yards total but my starting HB ran for 5 yards on 5 carries. My starting QB threw 10-13 and my true freshman WR is a monster at slot WR. But I lost so much athleticism at WR that I just can't go 4 WR 99% of my snaps and win.

I think I have my base offense in mind. I will keep my pistol (add back things like Train, Strong and Weak Slot and a few single TE sets). Pull some of the 4 WR sets in Shotgun, maybe add a few more heavy sets.

I am starting to warm to the idea of leaving my Flexbone package in the game. I can't really run option but Sweep, Toss, Misdirection, FB Dive should be pretty solid.

[statdude]

U mind sending me ur play book. I'm pretty much in the same place as you and I want to change up my ways and see what I can do with it. And I'm going to have to try that power wildcat that you said.

Thanks

[PowerofRed25]

Quote: Originally Posted by statdude

U mind sending me ur play book. I'm pretty much in the same place as you and I want to change up my ways and see what I can do with it. And I'm going to have to try that power wildcat that you said. Thanks

Once I finish setting it up, I'll put it up. Right now I'm thinking keeping the base of last year's offense intact. Last years air raid playbook was:

I Normal
I Twins
I Slot
Flexbone Normal
Pistol Strong Slot
Pistol Full House
Pistol Slot
Pistol Spread
Pistol Trips TE
Pistol Trips Open
Pistol 4WR Trips
Shotgun Split Offset
Shotgun Trips
Shotgun Trips Open
Shotgun 4WR Trey
Shotgun 4WR Trey Str
Shotgun Spread Flex
Shotgun Double Flex
Shotgun Trio HB Wk
Shotgun Empty Spread
Shotgun Wing Offset Wk (Utilized as a wildcat with a 91 speed backup QB and two HB (one at HB, one at the outside WR for automotion)

212 plays.

For this year, it is going to be fairly similar. Unless I can find a better base playbook, I'll get stuck with Trips/Trips Open/4WR Trey/4WR Trey Strong. I'll probably swap a few of the 4WR Pistol sets with a few with TE as well as Train.

I may try and utilizing a few more Offset/Wing shotgun formations as well Debating the merits of going with a few strong/weak formations as well.

[PowerofRed25]

One idea I had was to create a one back series but using the I formation. My backup HB is a converted WR and has some of the best WR ratings on my team. I was thinking about going I Slot and every play, no matter the call, motion the HB into the slot to create a spread formation. Then run a FB Dive. If people don't adjust to it, then call pass plays, motion him out and hot route him to run in/out. And of course if I wanted, I could leave the HB in the backfield and run Iso.

Just trying to get more diverse looks, I don't have the personnel to run past defenses any more. I will miss 99 speed Mike Bellamy and 99 speed Sammy Watkins from last year.

[PowerofRed25]

Alright, here is what I'm working with so far. I don't have all the formation and plays established, but the general idea is this:

I'm keeping the air raid as the base, but I'm going to utilize a lot more under center and two back formations in order to utilize the talent I have this year. Next year when the FB is gone, I'll go back to the full blown Holgoraid that I've been running.

Pistol will be the key. I'm removing some of the gun formations and some of the 4WR Pistol formations and adding Strong/Weak Slot, H Twins and Train to go with Full House, Ace, Spread, Trips TE and 4WR Trips. Depending on how the play limit is looking, I may add something like Y Trips or Ace Twins, but right now I'm working with the 2 back Pistol stuff and those 4 base 1 back Pistol sets. I noticed a unique thing with Train that is going to make that a really diverse formation for me. When the inside TE is aligned in his original spot, he isn't eligible, but if you motion him across to the left where he becomes eligible, the game lets you hot route a pass route for him. I don't remember this being possible in any of the other TE over formations. I'm hoping the game doesn't properly react to it and he gets a free release.

Under center, I am going to go no more than 2 or 3 I, 2 or 3 Weak and maybe a Strong or two but a Strong backfield alignment is pretty well represented with Strong Slot and H Twins and the under center sets don't provide much more. I can motion the TE in I and Weak and get Strong pretty easily.

From the gun, I'll roll with my base air raid from last year. It will be there as a change of pace or when/if I need to open it up. Mostly Mesh/Shallow Cross/Drive/Verticals/Y Corner/Y Cross and my screen game to go with Counter/Sweep.

The two things I may add to this are: 2 or 3 Flexbone sets (Normal, Slot, Trips) and a few Shotgun Offset/Wing formations. I don't really have the speed at QB to run option, but out of Flexbone I can go Sweep/Misdirection/Dive and keep a 4 WR spread passing attack. Out of the gun offset/wing, plays like Dive and Counter hit hard and I can put my FB at the wing to block or my FB at HB if I want to power it. Basically, everything here is operating out of a 2 back alignment.

Hopefully what I'm saying makes sense. If anyone has any ideas how I could make something like this more effective, especially against users, let me know. It is a one season offense for me, this FB is a fluke that I got 4 recruiting classes ago to run option with. If it happens to work, maybe I start recruiting a FB/TE like him to replace him with next year. If not, back to 4WR spread and shred.

[PowerofRed25]

Quote: Originally Posted by dymndheartkilla

There are a few split formations out of shotgun that are pretty killer. Fb/HB powers, draws, a RIDICULOUS HB counter that might use that blocking, as well as some motion plays that utilize the HB out in the slot. I love these formations as I've got an extreme talent at FB as well. Top ten in nation for pancakes with no sacks allowed. Catches runs and blocks. You should try it out

You mind letting me know some of the things you do in SG Split? After I put all of this together, I just cannot get comfortable running an under center offense. The passing game feels off when I have to take a drop and the field just seems so condensed. Under center is great when I'm running an option offense, but I can't get pro style down. I'd rather utilize Splitbacks in the gun.

What plays and which of the Split formations do you prefer? I have Split Offset in all of my playbooks because it has all the air raid base plays, plus a great run game. But I've looked at a few of the other Splits and see some good stuff.

[PowerofRed25]

To quote The Replacements: "What a bloody shambles that was."

First game against a user with this offense was a DISASTER. I won 28-24 by pure luck. Was down 17-7 at half when I decided to switch to my backup QB and run spread option. I had a pathetic 271 yards and 8 first downs. 29 rushes for 196 (2 of the runs totaled for 110 yards) and 2 TD, 7 of 14 passing for 75 and 2 TD. 2 bad turnovers, although only 1 cost me.

A couple things I learned with the Power Raid offense I had started with:

1) My FB cannot catch a cold. Dropped 3 passes. I knew 44 catch rating wasn't going to help me, but I figured with conservative coach settings and some easy throws to the flat it would help, nope.

2) My HB, despite 95 speed, is molasses slow. I suppose I can't throw him under the bus though, his 75 yard TD run on a buck sweep was the winning score.

3) None of my low 80's rated WR's can separate from anything. They all have 90+ speed but trying to fight the ball in to them was damn near impossible. After a year of Sammy Watkins at 99 speed and a 6'5" WR with 92 speed outside, this is almost brutal to deal with. I know I have to adjust my play calling and routes, but I am facing fully loaded teams with monster defensive players. I couldn't get a guy off the press to save my life.

4) When I went under center, running Strong Slot/Twins/Y Trips, I couldn't get my feet set on throws and I ended up facing 8 man boxes, which I can't run against.

So I think I am going to run the spread option as was suggested early in this thread. It is what I am familiar with and I am good at it. I'll put my FB at my dive back and my HB or slot WR in the slot as the pitch back. I think I am going to start my backup QB as well. My starter is a 87 overall, 68 speed, 92 THP, 90 THA. My backup is 82 overall, 83 speed, 84 THP, 88 THA and his backup is 77 overall, 84 speed, 87 THP, 79 THA. The 2nd one will probably start, with a little slinging it around with the original starter.