Running is almost impossible.

[1GATOR FAN]

Quote: Originally Posted by KingNick865

Looking on the play art, I've seen that there are no assignments for the offensive linemen, at least not one's that show up. Which leads me to believe that assignment blocking might not even be in the game, especially since your linemen never get to the second level right -- they generally make their initial block, then tend to strafe in front of you, which clogs up any running lanes you might have. I don't know if any of what I said has any validity, but just a theory based on what I've observed.

Also seems if they do get to the next level they often just turn around to block someone away from the play. Like they are set on blocking the first level of defenders and that is their first and most important job regardless of what is in front of them after that...

[LionsFan01]

Quote: Originally Posted by 1GATOR FAN

Also seems if they do get to the next level they often just turn around to block someone away from the play. Like they are set on blocking the first level of defenders and that is their first and most important job regardless of what is in front of them after that...

I've noticed quite a bit of this lately. It's not so much a problem with not having holes to run through, it's that I run into my own blockers way too often because they either stop in the hole because there's no one to block or they turn around and run into me looking for someone to block.

[orangeafroman]

I ran for 450 yds in a game, but

1- it was with Herschel Walker playing for Florida
2- it was against Bowling Green

But it was hilarious, running through tackles and such. Overall, I've had no trouble running the ball with regular RBs vs. the computer.

[PowerofRed25]

Quote: Originally Posted by 1GATOR FAN

I don't see how setting up with passes helps with anything as the computer still has psychic play calling. They fixed it where they won't come out with 3 LB's when you have 4 Wr's but they stack the box depending on your play.... On my dynasty games I noticed that they still know your play. You can come out with 4 Wr sets and select a pass and they will stay deep in position. If you audible that same formation to a run they stack the line. Change it back to pass and they fall back and it just repeats its self. Sure it's to make it harder but still proves its based on luck and hope your brain dead O line doesn't let a defender skip his happy butt in the back field without so much as a touch. And that seems to happen often for some reason set up or not.....

I can't argue with the psychic play calling by the AI. They may come out with the right personnel to match your offense finally, but they call plays as if they still know. However, they are still susceptible to getting set up. I've had a ton of success calling runs in groups of threes against the CPU.

For example in Pistol Full House, I go Off Tackle -> Read Option -> Triple Option. It's all the same initial action but three different plays. I've noticed that end is more likely to crash if I've first set it up with off tackle, then after I run read option, guys start sneaking into the box and I can go triple option. It has seemed to work more realistically this year than it ever has. Power/Counter/Iso have worked very similarly.

Agree about the poor OL blocking, especially on pulling linemen and the FB. I notice it more downfield than I do right at the LOS.

Quote: Originally Posted by KingNick865

Looking at the play art, I've seen that there are no assignments for the offensive linemen, at least not ones that show up. Which leads me to believe that assignment blocking might not even be in the game, especially since your linemen never get to the second level right -- they generally make their initial block, then tend to strafe in front of you, which clogs up any running lanes you might have. I don't know if any of what I said has any validity, but just a theory based on what I've observed.

Quote: Originally Posted by 1GATOR FAN

Also seems if they do get to the next level they often just turn around to block someone away from the play. Like they are set on blocking the first level of defenders and that is their first and most important job regardless of what is in front of them after that...

From what I can tell, all the blocking in the game is zone blocking. So they don't have assignments but you used to be able to tell who they were going to block on the play art, not sure if that's still the case. I remember last year it would show the center double down on a tackle if that was the guy closest and things like that.

Second level blocking got worse from last year though. Last year guys would get to the second level pretty quickly, sometimes too quickly. This year, they don't get there or they get there and then get lost. Part of me wonders if there is some sort of a "looking" mechanism for linemen, where they'll block guys that come into their invisible vision cone but won't see or even try to block other guys. That could possibly explain why guys coming off the edge seem to get ignored by pulling linemen, who try and block a guy in the distance instead.

I don't know what is going on with pulling linemen anymore. Buck sweep went from being the best run in the game to being totally hit or miss.

[Freakydeaky9]

Running could be a little tuned, but compared to how easy it used to be, I like it. If you use run first teams (Nevada-Pistol) it's more of a chew up the clock type deal. It does seem hard at times, but that because if you worry about a pass, most times it's a blitz anyway because of four verts or any other pass

[GoSpartans11]

Let me start off by saying this:Running is not and has not been hard for years.

When playing on default settings, lineman routinely get to the second level which leads to big plays. As you know, when you play online, you are using default sliders.

One thing I find interesting is that none of the people who said running was hard mentioned anything about getting more blockers at the point of attack. The number one thing in real life and in the game is to outnumber the defense at the point of attack. Another thing that was left out is what type of defense (C2,C3,C4, Man) you are having trouble running against. The omission of these two basic things leads me to believe people who think running is too hard need to grasp a better understanding of the game of football. Its not easy to run the ball against zone (C2, C3/C6 with rotation). Against man, you should have a field day, unless you are running the spread option against a user who plays manned up on every player (ex.Cal vs Oregon, which is something most users probably would not understand/do).

As for people claiming its hard to scramble against Big East defenses, what coverage are they playing? It's hard to scramble against zone defenses. Against man, you should break some runs off. You can't just say its hard to run, or ask which run plays work. All of them work in the correct situation. You have to understand coverages , then understand what your run plays are designed to do, and run them the way they are designed. Specifically when running read option from the shotgun, teams like Oregon know they will get hit for losses, but they keep pounding until the big plays start coming in. Teams like Wisconsin are looking for 3 yards and a cloud of dust, not 5, not 7. It, just like passing, is not automatic, and is not fully dependent on the players ratings but how the user executes, like in real life.

Dives? Get a few yards up the middle, no really following blocks, the line mans up defense and tries to get push.

HB Base/ Shotgun run plays with pulling guard? (Not Counter) I know alot of people who said these plays never worked. Untrue. You just have to follow the pulling guard , DO NOT SPRINT. (you really should never unless you get in the open field)

Another complaint I've seen is about the jukes not being effective. First, jukes in real life are most effective and mostly used in the open field, not close to the LOS with multiple defenders coming at you. In college football right now, other than Lattimore and Redd, there aren't many backs that consistently juke people out close to the LOS. When near the LOS, running backs generally do not juke, they cut and change direction, which can be accomplished by not sprinting and moving the left stick in a manner to destroy defenders pursuit angles. If you see a back juking near the LOS, he is either outside the tackles one on one without any other defenders close by. If a back jukes with other defenders around near the LOS, usually he gets planted and possibly fumbles. I've seen plenty of defenders slip or completely miss my runner because of sharp cuts due to having players with high agility or defenders taking bad pursuit angles.

There are no magic running plays that "work". It depends on your blockers ratings, how many blockers vs defenders, the defense called, and the defense's ratings. Last year, I thought, like many others, the Maryland I Toss was overpowered. After gaining a further understanding of football, I realized it was not overpowered. The play just got more blockers than defenders at the point of attack. If I wanted to stop it, I would have to bring in extra linemen like they did back in the day to match up with the extra blockers, and play zone.

Not trying to insult anyone's football IQ, but I encourage everyone to learn what defensive coverages are easier to run against, their weaknesses, etc.

[1GATOR FAN]

Ya I did notice that a lot of times if you cut back to the opposite side that the play is intended to go there is room to run or at least gain a few good yards....