Running game in a pass heavy offense

[burnum]

I'm using a pass happy offense that uses 10 & 11 personnel groups (1 RB, 4 WR or 1 RB, 1 TE, 3 WR) as its base group. The offense is very similar to the Air Raid Offenses that are popular in college football (think Mike Leach). My passing game works great with my QB constantly passing for 5000+ yds per season.

BUT:
In theory my pass happy playcalling should force the defense to spread out, opening up the middle for draw plays. In theory I should be able to surprise the defense with some occasional runs. This doesn't work at all. No matter if I call draws, inside or outside runs, no matter if I play the games or supersim them. I just can't get catch the defense off-guard with my running game.

Using standard rosters with a custom PB based on the Miraldi Tech PB.

Any ideas?

[jlech1805]

In general I would suggest running weakside (left).

The game won't flip the linebackers or safeties based on your formation so you'll be going against weaker tacklers.

I assume you don't want to add in any formations using a FB, but maybe add a couple of double TEs and you can use twin TEs to one side.

Additional identify the defense you are play as zone or man based.

Against zone: overload to one side and run that direction

Against Man: Boss Sweep is a good example, spread your WRs out far in the opposite direction you are running.

The best draw play is a lead draw using a FB, maybe create one with two TEs on side of the formation

[burnum]

Thanks for the advice. All of your points indicate that you actually play the games and call the plays yourself. When I supersim games I don't have control over play selection or what side a play is run to. But my theory of using spread pass happy offense to set up the run (draws would make sense) should still apply to supersim.

Any suggestions? I'm almost at the point where I cancel yet another career and start over again with a new PB...

[Vtownwaves]

Couple reasons the run game doesnt work as well in this game(and the pass is too effective thus 5000+ yard seasons every year).

Sliders, at default favor the d against the run(high fumble numbers, many tackles for losses that should be broken) and the o for the pass(low sack totals, high yards, receptions, and td numbers). The only thing good on d pass is interceptions which is over powered because of awareness knockdowns and interception sliders. When it comes to running, the run blocking and rb ability is under powered while the awareness and tackling of the defense are over powered.

Secondly, play calling knowledge level/actual play calls. Every single play in this game can be effective as long as its learned(especially mastered) by the offense and is called against the right defense. Things like sweeps dont often work against cover two(or any other outside run). Instead, a draw or inside run in general(including fb or qb dive) can gash it for 5 yards almost every time(that goes for cover 4 and 6 as well).

When you super sim, you do not know what defense they are running most often so you cant pick the right plays. If you're versing a man defense, you are not gonna get a draw to work, ever really(especially against a team with talent or great coaching staff). If you're versing a cover 3, you can be stopped fairly frequently up the middle as well. In these instances you are better off running outside.

Even if in reality a team passing over and over would force the opponent to change, they usually dont. They play call based on tendencies(yours and their own) and situations(3rd and medium on the left hash, etc) on both sides of the ball. On a standard roster, you would be best to use algoody's sliders. They will even supersim more realistically(within reason). This game will always be pass happy unless you get a roster that was tweaked to lower that tendency per playbook/coach. The passing yardage/receptions/tds will always be high if you dont run enough clock off with some ball control play calling.

[burnum]

Just some thoughts:
- yes, I do use Algoody's sliders.
- sliders ONLY matter when you play the game. They don't affect sim/supersim.
- as mentioned above, AI seems to ONLY call plays based on tendencies. Even if I'm a strict Air Raid Shotgun team that throws it 90% of the time they will come out in base personnel (4-3 or 3-4) most of the time on 1st and 2nd down and only come out in Nickel/Dime on 3rd or 4th down. This makes the offense even more tailored to the pass because you can play 4 WR sets against base coverage (meaning their LBs need to cover your slot WRs which is usually a mismatch). On the opposite, when you want to run the ball and catch them off-guard on 2nd & 10 out of a Shotgun-4-Wide set it won't work because they still come out in base and you only have 5 blockers against their front 7.
- this leads me to believe I can't 'catch them off-guard' from a Shotgun-4-wide formation on 1st & 2nd down. If I want to sprinkle in some runs I'll need to adjust my formations and bring in more blockers because the defense will play base (7 man box) anyway.
- if you want to win at all costs and don't care about realism run a pass heavy offense like Michigan Spread, Martz or Miraldi Tech playbooks combined with the 'Vertical Passing' philosophy.
- at the moment I've given up on my Air Raid project. In my current save (see my dynasty thread for more info) I'm running a pretty balanced offense with 11 personnel as my base group.

[mjtilley]

If you want success running the football on NFL Head Coach 09, your OL must have minimum 85 impact blocking or else it is doomed to fail. I had Stacy Andrews, Jake Scott, & Ryan Clady on my OL one season with Faneca & Gross. Could run on Gross & Faneca's side all day long no problem, run the other side couldn't get squat. Next career I had Marcus McNeill, Jordan Gross, Alan Faneca, Nick Hardwick, and Chris Snee as my OL & I had McFadden at RB, he missed 2 games and still ran for almost 2,400 yards & had a game over 350 yds. Everybody on my new OL had at least 90 impact blocking & I could run all day in the pistol offense. Jake Scott has an 80, Clady is worse at like 74. Andrews has an 82 but his can go up to a 93 over time. So IMPACT BLOCKING is the key to running the football.

[JumpinJoe]

Quote: Originally Posted by jlech1805

In general I would suggest running weakside (left). The game won't flip the linebackers or safeties based on your formation so you'll be going against weaker tacklers. I assume you don't want to add in any formations using a FB, but maybe add a couple of double TEs and you can use twin TEs to one side. Additional identify the defense you are play as zone or man based. Against zone: overload to one side and run that direction Against Man: Boss Sweep is a good example, spread your WRs out far in the opposite direction you are running. The best draw play is a lead draw using a FB, maybe create one with two TEs on side of the formation

Your spot on with this one my friend. The only thing I would add is know your opponent when developing a game plan against them. I always have certain schemes planned depending on who I am playing to attack their weaknesses. For example the Steelers will stack the "box" all day long I stop the run. It's what they do. So your game plan should be designed to counter this. I have have great success running between the Guard and Tackles, but for the most part an aerial attack at their seams with running inside your tackles should be your scheme for them. I am purist and will always play my games. I can keep up with the ebb and flow of the game and visually see who kissed a block, tackle or coverage and know where I need to work on. Also it's the only way to truly keep up with the momentum of the game, but to each it's own. IMHO your missing out in developing your team correctly by simming.

[JumpinJoe]

Also I forgot to add that if you truly what a good running game to compliment your passing game switch to zone blocking. Blocking for OL is all about "Technique", and unless you've stacked your OL with big brawlers it's the way to go. You want a hole to open up with your center going against a beast of a 1 gap NT then go with "Technique" blocking schemes. Zone blocking with developing Intangibles for your OL teaches and develops technique to your lineman.