Load Option Help?!

[awill25]

I have been a huge Nebraska fan for the longest time! Through thick... and 20 years of thin🤣

Really want to run the style of offense they ran with Solich in late 90’s early 00’s with Eric Crouch, but I feel like the Load Option out of I-Form is nearly impossible. I’ve moved TE to WR to block, I’ve put o-lineman at FB.... it just ends up a jumbled mess. The READ out of shotgun is like on steroids, and this feels like I’m a JC squad playing Bama.

Any advice? Please!!

[huskerpower14]

Re: Load Option Help?!

Hey, I do the same thing. I use Air Force's playbook with Nebraska. I actually started a Nebraska dynasty with the roster from 2004 with the idea that Solich was never fired but continued coaching. Kind of setting history right.

Anyway, yeah, the load option is super tough to run because the OL and FB do not block it correctly no matter what their run blocking or awareness attributes are set to. BUT I will say this, it totally depends on the defensive front.

Running the option in general against a 3 man front is almost impossible. If you are running the load option the OLB and DE are in your face before you can even pitch the ball. The triple option is worse because you have 1/2 a second to read the DE and then see who the OLB is covering. 90% of the time you are either tackled before you can pitch it or the pitch is wide and is fumbled.

Running the option against a 4 man front is much easier. If the LB's are playing straight up then you can run any option you want with a good chance of success. If an OLB is on the line of scrimmage pre-snap, audible and run the option the other way (don't actually flip the personnel, just the direction the play is being run). That way you are running toward the weak side of the formation against fewer defensive personnel. This also has a good chance of success.

If you are dead set on running the option from under center against a 3 man front, use double TE's to widen the line of scrimmage and create more gaps. The problem is that on the higher levels, AA and Heisman, the CB's and S's are really really good at coming downhill in run support and your OL just can't get to the second and third levels no matter how good they are.

Don't be afraid to run the load and triple option out of the shotgun. I know it's not the same but it's at least effective.

Finally, IMO you should feel free to cheat and increase your WR's run blocking attributes. I do this by bumping up their run blocking attributes and decreasing their catch and route running attributes to balance it out. Nebraska's WR's back than (Matt Davison, Sean Applegate, Wilson Thomas, and John Gibson were elite run blockers but average at route running and catching the ball).

Sorry for the novel, I could talk Nebraska option football all day.

[shooter135]

Re: Load Option Help?!

Hey, I do the same thing. I use Air Force's playbook with Nebraska. I actually started a Nebraska dynasty with the roster from 2004 with the idea that Solich was never fired but continued coaching. Kind of setting history right.

Anyway, yeah, the load option is super tough to run because the OL and FB do not block it correctly no matter what their run blocking or awareness attributes are set to. BUT I will say this, it totally depends on the defensive front.

Running the option in general against a 3 man front is almost impossible. If you are running the load option the OLB and DE are in your face before you can even pitch the ball. The triple option is worse because you have 1/2 a second to read the DE and then see who the OLB is covering. 90% of the time you are either tackled before you can pitch it or the pitch is wide and is fumbled.

Running the option against a 4 man front is much easier. If the LB's are playing straight up then you can run any option you want with a good chance of success. If an OLB is on the line of scrimmage pre-snap, audible and run the option the other way (don't actually flip the personnel, just the direction the play is being run). That way you are running toward the weak side of the formation against fewer defensive personnel. This also has a good chance of success.

If you are dead set on running the option from under center against a 3 man front, use double TE's to widen the line of scrimmage and create more gaps. The problem is that on the higher levels, AA and Heisman, the CB's and S's are really really good at coming downhill in run support and your OL just can't get to the second and third levels no matter how good they are.

Don't be afraid to run the load and triple option out of the shotgun. I know it's not the same but it's at least effective.

Finally, IMO you should feel free to cheat and increase your WR's run blocking attributes. I do this by bumping up their run blocking attributes and decreasing their catch and route running attributes to balance it out. Nebraska's WR's back than (Matt Davison, Sean Applegate, Wilson Thomas, and John Gibson were elite run blockers but average at route running and catching the ball).

Sorry for the novel, I could talk Nebraska option football all day.

Awesome post. I’ve tried to run the under center option but can never quite get it going. Any additional tips or strategies would be greatly appreciated.

[jsr862]

Re: Load Option Help?!

Idk if this would help under the I formation... I started a new Dynasty with flexbone and I changed things up a bit with my sliders.... I use heisman 15 min qts. I have the cpu run stop at 80 or 85 I forget. And the human run block at 70 and hb ability at 40... and it seems pretty decent. I break decent amounts runs but it's no longer because it bad angles by the CPU but I do see blocking forming a lot better. Might be something to try.

I also keep the cpu running and run blocking down to help against CPU vs cpu against navy and GT ti hope a few years in they dont get over powered.

[sherrane]

Re: Load Option Help?!

(edited -- removed)

Anyway, yeah, the load option is super tough to run because the OL and FB do not block it correctly no matter what their run blocking or awareness attributes are set to. BUT I will say this, it totally depends on the defensive front.

(edited -- removed)

Great post! You touched on one of my peeves in this game.



The FB blocking is wrong in the pro-style as well. FB lead blocking is more of a zone assignment but it is always a man assignment in the game. The FB will run past a LB blitzing in the hole without even attempting to chip him in order to try to block a safety 10 yards downfield. The lead-blocking FB generally takes the most dangerous man to the RB because it is useless to throw a block 10 yards downfield when your RB can't get out of the backfield. The pro-style running game in real life works best when the RB and FB see the same thing.