NCAA Football 11: "Useless Plays" now Useful?

[AuburnAlumni]

I think most NCAA gamers would agree that many of the plays in a given playbook were essentially useless either via horrid run blocking or horrid pass blocking.

Shotgun-HB Draw, QB Read Option

Bubble Screens

Many pass patterns as well were useless due to super human AI at LB or took too long to develop.

Draw plays have been useless for years because defenders would absolutely destroy the CPU blockers and drop you for a loss 9 times out of 10.

Read option was useless because the blocking logic was so out of whack.

And Bubble screens stunk because of a combination of many factors. Horrid blocking, and super human DBs who stuck to the Receiver like glue.

Combine those with many plays that don't even exist in NCAA 10 and are critical parts of certain offenses....the middle WR screen for example which is a base play in the Texas Tech offense and Reverses...which are used by everybody.

I'm anxious to see if we will actually have a playbook full of effective plays as opposed to utilizing only 30-40% of a playbook because the rest of the plays are worthless in a game situation.

The new AI logic vid gets me excited about running a Spread offense at Auburn again, but I'm anxious to see if they added Reverses and many more screen plays.

[matthodgeto]

Re: NCAA Football 11: "Useless Plays" now Useful?

I've always felt that screen plays, whether to running backs or receivers, were just awkward and incorrect. Plus, they needed a bigger variety of screen passes.

Now, I don't know that they have improved the variety, but I hope the existing screen plays feel much more accurate now.

Oh, and as you mentioned, where are reverses (or for that matter, double or triple reverses)? Sure, they have end-arounds, but they don't have true reverses for some reason.

[Dr Death]

Re: NCAA Football 11: "Useless Plays" now Useful?

I've always felt that screen plays, whether to running backs or receivers, were just awkward and incorrect. Plus, they needed a bigger variety of screen passes.

Now, I don't know that they have improved the variety, but I hope the existing screen plays feel much more accurate now.

Oh, and as you mentioned, where are reverses (or for that matter, double or triple reverses)? Sure, they have end-arounds, but they don't have true reverses for some reason.

In the video they released titled Offensive Styles they show about as true a Bubble Screen as they've ever had in EA. It's the Clemson Tigers they show do it. You see the play diagrammed on the field and then the far left WR {X} runs down the line toward the LT and catches the ball and heads upfield w/ blockers in front.

That's the best I've seen in an EA game... hoping they have this and several more, including... ahem... SHOVEL PASSES... in 11...

[Hova57]

Re: NCAA Football 11: "Useless Plays" now Useful?

In the video they released titled Offensive Styles they show about as true a Bubble Screen as they've ever had in EA. It's the Clemson Tigers they show do it. You see the play diagrammed on the field and then the far left WR {X} runs down the line toward the LT and catches the ball and heads upfield w/ blockers in front.

That's the best I've seen in an EA game... hoping they have this and several more, including... ahem... SHOVEL PASSES... in 11...

i second the shovel pass

[DonkeyJote]

Re: NCAA Football 11: "Useless Plays" now Useful?

Qb Read wasn't useless in NCAA 10. I used it all the time with Oregon. You just made your read off the strong side linebacker instead of the end. It wasn't run the way it was supposed to, but it was far from useless. I broke a lot of big runs with it. It should be more fun to run this year, however.

[NikB13]

Re: NCAA Football 11: "Useless Plays" now Useful?

I also noticed that in the QB read you had to make the read off the linebacker. I used Oregon's play book and it worked for me as well. not as effective as real life, but still worked.

Also I dont think any play bothers me more than the screen passes. I cant list the countless times iv thrown it to a receiver who was running backwards after he caught it or something where the animation would trigger and he would like juke really slowly to try to start running when there is wide open field in front of him and would get stopped for a loss like every time.

Please fix the screen passes EA PLEASE!!!

[Palo20]

Re: NCAA Football 11: "Useless Plays" now Useful?

Locomotion will really be put to the test with the read option. If a user controlled DE has true momentum, he will have to make a decision on QB or RB. I wonder how it will work. Also wonder how well the CPU reads the DE?

[str8artist]

Re: NCAA Football 11: "Useless Plays" now Useful?

"Useless plays"? I disagree. You can run any of those plays according to what the defense gives you. I run the SHOTGUN HB draw and the bubble screen. Learn how to setup plays and have some type of strat and they will work.

[Potatoes002]

Re: NCAA Football 11: "Useless Plays" now Useful?

What I am hoping just incase the offense is over-powered this year is that they made the slider feel like they're on steroids. Last year with sliders I just couldn't really get a dominant defense feel like I had on last gen.

[PantherBeast_OS]

Re: NCAA Football 11: "Useless Plays" now Useful?

Well I play ncaa 09 still alot. I really don't see nothing wrong with the bubble screen plays and the draw plays and so on. But I guess since I use to this for many years it don't really affect me much anymore since I'm use to it. But I'm real happy for the hugh improvement with the blocking this year. Way to go EA.

[Palo20]

Re: NCAA Football 11: "Useless Plays" now Useful?

Where are the Bubble Screens in NCAA '09 and '10? I don't remember any, just a regular WR Screen and the WR Middle Screen that got added for '10.

[boritter]

Re: NCAA Football 11: "Useless Plays" now Useful?

I think most NCAA gamers would agree that many of the plays in a given playbook were essentially useless either via horrid run blocking or horrid pass blocking.

This is a perfect summary of my feelings toward NCAA on the 360. If I can actually use misdirection, traps, and counters this year I will be extremely happy.

[AuburnAlumni]

Re: NCAA Football 11: "Useless Plays" now Useful?

Well I play ncaa 09 still alot. I really don't see nothing wrong with the bubble screen plays and the draw plays and so on. But I guess since I use to this for many years it don't really affect me much anymore since I'm use to it. But I'm real happy for the hugh improvement with the blocking this year. Way to go EA.

Probably because in NCAA 09, the defense was neutered so badly that you could run a double reverse flea flicker end around to your 300 pound left guard...and it would work.

Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide open gameplay.

[fcboiler87]

Re: NCAA Football 11: "Useless Plays" now Useful?

This is a perfect summary of my feelings toward NCAA on the 360. If I can actually use misdirection, traps, and counters this year I will be extremely happy.

Exactly. I love to run the power play. But almost every time, the DT that is over the pulling guard makes the play because the center doesn't make a fill block.