why is this happening?

[CJ10]

All American difficulty, run block slider set at 100, AI rush D set at 0, yet Im getting ZERO room to run. the Dline is getting off their blocks immediately, I have guys running past they guy they are supposed to block to block a DB 20 yards upfield. I have a 99 OVR rated todd gurley avging 3 or less ypc over the last few games (I was playing on varsity, but was too easy). what gives?

[The JareBear]

Re: why is this happening?

I believe the run block and run defense sliders have very little to so with how blocks are shed but more so how aggressively blockers and defenders play on run plays. Sliders in madden and NCAA this year are just way weird. I also think lowering anything to zero or raising anything to 100 is a bad idea with this flawed programming.

I would set CPU run d to 50-60 and lower user run block to 10. See how that feels and adjust from there.

Sliders this year seem to affect behavior and tendencies more so than typical performance

[BleedGreen710]

Re: why is this happening?

I never changed any of those sliders and have had very realistic running game in my 10+ seasons of dynasty playing on all american

[CJ10]

Re: why is this happening?

I never changed any of those sliders and have had very realistic running game in my 10+ seasons of dynasty playing on all american

so you left them all at 50? what about the RB ability slider?

[cusefan74]

Re: why is this happening?

I play on All American and left every slider at 50 except QB accuracy, which is at 5. I even left the penalties at 50. Messing with the sliders just screws up the game for me.

[NEOPARADIGM]

Re: why is this happening?

See, this is my problem with this forum and even sports gamers in general: why is your first inclination to assume the answer is anything other than you? Your timing: stiff-arm, juke, spin, truck, dive, sprint - are you hitting the right buttons at the right time when the opportunity presents itself? Your vision: where are you looking? Are you looking at the OL (defense and RB in peripheral), the RB (defense and OL in peripheral), or the defense (OL & RB in peripheral)? Are you sure you're seeing what's happening? Are you controlling the QB during the handoff? Don't just hit hike and let the CPU do the work, hit hike and pull the QB down towards the back (even hold R2 or L2 or both while you're doing this) and stuff the rock into the RB's stomach. Are you making presnap adjustments your blocking scheme based on what the defense is showing? I mean I could go on and on here.

My advice for getting the ground-game going (I play on AA with AI run-defense slider maxed, by the way) is to focus on the OL. Pick out one or two guys you want to run behind (LT & LG for example) and watch them (literally look at them and the defenders they might have to engage and not the QB, RB or anyone else on D) while you attempt to execute the play and make your early read off what happens to in that specific area. Do this several times in a row, ideally until the two OL you're focusing on both get hot. Once they're nice and red, move your attention to the other side of the line and get them going.

Or, take the other approach: do what a real team would do if they were having problems running the ball: screens and short passes on 1st and 2nd and save running for 3rd and short. Pick up a few first downs with your boy Gurley to try to get him hot. Next thing you know he's got five carries for four first downs and a TD. Who cares what his ypc is at that point, yeah?

Etc.

Stop blaming the damn game for everything, look in the mirrior and play with intensity, focus, determination and for god's sake don't take it too seriously. So what if you can't run the ball. Like you've never followed a team that can't run the ball worth a lick. It happens all the time, even to really good teams. The game will reward you if you play with patience and intelligence.

Last thing: I make it something of a rule not to play this game unless I've watched some real college ball for a good hour or three first. Really helps with making reads, pacing yourself, and tempering expectations as to what most running plays actually look like.

Cheers.

[CJ10]

Re: why is this happening?

See, this is my problem with this forum and even sports gamers in general: why is your first inclination to assume the answer is anything other than you? Your timing: stiff-arm, juke, spin, truck, dive, sprint - are you hitting the right buttons at the right time when the opportunity presents itself? Your vision: where are you looking? Are you looking at the OL (defense and RB in peripheral), the RB (defense and OL in peripheral), or the defense (OL & RB in peripheral)? Are you sure you're seeing what's happening? Are you controlling the QB during the handoff? Don't just hit hike and let the CPU do the work, hit hike and pull the QB down towards the back (even hold R2 or L2 or both while you're doing this) and stuff the rock into the RB's stomach. Are you making presnap adjustments your blocking scheme based on what the defense is showing? I mean I could go on and on here.

My advice for getting the ground-game going (I play on AA with AI run-defense slider maxed, by the way) is to focus on the OL. Pick out one or two guys you want to run behind (LT & LG for example) and watch them (literally look at them and the defenders they might have to engage and not the QB, RB or anyone else on D) while you attempt to execute the play and make your early read off what happens to in that specific area. Do this several times in a row, ideally until the two OL you're focusing on both get hot. Once they're nice and red, move your attention to the other side of the line and get them going.

Or, take the other approach: do what a real team would do if they were having problems running the ball: screens and short passes on 1st and 2nd and save running for 3rd and short. Pick up a few first downs with your boy Gurley to try to get him hot. Next thing you know he's got five carries for four first downs and a TD. Who cares what his ypc is at that point, yeah?

Etc.

Stop blaming the damn game for everything, look in the mirrior and play with intensity, focus, determination and for god's sake don't take it too seriously. So what if you can't run the ball. Like you've never followed a team that can't run the ball worth a lick. It happens all the time, even to really good teams. The game will reward you if you play with patience and intelligence.

Last thing: I make it something of a rule not to play this game unless I've watched some real college ball for a good hour or three first. Really helps with making reads, pacing yourself, and tempering expectations as to what most running plays actually look like.

Cheers.

Stop trying to make it like its NOT the game. If I was having the same trouble on varisty with the sliders in the CPU's favor then I could see it may be a problem, but when I run a hb dive and I see the one and only hole the line makes on a hb dive and I hit it only to see the defender automatically slide out of his block to make the tackle EVERY time, that's not football, that's the CPU being super human. Crappy defenses don't just shut down elite runners. I guess Ill just go back to varsity and crank the sliders a little more to the CPU at least then Ill get some semblance of real play.

[TheLaw1989]

Re: why is this happening?

The biggest key I've found to running the ball is not hitting the sprint button right away. It seems that hitting sprint in this game causing the O-Line to disengage their blocks and head downfield, which means if you hit it right away it lets the defense into the backfield. Instead, wait until you're into the hole and then turn the jets on. You need to give your line time to solidify their blocks.

Mix up your play calling too. Come out on first down in a run formation and throw out of it. Come out in the shotgun and run. Mix up man and zone, sweeps, option plays. Rotate your running backs too. Get the fresh guy the ball. Use formation subs to get your third back in there too.

[cusefan74]

Re: why is this happening?

Stop trying to make it like its NOT the game. If I was having the same trouble on varisty with the sliders in the CPU's favor then I could see it may be a problem, but when I run a hb dive and I see the one and only hole the line makes on a hb dive and I hit it only to see the defender automatically slide out of his block to make the tackle EVERY time, that's not football, that's the CPU being super human. Crappy defenses don't just shut down elite runners. I guess Ill just go back to varsity and crank the sliders a little more to the CPU at least then Ill get some semblance of real play.

For me I have to agree a lot with what NEOPARADIGM said. You could be using the sprint button at the wrong time, or reading the wrong hole or whatever. Maybe you're not good enough to run on AA, but on varsity you're really good. Nothing wrong with that, some people can't play at some levels. Like me on Heisman, forget it, I suck at that level, but on AA the game is perfect for me. For me on varsity I would hate it, way to easy for me, but that's me. You got the right idea in the end though, go back to varsity and adjust the sliders to where you want them. In the end it's not really the games fault, but it's not your fault either.

[XXstormmXX]

Re: why is this happening?

All American difficulty, run block slider set at 100, AI rush D set at 0, yet Im getting ZERO room to run. the Dline is getting off their blocks immediately, I have guys running past they guy they are supposed to block to block a DB 20 yards upfield. I have a 99 OVR rated todd gurley avging 3 or less ypc over the last few games (I was playing on varsity, but was too easy). what gives?

If you play on any game speed other then normal you will get those problems.

[CJ10]

Re: why is this happening?

If you play on any game speed other then normal you will get those problems.

Im on normal, 0 speed threshold

[BleedGreen710]

Re: why is this happening?

Are you controlling the QB during the handoff? Don't just hit hike and let the CPU do the work, hit hike and pull the QB down towards the back (even hold R2 or L2 or both while you're doing this) and stuff the rock into the RB's stomach.

... say whaaat??

[ainokmw]

Re: why is this happening?

Stop trying to make it like its NOT the game. If I was having the same trouble on varisty with the sliders in the CPU's favor then I could see it may be a problem, but when I run a hb dive and I see the one and only hole the line makes on a hb dive and I hit it only to see the defender automatically slide out of his block to make the tackle EVERY time, that's not football, that's the CPU being super human. Crappy defenses don't just shut down elite runners. I guess Ill just go back to varsity and crank the sliders a little more to the CPU at least then Ill get some semblance of real play.

I don't know what to tell you other than to maybe go down in difficulty.

I play on Heisman, and I don't have any of those problems running. I think running is quite smooth and well done. In the fourth year of my dynasty, I took an 89 OVR HB on Kentucky through the SEC grinder and still got 2,141 yards on 351 carries for 23 TDs. In the fifth year of my dynasty as Bama OC, my HB came in second in the Heisman by a measly 2 points.

Lots of questions arise though.

What type of playbook are you using? What type of running plays do you run? How often do you run? What kind of linemen do you play/recruit? What types of formations do you choose to run out of? Do you run option, out of the shotgun, single back or with a FB? Do you flip the run based on what the defense is showing you? Do you audible out of running plays when the need arises?

Personally, I find that running out of the shotgun or a single back set is much harder than running with a fullback. Try a pro-style offense. I run out of Western Michigan's playbook.

When you're running, you need to follow your lead blockers, and hold off on using the Sprint button until you need to make sepration, or hit a hole.

Be wary of always trying to bounce to the outside. Defenders in NCAA 14 are good in pursuit, and the winning strategy is usually to cut to the inside at the crucial moment. If you always try to bounce outside, you're gonna take a lot of losses.

Also, in a pro-style set, try to send the WR in motion away from your running play to drag the CB with him. No point in ruining a good run if your WR can't hold his block. If it's zone and the CB doesn't follow, bring him back. As a rule of thumb, if they're in zone like that, you absolutely want to cut inside because you will be outnumbered to the outside.

Try to use heavy power runs, but occasionally mix in a counter. When you're running the counter, the pulling guard or tackle is going to seal off the DE who's rushed in. You have to cut inside that DE or you're gonna be dropped, you can't bounce that to the outside.

A good play to run for a solid 3-4 yards is a traditional balanced two TE Ace Set. Run the Zone weak/HB Smash play, which runs behind the T. From there, if the play is designed to run behind the LT, you can flip it to run behind the RT, or if they're stacking the outside, audible to HB Dive, which is in the same formation, and will run behind the C/G Gap, which you can also flip if you choose. Thus, with one play called, you can audible to run to any of four holes based on what the defense is showing you without any of your players moving position. Just call the play, look at the defense, and audible to run at where they're weakest.

[cusefan74]

Re: why is this happening?

Make sure you are reading the right defense before the snap. If you see guys cheating up to the line then most likely there is a blitz coming. If you have a run called get out of it. If the MLB moves out of position and leaves the middle of the field open, run a dive play right up in there. Also remember it's better to get 2 or 3 yards then it is to lose 2 or 3 or more, while trying to break off a big run. You will break off some big runs at some point.

[InfiniteXavier]

Re: why is this happening?

All American difficulty, run block slider set at 100, AI rush D set at 0, yet Im getting ZERO room to run. the Dline is getting off their blocks immediately, I have guys running past they guy they are supposed to block to block a DB 20 yards upfield. I have a 99 OVR rated todd gurley avging 3 or less ypc over the last few games (I was playing on varsity, but was too easy). what gives?

Maybe you aren't very good at the game?

Maybe its the playcalling and timing?

When are you hitting turbo?