EA Sports College Football 25 On-Screen Player Icon Guide

[esmeet7]

There are a lot of on-screen icons in EA Sports College Football 25, and we thought...

Written By: Chase Becotte

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[jello1717]

Re: Understanding on-screen player icons...

Is there a website or thread that describes the various icons that show up above players on offense / defense before the snap?



For example, I assume the "M" over a linebacker represents the "Mike," which is important for understanding blocking assignments.



What are the "Flames" above some of the defenders?



What are the blue dots and green checkmark above some players?



What are the multiple vertical black dots with an icon in the center (haven't seen this enough to really understand what it is)?



Overall, where can I go to explore these on-screen icons and what they mean?

Based on my limited knowledge, “M” is definitely for the Mike LB. I’ve also seen 1 or 2 other letters (I wanna say a “C”) but have no clue what they are. I’m not talking about option and pitch keys.

The [emoji91] I’ve read means that if that guy blitzes, he won’t be blocked.

[jello1717]

Understanding on-screen player icons...

It is a “C.”

What’s the meaning of this guy with a “c” inside a dark blue triangle?

[maxatlof]

Re: Understanding on-screen player icons...

Is there a website or thread that describes the various icons that show up above players on offense / defense before the snap?

For example, I assume the "M" over a linebacker represents the "Mike," which is important for understanding blocking assignments.

What are the "Flames" above some of the defenders?

What are the blue dots and green checkmark above some players?

What are the multiple vertical black dots with an icon in the center (haven't seen this enough to really understand what it is)?

Overall, where can I go to explore these on-screen icons and what they mean?

I was wondering all these things as well. It's the first time they've brought this game back in 10 yrs, a ton of things have changed and been added and there's no explanation for any of it. I went to the EA Campus blog website, nope nothing. Those "deep dive" videos are absolutely worthless. WTF EA? Are we supposed to just be mind readers??

[maxatlof]

Re: Understanding on-screen player icons...

This guy posted a video that explains a lot of the questions I didn't know the answers to. Super helpful, although I still have no idea what the blue dots mean by your D lineman though.

https://youtu.be/XWk0XNe_Qws?si=leESlt4T3-E1N9JV

[dbeth]

Re: Understanding on-screen player icons...

I have noticed the blue dots on the linemen go down when I try to perform a RS move it seems?? Like, one play my DE has 3 blue filled in dots, I go engage a lineman and try a spin off with the RS and I lose a dot. Next play, I only have 2 dots available.

Maybe it's an 'energy' dot system or something to be able to give that little extra to do a special release move? It seems my better players have more dots available.

[jello1717]

Re: Understanding on-screen player icons...

This guy posted a video that explains a lot of the questions I didn't know the answers to. Super helpful, although I still have no idea what the blue dots mean by your D lineman though.



https://youtu.be/XWk0XNe_Qws?si=leESlt4T3-E1N9JV

Thanx for this. It was really helpful. I’m glad he explained the blue C icon as I never would’ve figured that one out.

[Tonka3013]

Re: Understanding on-screen player icons...

In Madden, the bars under the DL are pass rush points. Use a move, lose a point. They regenerate. OL have “resistance” points that are specific to the player they are opposing. Like they get used to seeing that one opposing d lineman’s moves and get better at stopping them.

I assume there’s some version of this in CFB25

[Limasbravo]

Re: Understanding on-screen player icons...

This guy posted a video that explains a lot of the questions I didn't know the answers to. Super helpful, although I still have no idea what the blue dots mean by your D lineman though.

https://youtu.be/XWk0XNe_Qws?si=leESlt4T3-E1N9JV

Good stuff. Thank you.

[esmeet7]

Re: Understanding on-screen player icons...

This guy posted a video that explains a lot of the questions I didn't know the answers to. Super helpful, although I still have no idea what the blue dots mean by your D lineman though.

https://youtu.be/XWk0XNe_Qws?si=leESlt4T3-E1N9JV

Thanks for sharing; very helpful video.

[ChaseB]

Re: Understanding on-screen player icons...

What's the deal with the green check mark above the defensive player pre-snap? I get the blue dots for the defenders showing how many moves they have left, and I still see the red resistance bar filling up for O-Line, but not really sure what the green check is there for.

EDIT: Never mind, I figured it out, it's counting that player as "in the box" when you get close enough to LOS.

[Hooe]

Re: Understanding on-screen player icons...

F : Force defender. Responsible for forcing an offensive ball carrier back inside towards his help in run defense.

C on Red Triangle : Cutback defender. Responsible for corralling the ball carrier should he cut back against the grain of a laterally flowing run defense.

R : Read key defender. When on offense, this defender is your read key on Read Option, Inverted Veer, etc. as to whether you should pull the ball as the quarterback or give the ball to the running back.

P : Pitch key defender. When on offense, this defender is your read key on Speed Option, Load Option, Triple Option, etc. as to whether you should pitch the ball to a trailing tail back or keep the ball with an option quarterback.

M : Mike defender. The fifth defender that the offensive line will key on for pass protection.

C on Blue Triangle : Check defender. You have a pass play called and your running back or tight end is running a check-and-release route. This defender is who that receiver will key on. If the check defender blitzes, your back or tight end will stay in and help pass protect.

Flame above a defensive player : Hot read. This defender has no blocker assigned to him in your current pass protection plan. If he blitzes, it is your responsibility as the quarterback to "throw hot", i.e. find your designated hot route (the actual definition, not the EA Sports definition) to beat the blitz and throw him the ball now.

Blue Dots above a defensive linemen : Pass rush move points. This is the same pass rush points system which exists in Madden; your defenders have a limited number of pass rush moves they may perform each play.

Green Checkmark : the opposing offensive line has identified your user defender as a defender on the line of scrimmage and will consider him when executing their pass protection and/or run scheme blocking rules at the snap. It also just generally shows up whenever your user defender is engaged with a blocker on both run and pass plays, but I'm not sure if that has any meaning on its own. This is not box count; off-ball defenders are part of the box count, and this check mark doesn't show up on off-ball linebackers or safeties until they engage with a blocker after the snap.

EA Sports really should add a glossary to their football games or something, the green checkmark they've never explained and it took a bit for me to figure out.

[ChaseB]

Re: Understanding on-screen player icons...

F : Force defender. Responsible for forcing an offensive ball carrier back inside towards his help in run defense.

C on Red Triangle : Cutback defender. Responsible for corralling the ball carrier should he cut back against the grain of a laterally flowing run defense.

R : Read key defender. When on offense, this defender is your read key on Read Option, Inverted Veer, etc. as to whether you should pull the ball as the quarterback or give the ball to the running back.

P : Pitch key defender. When on offense, this defender is your read key on Speed Option, Load Option, Triple Option, etc. as to whether you should pitch the ball to a trailing tail back or keep the ball with an option quarterback.

M : Mike defender. The fifth defender that the offensive line will key on for pass protection.

C on Blue Triangle : Check defender. You have a pass play called and your running back or tight end is running a check-and-release route. This defender is who that receiver will key on. If the check defender blitzes, your back or tight end will stay in and help pass protect.

Flame above a defensive player : Hot read. This defender has no blocker assigned to him in your current pass protection plan. If he blitzes, it is your responsibility as the quarterback to "throw hot", i.e. find your designated hot route (the actual definition, not the EA Sports definition) to beat the blitz and throw him the ball now.

Blue Dots above a defensive linemen : Pass rush move points. This is the same pass rush points system which exists in Madden; your defenders have a limited number of pass rush moves they may perform each play.

Green Checkmark : the opposing offensive line has identified your user defender as a defender on the line of scrimmage and will consider him when executing their pass protection and/or run scheme blocking rules at the snap. It also just generally shows up whenever your user defender is engaged with a blocker on both run and pass plays, but I'm not sure if that has any meaning on its own. This is not box count; off-ball defenders are part of the box count, and this check mark doesn't show up on off-ball linebackers or safeties until they engage with a blocker after the snap.

EA Sports really should add a glossary to their football games or something, the green checkmark they've never explained and it took a bit for me to figure out.

I think the green check will also run commit them (rather than your whole team now) if you do that. And the green check will show up for any defender you move close enough to the LOS now, which I think confirms that.

You'll also see things like red exclamation marks pop up for Field General QBs, this is telling you guys might be on a blitz.

Back to the OP, I'm not sure what the vertical black dots could mean unless you mean when you press LT to pull up the abilities and it's just not filling in with many abilities because that personnel grouping is meh.

[zpq12]

Re: Understanding on-screen player icons...

F : Force defender. Responsible for forcing an offensive ball carrier back inside towards his help in run defense.

C on Red Triangle : Cutback defender. Responsible for corralling the ball carrier should he cut back against the grain of a laterally flowing run defense.

R : Read key defender. When on offense, this defender is your read key on Read Option, Inverted Veer, etc. as to whether you should pull the ball as the quarterback or give the ball to the running back.

P : Pitch key defender. When on offense, this defender is your read key on Speed Option, Load Option, Triple Option, etc. as to whether you should pitch the ball to a trailing tail back or keep the ball with an option quarterback.

M : Mike defender. The fifth defender that the offensive line will key on for pass protection.

C on Blue Triangle : Check defender. You have a pass play called and your running back or tight end is running a check-and-release route. This defender is who that receiver will key on. If the check defender blitzes, your back or tight end will stay in and help pass protect.

Flame above a defensive player : Hot read. This defender has no blocker assigned to him in your current pass protection plan. If he blitzes, it is your responsibility as the quarterback to "throw hot", i.e. find your designated hot route (the actual definition, not the EA Sports definition) to beat the blitz and throw him the ball now.

Blue Dots above a defensive linemen : Pass rush move points. This is the same pass rush points system which exists in Madden; your defenders have a limited number of pass rush moves they may perform each play.

Green Checkmark : the opposing offensive line has identified your user defender as a defender on the line of scrimmage and will consider him when executing their pass protection and/or run scheme blocking rules at the snap. It also just generally shows up whenever your user defender is engaged with a blocker on both run and pass plays, but I'm not sure if that has any meaning on its own. This is not box count; off-ball defenders are part of the box count, and this check mark doesn't show up on off-ball linebackers or safeties until they engage with a blocker after the snap.

EA Sports really should add a glossary to their football games or something, the green checkmark they've never explained and it took a bit for me to figure out.

So helpful. Thank you.

[Hooe]

Re: Understanding on-screen player icons...

I think the green check will also run commit them (rather than your whole team now) if you do that.

I know that the effectiveness of playaction is situationally increased in CFB 25, but in practice at least I'm not seeing green check mark players in zone assignments biting on playaction with any increased frequency. So I don't think they are run committing.

BTW, is the red exclamation mark that pops up something to do with abilities? Maybe it's saying guy could be coming on blitz? Not every QB seems to get it.

This sounds like the Field General ability, but I haven't played with or against a Field General quarterback yet so I don't know for sure.