Using Blockers

The main part of having a successful rushing offense in EA NCAA is good blocking.  Although this is something very basic and obvious, I think it bears repeating that the goal is to keep the blockers between the ball and the defender - let the blocker set up the running lane for you, and then hit the lane.

Recognizing the Hole

On any running play, the first thing you need to diagnose is the general point of attack that you will be running to.  Up to the handoff, your eyes should be on the line of scrimmage to see how clogged the inside is and how many defenders are at the perimeter.  This gives you a rough idea if you are going to look for an inside hole or if you're probably bouncing the play to the outside.  Remember that the handoff action is going to happen on automatic, so you don't need to watch it.  If there's penetration so early they hit you on the handoff, it's not like you're going to do anything about it anyway.

Here is Iso right against Florida State, with a defense lined up to take away the outside:

At the snap, the blocking develops and we see an inside hole emerge in that wide space in front of the play side OT.  The three blockers on that side (RG #77, RT #76, and TE #80) engage each of the defenders at the line of scrimmage.  The FB has identified the hole and is starting to run through it to meet the LB moving up to plug it.

Here is where the HB must make a read on the lead block.  We call it the Isolation play because it is isolating the FB lead blocker on the linebacker or safety that is designated to fill the hole. What the FB here is going to do is take the linebacker and get outside of him, blocking him to the inside of the field:

What is the big advantage of blocking him to the inside?  Lorenzo Neal talks about this in a clip about FB lead blocking for the NFL Network.  Neal was one of the best blocking fullbacks ever to play in the NFL, and in the first minute of the video he explains how the lead block of the fullback controls the direction of the run.

When the lead blocker engages, they can push the defender to the inside to allow the runner to make a cut to the outside behind the FB's back.  Or the FB can push the defender to the outside to allow the runner to make an inside cut behind the FB.  A good lead blocker, Neal explains, will look at where the help is for the defender getting blocked.  The example Neal gives is a deep safety to the outside - the LB wants to try to "spill" the play to the outside toward the safety help.  The correct read for the FB is to take the LB and "kick him out" to the outside allowing LaDainian Tomlinson to cut back inside the "crease" away from where the safety help is.

Now look at what our FB has done.  He's taken the SOLB and driven him to the inside; the HB cuts right behind the block and takes it upfield.  This is important because of where the help is going to come from: the inside.  Had the FB blocked the LB to the outside and forced the HB to cut inside, the unblocked guys in the red box coming across the formation would be in position to make the tackle (look how close they get to the HB even with the outside cut):




Setting Up Angles

Here we are looking at a spread out defensive alignment, running Power left against Clemson to the strong side:

Knowing that our gap play is headed into that vacant spot in the line, we anticipate a big gain.  The LT gets beaten by the DE, but our FB lead blocker picks him up.  Releasing to the second level, the LT takes on the MLB, while the pulling guard plows through the hole and hits the SS.  What you should notice is how everywhere in the running lane, the HB is maneuevering behind the backs of the blockers and setting them up to draw the defenders into the block.  Even the WOLB is "blocked" by the LT because the HB sets it up so the defender has to run through traffic.



Knowing which way to cut is very important, and can turn a tackle for loss in the backfield into a big gain.  Take the following Counter play to the weak side on the left.  If we continue to try to sprint it to the outside, the LB moving up has a great angle to cut us off.  The blocker in front of us is too far inside to make a play if we go for the corner.

Instead, we can cut back upfield behind the blocker and let him engage the defender.  By changing direction, the HB helps the blocker by changing the defender's angle to the play - to go through the blocker instead of around him.

Let's see how this plays out at full speed:



Let the Play Develop

A lot of what goes into a successful run, especially to the outside, is being patient enough to wait for the blocker to pick up the defender in front of you.  Most of the time, success on an outside run has less to do being fast enough to beat a defender to the corner as it has to do with setting up your blocks.  Here is RB Stretch right against Clemson, again with a defender penetrating deep into the backfield threatening a tackle for loss:

If the HB tries to get upfield as fast as he can, he will get hit by the free edge defender and lose yards.  However, the HB can string it out around the leading fullback, changing the angle to the ball for the defender so it goes through the blocker.  Although we are running sideways, it ends up creating an open field to break into for nice yards.