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NCAA 10: Blocking Logic Flaws Make for Big Defense

I saw this play in a user game and I came back to it afterward. It's a good example of something I saw last year and I thought I would share it with everyone. I want to first say that I am not complaining about the game or EA. However discouraged and frustrated I am with the situation represented in this example, I still thoroughly enjoy the game.

1. PRE SNAP I-form strong lined up against a 5-2 with at least one and possibly two blitzing LBs inside the A-gaps. From an offensive standpoint, there is no problem here. The play call (figure 2) is a strong side 6-gap run with a pulling weak-side G.

The Playcall This play is easily defended. In real life, the LT would know that the LG next to him is pulling and that he needs to cut the DT lined up in the B-gap. Knowing that the MLB is showing blitz, the C has to make a (logic based) choice. One of the cardinal rules of run blocking is to never, EVER let anyone come untouched through the A-gaps. Spoiler Alert! Someone comes free.

Right off the bat my RT and TE both decided to try and block the same guy (DE). The C crosses the gap in which the MLB is blitzing to block the DT. The RG crosses another gap with a blitz to block the NT.

As anticipated, the weak side MLB blitzes and comes through completely untouched with not even a banana peel in his way. My FB, seeing the MLB in the corner of his eye, completely stops in his tracks.

The pulling G does his job and engages the first free body he sees while my TE is out picking daises. The LEAD BLOCKING FB decides to reverse his run and block a defender that is behind the play AND the ball carrier.

And what do you know? A 7 yard loss.

Conclusion: I just don't understand the WR/TE interaction. It almost looks like the TE had ambitions of going behind the DE to block someone (which would be understanding if there were an OLB there to seal the edge). The FB changing direction to block someone who has little chance to make a tackle while staring down a free man on the play side is laughable at best. I would have zero problem with a defender shedding a block and making the tackle. Or perhaps the free blitzing MLB from the weak side grabbing the ball carriers ankles while the RB tries to find the hole.

This is just one example of many plays I see during the course of a game that makes me wonder what logic offensive blockers use to diffuse a defensive scheme. I only hope that errors in fundamental football can someday be addressed by someone on the developer side who knows something about the intricacies of the game. This is exactly why we have to create rules, and in some cases bans, on certain defensive formations in order to negate unrealistic advantages.

This article was orginally written by Drifterbub of Tradition Football. Tradition Football is the premier online dynasty destination for serious NCAA Football 10 gamers, with competitive and active leagues year around.


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Member Comments
# 1 Potatoes002 @ 02/21/10 12:54 AM
The blocking flat out sucks in this game. Turbo is useless too if you use it behind the line of scrimmage because the O-line all of the sudden lets everybody through.
 
# 2 Facts @ 02/21/10 05:24 AM
Not a fanboy but 2K had the closest to realistic blocking. The worst I would say is Madden 09. The world of untouched DT's.
 
# 3 NDIrish98 @ 02/21/10 08:11 AM
the title should also include Madden 10, this year i could actually play NCAA and enjoy it, but NCAA's blocking is NOWHERE NEAR the travesty of what is supposed to be called blocking in Madden 10.
 
# 4 Reaman @ 02/21/10 08:24 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by NDIrish98
the title should also include Madden 10, this year i could actually play NCAA and enjoy it, but NCAA's blocking is NOWHERE NEAR the travesty of what is supposed to be called blocking in Madden 10.
I thought the blocking in Madden 10 was good?
 
# 5 geezmeister @ 02/22/10 12:30 PM
there are so many other issues in Ncaa 10 to go with this. How I also still enjoy the game very much it is just unacceptable to have these things happening on a next gen football title, especially one that has been on next get this long.
 
# 6 vegaas @ 02/22/10 06:51 PM
Blocking has been and still is terrible on EA football games. Hopefully they eventually decide to fix that instead of giving us trading card and fantasy games.

P.S. Can we please stop calling it Next Gen? Its current gen and has been since the systems were released. Next Gen are the next consoles to be released.
 
# 7 blackscorpion11 @ 02/22/10 10:58 PM
Nice breakdown , They havent had decent blocking since the 06 version IMO. The trench battles need to be decided by individual players abilities with physics applied to the outcome. Example.. A 6-6 331 lb tackle with 96 rated strength and say 95 OVR should dominate a 70 OVR tackle most of the time.. (Not every time, but most of the time).. The battle should come down to random outcomes or whether or not you pull the "Turbo" trigger??? I think they should get rid of turbo buttons period.. A players speed should be acceleration from the moment he touches the ball then adjust for changes in direction and field conditions.. BUT that requires programming time that EA isnt willing to invest.. Thats why we get the same game every year with a few minor changes and patches..

The gameplay engine is flawed, and rather than fix it all at once and release a few months late, the spoon feed us fixes year after year while calling it a "New " version of the game..

The exclusive license gives EA the ability to rip us off....NCAA 11 Style!!
 
# 8 NDIrish98 @ 02/23/10 05:46 PM
i would love to see Sony to make a football game soon.
 
# 9 exeter @ 02/23/10 08:53 PM
I totally agree with this. And after hearing that there is some kind of programming flaw that doesn't allow for the option blocking to run correctly was getting kind of depressed....However, after playing around with Madden's Play Designer capacity in the PSP, I think I may have found the solution to both problems:
- Simply combine the "on-the-fly" play adjustments innovation that was introduced in NFL HEAD COACH 09 with an advanced PLAY DESIGNER for the NCAA football game (meaning allowing minute blocking adjustments AND handoff/pitching options for the qbs)
I think this possibility would work online too as it would stop cheesing by allowing quick, equal adjustments on both sides of the ball.
 

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