NCAA 06 Playbook Discovery "QB Choice" = Read Option

[illiterateoption]

I've been playing NCAA 2006 for PS2 quite a bit lately and found something I was never aware of.

BYU, USF, and Oregon's Playbooks (and I'm sure others) have a play called "QB Choice." This is essentially the zone read or read option play that is so prevalent in today's college game. I just never realized it was in NCAA 06.

Its not as easy to run the read-option or QB Choice in 06 compared to NCAA14 but you can break free for big gains when called at the right time. Just another reason to continue to dive into NCAA 2006!

[volwalker]

The QB Choice concept in 06 can be a nice run play to utilize in your spread offense. EA did not do the best job with creating this play but I have a few rules on how to run it effectively and consistently.

For the sake of this example, let's look at the shotgun spread formation up against a dime defense, for simplicity sake. Without flipping the play, this means the HB is on the right side of the QB.

The best way for me to run this concept has always been to think of the play as an inverted veer. EA designed it as the HB going in one direction and if the QB keeps it, he should naturally go the other direction.

I do the exact opposite. I run the play as an inverted veer or "same side read option". If I keep the ball with my QB, I will run it to the same side the HB would run it. I do this because 90% of the time the DE is left undefended and if you run your QB to the side of that DE, you will get stuffed.

Now I am a “coverage progression” guy which means all of my pre and postsnap decisions are made based on whether the defense is in man or zone. This isobvious for pass plays but the same applies for my run plays. It is no different for the QB Choice.

Here are my reads for running the QB Choice (HB right of the QB):

1. After breaking the huddle, watch the CBs to determine if defense is in man or zone

a. If CBs sprint to their initial spot = MAN

b. If CBs turn facing you and slide to their initial spot = ZONE

2. If in zone, do not keep the ball with the QB, ever. Defenses are too fast for your QB to make a play against a zone

3. If in man, read defensive line shift. If line shifts to HB side (right), keep it with your QB. It maybe be in your favor let the HB have the ball as well

4. Otherwise, always give it to your HB, even if the line shifts towards the side where your HB is running to (left). This point is the biggest downside to the QB Choice, you can’t flip the run

5. Follow your blocks. Basically, don’t abuse the speed button. If in man, get more horizontal until blocks are made. If in zone, don’tuse the speed button and stay vertical as much a s possible

QB Choice is more effective if the ball is on a hash where there is more room for both players to run to, in this case on the right hash.

The QB Choice isn’t as effective as the speed option or the HB Direct out of any Gun formation but can still be potent if ran correctly. These are not hard rules but they have served me well when running QB Choice.

I hope this helps some. Go into practice mode and rep it until you can do run it blindfolded, lol. Also, make use of the first point I mentioned on reading the CBs. Outside of being in a twins or trips formation, it is useful to know what coverage the defense is in for every play since you don’t have to motion WRs to find that info out.

[illiterateoption]

Quote: Originally Posted by volwalker

The QB Choice concept in 06 can be a nice run play to utilize in your spread offense. EA did not do the best job with creating this play but I have a fewset rules on how to run it effectively and consistently. For the sake of this example, let's look at the shotgun spread formation upagainst a dime defense, for simplicity sake. Without flipping the play, thismeans the HB is on the right side of the QB. The best way for me to run this concept has always been to think of the playas an inverted veer. EA designed it as the HB going in one direction and if the QB keeps it, he should naturally go the other direction. I do the exact opposite. I run the play as an inverted veer or "same side read option". If I keep the ball with my QB, I will run it to thesame side the HB would run it. I do this because 90% of the time the DE that isleft undefended and if your run your QB to the side of that DE, you will get stuffed. Now I am a “coverage progression” guy which means all of my pre and postsnap decisions are made based on whether the defense is in man or zone. This isobvious for pass plays but the same applies for my run plays. It is no different for the QB Choice. Here are my reads for running the QB Choice (HB right of the QB): 1. After breaking the huddle, watch the CBs to determineif defense is in man or zone a. If CBs sprint to their initial spot = MAN b. If CBs turn facing you and slide to their initial spot = ZONE 2. If in zone, do not keep the ball with the QB, ever. Defenses are too fast for your QB to make a play against a zone 3. If in man, read defensive line shift. If line shifts toHB side (right), keep it with your QB. It maybe be in your favor let the HB have the ball as well 4. Otherwise, always give it to your HB, even if the line shifts towards the side where your HB is running to (left). This point is the biggest downside to the QB Choice, you can’t flip the run 5. Follow your blocks. Basically, don’t abuse the speedbutton. If in man, get more horizontal until blocks are made. If in zone, don’tuse the speed button and stay vertical as much a s possible QB Choice is more effective if the ball is on a hash where there is more room for both players to run to, in this case on the right hash. The QB Choice isn’t as effective as the speed option or the HB Direct out ofany Gun formation but can still be potent if ran correctly. These are not hard rules but they have served me well when running QB Choice. I hope this helps some. Go into practice mode and rep it until you can do runit blindfolded, lol. Also, make use of the first point I mentioned on reading the CBs. Outside of being in a twins or trips formation, it is useful to know what coverage the defense is in for every play since you don’t have to motion WRs to find that info out.

Awesome Breakdown my man! I need to get into the lab!

[volwalker]

Thanks. There is one thing you need to pay attention to in practice mode. When you call a play in practice mode, your players will already be lined up, hence you can't read the CBs to see which coverage the D is in like I mentioned earlier.

I have a remedy for this. In practice mode after you finish a play, the game automatically sets your offense back up to run the same play again.

As soon as you either call a play or finish a play, go directly into your QB/Coach camera by holding down the RT button. Watch the CBs' movement. If they stand still, then they are in MAN. If they slide a little to the inside, they are in ZONE. You have to be quick to see it.

Of course you get the option to select what defensive play you want to go up against and thus know the coverage that way. I, however, like to pick "random play from formation". This helps me practice on the fly between man and zone and to react accordingly.

Hope this helps!

[Wednesday]

What difficulty level and sliders do you play with, volwalker?

[volwalker]

Quote: Originally Posted by Wednesday

What difficulty level and sliders do you play with, volwalker?

I play on Heisman. I'd say in the 10 years I've been playing the game, the last 8 have been on Heisman.

As for my sliders, everything is at 50, I don't touch them, don't have to. I have gotten realistic gameplay and results for almost a decade without ever having to move a slider.

Once I experimented with moving down the QB Accuracy slider for both myself and the CPU. I'm a big dynasty guy and I wanted to see if that would help lower the somewhat high completion percentage for most of the QBs, I noticed a lot of QBs with 60% or higher. I didn't help all that much though.

Even with accuracy at 50, during the actual games you play, I still see QBs, even my own, overthrow and underthrow and everything in between which is realistic to me and the percentages are actual pretty normal.

Once you start slaughtering top 5 teams consistently on Heisman (good luck with that), then you can think about tweaking some things.

[tv25man]

Sorry for bumping an old post, but I just got back into NCAA 2006 via emulator, and man does it look amazing in 4K.

The QB choice play is fantastic, but an even better play that I've been basing my entire scheme off of is "PA Read" out of a ton of different shotgun formations.

You can:

1) Hold X to hand the ball to the RB
2) Hold X after the fake hand off to run with the QB.
3) Throw the ball to a receiver.

It's basically "QB Choice" with an option to pass the ball.

I have PA Read in 4 different formations set up as audibles, and run a hurry-up offense with it.

Between flipping the play and audibling between formations to move my personnel into different spots on the field, you can run an insanely fun uptempo offense.

Right now I'm rolling as ULM and though we've only played a couple cupcakes so far, the offensive numbers are amazing. I can't wait for some real competition.

[OBinKC]

Quote: Originally Posted by tv25man

Sorry for bumping an old post, but I just got back into NCAA 2006 via emulator, and man does it look amazing in 4K. The QB choice play is fantastic, but an even better play that I've been basing my entire scheme off of is "PA Read" out of a ton of different shotgun formations. You can: 1) Hold X to hand the ball to the RB 2) Hold X after the fake hand off to run with the QB. 3) Throw the ball to a receiver. It's basically "QB Choice" with an option to pass the ball. I have PA Read in 4 different formations set up as audibles, and run a hurry-up offense with it. Between flipping the play and audibling between formations to move my personnel into different spots on the field, you can run an insanely fun uptempo offense. Right now I'm rolling as ULM and though we've only played a couple cupcakes so far, the offensive numbers are amazing. I can't wait for some real competition.

It’s crazy that RPOs were in the PS2/360 gen college football games and not even in NCAA 14! PA Reads are a staple of my offense in ‘06!