Grinding on the Ground
There's something satisfying about trucking over defenders in route to a huge ground gain. A well-established rushing attack is an effective gameplan in NCAA Football 07. Like the passing game, there are certain fundamentals to follow to gain consistent yardage. However, a lot of yardage can be gained through effective maneuvers, such as the array of special moves like spins, jukes, and stiff arms.
Know your selected running back's strengths. Is he a fast, speedy back with elusiveness or is he a strong back with trucking power. Faster backs can excel in outside runs because they can outrun defensive ends and outside linebackers to reach the outside. Turning the corner at the sidelines can lead to huge gains. More powerful running backs are better suited for the inside run where they can pancake defenders and break tackles with power moves. They lack the speed to get outside but have the strength to bust through linebackers and reach weaker secondary defenders.
A big part of a running back's success is his blocking. Check your team's offensive line and know which side is the strongest in terms of run blocking. Does your team have a good fullback? If so, consider using I-Form, Strong, or Weak formations that feature a fullback who can provide additional blocking. Use motion pre-snap to provide additional blocking in the run direction. For instance, move a WR to the run side of the ball. Call a hot route on the WR and adjust his blocking scheme.
Look at each running play in the playbook. It has a specific design. The running back is shown running in a particular direction and the line blocks in a particular fashion. Perhaps some linemen pull outside or open a hole in the middle. Follow the play's design and allow your blockers to open holes and push defenders out of the way. Avoid using the sprint button until you've broken through the line. Using the sprint button seems to aid defenders (they have their own burst). Also the sprint button seems to minimize the effectiveness of special moves. Pulling a juke, spin, or stiff arm through the line can be more effective before the sprint; once you're past the initial defenders, start your sprint.
You'll find additional player ratings on the Xbox 360, including specific ratings for special moves like the juke and spin. You'll want to utilize these moves when in the open field. Time a stiff arm when you collide with a defender. Note that the stiff arm button also moves the football to the opposite arm--a wise idea when you're near the sidelines so if you do fumble, it has a higher chance of going out of bounds. Perform a juke or spin move when you're approaching a defender to avoid the tackle. Note that the juke move can be performed with the right thumb stick to the left or right. Don't forget to use the cover ball button to protect the football!
Also, pressing the right thumb stick up is the "truck stick". Basically the opposite of the hit stick! Use the truck stick to level a defender and run him over (it's in the statistics as trucking). Be wary or abusing special moves when you're surrounded by defenders. You have a higher chance of fumbling when you're performing special moves. Use the shoulder button to protect the ball to avoid a costly, momentum-shifting fumble.
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