Spread Running Game

I want to take this time to thank Equalizer for inviting me to add to this forum. What I
will talk a little about is what I call the Spread em and Run em offense, or what I like to
call the Thunder and Lightning approach.
This offense has been very successful to me because of my ability to run effectively from
it. I normally run out of the shotgun Spread formation, but any of the shotgun formations
can b use to succeed. I use the Shotgun formation because of the HB direct ply. But
there is another shotgun formation, the shotgun 2 back slot, which has its own version of
the HB direct.
The reason why I am so successful in the spread offense is that know I how to run the ball
from this formation. This is the formula for success. You must be able to run from the
same formation that you pass from. More importantly than that, I am able to run both
sides in the spread shotgun formation without flipping the play. That is very important.
Most gamers can tell where the play is going to normally when you flip a ply because of
the change of position of your players placement. But I digress; let me get back on
track.
In the formation I use (Shotgun spread) I have several plays that I use. I have at least 5
passing plays, and 2 running plays that I use from this particular formation. They are:
-The screen pass. I use this play because it allows me to attack the safeties without hot
routing my receivers. Of course you know you have to get the ball off as quickly as
possible.
-Deep attack. My favorite play but most of the time I have to Hot route a receiver for a
streak, which can be hard to do with the HFA function on this game.
-Wr Under. This is my short yardage play, and goal line pass formation.
-HB Go. I like this play because of the hesitation of the right side (when you are looking
at the TV) receiver, before he comes over the middle. Love it.
-Slot Seams. I like this play because when you send the running back to your left (when
you are looking at the TV), he clears out the middle when you receiver comes across a
little afterwards (when you are looking at the TV).
-HB direct. My main running play.
-HB Draw. Change of pace running play.

There are other plays that I would love to run, but EA decided to make them play action,
and I stay away from play action. I just dont like the time it takes to set up. I normally
blow up play action pass plays because I attack the QBs, so I dont do it in my offense.
When using my attack plan, I have to establish the run in order for this to work. This is
imperative. What that does is force your opponent to bring up his safeties to the line to
stop the run. I normally will run like 6 run plays in a run (HB Direct), just to get my
opponent to think about stopping the run. They normally get me anywhere from 5-20
yards a clip. That is how successful it is. Now you may think that 5 yards a pop doesnt
sound like a lot. But imagine running 6-10 running plays in succession. You are in field
goal position already or you have already scored on your opponent. See what I mean?
Once they are tired of you breaking big runs on them, they will try to bring more people
in the box. That is when you go to the air on them. If they bring their safeties up, you
will have a hard time doing screens. So I dont do them. I will call the deep attack from
my audible package, and try to exploit their safeties. Not necessarily their corners, but
their safeties. The reason for this is that safeties are not as fast as corners. What I like to
do is audible to the deep attack and hot route my running back to a streak. Now
depending on what defense they call (man or zone coverage), will dictate how much
yardage I can get. If it is man coverage, then the skys the limit. When you motion your
back into the passing lane you are normally matched against a linebacker. The safeties
normally hesitate before falling back into coverage. I notice that for some strange reason
the linebacker will hesitate also. That gives you a few more steps on the linebacker, and
definitely the safety. This also happens when you motion a receiver, if your team is at
home you will have an easier time than away because of the HFA factor. What I notice,
when I motion a receiver the corner/safety and linebacker will both hesitate, which will
give you more time to get down field. I normally dont use the deep attack when I am
within their 40 yard line. You need the give the receiver/running back time to break away
from the defense before you can throw it. What I will normally switch to is the slot
seams because both the outside receiver and running back comes across the middle (when
you are looking at the TV).
When I need to really attack by the air, this will happen because my running game is not
effective. I will then turn to my 5 wide playbook. I use these plays once again to
primarily get down the field quickly, but also to really attack the safeties. These are the
plays I use:
-Zig outs: This is a bread and butter ply for me. It is most successful when my opponent
calls bump and run Silly rabbit, trix are for kids LOLLLL!!! Once they break away
from the bump and run, there is no help for him because the safeties are too close to the
line.
-Comebacks: I love this play because it forces the cornerbacks to follow the outside
receivers away from the middle. This is a perfect play to attack the safeties.
-Assault: I love this play because both of your outside receivers attack the middle.

-Middle attack: This play gives me the best of both worlds. You have a receiver
attacking the middle, while you have a receiver also attacking the safety. It doesnt get
any better than that!!!
-Middle Clear: The name says it all. I normally will use this one right after the Middle
attack. Both of these plays are excellent attack patterns against the blitzers that you meet.
You can throw behind the oncoming blitzer for big yardage.
-Flood: This play is like the Assault, but instead of your outside receivers attacking the
middle, the attack comes from your inside receivers. Again this is a great play to use
against mad blitzers. If you can get the ball to the receiver quickly, you can break them
for big yardage.
So there you have it the Spread offense ala my style. I also like to call it the thunder and
lightning approach. You have the thunder in the run game, and then you shock them
with the lightning the passing game. Hope you enjoy it I m out!!!!