Hellisan’s Guide To Avoid Being Sacked in NCAA 12

At some point in the NCAA 12 life cycle, the computer started playing me differently. I bet it has happened to you too. Very little Cover 2 Man, or “base” type defenses that you would expect to see. Tons of zone blitzes. When they do play man, they almost always press. They create constant pressure while leaving the deep ball open way more often than they should. But at the same time it can get difficult because they are so consistent getting pressure and selling out for sacks and interceptions.

For this reason, a typical game for my QB often looks something like this: 20-30, 350 yds, 3 TD, 2 INT, 6 sacks. Not terribly inefficient when you look at it, but it can get annoying seeing that you gave up 50 sacks on the season or some other crazy number.

As a result, some people have begun running the ball almost exclusively because they get into such a rut with the constant pressure. If people only want to throw the ball 10 times per game that is their choice, but what are they gonna do when they really need to pass the ball to stay in a game against a human opponent? Like it or not, the cpu games are your practice a lot of times because “pratice mode” doesn’t play out even close to the real thing.

With that being said, I do have five tips or thoughts that may just help you avoid posting such gaudy “sacked” totals.

1) Vary the snap count - Sometimes this can be so difficult to remember. You get into the flow, and if it’s the cpu you’re up against, and probably just trying to get the game over with. But if you snap the ball right when you first get the chance, they’ll eventually start jumping it, and getting to you very quickly. I like to mix it up by picking a random number on the play clock a few seconds away and snapping it then, sometimes mixing in a fake snap as well.

2) Know your protection options - A lot of us spend time mapping out audibles and famliarizing ourselves with the routes, but what about protection schemes? If you have an athletic fullback who can pass block, why not use him in some of your shotgun sets and give yourself a better chance at an extra second. Know the formation movement possibilities and keep your blocking TE or FB where you need him most. For instance if you have the formation “Ace - Big Wing” (the best version of which can be found in the Idaho playbook) you can motion either of the tight ends across the formation and they will line up as an H-back, in an ideal position to block whatever inevitably breaks through up the middle. I generally like to “power” pass protect unless the cpu has its line pinched completely, but I have no proof this actually helps me… The idea here is to have a game plan for protection.

3) Watch and analyze how the cpu is aligned on every play - Don’t get lazy, keep at it. Pay attention to the looks they’re giving you pre-snap. If they have a linebacker or two up in the hole over a guard or center, watch out. You’re often going to be looking at instant pressure, usually from the outside as one of your tackles will let somebody come free when he takes an inside guy. Have a dump-off route at the ready or even audible to a run. If it’s not absolutely necessary to pass, consider waiting until the next play. Also look for their D-line alignment. If it looks like any of the alignments you can get without moving your guys manually, you could be o.k. If the four linemen are aligned in a very odd way, look for some serious rush cheese on that play. I have seen the defensive end literally loop all the way across the formation, untouched, and sack me before I got ready to throw. Stuff my team could never do.

4) Be prepared to throw it away - Self explanatory, but throwing the ball away if you can is better than a sack. Remember that in the red zone, you can throw it away pretty much at any time and your QB will throw it out of the end zone, avoiding a penalty.

5) Run short routes - It is easy to try and bomb the computer because they tend to leave so many things open deep while blitzing incessantly. But sometimes if you keep calling deep routes, you’re just playing right into their hands because those take a good deal longer to get open. Familiarize yourself with the short routes in your playbook and just use short passes as a staple of your offense. With the blitzing and pressure they do, this can turn into a big gain quickly. However, don’t hesitatate to audible a guy deep deep if you see a jam but no telltale signs noted in Tip 3. Just don’t forget about those short routes once you start watching the jam/streak relationship. Learn to read that quickly then go back to the original plan if it isn’t going to give you the opportunity for a big play.

6) Once the game is in the bag, stop throwing - Last tip here… If it’s really important for you to avoid giving up 60 sacks as a team, then don’t throw it very much when the game is in hand late. It’s easy to get sloppy in these situations and have the sacks start racking up as you look to fill out the stat sheet.

Good luck - in the end, taking a sack is better than throwing an interception. We all know that.