What Makes A Good Base Play: Offense

There is always a ton of talk about what makes a good base play in Madden NFL Football as well as in NCAA Football. There is no one answer for this because there are a few different ways to look at it and that is what I am doing, breaking down different types of base plays.

Well lets hold up for a second before we get into it lets make sure we are on the same page here. There are a couple of ways to describe a base play but for this write up lets say a base play is a play that you break the huddle with that you feel comfortable using

Protection
A lot of people go the protection route. These plays will have a running back or tight end on a "blue route" (a delay route where the player looks to block first)

Some will have one or two blue routes. These are good because you get the best of both worlds, protection as well as a receiving route.


Or you could just have a play that normally without any adjustments have all five eligible receivers going out in their routes but two of the routes you feel comfortable blocking. This would leave three receivers in routes. This is what I used as a base play last year. I had a regular play where I liked my receivers routes and felt comfortable blocking my running backs if needed. This will give you a ton of flexibility for your offense


Quick Hike
The quick hike base play was all the rage in madden 11 (gun or single back snugs: stick....yes i still cant sleep from that play)

The thought process behind this is that as soon as you break the huddle you rush to the line as fast as you can and hike the ball. (there will be seven seconds MINIMUM  for the defense to set up)

With doing this you will have a route or two that are difficult to guard. Thus forcing the defense to scramble to set up a defense to guard the play. You also could play games with the defense from here by audibling (or calling a different play, same formation,  in the huddle and still rushing to the line of scrimmage like how you normally would)......If you dont like what you see the defense doing you can slow it down and adjust your play further or audible out to another play or formation completely.

Also you can quick hike a run base play. Formations like single back bunch are ones that the defense will have to adjust their alignment to. So if you could reel off a run where they are weak before they can adjust their defense you have an advantage

Also quick hiking in general is a pretty good way to attack a defense that does a lot of pre snap adjustments/movement...You cant get hit with a blitz if they cant set it up


Get Your Attention Base Play
This type of base play involves no form of quick hiking (just have to say it so we are clear)

But it is a play that forces your opponent to specifically watch something you are doing. It could be a difficult route to guard or a specific motion

If they guard it, look elsewhere. If they dont, attack it until they do. Also with this type of base play you can work running plays into the mix with using the same motions. Just concern yourself with doing SOMETHING that they have to really pay attention to and build from there.

Also understand what needs to be dont to counter that route or motion so you can counter their counter to you


So there you go guys. A couple of ways that you could go about having a base play.