Defensive Strategy
They say defense wins championships, and they’re right. Unfortunately, for many, it’s an oft-overlooked aspect of football video games. It’s not that the tools aren’t there to perfect a stifling defense, it’s that most players are so eager to get on the offensive side of the ball, they "phone it in" on defense. Not enough football gamers live for the thundering tackle, or take pride in the perfect pick. If you want to win and win consistently, you’ll need to learn and apply some solid defensive strategies. Here are a few tactics from EA SPORTS' NCAA® Football 2005to get you going.
Now that’s a tackle.
The Hard Hit
NCAA Football 2005 introduces a new feature called the Hard Hit. It allows would-be tacklers to explode out of their cleats to lay a serious hurt on the ball carrier. Most payoffs involve some degree of risk, and the danger here is overusing this feature. Yes, it’s fun, and yes, it increases the chance of a fumble, but it also takes the tackler out of the play if he misses. Be sure you’ve got the target player lined up nice and pretty before you attempt this maneuver.
Strafing
I see this feature used so infrequently, I often forget it’s there. I’m guilty of ignoring it myself—sad for such a useful ability. Strafing allows you to sidestep left and right without committing yourself to turning and facing one way or the other. It keeps the ball handler in front of you, and that’s of utmost importance. This is especially important now that player momentum has been realistically implemented into the game mechanics. (Turning on a dime is no longer an option.)
Coverage Audibles
It’s common to read the defense and shout out an audible, but not enough people do the opposite. If you come to the line with a 4-3 formation and the offense has emptied their backfield, it might be a good idea to call an audible, or move your defensive backs back a few yards to cover for the deep pass. Conversely, if you see a double tightend I-formation stacked up opposite you, you might consider bringing up the safeties to protect against the run. Remember, the defense can alter strategy at the line of scrimmage just like the offense.
That’s what I want to see.
Strip that Thing!
Attempting to force a fumble is another tactic that tends to get lost in the chaos of a play. Most people have enough trouble just tackling the ball carrier, let alone hitting another button to try and strip the ball. It’s not feasible or advisable to try this on every play, but if you know you’ve got the tackle lined up (especially if you’re coming from behind), try hitting the black button to strip the ball. This is especially useful on quarterbacks, as they tend to be the weakest ball carriers on the field.
Deflect or Intercept?
I’ve seen a foolhardy attempt at a pick more times than I care to remember. People tend to forget that the primary concern for a corner or a safety is pass protection, not interceptions. Sure, if you have a golden opportunity for a pick, give it a go, but if the receiver has you beat by a step, try to knock the ball away, and attempt that interception on a later play.
This is what happens when you miss the pick.
Interior Linemen Don’t Rush
Here’s a quick note to all you folks that enjoy rushing the quarterback: Use your outside linemen. That’s what they’re there for. It’s really that simple.
Learn your Formations!
Defensive football formations are not the most intuitive of concepts to learn. For example, when should you use a 4-3 defense instead of a dime defense? The short answer is the dime is for pass defense and 4-3 is better against the run, but it’s a lot more complicated than that. If you don’t fully grasp defensive formations yet, visit the excellent Football 101 site from About.com to learn the basics.
These are just a few notes on some of the more overlooked aspects of defense in NCAA Football 2005. If you put forth as much effort mastering your defense as you do your offense, chances are you’ll already be worlds ahead of your opponents. Defense can be a lot of fun to play—just give it a chance.
By Alex McLain
