Inside Zone

[1camolina]

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[JeffHCross]

Welcome to the site! If he hasn't seen it soon, I'll point Oneback toward your question.

[1camolina]

Ok. Thanks

[oweb26]

That was a pretty good first question! Welcome to the site!!

[Oneback]

The biggest problem with the game is that there is no horizontal movement of down defenders. Typically with inside zone the HB is reading the b-gap defender. As the offensive linemen takes his stretch-base step the B-gap defender will either get reached or he'll flow down the LOS, the HB whos reading this will either run through the B-gap if the linemen gets reached (no movement horizontally to the playside) or he will cut back (really cut up) if the down linemen flows horrizontally down the line. The HB's initial path along with the offensive lines steps force movement by the defense as they fight to maintain gap responsibility (something that does not exist in NCAA), this movement allow the offensive line to either reach or push the defender past the POA creating running lanes.

To answer your question as to why you would cut back is due to the flowing defense, if the B-gap defender flows down the line and the guard is unable to reach him you no longer have a numbers advantage outside the guard, but you do to the backside of him.

As for the game you're almost better reading the linebackers as the defensive linemen don't flow so there's nothing to read on the first level. If the linebackers start flowing hard, cut back in the A-gap and you'll see a wide open lane. Just one of the many ways the game isn't true to life.

[1camolina]

I doubt the inside zone will ever be fixed in the game. Thanks oneback.

[JeffHCross]

I think it will be at some point. But that's because I believe, at some point, the game engine will be forced to evolve with realistic line play, or else the game will no longer sell to even the hardcore annual purchasers. It doesn't even have to be 100% accurate. Just more realistic, I think, will have to happen.