Alright, so I wanted to get good at College Football 25, especially that read option, which looked super cool but kinda tricky. So I figured I’d dive in and really break down the controls.
First, I fired up the game and went straight to practice mode. No point in getting crushed online while I’m still figuring things out, right? I picked a team with a good running quarterback – gotta have the right tools for the job.
Figuring Out the Basics
I started with just running basic inside zone plays. The core of the read option. You know. The game already has a little tutorial pop-up, so, use that.
- Snap the ball. Duh.
- Read the defensive end. This is the guy on the line, usually right outside the offensive tackle. He’s your “read” key.
- If the DE crashes down (moves towards the running back), you keep the ball with the quarterback by not pressing any button.
- If the DE stays wide or goes upfield (towards the QB), you hand it off to the running back by pressing X(on xbox) or ▢(on playstation).
Getting a Feel for It
Okay, that sounds easy enough, but actually doing it in the game took some practice. I messed up A LOT at first. I handed it off when I should have kept it, kept it when I should have handed it off… you get the picture. It’s all about that split-second decision.
The key, I realized, is to really watch that defensive end. Don’t just glance at him, really focus. You have to see what he’s doing right as the play develops. It’s not about pre-determining what you’re going to do. Also, you can change up the play by presetting hot routes before the play.
Adding in the Option
Once I felt okay with the basic read, I started messing with actual option plays – you know, where you have the option to pitch it to another back. Now, things get a little crazier.
- Same read on the DE at first.
- Then it gets tricky, because you’ve gotta watch for another defender, usually a linebacker or safety.
- If that second defender comes up to attack the QB, you have to pitch the ball, by using LB(on xbox)or L1(on playstation).
- And it has to happen FAST.
Honestly, this part is still tough for me. I’m getting better, but I still make mistakes. Sometimes I pitch it right into the arms of a defender. Sometimes I hold onto it too long and get tackled.
But hey, that’s part of the learning process, right? I’m keeping at it, practicing every chance I get. It’s definitely one of those things that takes time and repetition to master. And it’s a blast when you finally get it.
