Run Numbering System
For most of you, we doubt that you will get to much out of this write up because it applies more to real football than it does football video games. With that being said, one of the things we try to do here X’s O’s Football is combine real football terminology with football video game terminology. In most if not all the plays in this year’s football video games, plays are generically named such as HB Iso, FB Dive, and so on. In real football those plays are called something like this 21 Lead Iso or 32 Dive. In this X’s O’s Football breakdown, we show how the Run Numbering System works, so next time you call a running play in a football video game, you will actually know what the real name of a play is called.
It’s All in the Numbers
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The number of the hole tells the runningback where to go. Even numbers are always on the right, odd numbers are always on the left. The further outside the higher the number of hole becomes. By identifying the hole in the play call, it lets all of the offensive linemen, quarterback, runningbacks, and receivers know what play is being called, what the hole the ball carrier is going to run through, and the correct blocking assignments that need to be made for the run play to work. |
In the image above is a good example of how the holes are numbered for ball carriers to know hole to run through.
Ball Carriers Have Numbers
| Just as each hole has a number, so does each ball carrier. The quarterback is 1, the halfback is 2, and the fullback is 3. Running plays are called by naming the number of the back first, the number of the hole second, and the type of run third. |  |
Examples of Run Plays in Football Video Games and Their Actual Play Name
Below are 3 run plays found in football video games. Their generic name and then a real run play name that they may be called.
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| The Gun Empty Base QB Draw is designed to have the quarterback run a draw through the hole between the center and right guard, which is the 2 hole. The quarterbacks number is 1 and the hole he is designed to run through is 2. | The Near Left Twins – FB Dive has the fullback running through the hole between the center and right guard, which is the 2 hole. Since his number is 3 and hole is 2, the play name could be something like 32 Dive. | The I-Form Pro – HB Blast has the halfback running through the hole between the left guard and left tackle, which is the 3 hole. Since the runningbacks number is 2 and the hole is 3, the play name could be 23 Lead Blast. The word lead means the fullback leads the halfback through the hole. |
Final Thoughts
Hopefully this breakdown gives you a better idea of what run play names really are in football video games. Next time you are talking to a buddy online, impress him by say “I just ran a 23 Lead Blast and picked up 7 yards”. He will have no clue what you are talking about, but he might think it sounded good.
