USER CATCHING

so since we have a 'what not to do' video, cheddah suggested i do a video showing the right way to user catch. i decided its something everyone is entitled to know and learn.



a lot of the stick movements take practice to get the timing down, along with when to hold triangle. its VERY IMPORTANT you hold triangle until the catch animation is at least halfway completed.

it helps to pause the video at the designated times below to see that action i took in making the pass. i suck at windows movie maker and didn't know how to pause the frame to overlay text.

0:16 - identify man coverage, this puts VJ one on one for the flag route. its important to note the position of the DB and pass lead accordingly

0:19 - i notice the DB is behind my WR so i want to bullet this down and to the right (using precision passing, positioning the left stick facing the 5 o'clock position while simultaneously pressing L1), then immediately switch to VJ and HOLD triangle and with the left stick at the 5:00 o'clock position.

0:44 - the DB is not directly behind my WR this time, as u see he's slightly positioned to the left and if i throw it too short i could risk the route being jumped. so what i do here is precision the pass directly right on the stick. when i switch to catch i hold down and triangle until the catch animation plays out.

0:58 - i see the CB has mirrored my WR's route but has taken the inside position and fallen slightly behind. i'll throw a bullet high and to the outside this time then immediately switch to the receiver and hold triangle. when i switch i don't try and take over his route right away, i hold triangle first THEN move the left stick slightly down. this happens very fast, and if done right will make for a fluent catch. if done too early, the wr might stop in his tracks after making some weird alligator arm catch animation.

1:09 - i see the SS creep up and the FS drop back as the corners back off, definitely tells you its a cover 3. this means i will have to put more touch on the ball so the lb doesn't pick it off.

1:13 - need to fit this in the hole without the safety having a chance at it, so with precision slightly down and to the right i push in L1 to throw but don't hold it. you want to get the intermediate lob pass then switch and hold triangle (i have a habit of holding down on the left stick which is why he makes a false step after).

1:29 - the SS is right in my throwing lane but my WR is in front of the DB, so this time i precision it right letting the trajectory of the intermediate lob carry it over his head. had i thrown it high it could be overthrown into the waiting arms of the CB. i think by now you all get that you switch right after the pass and hold down triangle and slightly down on the stick.

1:42 - since my WR was bumped a bit, it left a huge hole in which i want to lead the pass to. i precision it down and to the right for the easy completion then switch and perform the catch.

1:48 - identify the coverage; the cb's are frozen as are the safties, good bet its a cover 2 zone. when the ball is snapped the safties split and its confirmed.

1:54 - i want to do the same medium pass as vs the cover 3 with the same techniques for precision passing and catch. here i use high right since the safety is inside and behind my WR.

2:08 - same as 1:54

2:20 - this is an out route vs man, i audible a smart route (R3) and precision it right AS SOON AS my wr makes his cut, with a good route running wide receiver regardless of speed this kills man. i hold down on the stick and triangle to catch.

2:37 - again, identify man and throw the ball where youe WR makes his cut. right precision, down and triangle to catch.

2:54 - this time i let the cpu catch it since he was so wide open and close to the sideline, sometimes if u user catch at this angle you end up going out of bounds.

3:17 - the SS creeps up as the corners back off...cover 3 identified.

3:19 - i throw high and right and just hold triangle since hes open. used an intermediate lob here as well to get it over the guy in the flats.

3:35 - hes close to the sidelines so i don't even use precision here, just a normal intermediate lob and hold triangle to catch.

3:41 - clearly man as the safety's creep up to the line, everyone is locked on my WR but i'll try and lead pass my post open cause i got phil fucking rivers.

3:45 - two guys on my man but trailing...since most deep balls tend to be overthrows i only precision pass right on a lob then switch and hold the left stick down at the 5 o' clock position to make the user catch. i do the same on the next few plays.

4:21 - vs a cover 3 the post can either be deadly or disastrous, the key is patience. once my receiver breaks past the 2nd level of coverage i precision pass right to lead my receiver horizontally and hold triangle to secure the catch.

4:35 - up against man coverage i want to take a shot deep, i see one on one to VJ and wait for the CB to turn his hips to make my throw. since rivers is so accurate i don't precision this ball whatsoever and as u see me switch when my WR is at about the 20 i immediately start holding triangle while running towards the pass. this maintains separation from the CB and gives me a secure catch animation.

4:48 - here it is again, one on one man and i throw when i see the CB turn his hips. VJ has a step so i switch and hold triangle about the time my WR is on the 38 yard line and as you see he goes into a catching animation.

5:00 - man coverage again (these streaks don't work so well vs a cover 3 as the CB tends to stay behind the WR) and i wait til i see the CB turn his hips. i lob it up and switch immediately (WR is around the 38 yard line) and start running while holding triangle at about the 19 yard line.

5:13 - this time i notice the CB hasn't lost any ground, and has inside position. so i lob it up with some precision slightly up and left and switch to my WR at about the 45 yard line. since i have that step i want to maintain separation so after i take control of him i start holding triangle at around the 30 yard line and he'll go up and make the catch automatically.

5:23 - looks like a blitz, but i also suspect its man since the CB's are lined up on my WR's. this will have to be quick, but i can still lob it up and try to user catch it.

5:25 - since the pass is a quick lob i use precision passing at the 12 o'clock position (throwing it deep) and take control of my WR around the 47 yard line. from here i immediately start running (not using R2 for sprint unless the ball is overthrown) and holding triangle around the 37 yard line to keep that gap and ensure a solid user catch. in this situation i break a tackle and take it to the house.

hope this clears things up about user catching and how it can be done legitimately without that zig zag bullshit. if anyone wants to lab some of these things feel free to pm me. also, if there are any additions, corrections, or comments please add and discuss!

Great post.

Bro I truly appreciate you taking the time to post this. I will definitely be trying some of this stuff out and don't be surprised if I hit you up for a lab session!

wow. I've got work to do. thanks FF. Great post

mblammers wrote:wow. I've got work to do. thanks FF. Great post

That's what I'm saying. I'm glad someone like FF isn't trying to keep all this info to himself. Speeds up the learning curve.

COsMiCTrAvO wrote:That's what I'm saying. I'm glad someone like FF isn't trying to keep all this info to himself. Speeds up the learning curve.

thanks guys, and yeah thats the idea...so nobody feels left in the dark and can hopefully get a better idea of what user catching is about.

it's not just chuckin it downfield and making some cheesy rocket catch, it has A LOT to do with knowing the coverage and reading the position of the DB. someone like CP is probably the master of reading coverages and precision passing at just the right spot and taught me most all i know about it so a lot of credit goes to guys like him and jmo who i've labbed with.

i'm certainly not the best at it, but usually find it to be pretty successful so long as i make the right read. its at least be a starting point that as you progress can get even more technical and refined like any other true skill/art.

I never hold down L1 - I just use the left stick to try directing my pass and it seems to work - maybe it will work better if I hold down L1?

I would just like to verify that holding L1 is necessary.

sam22smith wrote:I never hold down L1 - I just use the left stick to try directing my pass and it seems to work - maybe it will work better if I hold down L1?

I would just like to verify that holding L1 is necessary.

I think he meant that that was the button for the particular reciever. He was holding it down to avoid a lob

^ yeah i was just referring to L1 as the particular passing icon. there are actaully 3 types of passes, bullet - lob - and intermediate lob...which still somehow can get picked off the line by DE's lol.

I used some of this today with live bullets flying in lg game vs schloer. I went 6-9 on 3rd downs largely in part to this stuff. I havent practiced it yet but did study the film and notes this morning and it helped! Im lookin fwd to getting better and actually practicing this stuff without a lg game on the line. Btw, I lost 17-14 but this stuff kept me in the game to the very end!

COsMiCTrAvO wrote:I used some of this today with live bullets flying in lg game vs schloer. I went 6-9 on 3rd downs largely in part to this stuff. I havent practiced it yet but did study the film and notes this morning and it helped! Im lookin fwd to getting better and actually practicing this stuff without a lg game on the line. Btw, I lost 17-14 but this stuff kept me in the game to the very end!

thats what i like to hear! it also takes some practice, but it'll become second nature soon enough.

No doubt man! The buzz coverage stuff is so much easier now too! Repetition and muscle memory.

perhaps we can make a "TIPS" section or "IMPROVE YOUR GAME" section - and we would welcome any such posts and threads... what you guys thinks - takle lil effort - and this woulkd be a great opening post for it...

GREENERRRR wrote:perhaps we can make a "TIPS" section or "IMPROVE YOUR GAME" section - and we would welcome any such posts and threads... what you guys thinks - takle lil effort - and this woulkd be a great opening post for it...

+1. I think that is a really good idea

GREENERRRR wrote:perhaps we can make a "TIPS" section or "IMPROVE YOUR GAME" section - and we would welcome any such posts and threads... what you guys thinks - takle lil effort - and this woulkd be a great opening post for it...

Great idea! People like me would love it!

i like the idea as well, i was gonna do a vid demonstrating the effectiveness of line adjustments next if anyone would be interested.

falconfansince81 wrote:i like the idea as well, i was gonna do a vid demonstrating the effectiveness of line adjustments next if anyone would be interested.

Heck yeah bro I'm waitin lol!

Finally got a chance to lab with FF last night. What a gold mine. Not only does he know what he's doing, but he's willing and happy to show others how. Thanks, FF.

phantomshark wrote:Finally got a chance to lab with FF last night. What a gold mine. Not only does he know what he's doing, but he's willing and happy to show others how. Thanks, FF.

No doubt FF is cool is can be! CP is a totally cool cat willing to help too!

Since I have some off time maybe I should make a video or somethin...I use to make scheme videos awhile ago

bigbuddah wrote:Since I have some off time maybe I should make a video or somethin...I use to make scheme videos awhile ago

im all about collaborating on vids people want to see further explained if u wanna talk about some diff things. or if anyone has any suggestions?

Yea we should...the idea for my sim section for madden-school was to eventually put together ebooks and stuff. I think we should go in that direction. Maybe not ebooks but definately in an instructional direction.

falconfansince81 wrote:

bigbuddah wrote:Since I have some off time maybe I should make a video or somethin...I use to make scheme videos awhile ago

im all about collaborating on vids people want to see further explained if u wanna talk about some diff things. or if anyone has any suggestions?

Dude, whatever yall come up with to post I will watch!

My favorite part of the post is "cause i got phil fuckin rivers" lol

I also had a chance to play FF last night, and the end turned into somewhat of a lab session... he gave me a couple quick pointers, which I can tell will definitely help my game.

One thing I may have noticed....is on deep routes, I think I tend to throw the ball to early. I usually throw right after the cut, which would explain all of my INTs lol