Perfect Your Timing
Executing the Option Keeper isn’t just about making the right read—it’s about making the right move at CFB 25 Coins the right time. Timing your pitch or your run is crucial to making the play work successfully.

When to keep: The quarterback should keep the ball when the defender commits to the running back, but this has to happen quickly. If the defender is too far into the backfield or closing too fast, you’ll need to act quickly and take off yourself.

When to pitch: If you’re running toward the line of scrimmage and the defender is playing you, it’s time to pitch the ball. Press the L1 or LB button to pitch the ball to your running back at the right moment. Make sure you don’t wait too long—pitching too late can result in a fumble or a negative gain.

Reading the Defense
The defense can sometimes disguise their intentions, but there are key things to look for when reading the defensive setup:

Overloaded front: If the defense is stacking the box with a lot of players near the line of scrimmage, you’ll need to make quicker decisions. The more bodies the defense has near the ball, the less room your quarterback has to maneuver, so take what they give you.

Defensive alignment: Look at where the defensive end is aligned. If he’s too wide, there may be space inside to keep the ball. If he’s too close to the quarterback, hand it off to the running back and let him find the lane.

Aggressive defenders: Watch for defenders who aggressively attack the line. If they’re coming full speed toward the line, the read is easy to make—just wait for them to commit and act.

Tips for Success
Stay ahead of the defense: Keep the defense guessing by mixing up your Option Keeper plays with traditional running plays. When they expect you to hand it off, keep it yourself, and vice versa.

Use your playmakers: The Option Keeper is most effective when paired with a quick, agile running back and a mobile quarterback. If you have these types of players on your team, use them to keep the defense on its toes.

Be unpredictable: Defenses will start to catch on to your tendencies, so mix up the decision-making process. Don’t always hand the ball off when you should; throw in a few quarterback keepers to buy CFB 25 Coins keep the defense guessing.