Running the ball in Madden 26 has become more challenging than ever. With most opponents defaulting to nickel and dime formations and relying heavily on zone coverages like Cover 2, Cover 3, and Cover 4, many players feel their ground game stalls out too quickly. But there’s a hidden mechanic that can completely change the way your blockers interact with defenders: the untarget feature. Most players use it only to counter blitz-heavy metas, but when applied correctly in the run game, it can open up lanes you never thought possible. Mastering this technique is so effective that some players even find themselves needing to buy Madden 26 coins to keep their roster competitive while fully exploiting the untarget feature.

What Is the Untarget Feature?

The untarget feature allows you to tell your offense to ignore a specific defender when blocking. Instead of assigning multiple players to a defender who may not even impact the run, your linemen and receivers adjust their assignments to focus on more dangerous threats.

Originally, this was popularized as a tool against the Texas Four-Man meta, where user-controlled defenders would hover over the center to confuse blocking. By untargeting that defender, the center could move on to other assignments.

However, the same principle applies in the run game-and it’s even more powerful there.

Using Untarget Against Cover 3

Cover 3 is one of the most common defenses in Madden 26, especially when paired with nickel or dime packages. In this setup, the slot corner (often in a flat or curl zone) can look like a threat, but in reality, he rarely makes the tackle inside.

If you’re running inside zone from a formation like Bunch TE, here’s how to apply untargeting:

· Place the untarget marker on the flat defender (often the outside corner or slot).

· This tells your receivers to stop wasting effort blocking him. Instead, they’ll crack down on linebackers or safeties in the middle.

· The offensive line adjusts too-centers and guards are freed up to climb to the second level and seal off safeties.

The result? Inside runs that usually collapse now create vertical lanes, with your center blocking safeties 15+ yards downfield.

Against Cover 4

Cover 4 defenses spread safeties deep and rely on linebackers for run fits. If you untarget one of those deep defenders who isn’t realistically getting to the play, your blockers will again shift their focus inward.

· Wide receivers will crack inside on linebackers.

· Offensive linemen can climb more aggressively to the second level.

· Runs hit cleaner and stay between the tackles instead of bouncing prematurely outside.

Against Cover 2

Cover 2 puts outside corners in a flat role. In most run scenarios, those corners aren’t a threat unless you’re bouncing outside.

By untargeting them:

· Wide receivers ignore corners and help seal off safeties.

· Offensive linemen push further upfield to prevent safeties from crashing the box.

· Your inside zone and power runs become much harder to stop.

If you motion a receiver across before applying untarget, you can even change who gets ignored-adding another layer of control to your blocking scheme.

Ratings That Matter

Knowing who to untarget is only half the battle. Your linemen’s ratings determine how effective these adjustments will be.

· Zone runs (inside/outside zone): Focus on Run Block and Run Block Finesse (RBF).

· Power runs (dive, counter, trap, base): Prioritize Run Block and Run Block Power (RBP).

Matching your play call with your linemen’s strengths ensures that untargeting maximizes your blocking efficiency.

When to Untarget a User Defender

Sometimes, you’ll want to use this feature on a user-controlled linebacker or safety. If your opponent struggles to shoot gaps correctly, you can safely ignore them. This frees your blockers to target players who will get in the way, while you trust your stick skills to make the user miss in the open field.

Why This Works

The magic of the untarget feature lies in how it reshuffles blocking assignments across the formation. Instead of wasting blockers on defenders who pose little threat, you redirect resources toward the players who actually fill run lanes.

It doesn’t always mean the untargeted player goes unblocked. Instead, it often means a different, less critical player picks him up while your best blockers focus on second-level defenders.

Final Thoughts

The run game in Madden 26 isn’t broken-it just requires smarter tools. The untarget feature is one of the most underutilized mechanics in the game, but when mastered, it allows you to:

· Attack zone defenses more effectively.

· Redirect blocking toward linebackers and safeties.

· Open consistent rushing lanes inside the tackles.

· Punish defenses for overcommitting to pass coverage.

Start practicing untargeting in your inside zone, power, and counter plays. Record your games, review your highlights, and experiment with which defenders to leave alone. Before long, you’ll find yourself breaking bigger runs and finishing games on the ground-so effective, in fact, that many players invest in cheap mut 26 coins to upgrade their offensive line and fully capitalize on the untarget feature.