xWkDcLwNx: Getting into your Offense/Defense

I was browsing http://ncaastrategies.com/utopia/ and I came accross a great post by xWkDcLwNx (a poster). I feel the need to share it with you guys

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FOR THE ATTACHMENTS THAT COME WITH THIS THREAD CLICK HERE  

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Generally every year, I go back and start figuring out what offense or defense to start out with in the newest edition of the game. Last year, I focused heavily on the Air Raid going for a 180 from running the Flexbone the year before last. Well, this year is no different. I had to start all over again getting into game and Im going to share the tools I used to do so. 

1st - Playbook - What style of offense/defense do you want to implement this year? What kind of personnel is required to run that style? What teams (base rosters) fit that personnel? Most people jump right into online play without thinking about none of the above. They jump right into the mix and come out with skid marks all over them. Think heavly about what you want to achieve and goals for doing so.

2nd - Practice - How do you expect to run an offense/defense without learning all of the new tricks of that scheme?
I see alot of people pick up offenses and defenses without practing at all, and if you force them outside of their usual bag of tricks, then they start to panic and go beserk. You must put the time in and here is some steps for you to follow. 

A. Learn your PB - Below I posted a Formation Audible's sheet for anyone to use to go through your intended playbook and learn the Audibles of each formation, Unusal Package Subs to throw a curveball at your opponent, combining sets of Personnel together to form groupings, and a place to derive audible schemes to keep you on the fly. I highly recommend you print one out and sit down and learn the PB. Go through every formation and see how subs can help you fit personnel into just about any of your favorite formations (thanks to PSUEagle for showing me alot of subs on 11 that tie into 12). Group your personnel together, there is no need to have 1,2,2 - 3,1,1 - 4,1,0 randomly tossed all over a pb, fit them together for easy retrieval. Learn some audible tricks. I.E. if I audible from Strong I Close into SG Bunch - I am able to put my TE in as Slot Receiver and abuse a usual matchup of LB vs TE, or I-Slot into SG Bunch to put my Slot receiver against a slow LB. 

B. Put a PC Sheet together - Nothing helps out someone new to an offense more than a good PC Sheet. Once you have your main schemes and ideas together, pull them together to one coherent offense. The sheet I have posted allowes you to form your base offense by identifying base runs, screens, play action, man/press beaters, and zone beaters. Then you can derive a set scheme to use in different yardage situations to fit your style. You can also set different schemes to attack the defense in the red zone, and formulate a 2 minute drill that is fool proof.

C. Get to know your defense - Now im working on a sheet for you to get into a habit of checking your defensive personnel versus what you intend on running. I cannot turn a team with 1 good safety that runs a 3-4 into a team that runs the 4-2-5, but based on the defensive line, I could chose to run a 4-4 defense. You have to get used to looking at this. Now Custom Defensive PBs are really starting to make me feel like Wile E. Coyote trying to burn the Road Runner with EA's version of an ACME Rocket, but I havent given in. I am a true believer in an audible system on both sides of the ball, so it pays to know your formation audibles too. 

D. Know that you know youe personnel and the defense to fit them, put together a PC sheet for your defense. Fit together your base zone coverage, man assignments, and blitzes into a situation scheme to best fit any time of the game. You can also focus on what works best in the red zone and what can get those rare Goal Line stops. I also put a section in for you to derive a scheme of FAG D's to combat the cheese, so when someone wants to cheese you, you can shut em down and be called a fag. 

So tryem out... tell me what you think.. and feel free to post completed versions for others to get basic ideas on. Ive also attached my Pitt PC from 2011 so that you can get the idea of how I put mine together.