Formations & Personnel Tips

Part of being good on defense is understanding how formations work, how is on the field, and the various personnel groupings one can use. This video breaks down all of that in NCAA Football 06. There are not many defensive formations in this game, but it’s crucial to know which ones best suit your current roster or what you are trying to recruit towards. 

Pre-Snap Adjustments

 

Understanding everything you can do before the snap on defense goes a long way in having defensive success. This video covers even more pre-snap adjustments one has at their disposal in NCAA Football 06. Perhaps the best thing about this video is how I go over how I like to shift and move my players around to get them in ideal spots to defend.

You may not have the best players on your current rosters, but you can at least help them out by pointing them in the right direction to avoid less mistakes. This video should help with that.

Audibles and Hot Routes

This video breaks down all defensive audibles and hot routes in NCAA Football 06. Pre-snap adjustments are just as important on defense as they are on offense. Putting your players in the right positions to success goes a long way in stopping offenses. For as old as this game is, you would be surprised by the amount of options we have at our disposal before the ball is even snapped.

Defending Quarterbacks

One of the fun ways to build your defense up is to create a foundation and mentality of getting after the quarterback. Regardless of the many different offenses you will face, knowing how to handle both pocket passers and mobile threats will go a long way in turning your defenses not only into good units, but into great units. I want to give you a few tips that I have picked up over the years that have helped me turn my defenses into walls that China would be envious of.

Now I am all about scheming and finding that extra edge through outsmarting an offense, but make no mistake about it: Talent is more important than scheme.

A good example of this is my Kent State dynasty from a year ago. I had just enough talent on offense to shred defenses with my Al-Raid Offense. However, my defense was absolutely terrible the first two seasons because I had such little talent. My defensive schemes were sound, but I didn’t have enough speed and strength to even slow down MAC teams. So keep that in mind whenever you install any type of strategy.

Pocket Passers

I love to defend teams with QBs that are statues. They better pray that their protection holds up or their QB will be cruisin’ for a bruisin’. There is only one technique that I use to get after pocket passers on a routine basis.

This technique is simply double-teaming their tackles.

This technique works best against 21 (2 backs, one TE) and 11 (1 back, 1 TE)  personnel. It’s also just as effective against a QB under center and in the Gun.  These types personnel are when the offense has one Tight End at the line in a 3-point stance. Sometimes if the offense has  a dynamic impact player at Tight End, they will move him around all over the field (which is awesome by the way).

As long as you see just one Tight End on the line, then technique will work. Since I like to play a lot of various zone coverages, I like to use a 4-3 against both 21 an 11 personnel. I don’t need to match up their WRs with the same amount of CBs.

In the 4-3, my favorite plays to use are “Crash 2” and “Thunder 2”, shown above. I use Crash 2 more since I don’t really need 2 OLBs going after the QB much but if you are feeling froggy and have a couple of studs at OLB, then use Thunder 2 some. Other Zone plays with a blitzing LB will work as well so don’t you have to only use these plays.

There are only two steps you need to use this technique

  1. Slide your line away from the Tight End
  2. Control and move your blitzing LB beside the Defensive End to double-team the tackle

The offense is in 11 personnel so I simply slide my line away from the Tight End and move my blitzing LB to the same side. Now I can double-team their Left Tackle #75. He can not defend us both so either my Defensive End will come free or my LB will.

Here #75 decided to block my DE which leave my LB #58 wide open to destroy the QB. Their HB #4 doesn’t stand a chance against my LB. Sometimes the offense will flip the formation so if their TE is on the left side, simply flip your play and the other OLB will be your blitzer, then you use the same steps again.

As you can see, the offense flipped the formation, but I simply flipped my play, slid my line away from the TE and moved my blitzing LB beside my DE. Even though it is obvious to the offense what your intentions are, it doesn’t matter. Their QB better get the ball off quick or he is going to eat some grass. What’s even more nasty is when these offenses use play action, if their protection is not there then their QB has no chance to survive the game.

Dual Threat QBs

I like to defend mobile QBs a little differently than pocket passers. I’ve discovered that there are two types of Dual Treat QBs: one who likes to run when there is even an ounce of pressure and the one who likes to stay in the pocket until the last second.

I like to get a feel of their QB in the first quarter to see how he likes to do things by using the above technique a time or two just to see how he reacts. If he tries to tough it out in the pocket then I use my usual technique. However, if he is Michael Vick and just loves to run around the field all day then I will use a different technique. This technique involves only using zone plays with no blitzing: your basic Cover 2s, 3s, and Quarters Coverage. This technique is all about keeping the QB in the pocket and making him beat you with his arm.

This technique only has two steps too:

  1. Slide you line to the Tight End so your linemen match up with an offensive linemen
  2. Control either and OLB or a Defensive End and simple play Zone coverage close to the line to “spy” the QB along with playing zone coverage

Of course it is nice if one of your linemen comes through to get the QB but these mobile QBs in NCAA 06 are great at identifying pressure and making big plays with their legs if you let them. We simply want to occupy their entire line while playing soft coverage with our controlled DE or OLB to spy the QB Yes there are plays in the game that have a spy built into them but that is all they do which is spying. At least with this technique you are controlling a defender that can play coverage while still spying the QB at the same time.

Let’s pretend that in this situation QB Wolford (great name) is a dual threat QB that loves to leave the pocket whenever possible. Notice that I am controlling the OLB and will both spy and play zone during the play.

After the ball is snapped, I hold steady in my zone, watching both WR #89 while keeping an eye on the the QB.

The QB decides to stay in the pocket and throw to #89 which is a big mistake since I am right there ready to pick it off and take it to the house.

Here I decide to control the right DE to both spy and to play coverage. Whatever the QB decides to do, my DE should be ready to react to the situation. My linemen are occupying their line and I am waiting on the other side. If one of my line can get pressure, great. If not, their speedy but noodle-arm QB is going to have make plays with his arm, or run towards me!

I actually recommend against Mobile QBs that you control either a DE or a LB on the right side of the field since most QBs like to run to the right more than the left which in this case you will be ready for him when he comes your way.

Other Situations

Against 12 and 22 personnel, it will be hard to get after the QB because the TEs will be in the way, but most teams will running or using play action with those formations anyway do blitzing won’t be needed as much.

Against 10 personnel, I like to use Nickel while using the same technique above but using plays that might have your Nickelback (your 3rd CB)  blitzing or one of your two LBs blitzing as well. I actually don’t blitz as hard against 10 personnel because the offense is spread out enough to where a WR will be open by the time you get to the QB, but make no mistake, I still like to blitz here from time to time.

That is why it helps to recruit great players who can make plays on their own so you can amplify these techniques. While I haven’t experimented much with the 3-4 Defense, I believe these techniques will work as well. The only difference is that some roles will be reversed and you won’t have to use as many formations to make it all work.

If I was a 3-4 guy, I would use the 3-4 at all times except maybe against 10 personnel unless my main 11 guys were really talented. Against heavy option offenses, the QB is just another running back in their offense so blitzing isn’t really needed.

Defending Passing Attacks

This guide will shed some light on how I like to defensive various passing attacks in NCAA Football 06. I will be covering various 4-3 and 4-down examples since this is my preferred defense, but this can be applied in other defenses too.

Cover 4 Zone “Quarters”

I use Cover 4 Zone (Quarters) as my base, “when in doubt” pass defensive concept. It is good against various situations while also working well from different formations. Quarters has all four secondary defenders defending the deep field while the linebackers defend the short field. Just like my run defensive concepts, Quarters requires several pre-snap adjustments in order to get all of your players in the right spots.

I learned how to use Quarters from Pat Narduzzi as he made this defense popular while he was the defensive coordinator at Michigan State. These examples will hopefully simplify what the defense is all about. His idea of bump and running receivers and shifting his defensive line over to the strength of the offensive formation surprisingly works well in games like NCAA Football 06.

The first example of Quarters shows the secondary defending deep with the linebackers defending underneath. I use the same two pre-snap adjustments every time I call Quarters: bump and run with the cornerbacks and the coverage audible to make sure defenders are over open skill players, particularly in the slot.

In this example, I hit triangle + down on the d-pad to bump and run the cornerbacks. I then hit triangle + right on the d-pad to execute a coverage audible, no different than what we use with our run defenses. Narduzzi loved to press his cornerbacks while also having them defend deep. Here you see I decide to call Quarters from Nickel and how all three cornerbacks (both C, C & N) move close to the line of scrimmage.

The coverage audible forces the outside linebacker (O) to hover over the slot receiver on the left. You will also noticed I have labeled this defender in yellow. This is who I like to control when calling Quarters. I feel most comfortable controlling him due to being able to bait quarterbacks to throw in my direction without having hurt my own defense. Feel free to control who you like.

Probably the best thing about Quarters is it makes it hard for offenses to throw deep on a consistent basis. I would rather force offenses to throw short which can lead to more plays per drive which can lead to more possible turnovers.

This example show the third adjustment I will make. Notice how the offense has an unbalanced front. When I see this, I will shift my defensive line (L1 + left or right, right in this case) toward the tight end (Y). This adjustment help stop the run if needed. Add in the two standard adjustments we made before and always will make (bump and run and coverage audible), you have the three common Quarters’ adjustments.

I am controlling the right outside linebacker (R) and the coverage audible helps me move over closer to the Z receiver. Notice the Curl Flat combo on the left. This is what you might face as a defender in my position. Since I have to defend an area due to calling a zone play, there will be times where I have to defend two players at once. Sometimes you may have to defend three, others none. There is no easy way to tell you how to defend all situations other than defend the one closest to you.

Here we see the offense call a play from Ace Normal. This is a balanced offensive front so we don’t need to shift our defensive line, but this is a perfect example of why I want you to get in the habit of always making the other two adjustments. Bump and run is a given but you may wonder why you should use the coverage audible. I just want you to get in the habit of ALWAYS making those two adjustments, regardless of the what the offense calls. It’s just good practice.

This is another example of a two-route combo that I have to defend. This time though, one route is going deep which means I can let the cornerback defend it so I can just focus on the Out route.

Cover 2 Zone Blitz

I like to use Cover 2 Zone Blitz plays whenever I face an offense with a quarterback that can’t run, that likes to throw, and call plays with unbalanced fronts. This defensive concept lets me blitz off the edge to make quarterbacks uncomfortable by bringing the heat. I prefer to use Cover 2 Zone plays that have one blitzing linebacker.

The offense calls a play from Ace Slot which has an unbalanced front due the tight end (Y) being on the line. I want the blitzing linebacker on the opposite side of the tight end and the defensive line either spread out or shift to the same side of the blitzer just to make sure the defensive end occupies the left tackle for the blitzer to do his thing.

Here you see I decide to spread the defensive line (L1 + triangle + up on the d-pad). I do this because I have to make a sacrifice somewhere. Cover 2 Zone blitzes have a weakness to running the ball the opposite side of the the blitzer so here I concede to the offense running up the middle. I am hoping they either pass or run in the direction of the blitzer. It doesn’t always happen but it’s nice when it does. I prefer to control the blitzing linebacker in these situations so I can position him close to line so he can get around quicker to make a play.

Cover 3 Cloud

The last part of my pass defense covers what I like to call whenever it is 3rd and medium to long. There is a reason why 3rd down is called the money down as most games are won and lost by what happens here. When it is 3rd and 5+ yards or any other 3rd down situation where you know the offense will throw, Nickel Cover 3 Cloud is my go-to call. Only the Nickel formation has this play in NCAA Football 06 but that’s all you need.

I used to call this Cover 6, but that is a different concept in real life so I just call it Cloud now. Most Cover 3 Zone plays have the two cornerbacks and the free safety covering deep (hence Cover 3). However, Cover 3 Cloud works a little differently.

Here you see the left cornerback and the two safeties covering deep while the other cornerback is covering short like you see in Cover 2 Zone. The offense calls a play from Gun Spread which has a balanced front. This means you do not have to make any pre-snap adjustments other than maybe a coverage audible if you want the slot receivers initially covered.

As you can see in yellow, I like to control a defensive end with this play. I control whichever defensive end as the best chance to reach the quarterback. Since the halfback (R) is on the right side of the quarterback, he may be blocking so it’s only natural for me to control the opposite defensive end, one less guy to possibly go through.

In all my years of play football video games, I’ve noticed opposing CPU quarterbacks struggle a little more against Cover 3 defenses than anything else so calling a Cover 3 in 3rd and long situations makes sense to me.

This time the offense calls another 2×2 set but with a tight end on the line to the right. Since this is an unbalanced line, I like to shift the defensive line away from the tight end, just like we do in Cover 2 Zone blitzes. This give the defensive end I like to control an extra possible step around the tackle if needed, or I can spin inward to make a play. Using simple commands like L1 or R1 to spin or rip around and/or through offensive tackles is handy when controlling defensive linemen, especially defensive ends in the this situation.

What happens when you face a quarterback that is fast enough to run out of the pocket and make a play with his legs? This happens a lot on 3rd down. What I like to do is control the defensive end on the right mainly due to the fact that in NCAA Football 06, most quarterbacks will run to their right when scrambling. Rarely if ever do you see them run to the left. It is possible lefty quarterbacks may run to the left more but I need to test this.

When controlling the defensive end, I do not rush the quarterback. I stay back and play zone with him or tussle with the tackle, just in case the quarterback takes off in my direction. I also shift the rest of the defensive line to right to balance them out with the offensive line.

You can also hot-route the defensive end to spy (L1 + Circle for the defensive to our right) and control someone else, but I prefer to control him myself as it gives me more freedom to to cover who I want depending on the play.