Sometimes one of the hardest parts of getting your hands on NCAA Football is picking the playbook that is right for your style of play. Picking a playbook is hard enough in Madden with less than 40 options, let alone with more than 100.

Over the next few days Operation Sports will be taking the time to link to the playbooks EA Sports was kind enough to provide PDFs of on their web site, as well as tell you what formations are included in each playbook. Hopefully this will help you narrow them down to a workable amount, so you can then nose through and find the perfect playbook for your game.

Today we'll be doing defensive playbooks as well as generic offensive playbooks. Please note all offensive playbooks include a goalline and a hail mary formation.

Defensive Playbooks

3-3-5
Stack
Split
Across
Bear
3-4 Under
5-2 Normal
Nickel Normal
Nickel 3-3-5
Nickel 2-4-5
Dime Normal
Dime 3-2-6
Quarter 3 Deep
Goalline

3-4
Normal
Over
Under
Solid
Even
5-2 Normal
Nickel Normal
Nickel 3-3-5
Nickel 2-4-5
Dime Normal
Dime 3-2-6
Quarter 3 Deep
Goalline

4-2-5
Normal
Over
Under
Bear
Split
5-2 Normal
Nickel Normal
Nickel Strong
Nickel 3-3-5
Dime Normal
Dime 3-2-6
Quarter 3 Deep
Goalline

4-3
Normal
Over
Under
46 Bear
4-4 Split
5-2 Normal
Nickel Normal
Nickel 3-3-5
Nickel Strong
Dime Normal
Dime 3-2-6
Quarter 3 Deep
Goalline

Multiple Defenses
4-3 Normal
4-3 Over
3-4 Under
3-4 Solid
46 Normal
52 Normal
Nickel Normal
Nickel 3-3-5
Nickel 1-5-5
Dime Normal
Dime 3-2-6
Quarter 3 Deep
Goalline

Generic Offensive Playbooks

Balanced
Ace Big
Ace Twin TE
Ace Slot
Ace Bunch
I-Form Normal
I-Form Twins
Split Backs 3 WR
Strong I Normal
Flexbone Normal
Wishbone Tight
Shotgun Split Slot
Shotgun Normal
Shotgun Y Trips HB Weak
Shotgun Spread
Shotgun 5 WR Trio

One Back
Ace Big
Ace Big Twins
Ace Twin TE
Ace Twin TE Slot
Ace Slot
Ace Y Trips
Ace Trips
Ace Spread
Ace 4 WR Trips
Empty Trips
Shotgun Normal HB Weak
Shotgun Trips HB Weak
Shotgun Wing Trips
Shotgun Spread HB Weak
Shotgun Spread Flex
Shotgun 4 WR
Shotgun Trips HB Weak
Shotgun 5 WR

Option Run
Ace Big
Ace Trips TE
I-Form Normal
I-Form Twin TE Wing
Flexbone Normal
Flexbone Slot
Flexbone Split
Flexbone Tight
Flexbone Trips
Flexbone Wide
Wishbone Normal
Wishbone Wide
Wishbone Tight
Strong I Normal
Weak I Close
Weak I Twin WR
Shotgun Spread Flex

Spread
Goalline Normal
Shotgun Split Twins
Shotgun Split Slot
Shotgun Ace
Shotgun Normal HB Weak
Shotgun Normal Wing TE
Shotgun Y Trips
Shotgun Wing Trio Weak
Shotgun Trio HB Weak
Shotgun Bunch HB Strong
Shotgun Tight
Shotgun Spread Flex
Shotgun Double Flex
Shotgun Trips HB Weak
Shotgun 4 WR Trio Strong
Shotgun Empty Trey
Shotgun 5 WR Trio
Shotgun 5 WR Trips

West Coast
Ace Big
Ace Big Twins
Ace Twin TE
Ace Slot Flex
Ace Bunch
Split Backs Normal
Far Pro
Strong Normal
Strong Twins
Strong Twin TE
I-Form Twins
Weak Normal
Weak Twins
Shotgun Split Y Flex
Shotgun Normal Flex Weak
Shotgun Bunch HB Strong