Help with Defense?

[BC2012]

Okay so I play in my offline dynasty as Utah State and I want to build them up into a powerhouse. I play on All-American and I'm 6-4 right now as I just lost to Idaho. I suck at defense and need some help and/or some tips on how to play defense better.

I don't generally give up huge 20+ yard plays, but I feel like 70% of the time the CPU comes to the line on offense they make a 5-10 yard play, and just pretty much march down the field with nothing I can do to stop them. I call about 10 different defensive plays depending on the down, distance and yard line, so that may be my problem but I'm just not sure. Pretty much my only hope of stopping them from getting a touchdown is to get a turnover or hope that their runningback runs into my d-line or their quarterback throws the ball way off target, 3 times in a row.

Does anyone have some advice??

[jbrew2411]

Quote: Originally Posted by BC2012

Okay so I play in my offline dynasty as Utah State and I want to build them up into a powerhouse. I play on All-American and I'm 6-4 right now as I just lost to Idaho. I suck at defense and need some help and/or some tips on how to play defense better. I don't generally give up huge 20+ yard plays, but I feel like 70% of the time the CPU comes to the line on offense they make a 5-10 yard play, and just pretty much march down the field with nothing I can do to stop them. I call about 10 different defensive plays depending on the down, distance and yard line, so that may be my problem but I'm just not sure. Pretty much my only hope of stopping them from getting a touchdown is to get a turnover or hope that their runningback runs into my d-line or their quarterback throws the ball way off target, 3 times in a row. Does anyone have some advice??

You have to mix up you play calling and formations. I try to pick blitzs on running downs so I can control a LB and have him moving towards the back field. On passing downs or 3-5 wr sets I run man and control a fast DE to get pressure. You don't have to get the sack but don't allow the QB to "stand tall" in the pocket. This works for me but may not for others.

Also may have to adjust your sliders if you fell like the cpu is going into a robo-mode where nothing you do can stop them. Look at the slider section for some good slider to use as a base and make changes if needed.

[TimLawNYC]

This probably isn't the answer you're looking for, but honestly Utah State should suck at defense against most other schools. If you're looking for realism, you're probably doing it right. Do make sure to mix up the play calling, but the one guy you control on the field can only do so much, and the rest of your defensive guys probably aren't rated that high, so they get beat a lot. That's college football. You should generally lose to teams that are markedly better than yours, with the occasional upset, and you should beat teams that your team is better than. If you want an unrealistic "arcadey" game where Utah State goes 12-1 or 13-0 every year, you should adjust the sliders to give you an easier game.

The challenge of building an awful team into a "powerhouse" is a lot greater, and takes more seasons, this year than it has been in the past.

[jbrew2411]

Quote: Originally Posted by TimLawNYC

This probably isn't the answer you're looking for, but honestly Utah State should suck at defense against most other schools. If you're looking for realism, you're probably doing it right. Do make sure to mix up the play calling, but the one guy you control on the field can only do so much, and the rest of your defensive guys probably aren't rated that high, so they get beat a lot. That's college football. You should generally lose to teams that are markedly better than yours, with the occasional upset, and you should beat teams that your team is better than. If you want an unrealistic "arcadey" game where Utah State goes 12-1 or 13-0 every year, you should adjust the sliders to give you an easier game. The challenge of building an awful team into a "powerhouse" is a lot greater, and takes more seasons, this year than it has been in the past.

I agree 100%. I over looked the team the OP was using. He can go 2 ways. Set the sliders to give him a real game or make it were he kills every one he plays. To make the D play better you will have to recruit better players.

[BC2012]

I finished the season 7-5 with a win over Syracuse in the New Mexico bowl 21-17. I guess my "upset" was a win over Nevada, but I also got shut out at home by a New Mexico State team that went 2-10. I know that playing as Utah State that my defense should suck, its just that when I play against a team like New Mexico State, their defense in real life is just as awful as mine is, yet they seem to play a lot better in the game than I can. It's really frustrating to play man coverage and see a wide receiver or even a tight end wide open with my cb about 10 yards behind...

[spit_bubble]

Quote: Originally Posted by BC2012

...Does anyone have some advice??

It's all about matchups: know your teams strengths and weaknesses, look at the other team's roster to know their strengths and weaknesses...

If a team you're playing has a weak right side of the line, blitz to that side more often...

If your CBs have weak man coverage skills, play zone more...

And so on and so forth...

A good game plan can go a long way.

[lccowboys]

On defense dont focus on the play before. Try to guess a little what the offense will do. Different teams have different tendencies. Personel is a big part to defense in this game too. If they come out with 1 RB and 4 WR, for the love of god dont come out in a 3-4 or 4-3. Be smart, come out in a nickel or dime. Check out the other teams weaknesses. They got a flat footed LT? Bring that outside rush every so often. Fast recievers? Dont run man coverage as much. Always try to put yourself in the offenses shoes.

[Homerunhittas]

I'm in the same boat as you except that I feel my game as a whole needs serious improvement
I've come to the point where I feel as though my stick skills aren't the issue
the issue is my playcalling, gameplan settings and use, player use, and having the right audibles set and properly using hot routes and audibles along with progressions

one thing I can help you with that I'm realizing more and more about the game (which I should have been taking advantage of knowing it already) is that instead of picking random plays you think fit the situation instead try setting your opponent up with play combinations that complement each other back to back or within a few plays of each other like playaction then run or man coverage than man blitz or Cover 1 man then Cover 3 Zone (same look with single high safety except one is zone and one is man)

I feel when you set plays up and are continuously doing so you'll find the most success which I'm trying to do ALL THE TIME instead of calling random plays I feel fit the situation
instead scheme ALL THE TIME to have plays mesh with each other instead of reacting to what you're facing learn to react but more importantly seet your opponent up

so you could do a man blitz then the same blitz/setup/look but it be a zone blitz and have a zone right where they beat your man blitz and a zone (most likely manually user) right where the blitz is coming from so they can't throw where the blitz is coming from and most likely force a deep ball which are less likely to be completed

granted you can't always blitz but my advice is to setup your plays with the plays you call and let everything you do be schemed towards setting up your next play or plays