Can the 3-3-5 Defense work in NCAA 14?

[return.specialist]

Quote: Originally Posted by jello1717

Are you playing the 3-3-5 or Nickel? From your post it sounds like you're playing Nickel with your best CB as the Nickel back.

I never considered that, lol, but yes.

In these seasons, we probably run 40% out of the two Nickel 3-3-5 sets, 40% out of the 3-3-5 sets, 10% out of Quarter normal and 10% out of several 3-4 and 46 sets with formation-subs that field the equivalent of 3-3-5 personnel.

[The Ole Ball Coach]

I'd assume you probably have to blitz A LOT to make it work. Also make sure you have a big, solid defensive line.

[beastmode2013]

Never used it as a base, but I love to use it to compliment my 4-2-5.

And yes, tons of blitz packages. "STACK" and "BEAR" are great against the run. The outside double SS blitz out of "STACK" is used almost exclusively against teams who run the option (GA Tech)

My philosophy on the game is: you must blitz to stop the run and the pass.

[isd71]

I always start as a 1 star G5 and work my way up and have been running the 3-3-5 the past couple of years.

The two biggest things is you have to like recruiting because you are going to be deep diving through OLB, FS, SS, CB, ATHs looking for guys that can play the two SS spots. The other is you have to watch alignment in game. One of the SS will sometimes cross the defense to man up on a WR. He should only do this on a Trips look. Every play your going to hit Y then Right D-Pad on Xbox to Base Align. Then you look at the offense and if you see trips you hit base align again to undo it.

There is a great guide if you google gschwendt 335 NCAA (not sure if I can link it) that goes over what plays to call (can't have coach pick), what to look for in recruitment and alignment.

Now why I love to run a 3-3-5. As a G5 team I am going to be in base D the entire game unless the offense rolls out 5 wide. Thats huge for team without talent. I am not taking talent off the field to roll out a third or fourth corner, which you are doing most of time facing all these spread teams if run a 4-3 or 3-4. Also I can handle the run or pass at all times due to the 3-3-5 stack formation, which has eight in the box if you are running cover 1 and you will be running cover 1 or 0 at pretty much all times.

[itsbigmike]

Quote: Originally Posted by isd71

I always start as a 1 star G5 and work my way up and have been running the 3-3-5 the past couple of years. The two biggest things is you have to like recruiting because you are going to be deep diving through OLB, FS, SS, CB, ATHs looking for guys that can play the two SS spots. The other is you have to watch alignment in game. One of the SS will sometimes cross the defense to man up on a WR. He should only do this on a Trips look. Every play your going to hit Y then Right D-Pad on Xbox to Base Align. Then you look at the offense and if you see trips you hit base align again to undo it. There is a great guide if you google gschwendt 335 NCAA (not sure if I can link it) that goes over what plays to call (can't have coach pick), what to look for in recruitment and alignment. Now why I love to run a 3-3-5. As a G5 team I am going to be in base D the entire game unless the offense rolls out 5 wide. Thats huge for team without talent. I am not taking talent off the field to roll out a third or fourth corner, which you are doing most of time facing all these spread teams if run a 4-3 or 3-4. Also I can handle the run or pass at all times due to the 3-3-5 stack formation, which has eight in the box if you are running cover 1 and you will be running cover 1 or 0 at pretty much all times.

Good call on the gschwendt post. It's super helpful.

[itsbigmike]

Just switched to the 3-3-5 in my dynasty for the first time and I'm loving it. With proper formation subs it's a blast. I've played one bad team and one mediocre team -- and my time is in mid-to-low 70's for overall/offense/defense ratings -- and the different packages have been great. I haven't been able to get this amount of pressure on the QB in a long time. Been a while since I've held a QB under 70% completion percentage in a long time, too, which i did last game. Really fun.

[Carboncoms]

What packages/plays are you using to get pressure on the quarterback and holding him to a lower completion percentage? I've always struggled getting pressure out of the 3-3-5 in NCAA.

[itsbigmike]

Quote: Originally Posted by Carboncoms

What packages/plays are you using to get pressure on the quarterback and holding him to a lower completion percentage? I've always struggled getting pressure out of the 3-3-5 in NCAA.

I used the Bear front against an option team and it felt like I had someone in the backfield at all times.

Otherwise, I use primarily the split formation. After that, I go to stack and then okie, with the across being for 3rd-and-long situations. But it really is all about the formation subs. I tend to bring my pressure mostly from the left hand side. I've always user'd the LE, and my pass rush will come from what I call SS1 and my LOLB. My SS2 and ROLB tend to drop in coverage more, though they also blitz their share of the time. I do get burned -- I've given up probably one wide-open TD pass in each game thus far -- but the benefits have far outweighed the negatives thus far.

Also, follow this large post, as it helped me immensely.

Edit: In the split formation, I have switched the SS1 and the LOLB. It drops their awareness dramatically unfortunately, but the way they line up, as you can see in the link above, I prefer the LOLB closer to the line.