Man-to-Man Coverage The Key to Stopping the AI QB in NCAA 09

[RaychelSnr]

Are you one of the many thousands of NCAA gamers who can't seem to stop the AI offense no matter what the circumstances? Our very own Executive Editor Dave Branda might have discovered a way to possibly get a few stops against the AI offense. Check out his article, Man-to-Man Coverage The Key to Stopping the AI QB in NCAA 09.

"After doing some some reading in the Operation Sports and MaddenMania forums recently, I had a bit of an epiphany. Thanks in part to my revelation, my Michigan defense "clicked" into place and I absolutely demolished a computer controlled Wisconsin at The Big House, something which was not happening up until that time."

[Bumble14]

Re: Man-to-Man Coverage The Key to Stopping the AI QB in NCAA 09

Yeah, I have noticed this in the game. I have been able to hold the CPU to 50% completions and below on a regular basis running about 80% man coverage and hot routing a LB to play man on a receiver when I iplay zone. Man coverage works very well in this game.

The only drawback is if you are playing with a low rated team, and a team with poorly rated CB's, you will struggle. But still, I have found it possible to hold the CPU's passing percentage down on a regular basis.

[dlamb919]

Nice article. I always played more man than zone, so I haven't seen ridiculous completion %. The key to defense this year is that you have to switch things up, if you keep running man or zone, the computer will tear you apart.

The best zone I've seen is to run any Cover 2 with a 3 man line, that gives you a nice wall in the middle, but you don't get much pressure. Also, when I run man, I usually drop a DE into a zone coverage.

[dlamb919]

Re: Man-to-Man Coverage The Key to Stopping the AI QB in NCAA 09

The only drawback is if you are playing with a low rated team, and a team with poorly rated CB's, you will struggle. But still, I have found it possible to hold the CPU's passing percentage down on a regular basis.

That's why I mix in zone at least 25-35% of the time. Keeps the computer guessing (atleast I want to believe it confuses them). I'm playing a dynasty with LA-Lafayette and I usually keep the computer under 225, which makes me happy. When I play with UGA, though, I can easily keep the computer under 190.

[cardinalbird5]

Re: Man-to-Man Coverage The Key to Stopping the AI QB in NCAA 09

I do play a lot of 2 man under and never had problems, so maybe thats why. I mix in zones and blitzes too, but mainly sticking in man is the way to go.

[NoleFan]

Re: Man-to-Man Coverage The Key to Stopping the AI QB in NCAA 09

Sounds interesting. I'll give this a try when I get home.

[LJay]

Re: Man-to-Man Coverage The Key to Stopping the AI QB in NCAA 09

i can stop the passing game but i can't get enough sacks
as soon as i get pressure the QB makes a quick pass
i can get pressure with my CPU controlled defenders but if it's me who gets the pressure the QB always makes a quick read
even before his receiver gets off the line and runs his route sometimes
it's like the CPU refuses to let the user get a sack
and it never throws the ball away

[fistofrage]

Re: Man-to-Man Coverage The Key to Stopping the AI QB in NCAA 09

Aren't the zone issues supposed to be fixed in the 2nd patch?

[dlamb919]

Re: Man-to-Man Coverage The Key to Stopping the AI QB in NCAA 09

i can stop the passing game but i can't get enough sacks
as soon as i get pressure the QB makes a quick pass
i can get pressure with my CPU controlled defenders but if it's me who gets the pressure the QB always makes a quick read
even before his receiver gets off the line and runs his route sometimes
it's like the CPU refuses to let the user get a sack
and it never throws the ball away

What is enough sacks to you? I average around 4, which is normal. Most bad teams gave up an average of 5 or less - like Notre Dame last year. I think a lot of people on here that complain about not getting sacks and pressure expect to bring the QB down like a dozen times.

You can send blitz even with man coverage, but the more effective plays will usually leave a man open, which is fine if you get back there in time. Or when you do blitz, overload one side and/or send the blitzer from the outside.

[Bumble14]

Re: Man-to-Man Coverage The Key to Stopping the AI QB in NCAA 09

This is seriously an outstanding article. I basically have been playing defense the way this article points out since the day I got the game. I figured it out maybe during my second game that zones leave holes open-which I found pretty realistic because lets face it, in real life teams do not play zones against spread offenses like Florida, or Boise State. Man defense is the only way to beat the spread. Because of this mindset I never got mad when the computer would check down to the safety valve (HB), on a 3rd and 10 for a 7 yard gain when I went to a zone coverage.

I too have been having the cpu throw deep on me regularly, something that many "doubted" when I brought it up in a previous post. Man defense allows this to happen- of course the cpu isn't going to throw deep on you in a cover2 or 3 zone- it wouldn't happen in real life.

Basically, the computer takes what you give it and I sort of like it. It makes defense more challenging and strategic as opposed to the standard cover3, cover3, cover 3 I'd always run back in previous games.

Let's face it guys, I think we all got a little spoiled with how easy it was to play defense in past versions.

[cardinalbird5]

Re: Man-to-Man Coverage The Key to Stopping the AI QB in NCAA 09

This is seriously an outstanding article. I basically have been playing defense the way this article points out since the day I got the game. I figured it out maybe during my second game that zones leave holes open-which I found pretty realistic because lets face it, in real life teams do not play zones against spread offenses like Florida, or Boise State. Man defense is the only way to beat the spread. Because of this mindset I never got mad when the computer would check down to the safety valve (HB), on a 3rd and 10 for a 7 yard gain when I went to a zone coverage.

I too have been having the cpu throw deep on me regularly, something that many "doubted" when I brought it up in a previous post. Man defense allows this to happen- of course the cpu isn't going to throw deep on you in a cover2 or 3 zone- it wouldn't happen in real life.

Basically, the computer takes what you give it and I sort of like it. It makes defense more challenging and strategic as opposed to the standard cover3, cover3, cover 3 I'd always run back in previous games.

Let's face it guys, I think we all got a little spoiled with how easy it was to play defense in past versions.

Boise doesn't run the spread, hate to burst your bubble, but I know what you are saying.

I disagree with some of it though. Cover 2's are vulnerable down the seams of the middle of the field and the sidelines past the CB's press. 2 man under is harder to beat deep. Sometimes a post route will work, but it would have to be on the money.

[fistofrage]

Re: Man-to-Man Coverage The Key to Stopping the AI QB in NCAA 09

This is seriously an outstanding article. I basically have been playing defense the way this article points out since the day I got the game. I figured it out maybe during my second game that zones leave holes open-which I found pretty realistic because lets face it, in real life teams do not play zones against spread offenses like Florida, or Boise State. Man defense is the only way to beat the spread. Because of this mindset I never got mad when the computer would check down to the safety valve (HB), on a 3rd and 10 for a 7 yard gain when I went to a zone coverage.

I too have been having the cpu throw deep on me regularly, something that many "doubted" when I brought it up in a previous post. Man defense allows this to happen- of course the cpu isn't going to throw deep on you in a cover2 or 3 zone- it wouldn't happen in real life.

Basically, the computer takes what you give it and I sort of like it. It makes defense more challenging and strategic as opposed to the standard cover3, cover3, cover 3 I'd always run back in previous games.

Let's face it guys, I think we all got a little spoiled with how easy it was to play defense in past versions.

But the underlying issue is that the zones are broken. The AI does take what you give it. Thats great it should. Problem is you give it on zones because of a glitch. Basically the Computer is a Cheeser, exploiting something that is broken.

Fix the Zones and the game gets much closer to being the game we all want. I thought they said they addressed it in the patch.

[sportyguyfl31]

The only issue I have with this, is that it seems more like a work around, then anything strategic, in order to play reasonable pass defense.

I have a real problem with the idea of having to junk 30-50% of the defensive playbook simply to get this to happen.


I'd rather use a good set of sliders that help create more realistic results, and use all of the defensive plays in my arsenal, rather then play like this.

[Beardown]

Re: Man-to-Man Coverage The Key to Stopping the AI QB in NCAA 09

i can stop the passing game but i can't get enough sacks
as soon as i get pressure the QB makes a quick pass
i can get pressure with my CPU controlled defenders but if it's me who gets the pressure the QB always makes a quick read
even before his receiver gets off the line and runs his route sometimes
it's like the CPU refuses to let the user get a sack
and it never throws the ball away

This is my frustration exactly. I have the CPU QB throw in less than a second. I get plenty of pressure but never a sack. What I get instead is picks. The CPU QB will simply not be sacked instead they just throw really quick and many times for picks. It is completely insane. I can deal with everything else in this game except this. I am so tired of it I can't wait for Madden to come out so hopefully I can actually sack a QB. I get 1 sack a game if I am lucky, many games I get 0.

[ChicagoSparty]

I've been playing a lot of man-cover 2 coverage with similar results, because my corners have high MCV ratings and my safeties have high ZCV ratings.