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

[ClemTiger]

I am looking to start a new dynasty and have always loved the 3-3-5. The only problem is, it stops almost nothing in this game. I have the 3-3-5 in my custom playbook and use it sparingly when I'm up big or playing a lesser team to experiment with it. Those experiments are bad. It stops nothing when I use it. If I immediately switch back to Nickel or my base defense, I am able to stop the CPU just fine. I don't think personnel would be that big of an issue, because all of my defense is rated mid 80's to high 90's at every level. I really want to win and stop teams with this defense but not sure it's possible. Can anyone help me?

[Dj2360]

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

I am looking to start a new dynasty and have always loved the 3-3-5. The only problem is, it stops almost nothing in this game. I have the 3-3-5 in my custom playbook and use it sparingly when I'm up big or playing a lesser team to experiment with it. Those experiments are bad. It stops nothing when I use it. If I immediately switch back to Nickel or my base defense, I am able to stop the CPU just fine. I don't think personnel would be that big of an issue, because all of my defense is rated mid 80's to high 90's at every level. I really want to win and stop teams with this defense but not sure it's possible. Can anyone help me?

It absolutely can and will my friend! I have a 6 year dynasty running with the Temple Owls, and I have ran a 3-3-5 defense the entire time. I have had the #1 defense 4 of the 6 years so far, and won 1 national championship, including countless #1 rankings.

[ClemTiger]

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

It absolutely can and will my friend! I have a 6 year dynasty running with the Temple Owls, and I have ran a 3-3-5 defense the entire time. I have had the #1 defense 4 of the 6 years so far, and won 1 national championship, including countless #1 rankings.

Can you give me some pointers? I know safety play is important. I want to start a fresh dynasty with a cupcake and use the 3-3-5 as my defense.

[Dj2360]

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

Can you give me some pointers? I know safety play is important. I want to start a fresh dynasty with a cupcake and use the 3-3-5 as my defense.

Absolutely. I personally focus on safety play when defending the run, but when I'm trying to defend the pass, I specifically focus on D-line play, and getting to the QB. I usually run a mixture of 2-man under, and cover 3. I don't blitz more than a 4-man rush often.

[Caius101]

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

How well does the 3-3-5 work when simming? I rarely play the games and while I like the defense, I mostly used 3-4 in the past.

[return.specialist]

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

I have a DC dynasty in which I fluctuate between a 3-3-5 and 3-4/2-4-5 depending on the depth at DB and OLB. For 3-3-5, I like to have a fast FS (speed, acceleration, play recognition), a big, hard-hitting, aware SS (tackle, awareness/play recog, decent zone coverage), and 3 upperclassmen CBs. I've had most 3-3-5 success with one lock-down coverage CB and one, perhaps the best CB, who is quick, decent in coverage, and can tackle, actually ranked 3rd in the depth chart so he's playing all over, QB spying, covering an RB or slot, etc. Like an earlier poster noted, I also rarely pass rush more than 1 player in addition to the DL. To me, it's largely a bend-but-don't-break style of play, we give up a lot underneath but rarely give up the deep ball. I often play with aggressive big hits and forcing fumbles because of all the speed and play-making ability.

[jello1717]

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

I have a DC dynasty in which I fluctuate between a 3-3-5 and 3-4/2-4-5 depending on the depth at DB and OLB. For 3-3-5, I like to have a fast FS (speed, acceleration, play recognition), a big, hard-hitting, aware SS (tackle, awareness/play recog, decent zone coverage), and 3 upperclassmen CBs. I've had most 3-3-5 success with one lock-down coverage CB and one, perhaps the best CB, who is quick, decent in coverage, and can tackle, actually ranked 3rd in the depth chart so he's playing all over, QB spying, covering an RB or slot, etc. Like an earlier poster noted, I also rarely pass rush more than 1 player in addition to the DL. To me, it's largely a bend-but-don't-break style of play, we give up a lot underneath but rarely give up the deep ball. I often play with aggressive big hits and forcing fumbles because of all the speed and play-making ability.

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.

[superxero27]

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

I use the 3-3-5 pretty much exclusively, and if you're looking for dominating (or at least good) defense I found a couple things to be important:

- Safety play, especially for whoever plays the "Spur" position (usually the game puts in the backup SS). Speed, man coverage, and tackling.

- Speed/quickness at pass-rushing positions like outside linebackers and defensive ends. Getting pressure on the QB quickly is vital here. Having speed at linebacker (and that "spur" spot) also helps when the QB takes off to run, which happens a lot to my defenses.

[return.specialist]

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

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]

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

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]

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

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]

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

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]

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

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]

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

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]

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

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.