Defenses in NCAA 09

3-3-5.

Considering how accurate the CPU QB's are & how QB pressure is impossible... you're better off with extra DB's in coverage.

google 3-3-5 + NCAA '09. There's some good articles out there on which 3-3-5 play to run and when.

If your brave run a nickel and blitz both LBs, but you have to have fast LBs to pull it off.

vs Passing teams: 3-3-5 or Quarter. I run a lot of the Quarter CB Blitz and Double X (I think that's the play). CBs will hand off the receiver to the deep DB in bracket coverage and play up towards the line for underneath routes and screens. Cover 3 is a good one out of the 3-3-5.

vs Running teams: 46 has been gold. Cover 2 Man, or the Double X are the primary sets I use. Every now and then I'll mix it up and bring some pressure, but if you've got a good corps of LBs and a good SS, a team will be hard-pressed to run it on you.

With that said, I either use the 4-3 or 3-3-5 playbook. Depends on which conference you play in. Sometimes I'll use the 3-4 playbook b/c it seems to do a good job against the run, and if you're in a smaller conference, I find it to be hell recruiting DTs and DEs that fit the 4-3 scheme. I always load up on CBs and LBs in recruiting.

If you do run a 4-3, don't put too much stock into overall ratings--they're about as useless as star ratings on Rivals and Scout. If you get a big LB who's a run stopper, you can easily slip him in at DE if he's got 75+ speed. Focus on grabbing some DTs that are huge space fillers and you'll be fine.

Running team 46
Passing team either a nickel or dime depending on the depth of your CB's

Inside the 10 I use goal line all the way... mainly zones or all out blitzes depending on how close they are to scoring.

Is it just me, or is the damn QB sneak unstoppable when your on d and they are at the goaline or just need a yard

yeah, if its inside the 2 i usually just bring the lineman in and have them all slant towards the center... sometimes i get lucky and can knock the center back if i time the snap right.

most of the time i just get mad when he makes it in lol.

I haven't played with a wide variety of teams, but of the few that I have used, Clemson has the best DE's in the game. Both are super fast, and I can get good pressure with both, and often sacks.

if they run 2 WRs 2 RBs 1 TE, i run 4-3, or 5-2
3 WRs Nickel
4 WRs Dime
5 WRs Quarter

i control curtis taylor the safety