Your Custom Playbook?

[Jeremy7679]

2K5 Is supposed to give us the ability to choose the formations we want for custom playbooks. Ive already posted this on another forum, but this forum seems to be for a more strategically competent audience. I'd just like to see what some of your custom playbooks would look like, and your basic offensive philosiphies.

I like to run the one back spread offense, with at least 3 WR on the field. I will make several combinations of the following formations:

Ace Slot
Ace Bunch
Ace Spread
Ace Trips
Ace Empty
Ace-Y-Trips
Ace-Y-Twins
No Back
Shotgun Normal
Shotgun Spread
Shotgun Trips
Shotgun Bunch
Shotgun-Y-Trips
Shotgun 5 Wide

If Ive got a stable full of great receivers, Id use a combo like this:

Ace Bunch
Ace Empty
Ace Spread
No Back
Shotgun 5 Wide
Shotgun Bunch
Shotgun Normal
Shotgun Spread
Shotgun Trips

That combination maximizes the number of receivers on the field. If I had a stellar TE that I wanted to get involved in the passing game, Id go with a combo that looks like this:

Ace Bunch
Ace Slot
Ace Trips
Ace-Y-Twins
Ace-Y-Trips
Shotgun Normal
Shotgun-Y-Trips
Shotgun Spread
Shotgun 5 Wide

Im pretty excited about the ability to choose our playbook, since this will be the only way we can differentiate ourselves from the CPU coaches. Id rather have the ability to create plays, similar to the Madden create-a-playbook, but this will do.

So what will some of your systems and playbooks like?

[mad_bomber]

Your last playbook is very similiar to what I plan on creating myself. I also plan on creating the following.

Ace Slot
Ace Big
Shotgun Ace
Shotgun Ace Twins
Shotgun Normal
Shotgun Y Trips
Shotgun Spread
Shotgun Trips
Shotgun Bunch
Shotgun 5 Wide

I also plan on experimenting with a power run game with the one back offense similar to the way Colorado State uses their offense.

Ace Big
Ace Normal
Ace Twins
Ace Big Twins (new formation)
Ace Slot
Ace Y Trips
Ace Trips
Ace Bunch
Strong Twins
With Strong Twins I can motion to this formation from a two tight set so that my tightend is now in the fullback/h-back position. I'll then motion him. It really helps now that we can change the direction of run plays on the fly.

[Jeremy7679]

Clearly we both favor the one back offense. I like the Shotgun Ace Formations, but I would sub in a WR for the #2 TE. I'd rather have the speed on the field rather than a lumbering TE. Although, sometimes the TE will break some tackles. I just find it easier to tell what the defense is doing with 3-4 WR formations. I use Purdue's playbook. It has all the empty backfield formations, both bunch and spread formations, and the Ace-Y-Twins, which, with motion, can become the Ace Slot or even sometimes the Ace Trips. I also prefer the I Form Tight to the Goalline, and will occasionally sub in WR's for the TE's and put a TE in for the Fullback and motion him, similar to what you were talking about with Strong Twins.

[mad_bomber]

I was mentioning to KBell about a week or so ago that I like to sub a receiver in for one of the tightends and motion that player out to the slot. Usally I do this with the tightend on the right side of the formation. So the formation takes on the look below.

.......................U.T.G.C.G.T................ .......Z
......X........................................... Y
...............................Q...H

[Jeremy7679]

That creates a Shotgun Formation where the TE is on the line of scrimmage.

[mad_bomber]

Exactly! That's what prompted me to experiment with it. I wish EA would adjust the Shotgun Normal formation to where the tightend was on the line of scrimmage. That would allow for more flexibility with motion. I'd like to create a shotgun formation with three receivers to one side and a tightend on the other.

.......X......................T.G.C.G.T.Y
..............A......Z
.....................................Q...H

[Jeremy7679]

Yea, or they could have both. And that one Trips you created with motion should be in the game anyway. Ive seen lots of teams use that.

[kbell97]

My playbook

Ace Normal
Shotgun Normal
Shotgun Spread
Shotgun Y Trips
Shotgun Trips
Shotgun Bunch
Shotgun 5 Wide
Shotgun Ace
Shotgun ACe Twin
Maryland I or Wishbone Tight - a little power running

I have been enjoying the Shotgun Ace, and Twin formations lately ever since Mad Bomber told me about how he was experimenting with putting a WR at TE and flexing him out. I recommend to anybody who hasn't used these formations to try them out. I have been actually using Northwertern playbook and have been playing a season with Northwestern which has Shotgun ACE and Twins , playing heisman default. I must say it is pretty tough to beat a team like Ohio St. with a mediocre team. My record is 6-1 with a 24-14 loss at Ohio St.

[FlaPride]

I would have to say my custom play book would be:

Ace Big
Ace Y Twins
Ace Bunch
Shotgun Spread
Shotgun Y Trips
Shotgun Trips
Shotgun Bunch
Shotgun 5 Wide
Shotgun Normal
Wishbone Tight

I would be able to spread the Def. and attack it through the air as will as running the ball and controlling the clock

[mad_bomber]

I'm hoping that we get some new formations to choose from.

[CrazyOldGuy]

I'm not quite settled on how I want my "new" playbook to look.

But I'm very excited about this feature.

I can't wait to have a run and shoot playbook and throw my own COG style twist in with a great Power running formation like Maryland I or Wishbone!!

I've even decided since I won't have a lot of great TE's to sub in some extra OL or DLs!

[Jeremy7679]

Hey CrazyOldGuy, I was ThrowTheBall on the old NCAAStrategies forum. You probably dont remember me.

With the new position switching, I plan on manufacturing some good TE's by swapping a tailback or a Wide Reciever (ala Kellen Winslow) to TE giving me a dynamic passing threat at the position. This will probably be the most fun Ive had with offense since the PS1 days when we could create plays.

[CrazyOldGuy]

Throw I remember you honestly its just your screen name here throws me we had some good chats over there!

I was thinking of going with the Mouse Davis philosophy that if I have a GREAT TE.... HE COULD BE AN AWESOME RB (Todd Fowler and Billy Johnson from the old USFL days if anybody can remember that far back !)... although you are quite right we could be like say a Mike Leach and put a lean quick tall wide receiver type at a TE positon like Mickey Peters at Texas Tech.

I also like the idea of converting the smaller HB's types into slot guys! This might make recruiting a little easier!!

[CrazyOldGuy]

One more idea that just went off in my head....

Its going to be a hoot to recruit an athlete a hb or wr and MAKE HIM A QB!! this is really going to open things up for my offenses!

[Bronco]

Ace Bunch
Ace Twins
Ace Empty
Ace Y-Twins
Ace Spread
Ace Slot
Ace Y-trips
Ace Big
Strong I
Weak I
I
Split 3WR / 2RB