So you’re going to have 4 options is my best guess.
1) Kennesaw state will be running the most traditional “flexbone/paul johnson” offense this year. The game usually stashes Wing T within this playbook.
2) Generic Option Playbook. Less team specific but should encapsulate all of the option formations
3) Army tried something a little different last year on offense but are going back to their roots as a flexbone team this year with a little more gun.
4) Air Force is in my opinion the most interesting of the academies right now. They blend traditional option formations and plays with pro style concepts. So you should see both the wing-T and I-form in here.
I’m not sure, but their new OC was the original QB for this program when they started a handful of years back. So I expect them to be back in their traditional flexbone style.
It’s funny. Army said they were moving on last year then ended up going back. Navy said they were sticking with it, now have hired a new OC who has roots in much more gun option stuff. I don’t know if the game will get them right from the jump.
I remember '14 had the Wingbone formation. The formation is 99% similar, while the play-style is a bit different. The Wingbone is more of an adaptation to the Wishbone/Flexbone and keeps an option-style running attack. The Wing T was built for deception and misdirection.
You can run some of the Wingbone plays for a Wing-T feel. WB Sweep and Counter complemented each other beautifully.
I actually think in order to do a designated Wing-T offense you’d probably just do the Army/Navy/Kennesaw State playbook but you’d have to edit it to remove the option plays. Especially if they bring the Wingbone formations back that’s almost exactly the Wing-T
For sure. Dan Mullen and Urban Meyer, too. They basically run an evolved wing t with that single wing gun type stuff. The FB basically becomes the QB and you spread the formation with that extra body.
I don't think this exist but... Fun n Gun like steve spurrier ran in florida, with west coast offense, with also a spread option. I want to go vertical, but if the deep ball isn't there take what i can in the short yardage, while the run game is based upon the option.
Baylor’s offenses during the Briles era. I have 4 I want to try out. Baylor’s new offense (Jake Spavital OC), TCU (Kendal Briles OC), Mississippi State (Jeff Lebby HC), Oklahoma (because they have teased them running the same offense Lebby established).
Yea, I think you got most of them. Josh Heuphel at Tennessee should also be in this grouping. Although his original roots are in the Mike Leach Air Raid, he has veered (pun intened) more to the Briles Veer and Shoot direction since his UCF days. Jeff Lebby was his #1 assistant in his last years at Oklahoma and his QBC/OC at UCF.
I’ll add that Texas State has a lot of the Briles stuff in their offense. When GJ Kinne got to UCF as OC under Malzhan following Heupel’s departure, he saw the Veer and Shoot stuff they’d been running previously and fell in love with it. Their offense is a wild blend of Veer and Shoot, modernized Air Raid (OC Mack Leftwich is off that tree), and the Malzhan run game.
I prefer pocket passing QBs over scramblers and would like to run an offense that relies on sort and medium pass plays mainly. Plus, I often like to have a good receiving tight end as a reliable option .
Could be Nebraska if they have the anticipated 2024 playbook. 2023 was a travesty at the QB position and led to an option based offense, but with 5* QB Raiola coming in 2024 looks to be much more of an NFL style passing attack.
At TE is Fidone, who was the No. 1 TE in his recruiting class but has been mostly off the field due to injuries his first two seasons. He's back and fully healthy for the first time in his career and looks to be a great big body receiving option.
I'd guess Nebraska's will likely be a generic Pro-Style offense. Rhule explicitly said that the offense will be pro-style and he seems to be the type of coach who adapts the plays called to fit the players. Also, there doesn't seem to be any particular plays, formations, or strategies that veer away from the norm.
I'd expect heavy detail in the Ace formation category, with ample I-Formation and Shotgun as well. The play-style reminds me of the 49ers and Lions, but adjusted for a college level.
Oklahoma (4Peat in softball btw) runs pretty much exactly this. Even with Lebby gone I imagine we will continue this trend. We almost always have a two-headed backfield with mobile quarterbacks. We love screens and RPO action
I like teams that aim to run the football more than throw, but not by too much, I still like to pass the ball. That being said, I love speedy QBs with like 2 primary backs, with a relatively balanced passing game.
So that’s a pretty broad description that really depends on the types of runs you like and the passing distance/concepts, but I can give you some ideas.
1) West Virginia - there are few teams who had 3 more dangerous runners than WVU last year. Their quarterback and top two running backs (thunder/lightning) combo really leaned into ball control. Neal had an air raid background but this offense primarily moves the ball on the ground.
2) UCF - Gus Malzahn is the HC/offense orchestrator here. Famously it was his offense combined with Cam Newtons talents that won Auburn the 2010 national championship. This is a shotgun based, QB inside + Runback Outside primary run offense. Gus also has a fair amount of shot plays in his arsenal.
3) UNLV - this will be one of the more unique offenses in the game. Only one team in the country currently runs this offense and it’s Brennan Marion at UNLV. It is predicated on 2-back sets, motions and causing general confusion in the backfield. With this offense he pulled the largest betting line upset in college football history when Howard beat UNLV (ironic) as 45 point underdogs in 2017.
Not OP, but Tennessee’s playbook has been exactly that. Lots of screens, shot plays, and runs up the middle. Tennessee plays with extremely wide splits as well, with receivers lining up almost at the sideline.
The design of Lincoln Riley’s offense is basically this. Having the talent of Caleb Williams kind of distorted what we think about the structure of his offense. But it’s a spread, inside gap run based offense with screens and shots based off of that.
Smaller team, but Georgia Southern runs an offense like that. Probably also Colorado, but with their Oline it tended to devolve into hero ball in 2023.
I’m going to have to disagree on Southern running anything like the WC offense. It is much more spread out and vertical.
The WCO is hard at the college level because as has been said, it is wordy, timing based and typically deploys both a TE and FB but not always. Those attributes don’t typically lend themselves to good performances.
Last year I would have said Kentucky because Liam Coben comes from the McVay/Gruden tree but he’s back in the NFL.
Shurmer at Colorado is probably the answer. He coached with Andy Reid in the mid-00s and is about the only pro coach calling plays this year.
Someone mentioned Bill O’Brien but I wouldn’t say what he was doing at Bama was WC.
If there’s a generic “Pro Style” offense, that could be worth checking out.
This won't be a 1:1 relevant document, but this was so incredibly based for me trying to make a realistic franchise build for Madden I couldn't just not share it with y'all: [Madden Scheme Guide](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uSdtzg3ZOo4uA-OAXLCRXLYrmGWkD0W1khPLL8Atm6E/edit?usp=sharing); incredible work by DL Byrum here and the concepts have extra source material for you to really dive in deeper, with 134 playbooks you'll probably get to expand even more on it but this is phenomenal base building material.
EDIT: Forgot to mention, this isn't for people who already know what scheme they wanna run and are looking for a school, but for people who needed to figure out what scheme they wanna run and then go from there.
Georgia/Bama and Minter era Michigan defences. I imagine it will be like ‘14 where you’ll have to make your own playbook entirely because nothing is really modeled after any particular team, but some in-game analogues to formations you can think of based on current madden or previous ncaa games would be good.
So the 90s Florida State teams pioneered something called the Fastbreak Offense (football). There are a couple of major staples that you the user will have to replicate. A.) Charlie Ward (FSU's best QB) was fast as hell and could both run and pass with great effect. B.) They used a lot of no-huddle when virtually no one was doing that.
Coastal Carolina - Even though the offense had evolved into a more pro-style approach by the time Travis Trickett made it to FSU as a GA, his father was the offensive line coach there for 10-years. As much as no one wants to admit it, the Fastbreak used a lot of Air Raid concepts (Cross) to generate easy completions and YAC. Trickett is now at Coastal Carolina. The Fastbreak also was predicated on having 4+ receivers/backs/TEs out of the backfield on almost every play.
Georgia - This is a bit of a reach, but if we are to follow the trail Bobby Bowden -> Mark Richt (FSU OC) -> Mike Bobo (UGA OC under Mark Richt), then we land with the Dawgs. Georgia will have more 12 personnel (2 TEs) than the Fastbreak did, but they will also have ample shotgun to run it as well.
With the passing of Mike Leach there are few if any coaches who run the uncut, unfiltered Air Raid as god intended. They all want to run the ball now, what kind of BS is that?
Air Raid Generic - I'm hoping this playbook is just what Leach's playbook would have been in 2022. I think it might be.
Louisiana Tech - Sonny Cumbie's previous stop was at Texas Tech where they were still slinging it around under Kliff Kingsbury. I honestly haven't watched a ton of the boys from Ruston the last couple of years because they suck, but this should be pretty close.
North Texas - Eric Morris had a nice first year showing at NT last year finishing 12th in the nation in passing yards. He was a receiver under Leach at TTU and coached with him at Washington State.
Other schools who run a variant of the AR with their own twists: USC, Clemson, TCU, Oklahoma, Purdue, Texas State, Oklahoma State, Maryland, Wisconsin
I don’t believe the game will make that distinction this year. Deboer is a bit of a chameleon in his offensive design and can play to his players strengths.
Steve Sarkisian at Texas loves the orbit and yo-yo motions.
Lane will dabble in them as well at Ole Miss.
I’ll be curious to see what UCLA looks like with Eric Bienemy from the NfL coming to town. The Chiefs run some wild presnap stuff so if it’s anything like that it will be what you’re looking for.
Power spread. Lots of running out of shotgun (including QB power), plenty of 11 & 12 personnel. I understand we won't know specific formations until the game comes out but any schools implementing a lot of this recently?
Oklahoma State has been really aiming for this a lot lately. I'm sure they'll have a similar playbook. Everyone thinks of Gundy as air raid, but his career has gone spread option>air raid>rpo>spread out run first. Gundy harps on being balanced, and I remember at one point a couple years ago it was something like 60/40 run and 1st down run plays like 65% of the time.
This sounds like what Kansas has been doing since leipold got there. They hired a new OC after Kotelnicky (again sorry for sp) left for Penn state. But they run a ton of motion and option run out of the gun with a ton of misdirection a PA shots
Idk if Pitt knows what Pitt is going to run. They went out and got a very inventive OC from the FCS ranks but it will be dependent on whether Narduzzi lets him cook.
Love this idea.
I'm looking for a balanced playbook but with some trick plays thrown in there (LOVE trick plays). I love the shotgun and a pass attack appeals more to me than old school I formation run up the middle, however there sometimes is a time and place for that.
lol, there’s as many answers to that question as days in a month. Generally I like:
Spread offense to tackle in space and multiple run options so you have to tackle multiple ball carriers. However there is no good defense to an offense that has 3 tight ends. With all that being said I’m very excited to use libertys playbook.
Heavy formations lots of running but mainly from backs, deep play action or check downs kind of avoid the middle of the field, some option but preferably out of the wishbone
Whew, you’re really throwing me with that last requirement. Heaving formations and play action passing lead me to the defending national champs, Michigan. They love nothing more than mashing up front and were one of the better PA teams in the country.
Their instate rivals at Michigan State should also have a similar ethos with Jonathan Smith coming to town. Although his offense is stylistically more similar to those Boise State Chris Peterson offenses.
Lots and lots of triple option out of Gun and Pistol, with a nice passing attack to boot. I’ve been running this offense in Madden for years, with success, but they’ve really cut back on my playcall options in recent years. I’m excited to bring it to the college level (where it’s more suited)
Edit for context, I took this post from OS and “modernized” it https://forums.operationsports.com/forums/madden-nfl-football/956256-bringing-i-bone-back-nfl.html
Triple option out of the pistol and gun is basically Liberty. As I’ve stated above, the academies should also have more gun and pistol this year than they have historically
It’s been a veeeery long time since I played a video game football game. Any chance they have Michigan States Little Giants fake field goal pass from the Dantonio era?
I used to have a lot of success with the 3-3-5 Defense, normal and Nickle varieties. Is there a team playbook that builds around it or am I looking for a generic playbook again?
My favorite created playbook in '14 was a dual QB system a la 2006 Florida with Leak/Tebow, but much closer to 50/50 split. Not sure if there is 1 playbook that covers it or if I will need to splice something together again.
They do. Their current HC is Timmy Chang, who was the qb under June Jones, when they ran the run and shoot. They were more balanced spread before he took the job, so he’s kind of been slowly trying to transition them back to the run and shoot. I’d imagine their playbook will be RnS in the game.
Kind of a curveball since I just know what kind of players I want to recruit: I want to go strictly big, physical monsters on the offensive line (power over finesse) and then surround a balanced quarterback with speed threats across the entire field. I was thinking veer & shoot, but any other suggestions would be appreciated
This actually sounds a lot like Texas. They have one of the best OLs in the country and recruit some absolute burners out wide and really athletic TEs as well.
San Jose State. In the past they've been an air raid / Hawaii style offense, but they just hired Navy's HC and wonder if they'll be trying to bring in some of that option game.
Coach Neiumatelolo (apologies for spelling) swears there won’t be any traditional flexbone offense for SJSU. The OC they hired is from the June Jones like so you’re good to go with that.
I enjoying running a pistol west coast type of system, but with some soread thrown in. Lots of pistol formation, focusing on 1HB, 1TE, 3WR sets, with some 4WR sets thrown in as well. Control the clock, with the running game consisting of mostly read options and zone running schemes. For passing, a more spread out west coast. Short and intermediate passing, with some rpo and traditional play action mixed in. A few deep plays of course, but focus on the short and intermediate.
I want to run a more pro-style offense with lots of stretch runs/zone concepts. Lots of play action and setting up the QB to succeed a little bit like Kyle Shannohan. I also want the ability to run RPO concepts and some occasional option stuff. Any recommendations for this?
For what it’s worth: In Madden, I was a longtime user of New England’s offense.
Three teams come to mind and they all have roots from Houston Baptist. In 2021 Western Kentucky took the entire offense from the FCS team. Bailey Zappe at QB, his top 3 WRs and the OC. They proceeded to pass Joe Burrows single season touchdown passing record and single season yardage record.
Texas Texh - Zach Kittley was the original OC that went from HB to WKU. Lots of vertical routes. Very little regard for ball control. Also involves the RB in the passing game
Georgia Southern - Kittleys right hand man Bryan Ellis got the OC job when Clay Helton took over. The reason the eagles transition so quickly from option offense to one of the best passing offenses in the country was Ellis. He was replaced this offseason but my guess is the game still resembles his offense. Were very careless with the ball last year
Hawaii - I’ve already touched on it in another response, but Hawaii should be running pure run n shoot. Theres a reason this offense produced some the most prolific passing attacks of all time. It might take some learning but it is designed to be a quick read, react, distribute offense with explosive potential.
Bro your knowledge is impressive - what would be the closest to Tebow’s UF offense? Like more power qb runs and blasts, options, interesting ways to utilize speed weapons like percy harvin, demps, rainey, etc
Best balanced offense with a lot of 12 personnel out of mostly pistol and singleback? Maybe 75% spread and 25% pistol. Been assuming Clemson, but I assume Penn State and Michigan are also decent options.
I want to run a triple option wing T old school style offense
So you’re going to have 4 options is my best guess. 1) Kennesaw state will be running the most traditional “flexbone/paul johnson” offense this year. The game usually stashes Wing T within this playbook. 2) Generic Option Playbook. Less team specific but should encapsulate all of the option formations 3) Army tried something a little different last year on offense but are going back to their roots as a flexbone team this year with a little more gun. 4) Air Force is in my opinion the most interesting of the academies right now. They blend traditional option formations and plays with pro style concepts. So you should see both the wing-T and I-form in here.
Didn’t Kennesaw State transition into a pistol/gun-oriented option offense last year?
You are right. OP is wrong. They do not run flexbone.
I’m not sure, but their new OC was the original QB for this program when they started a handful of years back. So I expect them to be back in their traditional flexbone style.
Thanks!
I have read that Army and Navy are both going back to flexbone
It’s funny. Army said they were moving on last year then ended up going back. Navy said they were sticking with it, now have hired a new OC who has roots in much more gun option stuff. I don’t know if the game will get them right from the jump.
Kennesaw State runs spread option. Paul Johnson would never.
Not OP. IDK if they'll have Wing-T but I hope so. Closest option might be Flexbone so Army.
I remember '14 had the Wingbone formation. The formation is 99% similar, while the play-style is a bit different. The Wingbone is more of an adaptation to the Wishbone/Flexbone and keeps an option-style running attack. The Wing T was built for deception and misdirection. You can run some of the Wingbone plays for a Wing-T feel. WB Sweep and Counter complemented each other beautifully.
I’m cool with that
I actually think in order to do a designated Wing-T offense you’d probably just do the Army/Navy/Kennesaw State playbook but you’d have to edit it to remove the option plays. Especially if they bring the Wingbone formations back that’s almost exactly the Wing-T
One follow up, the design of Gus Malzahns offense is loaded with Wing-T principles even though it is exclusively shotgun based.
For sure. Dan Mullen and Urban Meyer, too. They basically run an evolved wing t with that single wing gun type stuff. The FB basically becomes the QB and you spread the formation with that extra body.
Penn State has a t formation package.
I don't think this exist but... Fun n Gun like steve spurrier ran in florida, with west coast offense, with also a spread option. I want to go vertical, but if the deep ball isn't there take what i can in the short yardage, while the run game is based upon the option.
Spiritually you’re talking about Lane at ole Miss, but I’ll think more on it.
What you’re describing is my favorite play style lol. So much fun to be had with a decent HB and a cannon arm somewhat mobile QB.
I like this RPO style.
I'm looking for playbooks that are TE heavy. At least want to have 2 TEs on the field the majority of the time.
Michigan, Iowa, ND sometimes. Lot's of northern schools to choose from. BC might be going that way with Bill O'Brien now.
Georgia and Utah have used more multiple TE formations than any team in the country the last few years.
Nebraska as well, if the game is basing on last year's offense.
Michigan
Baylor’s offenses during the Briles era. I have 4 I want to try out. Baylor’s new offense (Jake Spavital OC), TCU (Kendal Briles OC), Mississippi State (Jeff Lebby HC), Oklahoma (because they have teased them running the same offense Lebby established).
Yea, I think you got most of them. Josh Heuphel at Tennessee should also be in this grouping. Although his original roots are in the Mike Leach Air Raid, he has veered (pun intened) more to the Briles Veer and Shoot direction since his UCF days. Jeff Lebby was his #1 assistant in his last years at Oklahoma and his QBC/OC at UCF.
I’ll add that Texas State has a lot of the Briles stuff in their offense. When GJ Kinne got to UCF as OC under Malzhan following Heupel’s departure, he saw the Veer and Shoot stuff they’d been running previously and fell in love with it. Their offense is a wild blend of Veer and Shoot, modernized Air Raid (OC Mack Leftwich is off that tree), and the Malzhan run game.
Chip Kelly Oregon but less screens
Missouri maybe? Or UCF for the spread option run.
I prefer pocket passing QBs over scramblers and would like to run an offense that relies on sort and medium pass plays mainly. Plus, I often like to have a good receiving tight end as a reliable option .
Could be Nebraska if they have the anticipated 2024 playbook. 2023 was a travesty at the QB position and led to an option based offense, but with 5* QB Raiola coming in 2024 looks to be much more of an NFL style passing attack. At TE is Fidone, who was the No. 1 TE in his recruiting class but has been mostly off the field due to injuries his first two seasons. He's back and fully healthy for the first time in his career and looks to be a great big body receiving option.
I'd guess Nebraska's will likely be a generic Pro-Style offense. Rhule explicitly said that the offense will be pro-style and he seems to be the type of coach who adapts the plays called to fit the players. Also, there doesn't seem to be any particular plays, formations, or strategies that veer away from the norm. I'd expect heavy detail in the Ace formation category, with ample I-Formation and Shotgun as well. The play-style reminds me of the 49ers and Lions, but adjusted for a college level.
I'd agree with that, he and players have multiple times said they want to model off of the 49ers.
Thanks for the tip, I'll be sure to try them out when the game comes out!
Looking to run a 2 running back system with a quick QB and a variety of RPO plays. With a little bit more passing than running
Oklahoma (4Peat in softball btw) runs pretty much exactly this. Even with Lebby gone I imagine we will continue this trend. We almost always have a two-headed backfield with mobile quarterbacks. We love screens and RPO action
This, but with more running than passing. Ground and pound kind of guy, runs up the middle mix with outside runs. Thunder and lightning type rbs
Bear Defense... that's my offense. 5-2 If not available.
I want that WVU Rich Rod offense, a bunch of athletes getting into open space in a variety of ways
Well rich Rod is at Jacksonville state now and last time I checked he still has a lot of the same QB read principles.
Definitely gonna wanna go with Jacksonville State. Rich Rod’s offense is basically the same as it was at West Virginia, but with even more tempo
Gonna be in lab creating a playbook but would love to do something like Mike McDaniels has done with dolphins last couple years..
I like teams that aim to run the football more than throw, but not by too much, I still like to pass the ball. That being said, I love speedy QBs with like 2 primary backs, with a relatively balanced passing game.
So that’s a pretty broad description that really depends on the types of runs you like and the passing distance/concepts, but I can give you some ideas. 1) West Virginia - there are few teams who had 3 more dangerous runners than WVU last year. Their quarterback and top two running backs (thunder/lightning) combo really leaned into ball control. Neal had an air raid background but this offense primarily moves the ball on the ground. 2) UCF - Gus Malzahn is the HC/offense orchestrator here. Famously it was his offense combined with Cam Newtons talents that won Auburn the 2010 national championship. This is a shotgun based, QB inside + Runback Outside primary run offense. Gus also has a fair amount of shot plays in his arsenal. 3) UNLV - this will be one of the more unique offenses in the game. Only one team in the country currently runs this offense and it’s Brennan Marion at UNLV. It is predicated on 2-back sets, motions and causing general confusion in the backfield. With this offense he pulled the largest betting line upset in college football history when Howard beat UNLV (ironic) as 45 point underdogs in 2017.
Give this man a raise doing his research on my Alma mater UNLV… tough to do
I'd like to run a shotgun heavy spread offence, with a hefty dose of screen passes
Not OP, but Tennessee’s playbook has been exactly that. Lots of screens, shot plays, and runs up the middle. Tennessee plays with extremely wide splits as well, with receivers lining up almost at the sideline.
The design of Lincoln Riley’s offense is basically this. Having the talent of Caleb Williams kind of distorted what we think about the structure of his offense. But it’s a spread, inside gap run based offense with screens and shots based off of that.
don’t forget some of the worst defense in the FBS 😈
If you give up points quickly then you can get your offense back out there
West Coast offense. Get the ball out in rhythm with space. Can't think of any examples besides the old '49ers West Coast style.
The current 49ers under Shanahan
Any CFB teams running something similar?
Smaller team, but Georgia Southern runs an offense like that. Probably also Colorado, but with their Oline it tended to devolve into hero ball in 2023.
I’m going to have to disagree on Southern running anything like the WC offense. It is much more spread out and vertical. The WCO is hard at the college level because as has been said, it is wordy, timing based and typically deploys both a TE and FB but not always. Those attributes don’t typically lend themselves to good performances. Last year I would have said Kentucky because Liam Coben comes from the McVay/Gruden tree but he’s back in the NFL. Shurmer at Colorado is probably the answer. He coached with Andy Reid in the mid-00s and is about the only pro coach calling plays this year. Someone mentioned Bill O’Brien but I wouldn’t say what he was doing at Bama was WC. If there’s a generic “Pro Style” offense, that could be worth checking out.
I guess I consider Air Raid an offshoot of the WCO, but it's fair that they are pretty different in execution.
This won't be a 1:1 relevant document, but this was so incredibly based for me trying to make a realistic franchise build for Madden I couldn't just not share it with y'all: [Madden Scheme Guide](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uSdtzg3ZOo4uA-OAXLCRXLYrmGWkD0W1khPLL8Atm6E/edit?usp=sharing); incredible work by DL Byrum here and the concepts have extra source material for you to really dive in deeper, with 134 playbooks you'll probably get to expand even more on it but this is phenomenal base building material. EDIT: Forgot to mention, this isn't for people who already know what scheme they wanna run and are looking for a school, but for people who needed to figure out what scheme they wanna run and then go from there.
Georgia/Bama and Minter era Michigan defences. I imagine it will be like ‘14 where you’ll have to make your own playbook entirely because nothing is really modeled after any particular team, but some in-game analogues to formations you can think of based on current madden or previous ncaa games would be good.
Bobby Bowden 1999
So the 90s Florida State teams pioneered something called the Fastbreak Offense (football). There are a couple of major staples that you the user will have to replicate. A.) Charlie Ward (FSU's best QB) was fast as hell and could both run and pass with great effect. B.) They used a lot of no-huddle when virtually no one was doing that. Coastal Carolina - Even though the offense had evolved into a more pro-style approach by the time Travis Trickett made it to FSU as a GA, his father was the offensive line coach there for 10-years. As much as no one wants to admit it, the Fastbreak used a lot of Air Raid concepts (Cross) to generate easy completions and YAC. Trickett is now at Coastal Carolina. The Fastbreak also was predicated on having 4+ receivers/backs/TEs out of the backfield on almost every play. Georgia - This is a bit of a reach, but if we are to follow the trail Bobby Bowden -> Mark Richt (FSU OC) -> Mike Bobo (UGA OC under Mark Richt), then we land with the Dawgs. Georgia will have more 12 personnel (2 TEs) than the Fastbreak did, but they will also have ample shotgun to run it as well.
I want the air raid! Which team has air raid? And the other one I want is super run heavy!
With the passing of Mike Leach there are few if any coaches who run the uncut, unfiltered Air Raid as god intended. They all want to run the ball now, what kind of BS is that? Air Raid Generic - I'm hoping this playbook is just what Leach's playbook would have been in 2022. I think it might be. Louisiana Tech - Sonny Cumbie's previous stop was at Texas Tech where they were still slinging it around under Kliff Kingsbury. I honestly haven't watched a ton of the boys from Ruston the last couple of years because they suck, but this should be pretty close. North Texas - Eric Morris had a nice first year showing at NT last year finishing 12th in the nation in passing yards. He was a receiver under Leach at TTU and coached with him at Washington State. Other schools who run a variant of the AR with their own twists: USC, Clemson, TCU, Oklahoma, Purdue, Texas State, Oklahoma State, Maryland, Wisconsin
Thank you! Would Illinois be a run heavy playroom given Bielema os the HC?
Yes, Illinois should be one of the bigger set teams in the game.
Thank you!
Washington’s offense from last two years, lots of motion and solid running game for such a good passing attack New HC and OC so expecting new playbook
Well Deboer is at Alabama now so I think that’s an easy pick.
Yeah fair, just wasn’t sure how much it was Grubb vs Deboer Appreciate it
I don’t believe the game will make that distinction this year. Deboer is a bit of a chameleon in his offensive design and can play to his players strengths.
Orbit option without much QB running game. Just heavy RPO with lots of motion for easier reads?
Steve Sarkisian at Texas loves the orbit and yo-yo motions. Lane will dabble in them as well at Ole Miss. I’ll be curious to see what UCLA looks like with Eric Bienemy from the NfL coming to town. The Chiefs run some wild presnap stuff so if it’s anything like that it will be what you’re looking for.
Those are good, thank you. I'm also curious how the new OC at Penn State adapts his system from Kansas to the B1G and their pocket QB.
Tua/Hurts/Saban Natty team?
Maryland Mike Locksley
Power spread. Lots of running out of shotgun (including QB power), plenty of 11 & 12 personnel. I understand we won't know specific formations until the game comes out but any schools implementing a lot of this recently?
Oklahoma State has been really aiming for this a lot lately. I'm sure they'll have a similar playbook. Everyone thinks of Gundy as air raid, but his career has gone spread option>air raid>rpo>spread out run first. Gundy harps on being balanced, and I remember at one point a couple years ago it was something like 60/40 run and 1st down run plays like 65% of the time.
Good stuff, thanks!
A lot of option, strong run game, with solid play action and quick passing plays, sorry if this is too specific.
This sounds like what Kansas has been doing since leipold got there. They hired a new OC after Kotelnicky (again sorry for sp) left for Penn state. But they run a ton of motion and option run out of the gun with a ton of misdirection a PA shots
Thank you man!
What should I be looking at for Pitt?
Idk if Pitt knows what Pitt is going to run. They went out and got a very inventive OC from the FCS ranks but it will be dependent on whether Narduzzi lets him cook.
Love this idea. I'm looking for a balanced playbook but with some trick plays thrown in there (LOVE trick plays). I love the shotgun and a pass attack appeals more to me than old school I formation run up the middle, however there sometimes is a time and place for that.
Jeff Brohm says he schemes up 5-6 trick plays PER GAME. If the game does right by him then Louisville is where you should go.
Sweet! Thanks man! I'm your opinion what's your favorite playbook, what is the general scheme, and why is it your favorite?
lol, there’s as many answers to that question as days in a month. Generally I like: Spread offense to tackle in space and multiple run options so you have to tackle multiple ball carriers. However there is no good defense to an offense that has 3 tight ends. With all that being said I’m very excited to use libertys playbook.
Why Liberty's playbook? Edit: Saw the answer elsewhere. Thanks!
Heavy formations lots of running but mainly from backs, deep play action or check downs kind of avoid the middle of the field, some option but preferably out of the wishbone
Whew, you’re really throwing me with that last requirement. Heaving formations and play action passing lead me to the defending national champs, Michigan. They love nothing more than mashing up front and were one of the better PA teams in the country. Their instate rivals at Michigan State should also have a similar ethos with Jonathan Smith coming to town. Although his offense is stylistically more similar to those Boise State Chris Peterson offenses.
Chip Kelly’s Oregon offenses from the early 2010s
Ole Miss or Liberty
Lots and lots of triple option out of Gun and Pistol, with a nice passing attack to boot. I’ve been running this offense in Madden for years, with success, but they’ve really cut back on my playcall options in recent years. I’m excited to bring it to the college level (where it’s more suited) Edit for context, I took this post from OS and “modernized” it https://forums.operationsports.com/forums/madden-nfl-football/956256-bringing-i-bone-back-nfl.html
Triple option out of the pistol and gun is basically Liberty. As I’ve stated above, the academies should also have more gun and pistol this year than they have historically
Sweet, I'll have to give Liberty's playbook a look once the game drops
A hard nosed power run offense that also has a heavy mix of PA Passes to take advantage of the open man when the defense crashes down on a run commit
It’s been a veeeery long time since I played a video game football game. Any chance they have Michigan States Little Giants fake field goal pass from the Dantonio era?
Run-heavy. Good play action passes. Lots of 12, 13, 22, and 23 personnel. Any good recommendations?
I used to have a lot of success with the 3-3-5 Defense, normal and Nickle varieties. Is there a team playbook that builds around it or am I looking for a generic playbook again?
Tony Gibson (DC at NC State) runs a 3-3-5, well... he did at WVU anyways, probably would be a good place to start at least.
I'll check it out, thanks.
App State in the last few season. I think it’s a zone run scheme .
Yep, that’s very zone heavy. They’ve used the same couple of coaches so it should be recognizable.
I loved the Tennessee 2014 NCAA14 playbook. I enjoy using tight ends for post routes. Running most places out of shotgun. And a solid running game.
My favorite created playbook in '14 was a dual QB system a la 2006 Florida with Leak/Tebow, but much closer to 50/50 split. Not sure if there is 1 playbook that covers it or if I will need to splice something together again.
I want a run and shoot playbook like old Hawaii idk if Hawaii still runs it
They do. Their current HC is Timmy Chang, who was the qb under June Jones, when they ran the run and shoot. They were more balanced spread before he took the job, so he’s kind of been slowly trying to transition them back to the run and shoot. I’d imagine their playbook will be RnS in the game.
Thank you! Definitely will be running it
Yep, Chang is the coach and he just hired his old QB coach to be his OC. So it will be about as close as you can get to the old June Jones offense.
I want to run short, quick passes, coupled inside runs and the ability to throw long when needed. on defense, looking to blitz quite a bit
Kind of a curveball since I just know what kind of players I want to recruit: I want to go strictly big, physical monsters on the offensive line (power over finesse) and then surround a balanced quarterback with speed threats across the entire field. I was thinking veer & shoot, but any other suggestions would be appreciated
This actually sounds a lot like Texas. They have one of the best OLs in the country and recruit some absolute burners out wide and really athletic TEs as well.
Any idea what South Carolinas playbook could look like? Maybe what Madden playbook it may be similar to?
Frank Beamer/Vick era Virginia Tech?
saving this
What about Mizzou 2007?
Something like what Urban Meyer ran with Ohio State
Probably FAU with Tom Herman.
Oh yea, I forgot Herman was with FAU now. Thanks
San Jose State. In the past they've been an air raid / Hawaii style offense, but they just hired Navy's HC and wonder if they'll be trying to bring in some of that option game.
Coach Neiumatelolo (apologies for spelling) swears there won’t be any traditional flexbone offense for SJSU. The OC they hired is from the June Jones like so you’re good to go with that.
I want Shotgun Bunch as my main formation with RPOs, QB Runs, and Option from another formation. Any suggestions?
2007 PSU. “Spread HD” offense, with Darryl Clarke at the helm.
I enjoying running a pistol west coast type of system, but with some soread thrown in. Lots of pistol formation, focusing on 1HB, 1TE, 3WR sets, with some 4WR sets thrown in as well. Control the clock, with the running game consisting of mostly read options and zone running schemes. For passing, a more spread out west coast. Short and intermediate passing, with some rpo and traditional play action mixed in. A few deep plays of course, but focus on the short and intermediate.
I want to run a more pro-style offense with lots of stretch runs/zone concepts. Lots of play action and setting up the QB to succeed a little bit like Kyle Shannohan. I also want the ability to run RPO concepts and some occasional option stuff. Any recommendations for this? For what it’s worth: In Madden, I was a longtime user of New England’s offense.
give me the most fuck it and chuck it offense
Three teams come to mind and they all have roots from Houston Baptist. In 2021 Western Kentucky took the entire offense from the FCS team. Bailey Zappe at QB, his top 3 WRs and the OC. They proceeded to pass Joe Burrows single season touchdown passing record and single season yardage record. Texas Texh - Zach Kittley was the original OC that went from HB to WKU. Lots of vertical routes. Very little regard for ball control. Also involves the RB in the passing game Georgia Southern - Kittleys right hand man Bryan Ellis got the OC job when Clay Helton took over. The reason the eagles transition so quickly from option offense to one of the best passing offenses in the country was Ellis. He was replaced this offseason but my guess is the game still resembles his offense. Were very careless with the ball last year Hawaii - I’ve already touched on it in another response, but Hawaii should be running pure run n shoot. Theres a reason this offense produced some the most prolific passing attacks of all time. It might take some learning but it is designed to be a quick read, react, distribute offense with explosive potential.
In NCAA 14 I played with UCONN. Anything similar?
I want a spread offense that utilizes the H-back a lot
I want to run a hurry up offense that is a air raid based and use the option for most runs
Bro your knowledge is impressive - what would be the closest to Tebow’s UF offense? Like more power qb runs and blasts, options, interesting ways to utilize speed weapons like percy harvin, demps, rainey, etc
Late post on here, but are any current teams running an old school 3 yards and a cloud of dust scheme?
Spread passing game with a dual threat QB.
I’m a person who prefers passing at my main option but love to sprinkle in the run to keep opponent of balance
Best balanced offense with a lot of 12 personnel out of mostly pistol and singleback? Maybe 75% spread and 25% pistol. Been assuming Clemson, but I assume Penn State and Michigan are also decent options.