Playbooks

Franchise Playsheet

Grandpa Soul

PlaysheetDefense

2Formations

4Sets

40Plays

Overview

Grandpa Soul is a 3-4 heavy situational playsheet that gives you 40 defensive calls, a bigger menu than 79% of the game's 30 defensive franchise playsheets. Of those calls, 29 (73%) come from the 3-4 across three sets. The remaining 11 (28%) sit in a single Nickel set. That split means you line up in a two-high or single-high odd front on most snaps and only drop into Nickel when the offense forces the issue with three receivers. The personnel tags (Base 3-4 and Base 5-2) point to a front built around a nose tackle, two big ends and four linebackers who can either rush or drop.

The coverage menu is wider than the formation count suggests. You get Cover 2, inverted Cover 2 looks like 2 Invert Hard Flat, Cover 3, Cover 1, Cover 1 Hole and Cover 0, backed by LB Blitz and Zero Blitz pressure. That mix lets you disguise shells and send pressure from the same odd front, so the offense cannot read the coverage from the alignment alone. The Nickel set, anchored by calls like Cover 1 Hole, is your man-coverage and robber answer to 11 personnel.

Pick Grandpa Soul if you want a deep 3-4 menu without juggling many formations. You learn one base alignment thoroughly, bury your checks inside three 3-4 sets and keep a focused Nickel package for passing downs. It suits players who win with disguise, edge pressure from outside linebackers and a user-controlled hole player, rather than players who want to flood the field with defensive backs.

Scheme Fit

Grandpa Soul wants a stout nose tackle, two long 3-4 ends who can hold the edge and pass rushing outside linebackers who can also drop into the flat when you run inverted and Cover 2 looks. Your safeties need range for single-high Cover 1 and Cover 3, and at least one linebacker or safety has to handle man coverage in the Nickel Cover 1 Hole set. It fits a player who likes disguise and blitz variety from one base front and is willing to user the hole or middle hook defender every snap.

Playsheet bonuses

IUnlocks the playsheet
II+3Block Shed Moves, Pressall DB
III+3Agility, Accelerationall LB & DB
IV+5Tacklingall defenders

Every play in this playsheet (40 plays)

3-4 Bear9 plays

3-4 Cub6 plays

3-4 Over14 plays

Nickel 2-4 Dbl Mug11 plays

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Strengths

73% of the plays live in the 3-4 across three sets, so you can show the same odd front and run Cover 2, Cover 3, Cover 1 or Cover 0 behind it, which hides your call better than books that change formation to change coverage.
Inverted coverage like 2 Invert Hard Flat lets you rotate a corner into the flat and cloud one side, taking away quick outs and flat routes that punish standard Cover 2 hard flat defenders.
LB Blitz and Zero Blitz from a four-linebacker 3-4 look give you pressure off either edge or the interior without subbing personnel, so offenses cannot key on a formation sub to spot the blitz.
At 40 plays the sheet is deeper than most defensive franchise playsheets, so you can build a full audible package with a zone, a man, a blitz and a disguise call inside the base 3-4 alone.
The Nickel set gives you Cover 1 Hole and man coverage matchups against 11 personnel, and you can user the hole defender over the middle to rob crossers and digs.

Weaknesses

There is no Dime or Quarter formation, so against 4 and 5 wide sets on third and long you are stuck in a single Nickel set with linebackers left on the field to cover slot receivers.
Only 11 plays (28%) live in Nickel across one set, so opponents who stay in 11 personnel all game see a small group of calls and can learn your tendencies quickly.
The 3-4 base leaves linebackers matched against receivers when offenses motion out of the backfield, and spread offenses will attack those matchups with mesh and slot option routes.
No Cover 4, Cover 6 or quarters shells are listed, so your deep zone answers to four verticals and deep posts are limited to Cover 2 and Cover 3 rules.
There is no goal line or heavy front beyond the 3-4, so power running teams in short yardage push against a base look instead of a dedicated run stuffing package.

Usage Tips

Build your base audible package inside the 3-4 sets: carry 2 Invert Hard Flat for first and 10, a Cover 3 check for balanced downs, a Cover 1 man call and an LB Blitz so you can swap between them without changing the front.

On second and medium against 21 or 12 personnel, stay in the 3-4 and mix Cover 2 with inverted rotations to bait flat throws, then press the hard flat defender with a pre-snap shade on the passing strength.

When the offense subs into 11 personnel on third and 4 to 8, jump to the Nickel set and call Cover 1 Hole, then user the hole defender over the middle to rob crossers and digs.

Save Zero Blitz and Cover 0 from the 3-4 for third and short or red zone snaps where quick slants and bubble screens have less room to break big, and have a zone call in the same set ready to audible if the offense spreads out.

Against empty or 4 wide on third and long, avoid leaving 3-4 linebackers in man; check to a zone call in the Nickel set and shade coverage deep to cover for the missing Dime package.