In the custom playbook editor, go to Nickel and look for formations like “4–2–5,” “Over G,” “Under,” “3–3 Mint,” “Double Mug,” and “Big Nickel”; these are where the true 4–2–5 fronts live.reddit+2
Avoid Nickel sets that only show three down linemen (those are pure 3–3–5 looks); pick the ones with two DE + two DT to match the 4–2–5 you want.reddit+1
Quick checks to confirm
From the main menu, open the stock 4–2–5 Defense playbook and inspect its formations—note the exact Nickel names (e.g., 4–2–5, Over G, Under).gamerant+1
Then, in your custom playbook, add those same Nickel formations by name; they may be listed under Nickel/Big Nickel instead of a clean “4–2–5” header.cfb+1
If you tell me the exact formation names you see under Nickel in your custom book, I can point out which ones are effectively your 4–2–5 so you can ignore the true 3–3–5 stuff.