Forgive me if this was covered in another thread. I have looked, but didn't find a specific answer.

What factor(s) trigger the defensive overuse penalty? Is it:

Using the same play too often
Using the same formation too often
Using the same personnel too often
Using the same secondary/LB settings too often
Using the same run/pass key too often

Or some "matrix" combination of the above?

1) It was three times the play was run, but I think it's five times now. Any time after five, it could trigger. Maybe three. I don't remember.
2) You only see the line in the play-by-play when the overuse penalty affects the outcome of the play.

Bonus) The overuse penalty only impacts non-improvable skills, so you're rarely going to see it come into play. UNLESS, your team is a great deal more superior or inferior than your opponent. So if you're playing a team that has superior athletes, they can run the same two or three blitzes all game with no fear of reciprocity in the play overuse.

It's a linear increase in impact, and the notice only happens if it was applied and the result was beneficial for your opponent. Just because the notice shows does not mean that the overuse was the actual cause for the play going poorly, it just means there was both a measure of impact by the overuse + a poor result.

I.e, an interception occurs and the probability was 45% and would have been 40% before the penalty. If you look at the probability as a random number from 1 to 100, It's impossible to know whether the number rolled was 43 or 30; if it was 43, then the overuse penalty did cause the interception, but if it was 30 then it wouldn't have mattered. Multiply this over every decision that is made during the course of a play, and the overuse penalty being applied.

I have done a poor job explaining my question, so I will try again.

If I want to avoid an overuse penalty, do I need to vary my plays? Do I need to vary my formations? Do I need to vary my personnel? Do I need to vary my secondary/LB settings? Do I need to vary my run/pass key?

I am trying to find out where I need to avoid duplication.

Thanks.

Play variance. Check your play & formation sliders. Check your rules. Check how often a play is called and go back to the sliders and rules to see if you can locate and eliminate the issue.