edit: No there is no other way....
This has pissed me off for years and they have never fixed it..... I agree handing off the controller every turnover/touchdown is a pain in the ass. I wish both players could choose the play and whoever selects the play gets to be the quarterback. That's how it was in the 2k series and I preferred the co-op play in that series much better. Another major factor that made 2k better for co-op is that whoever the qb was, the 2nd player would automatically be switched to the running back or WR/TE right after catching the ball, rather than having to do it manually like it madden. (I know you can hit "B" or
to switch the receiver while the ball is traveling in the air, but that's not as convenient).
I would hate to have 3 people playing with you on your team, and what are you supposed to do??? just go in a big circle handing off different controllers.?!?!?! I can't imagine this would be hard to implement, they could easily even make it a setting so you have an option of turning it on or off.....