So, I thought I read somewhere in the getting started guide that each head coach knows different plays?

A) is that accurate? Is it the HC or OC?
B) is there a "master list" of plays somewhere for me to browse?
C) is there any indication of which plays a coach knows before hiring him? (I'm still on inaug draft, so very noob)

Thanks in advance!

The head coach is the one who brings the playbook to your team. It is based on his offensive an defensive styles. There is not a place to see all the players from every playbook, but there is some crossover between the playbooks.

Dunno if this helps you any, but every player has a 'knowledge' of the plays they know. If you click on any players bio link it will take you to their page their you will see tabs with Offense and Defense, click on those and you will see. It may help determine which kind of HC you want.