NCAA Football General Discussion Thread

[Len B]

This game is a bit frustrating. It's a fun game, but the freezing is a game killer. Just played my Miami U dynasty vs. UNC, win a nice tight game and it freezes when loading on exit.

Freezing is the one thing I won't tolerate with a video game.

 

[NAHSTE]

They're all there Nahste!

First set of games is as follows:

#5 Miami vs #12 Michigan

#6 Nebraska vs #11 Florida State

#7 Ohio State vs #10 LSU

#8 Texas vs #9 Florida

With it being all-time rosters, it is hard to decide who to start at certain positions. For example, for Alabama, you have to decide between Joe Namath and Ken Stabler. I went by college win percentage. Stabler is the #1 for the Tide.

Overall, I think Miami has the most talent. Their interior defensive line depth is scary (Sapp, Brown, Kennedy & Maryland).

I am hoping to play one of the games tonight. Either Miami/Michigan or Nebraska/Florida State.

Yeah if I were a betting man I'd take an all-time Miami team over anyone. They had the most talent bar none in the late 80s, early 90s, and early 00s.

This game is a bit frustrating. It's a fun game, but the freezing is a game killer. Just played my Miami U dynasty vs. UNC, win a nice tight game and it freezes when loading on exit.

Freezing is the one thing I won't tolerate with a video game.

Yeah I've run into some issues with that also, it's weird because usually not even EA will accept that in their shipped copy, but in NCAA 12 it seems to pop up at the worst times.

 

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

That 4 star ATH I worked so hard to sign? 63 overall. :nope:

I never go off "star rating"...I go off their individual attributes.

1* JUCO > most 4* players.

When I'm at a lower tiered school...1*, 2* prestige...I make a living off recruiting JUCO kids. I don't have them for four years...but who cares? I have them for two and they start off as 77, 75, 73, high 60's overall, which means, for my 1* program that are immediate plug and play players, especially for the first year, second year.

The good thing is, these JUCOs are rarely recruited at all, and are easy to get as long as you work'em hard.

Got a 2* linebacker that came in at a 77, two 2* WR that came in as an 75, 1* CB that came in as a 78, and a 2* DT that came in as a 73...all starters in my second year of dynasty.

Once you go JUCO, you never go back/

 

[RyanLeaf16]

Didn't get a chance to play a game in the tourney tonight. Ended up watching "Lombardi" on HBO OnDemand and then literally just finished having sex with the wife. So, you can't really blame me. Sex > video games.

 

[RyanLeaf16]

I never go off "star rating"...I go off their individual attributes.

1* JUCO > most 4* players.

When I'm at a lower tiered school...1*, 2* prestige...I make a living off recruiting JUCO kids. I don't have them for four years...but who cares? I have them for two and they start off as 77, 75, 73, high 60's overall, which means, for my 1* program that are immediate plug and play players, especially for the first year, second year.

The good thing is, these JUCOs are rarely recruited at all, and are easy to get as long as you work'em hard.

Got a 2* linebacker that came in at a 77, two 2* WR that came in as an 75, 1* CB that came in as a 78, and a 2* DT that came in as a 73...all starters in my second year of dynasty.

Once you go JUCO, you never go back/

Has it always been that way? Or is that just a change they made to this year's recruiting interface? I've never noticed JUCO's being that valuable. I will have to consider that when it comes to trying to build USF once I start my dynasty. Sure, I get a ton of talent in Florida, but, I always fuck up against the big boys. Lack of depth really. Knowing that 1 and 2* JUCO's could be more valuable than 4* freshman will dramatically change my recruiting approach.

 

[godspeed]

These post game menu screen freezes are killing me. I basically have to restart the whole system after an online game.

 

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Has it always been that way? Or is that just a change they made to this year's recruiting interface? I've never noticed JUCO's being that valuable. I will have to consider that when it comes to trying to build USF once I start my dynasty. Sure, I get a ton of talent in Florida, but, I always fuck up against the big boys. Lack of depth really. Knowing that 1 and 2* JUCO's could be more valuable than 4* freshman will dramatically change my recruiting approach.

I think last season they put an emphasis on "diamonds in the rough" and having higher rated JUCO players.

You'll see these players still in their Top 10 phase late into the season but having interest in top tier teams even though they are * and ** star JUCO kids. If you start on them early (maybe Week 4 and 5 at the latest) and throw a few 60 minute recruiting weeks into them, you'll be in their Top 3 quickly, if not #1 then its just about coasting to land them on signing day, as they are typically not offered by any serious programs to threaten your status.

JUCO kids start off stronger and faster with better attributes (look at the "View More" and look at their attributes)...that's more important than "stars".

I started off in Year 1 as Akron as a "LB Coach" and "Recruiting Coordinator" (basically just simming until Year 6 so I don't have to worry about the roster glitch affecting current players)...Year 1 finished with the 88th ranked class, had 24 commits, four 3* players, 16 4* players, and four 1* players.

Two of the 1* players will start. JUCO kids. CB and DT (78 and 74 respectively).

Five or six JUCO 2* kids will start. WR, OLx2 maybe 3, DT, LB, P.

This was all with the worst team in the game after winning 3 games (most importantly though, I won my rivalry game (Kent State) and had invited pretty much ever single recruit who was ready to have their official visit went to the game and immediately Soft Verbal'd to me after that game. Within the next two weeks I had them all hard committed. So, by Week 11 or something, I had 14 commitments. I was then able to focus lots of time each week on a MAX 10 players. So, I could basically give them all an hour per week. Ended up pulling 3 or 4 high end JUCO players from Week 11 through the off-season and filling the roster with freshmen. All of this with no "promises".

For the record, none of my 3* kids will start, however, one of the 3* CBs will play nickel back for me.

My entire class consisted of Ohio kids and JUCO kids.

Team overall went from a D- to start Year 1 to a C in Year 2.

Not so bad for a team that was the worst in the game and I simmed every game and I was working on Heisman difficulty for recruiting and didn't use any of the add ons.

 

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Not sure how a B+ rating = 82...that shouldn't happen.

Here is the matrix for recruiting ratings...

SQT-S = Squat for skill players
SQT-L = Squat for Lineman and Linebackers
===========================================
spd    str    btk/tck rb/tck
40    BNCH    SQT-S  SQT-L  RAT    GRD
===========================================
4.24    xxx    445    795    99    A+
4.26    xxx    440    785    98    A+ 
4.28    xxx    435    775    97    A+
===========================================
4.30    xxx    430    765    96    A
4.32    xxx    425    755    95    A 
4.34    515    420    745    94    A
===========================================
4.36    509    415    735    93    A-
4.38    503    410    725    92    A-
=========================================== 
4.40    497    405    715    91    B+
4.42    491    400    705    90    B+
4.44    485    395    695    89    B+ 
4.46    480    390    690    88    B+
===========================================
4.48    474    385    680    87    B
4.50    468    380    670    86    B  
4.52    462    375    665    85    B  
4.54    456    370    655    84    B
===========================================
4.56    450    365    645    83    B- 
4.58    444    360    640    82    B- 
4.60    438    355    630    81    B-
4.62    432    350    620    80    B-
===========================================
4.64    426    345    610    79    C+ 
4.66    420    340    605    78    C+ 
4.68    414    335    595    77    C+
4.70    408    330    585    76    C+
===========================================
4.72    402    325    580    75    C
4.74    396    320    570    74    C
4.76    390    315    560    73    C  
4.78    384    310    555    72    C
===========================================
4.80    378    305    545    71    C-
4.82    372    300    535    70    C-
4.84    366    295    525    69    C-
===========================================
4.86    360    290    520    68    D+
4.88    354    285    510    67    D+ 
4.90    348    280    500    66    D+
===========================================
4.92    342    275    495    65    D
4.94    336    270    485    64    D
4.96    330    265    475    63    D
4.98    325    260    470    62    D
5.00    319    255    460    61    D
5.02    313    250    450    60    D
===========================================

It works in reverse, too.

If you have a player with a C+ Juke Rating, it should be a 79. 78, 77, 76.

----

The biggest thing to look for in OVR is position dependent.

Example...a QB can be a dual threat and be speedy as hell, but if his THP and THA are C- and D, he's going to suck in the OVR department.
A HB with high speed and high BTK ratings will be rated high in OVR.
WR...SPD and CTH
OL...its the specific run block/pass block strength and run block/pass block feet. If you have a guy with good speed, good ACC and good RBK and PBK but D's on specific strength and feet, he'll suck OVR.

http://www.operationsports.com/forums/ncaa-football/497166-anatomy-players-overall-rating.html

Use that thread.

Breaks down how to read a players attributes when recruiting.

 

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Also, for speed specifically, always go off his 40-time. Its an exact number and always correlates over.

I learned about the ratings conversion years ago, back on the ole PS2. There was a little program that someone made that converted all stats over numerically.

Now that they give you a lot of the big time ratings, you should really be able to recruit well if you spend some time looking at players.

If you are a 1* and 2* prestige program, you should be looking at the attributes of every single in-state player rated 3* and below (you'll rarely get a 4* or even high rated 3*) and IMO, look at pretty much all JUCOs nationwide and immediately put them on your recruiting board if their attributes are good.

Even if you need to fill a full class of 25 kids, you shouldn't really be recruiting more than 15 at a time. It gives you the ability to go hard on guys to get them to commit sooner. Also gives you the ability to get the majority of your class done before the off-season. From about Week 10 on, you can really start to target specific guys.

From Week 10 all of the way until the off-season was over, I was still recruiting maybe 15 guys at a time, but I'm only trying to fill 10 spots, and I was quick to stop recruiting if a guy wasn't reacting and putting me in his Top 10 after 2 weeks of 60m calls and I'd move on to the next guy in line.

Being a shitty program, I'm not often fighting lots of teams for certain guys service, so, it makes it easier for me to really go easy and "quick call" players after I've offered a scholarship...so, I can go through a week of recruiting rather quickly.

I have a bit of a house rule, too. I can only add a player to my recruiting board out of state, if A) he's interested in me initially or B) Bye Week (ie: its like real life, you have a week off and coaches do a lot of traveling on those weeks) or C) We go on a road trip to play a team in that state (in real life, coaches will take in a game or two when they go on away trips, maybe even make a stop into a high school to talk to coach/kid). However, I find that most often, I don't have extra time to give to a "new kid" with no interest anyway as I'm still trying to land certain players.

I don't really get too much out of this, but it helps you move on from players in-state and JUCOs.

Also, mix JUCOs in with Freshmen.

For example...lets say you NEED 2 CBs, one needing to be a starter try and sign three. One being the JUCO kid and the other two being freshmen. The JUCO kid gets 2-3 years to start while the freshmen, that develop more than the JUCO kid, have time. By the time the JUCO kid moves on, you have a player that is a RSSophomore that should be ready to play.

I find JUCOs most helpful at DT and OL because freshmen do not have the STR numbers to hold up (most start out with 70's strength or lower). JUCO OL and DT are very important, IMO.

 

[FirstTimer]

I still haven't purchased this game..

Waiting for patches.

 

[St. Francisco]

Hmmm...I'll definitely try the JUCOs in my WTU dynasty now. Good info guys, thanks.

On the roster glitch, I had heard from a friend that if you only edit the names then it doesn't effect the tendencies of the player...is this true? If so, anybody got a name for me to d/l rosters for 360?

 

[Bear Pand]

Can we all agree that putting the D-line on aggressive is a joke in this game?

I believe for setting the D-line to aggressive it's:

positive: you will jump more snaps
negative: greater chance of offsides

The problem is both are exaggerated. Your line will jump every single snap, but will also bite on every single fake snap.

So whenever I'm playing against someone who has their line on aggressive my options are either, hike the ball normally and have his dline get the JTS advantage or draw him offsides constantly. Making someone jump offsides every down seems cheap and cheesy though.

 

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Can we all agree that putting the D-line on aggressive is a joke in this game?

I believe for setting the D-line to aggressive it's:

positive: you will jump more snaps
negative: greater chance of offsides

The problem is both are exaggerated. Your line will jump every single snap, but will also bite on every single fake snap.

So whenever I'm playing against someone who has their line on aggressive my options are either, hike the ball normally and have his dline get the JTS advantage or draw him offsides constantly. Making someone jump offsides every down seems cheap and cheesy though.

You aren't supposed to leave these settings on all game long, then it just becomes silly.

You are supposed to range throughout a game.

For example...don't have your strip on aggressive all game...keep it at normal/conservative...then, when you need a turnover, you turn that setting up to aggressive. The likelihood of you getting a strip soon are good as the O is used to you not going for it, so, they don't wrap up.

First and second down, keep the DL conservative or normal...then on third down, set it to aggressive.

 

[FirstTimer]

Lol wut?

Roster issue kills it for me.

And the CPU blitzing virutally every down kills me too.

 

[Twigg4075]

I guess I need to finally relent and adjust sliders. This game is beyond annoying to me on AA. The CPU defense is constantly in my face when passing and they seem to intercept 8/10 passes that are catchable. Whereas my defenders catch maybe 1/10 that they should intercept. And it doesn't matter what team I'm using or the computer is using.

And can someone please tell me how to jump the snap? The fucking CPU does it all the time yet I can never seem to do it. I thought it was just pulling down on the right stick as soon as they hike the ball but that doesn't work.

Also, how do I get pressure on the QB? Lord knows the CPU is in my face or sacking me nearly every play. But I can't get pressure. It seems that when I try to use the right stick moves my linemen just fall to the ground like Albert Haynesworth.

It would be nice if I had some time to throw the ball because them maybe I could pump fake every onece in a while and go deep but instead I'm forced to try to dink and dunk my way down the field.

 

[RyanLeaf16]

I am not posting this to show anybody up or to start a "stick-skillz" war, etc. In fact, my stick-skills suck. Other than TCP, I don't juke and spin. I just hit R1 when I am about to be tackled so I don't have any added ability than the next guy. With that said, I'm just not having the issues everyone else is having. I'm playing on Heisman and not throwing INTs, I'm running the ball well. I'm playing defense well. I'm certainly not stonewalling the CPU, but, I am not experiencing some unstoppable offensive force. I have no issues with pass-protection. My DL is registering sacks.

The only thing I do, offensively, before the snap is look for coverage (man or zone) and if it's zone, what coverage (cover 1, cover 2, cover 3 or cover 4). I find the "window" that I think will be there in that zone and make that my #1 read. Play art be damned! If it's man or zone and I don't like the routes my receivers are running, I audible to a route that I think can work and make that my #1 read. If it isn't there after a very quick, I'm talking lightning quick scan, I may take-off and run to get some yards or I may get out of the pocket and throw it away.

For anyone with issues passing, go into practice mode and don't even snap the ball. Just look at the way the defense lines up and try to read the coverage at the LOS. Then go in and start picking the coverage for the D and see how they line-up at the LOS. I don't post this to insult anyone's intelligence. But, you may be surprised at what you thought you knew and what you really know.

As for the glitch with rosters and shit like that, I agree, it can kill the experience, but, I'm finding "Play Now" games vs the CPU quite fun and entertaining. I'm not winning them all, but, I'm also not having a lot of the issues expressed here.

Like I said before, no hate. I'm not some special gamer who has amazing stick-skills. I just think sometimes people might not focus or pay too much attention because they may be in a hurry to hammer out a game and they might be just lining up and snapping and not even noticing coverages or weaknesses with the way the defense is lined up.

Just some suggestions I thought some of you guys might like to read and try.

 

[Garrett67]

I am not posting this to show anybody up or to start a "stick-skillz" war, etc. In fact, my stick-skills suck. Other than TCP, I don't juke and spin. I just hit R1 when I am about to be tackled so I don't have any added ability than the next guy. With that said, I'm just not having the issues everyone else is having. I'm playing on Heisman and not throwing INTs, I'm running the ball well. I'm playing defense well. I'm certainly not stonewalling the CPU, but, I am not experiencing some unstoppable offensive force. I have no issues with pass-protection. My DL is registering sacks.

The only thing I do, offensively, before the snap is look for coverage (man or zone) and if it's zone, what coverage (cover 1, cover 2, cover 3 or cover 4). I find the "window" that I think will be there in that zone and make that my #1 read. Play art be damned! If it's man or zone and I don't like the routes my receivers are running, I audible to a route that I think can work and make that my #1 read. If it isn't there after a very quick, I'm talking lightning quick scan, I may take-off and run to get some yards or I may get out of the pocket and throw it away.

For anyone with issues passing, go into practice mode and don't even snap the ball. Just look at the way the defense lines up and try to read the coverage at the LOS. Then go in and start picking the coverage for the D and see how they line-up at the LOS. I don't post this to insult anyone's intelligence. But, you may be surprised at what you thought you knew and what you really know.

As for the glitch with rosters and shit like that, I agree, it can kill the experience, but, I'm finding "Play Now" games vs the CPU quite fun and entertaining. I'm not winning them all, but, I'm also not having a lot of the issues expressed here.

Like I said before, no hate. I'm not some special gamer who has amazing stick-skills. I just think sometimes people might not focus or pay too much attention because they may be in a hurry to hammer out a game and they might be just lining up and snapping and not even noticing coverages or weaknesses with the way the defense is lined up.

Just some suggestions I thought some of you guys might like to read and try.

I don't even put that much effort into it, never have. I just can't think that fast. I have always simply planned my throws to where there are less defenders.

I also don't change anything at the line, I call a play and run it. I don't put guys in motion, no shifts... just too much work for me.

I run a basic offense, K.I.S.S.

Defense is the same story, I let the CPU call the play and I just defend, I can't read for crap, so I don't try.

 

[Bear Pand]

You aren't supposed to leave these settings on all game long, then it just becomes silly.

You are supposed to range throughout a game.

For example...don't have your strip on aggressive all game...keep it at normal/conservative...then, when you need a turnover, you turn that setting up to aggressive. The likelihood of you getting a strip soon are good as the O is used to you not going for it, so, they don't wrap up.

First and second down, keep the DL conservative or normal...then on third down, set it to aggressive.

Yeah I agree but that's not how people use them, most people I run into just set it and leave it...thats where the problems creep in in H2H games.

 

[Bear Pand]

Roster issue kills it for me.

And the CPU blitzing virutally every down kills me too.

I'm thinking about making a custom PB for CPU defenses that don't have plays like engage 8 and other blitzes they love. Then using a 2nd controller to set their PBs before each game.

Would take like 5 mins to create a 335/43/34/425 book. I'm holding off though cause I'm not sure how much it'd actually help things.

 

[Realist]

I've spent HOURS in practice. It certainly helped.

This. The first week of the game I spent more time in custom playbooks and practice than actually playing a game