NCAA Football 14 moved the series ahead in many ways, but perhaps the most important thing it has done was completely revamp the recruiting and offseason.

While there are some that do feel differently, I am really enjoying the new take on recruiting in NCAA Football -- so much so that I think it might be my favorite part of the new game.

Simplicity is Beauty

One of the biggest selling points of the new system versus what we have had in prior years is most of the fluff has been stripped away. No longer are you allocating time to recruits and spending hours doing it, everything is streamlined in recruiting with a point allotment given to you each week which you spend on your recruits as you see fit.

The best part, and it's a great touch, the game keeps your point totals saved from week to week so if you have a strategy in place you'd rather keep then your recruiting work week to week lessens with time.

And that isn't to say recruiting is easier, in fact I feel it's now harder than ever because you have to prioritize which recruits you really want and even then, you won't be guaranteed to get them thanks to their biases and deal breakers.

The sting of losing a recruit to another program, especially one you've poured 700 points into week after week, is tougher to swallow now more than ever.

On Field Impacts Off the Field

With points being a premium, and with your on-field results directly impacting the bonus points and thus, the perception of your program from recruits -- there's even more incentive to win and play well.

There really is a new feeling of recruiting building on your on-field performance rather than being a separate, if tedious, mini-game.

This also makes you research your recruits deeper. Beforehand, simply throwing time at recruits and pitching them on your program's best aspects was simply enough -- now that simply isn't the case.


Visit Now, Visit Later, Visit...Never?

The new importance of visits is a welcome and realistic touch. Recruits need a visit usually to commit to a program.

NCAA Football 14's visit system makes you think about when to time a visit, it makes you consider your recruits feelings towards your program and to even take a risk on an early visit hoping for an early commitment vs. a late visit and giving him many other chances to decide on other programs.

I have both lost great recruits to waiting too long to visit and lost them because I had them visit too early. I've also gotten recruits thanks to early visits, and nailed them down with a late visit. The fact a singular strategy will not work land recruits is welcome, refreshing, and important towards recruiting maintaining a vital and fun role in dynasty mode.

Lack of depth and realism?

There is some concern NCAA Football 14 replaced realism with a gamey or arcadey approach to recruiting -- but I think the opposite is true.

Just because you have more options, does not mean something is deeper, more realistic, or even better for that manner. While NCAA 14's recruiting does cut a few corners, it boasts just as much depth in recruiting strategy as the previous system when trying to allocate points as well as timing visits.

The past several years, a singular strategy of hyper targeting players and their favored pitches meant landing recruits you wanted more often than not. This year, while you can do that -- it will come at the expense of a deeper recruiting class.

Even with hyper targeting and max bidding...you are going to get outbid on some players, some are going to commit to a school they simply like more and there's nothing you can do about a recruits existing biases.

And if you ask me, that's plenty realistic enough.