Can't cut "walk-ons"

[ZekeRoberts]

So, I've recruited past the 85-player limit for a couple seasons and had to choose between cutting a semi-promisin freshman and a capable junior. I also noticed that one year, despite having all my needs filled including at HB, I noticed that I signed a player who was down my board a ways, I had not offered him a scholarship but spent a few hours over the season and he had me in the mix. I actually thought it was cool.because I recognized his name and state right away.

So, this past season, I watched the number of schollies I offered and kept a full board of "backups" if I lost battles here and there. Finish season, win bowl game, pick out a few transfers to go after and sim to end of period. Lo and behold I get to the end of that period and I have like 7 of those backup recruits sign, despite not offering to them.

Problem.is, as far as I know, you can't cut new players? So I'm left with even tougher.choices at 101 players and a couple.of 3 stars who are way below my.rpster level? I get.not cutting oncoming freshen on scholarsjip

[StormJH1]

That's an interesting wrinkle on the way they have chosen to handle incoming players. I suppose there may be some realism to not being able to cut incoming freshman who have just been offered a scholarship. But if they're truly walk-ons, I agree you should have no obligation to keep them.

I think the only real workaround for this is to avoid overrecruiting. Bringing in 30-35 players every offseason is sure to end up with you having to make uncomfortable cut decisions on returning players to get down to 85. But I also had not really notice non-offered players signing with me, so that would still be a problem if that happened.

[jello1717]

Before signing day, remove recruits from your board you don’t want. I always make sure to do this.

[sherrane]

Quote: Originally Posted by StormJH1

That's an interesting wrinkle on the way they have chosen to handle incoming players. I suppose there may be some realism to not being able to cut incoming freshman who have just been offered a scholarship. But if they're truly walk-ons, I agree you should have no obligation to keep them. I think the only real workaround for this is to avoid overrecruiting. Bringing in 30-35 players every offseason is sure to end up with you having to make uncomfortable cut decisions on returning players to get down to 85. But I also had not really notice non-offered players signing with me, so that would still be a problem if that happened.

When a recruit signs a NLI (National Letter of Intent), it is a one year contract between the recruit and the school. There is no "escape clause" for the school, so they are obligated to retain the recruit for 1 year.


Not being able to release a walk-on should be considered a bug. My assumption is they (EA) considers that player a preferred walk-on (they have a place on the team, just without a scholarship) rather than a true walk-on (have to try out for the team after enrolling in school). Typically a preferred walk-on will not get cut, but there is no legal restriction preventing that. The team has 35 non-scholarship roster spots (85 scholarships, 120 roster limit), which makes it unlikely a preferred walk-on will get cut.