NCAA Football 12 News Post

The "Commandments" of NCAA Football 12

10:28 PM - January 22, 2011 by AuburnAlumni

I've played more NCAA Football 11 than I think I've played of any other NCAA ever. The series has taken a giant leap forward since its rather disappointing introduction to "Next Gen" with NCAA 08. NCAA 11 in my opinion is the best of the series.

That being said....I think I've put together the ultimate "commandments" that most folks would agree would send NCAA Football 12 into the stratosphere of greatness. I haven't gotten it to 10 yet..but feel free to add to this.

1. "Thou shalt not giveth every 5 star RB 91 speed with 71 agility and 73 acceleration". I dig the whole acceleration addition this year...I do. But some of the ratings are a bit off. For example, I've seen probably 80% of the top backs in each recruiting class end up with very mediocre speed/agility/acc combos. If I land the #1 RB in the nation...that kid should be the total package. To piggy back onto this..the #1 Fullback in the land should not be 5'10" and 189 pounds. A 5 star Defensive End should not be coming into school weighing 207 pounds. While the acceleration emphasis was, in my opinion, a smart and much needed addition...more tweaking is necessary.

2. "Thou shalt not make Strong Safeties slower than most O linemen". We've all seen it. Strong Safeties..in a word...stink in NCAA 11. Most folks end up moving them to OLB because no one is going to start a Safety in the secondary with 84 speed and 72 acceleration unless they want to get toasted by the opposing Receiving corps. This is amplified when I see MLBs and OLBs with 87 speed and 99 acceleration.

3. "Thou shalt not have Ohio State be the end all be all in recruiting." Seriously...did a Buckeye program this recruiting logic? Literally, every top player in America has Ohio State in their top 5. All of them. Oklahoma and Alabama suffer from this favoritism as well, but man it feels like Ohio State is the god of recruiting in this game.

4. "Thou shalt have Coach Prestige and Stability adjust." These never change. I've won 4 straight Big 12 titles at Nebraska and my Coaching Stability is still a B.

5. "Thou shalt make CPU Read Option squads competent". It is still far too easy to destroy the Georgia Techs, Navys, and West Virginias of the Digital College Football world because of the lack of ability for CPU teams to run an effective Read option attack.

6. "Thou shalt speed up the QB/FB option handoff animation so that it shall be a viable option". The Triple option is fairly useless in that the animation of the QB faking and or handing off to the Fullback is waaaayyy toooooo slooooooow. This allows your opponent to effectively kill either your FB in the backfield or destroy your QB before he's able to turn the corner. Speeding this animation up would help this greatly.

7. "Thou shalt remember the rules of the game". Where o' where is my long lost Pass Interference Penalty? Much like Haley's Comet or Bigfoot, it is rarely seen in the NCAA world. If you are lucky enough to see this rare feat in a game, tell your fellow gamers. But don't expect them to believe you. By that same token, clipping and holding seem to skyrocket with just a click or two of the slider settings. As Mr. Miyagi always said...must have balance. In addition, the ability to have multiple and/or offsetting penalties during a play would be great. It's quite frustrating to see my team get called for holding on the same play that the opposing middle linebacker rips the facemask off of my tailback and it doesn't get flagged.

8. "Thou shalt make special teams a bit more special". As with Pass Interference, it seems there are no more blocked punts or blocked field goals in the digital college football realm. In a combined 17 seasons of online and offline dynasties....I have seen a total of one blocked punt and zero blocked field goals. While we shouldn't have the superhuman field goal rejections of NCAA 08, even professional football players aren't this perfect.

9. "Thou shalt have Recruits look at depth charts before committing". I'm Nebraska in our online dynasty. I run the old school triple option of the Tom Osborne era and I run it well. I average almost 400 rushing yards a game....and not a single 5 star scrambling quarterback will give me the time of day. If a team is the reincarnation of the 1995 Cornhuskers, 5 star RBs and Mobile QBs should be beating down that Coach's door wanting to commit. If I return 2 defensive backs on my entire team....I shouldn't go to the prospect list and see a total of 3 out of 200 generated defensive backs that have me in their top 10. By that same token, Georgia should not sign 3 of the top 6 Quarterbacks in a single recruiting season....while they already have 3 Signal Callers on their roster. Blatant roster management/recruiting snafus like these are quite common in NCAA 11 and should be tweaked for NCAA 12.

10. "Thou shalt have kids work in the offseason." If I move a 215 pound LB to the defensive line....I'd like to see the kid eat a few more hamurgers in the offseason. Realistic weight gain/loss in offseason position changes would really help out. Having a player only gain 2-3 pounds in the offseason would get most strength and conditioning coaches fired. Seeing a Linebacker pack on 10-20 pounds in the offseason and reach more of a true Defensive End size would be a welcome addition. By that same token...moving an end to tackle should pay off by seeing a 240 pound lineman move to a 280 pound lineman after 2 years of weightlifting and protein shakes.

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Member Comments

# 61 Burner_22 @ 01/27/11 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigtimegeek


	its time for athletic director mode.... i want to be able to make my program grow....would like to see if i make it to a bcs bowl, i can put that money into a new weight room facility, or expand my stadium... i'm having a great dynasty with kent st, but you are limited with what you can do also, need to have conference invites in OD

Wow.

Best one Ive seen so far and it compelled me to log in and comment.

This would be an awesome idea. I dont pick teams like Duke because their stadiums are a joke. Being able to expand it to like a powerhouse school stadium would be awesome.

Also you should be able to sign with Nike or Addidas since they are in the game.

Also hire and fire coaches. Rather then hiring and firing yourself and you having to pick a new team.

Goodness. These guys on the forums are smarter than the devs.

# 62 jbrew2411 @ 01/27/11 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burner_22


	Wow. Best one Ive seen so far and it compelled me to log in and comment. This would be an awesome idea. I dont pick teams like Duke because their stadiums are a joke. Being able to expand it to like a powerhouse school stadium would be awesome. Also you should be able to sign with Nike or Addidas since they are in the game. Also hire and fire coaches. Rather then hiring and firing yourself and you having to pick a new team. Goodness. These guys on the forums are smarter than the devs.

The problem with an AD mode is you are tied to one school since AD's don't move around.

Here is how it should be done:

Since college football is more about the coach then some AD that should be the focus. You as the coach should be building your career and your legacy on the game. The coach is the ones that recruit, teach, make the gameplan, and coach in the games. The AD sets in a both with all the rich boosters. He/she has to worry about all the sports at the school. So with that said here is how to make the coach the focus but still allow for improvments.

Each school should have a budget in which they can spend on upgrades (stadium or a new weight room) at the end of each season. The user is allowed to choose what the want to do. The mode should still be about you as the coach though. You should be allowed to improve your skills by meeting goals. These goals are not the dumb 3 we are given now like "Play in a major Bowl" but goals for the trem of the contract. Goals could include but not limited to things like "Sign a top 20 class", "Coach an All-American", "Win Coach of the year", "Improve team's star rating", and so on. As you meet goals you get points to improve your coach in areas like Offense, Defense, Recruting, Teaching, Motivation. You are offered contracts with your current school and others ased on the number of goals you meet and your success as a coach.

I feel like this would please both sides. College football is about the coach more then the AD. The NFL is more about the GM/Owner then coaches at times. If you don't beleive me then look at what happened this past offseason for college football. Coaches were moving all over the place. When a coach lefts for a new job or got fired it effected the school. Recruits didn't say " Well the AD is still there so I will still go to State U". No they changed their pledge to a school with a established coach in which they knew from them recruting them. When Meyer stepped down at Florida, a few recruits jumped ship because they wanted to play for him. They could have cared less tht Jermey Foley was still there and I don't know if most of the recruits could even tell you who the AD was.

I just feel like we could be given the ability to upgrade schools without having an AD mode. That should be one of the ways the NCAA series is different from Madden. NCAA can be about you the coach and Madden can be about you the GM.

# 63 209vaughn @ 01/28/11 12:50 AM

I agree with fixing the zone read option... The QB is always way to slow at pulling the ball and running up field.

# 64 illwill10 @ 01/28/11 01:27 AM

Thou shall be Custom Playbooks. It would make playing Dynasty way more funner. You can recruit to your own style. Name it. Set the tempo of the offense. You can use it for Online.
Thou shall be improved Recruiting. Teams will recruit to their playstyle. The ability to edit recruits. Adding Emails like NCAA Basketball, Add Scouts, Player Evaluation. Higher Position Ratings for Recruits(ex. A speed for 1 or 2 star recruits). Boom or Bust recruits. Bad teams getting good recuits vice versa.

# 65 DrAnguish @ 01/28/11 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dan_457


	I've seen D-lineman Jump to a referee's shoulder level to make an INT.

Funny you say that: I one time had a MLB jump over a ref to get a pick. When the game did the 180 rotate for the INT, the LBs knees were both bent and ON THE REFS SHOULDERS (white boy with a 4-5 foot vert from a standing still position....come on). I was gonna save the replay, but they dont shows refs in replays so it wouldn't have had the same asburd affect.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dan_457


	And by "I've seen" i don't mean once or twice, I mean see this kind of thing almost every single game... Seriously I can't stand the way the D-line behaves in this game, it's been broken for years.

Yeah for me there's no 'almost'. It is every game. Now dont get me wrong, the D-Line needs to make plays, just like in real life, but in real life the exception is a great D-Line play... In this game the exception is the D-Line making a normal play.

# 66 thejake @ 01/28/11 01:57 PM

I'm not sure the hand off on the zone read needs to be much faster. You need time to make the read. I just think the blocking assignments need to be better. Also, the cpu calling more realistic defenses against the spread and not "knowing" you are running would help.

# 67 LionsFanNJ @ 01/28/11 03:19 PM

The problem is the CPU only comes out in D personnel to match the down and distance. Go into 5 wide on 1st down and they'll still be in 4 - 3 or nickel.

# 68 sinc79 @ 01/31/11 05:16 PM

20 years down the road, the head coach should be gone and a new coach with a new system should be there.
---------------------------
same issue with uniforms and stadiums. Dynasties are fun, but after a while all that changes is the players. College football is much more organic than just new players each year. each school should have stadium tweaks, uniform options etc. as the dynasty progresses. coaching carousel should be a given by now, christ we've been asking for it for 2 years now.

# 69 Skeller91 @ 02/03/11 01:08 PM

Thou shalt allow a DB to catch a ball thrown directly in their hands

Thou shalt not have a five star recruit from Rhode Island

Thou shalt have recruits sign in state besides just floridans signing for fsu and/or Ohioans signing for OSU

Thou shalt have the odd good player playing for a non bcs school (Ben Roethlisberger went to Miami(oh) and Jason Taylor went to Akron)

These are just a couple of add ons to an already steller list.

# 70 AuburnAlumni @ 02/03/11 05:26 PM

I added a new one. Realistic weight gain. After moving a DE to DT in position changes..he should gain 10-15 pounds in the offseason minimum. 2-3 pound gains would get most Strength and Conditioning Coaches fired. Same with LBs to DEs, WRs to TE, HB to FB, etc.

This can go the other way as well with DEs moving to LB, etc.

# 71 Bullet Sponge @ 02/04/11 04:18 AM

I have to disagree with the expanded coaching goals. In real college football coaches are there to do one thing. Win games. How they get there is all ancillary. No AD is going to tell a coach his goal is to win coach of the year, or recruit a top 20 class. He's going to want the coach to win games. I don't even think the goals need to be spelled out and checked off. I think an approval meter (a basic reflection of media/fan/AD satisfaction) is enough. The more success you have the more people tend to expect (i.e. base on your team's prestige). The longer term of success you've had, the more leeway you should be given if you struggle, just like real life coaches that seem to have tenure.

And please pump up presentation. Not just a bunch of new canned animations but dynamic context sensitive stats, comments, etc from the pregame/halftime/postgame. I want to hear those guys talk about my team in an intelligent manner. What's good about it, what is bad, who the best players are, why this game is important and some history of the teams involved etc etc. Give me some team analysis from these analysts. I'm already perfectly aware too many penalties can spoil a team's chances of winning.

# 72 Da Hype Iz Real @ 02/04/11 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevinmerida


	Colleg Hoops 2k8 was great at this, coaches would move and you would see teams fall and rise. I remember specifically that when coach k retired that duke would sometimes fall of because they made a bad hire. I dont need coach names Im fine with coachFSU but at least fire him if he is doing bad and let coachwhatever take his and bring his style of ball with him.

Quote:

Originally Posted by callmetaternuts


	Make team style mean something. You can do this with a coaching carousel of some sort. It gets old controlling FSU and playing Ga Tech and dominating the option every time. 20 years down the road, the head coach should be gone and a new coach with a new system should be there.

This may be largely due to GT maybe starting a pocket QB by that time because the CPU does not recruit to its play style. If this is changed it could put a dent in the Alabamas and Floridas of the recruiting world. That 5 star receiving tight end won't go to a school where he'll block most of his career.This could also tie in with a scheme pitch.

Have the game assign them High School offensive and defensive schemes based on there type, Pocket Passer from Pro style HS offense, Scrambler from HS Spread, Pass rusher DE/OLB from 3-4 HS defense. Let that factor into which recruits certain CPU schools recruit and the recruits top 10.Also something could be added to where that Scrambler QB might transfer if you decide to switch to a Pro style offense.

Also the Devs could take the Head Coach route where players are rated based on your scheme. That number 1 recruit might be rated in the 60s in your offense once he steps foot on campus.

# 73 fistofrage @ 02/04/11 02:13 PM

Need bobbled snaps, blocked kicks, blocked punts at the same rate they occur in real life.

AI needs a better return game on both punts and KO returns.

The AI with spread QB's need to run the option better.

Better stat engine. Make it mirror real life including gains over 20 yards by running backs.

So let it be written, so let it be done.

# 74 SeaOfRed75 @ 02/04/11 11:05 PM

Thou shall make player ratings truly matter. No bs heisman bumps, home field bumps, rival bumps, or your on a role and code dictated a "let down" game bump.

By all of this I mean make my damn 95+ overall DE freaking own that crappy 75 overall OT that happens to be lined up across from him. No Heisman level "boost" to that crappy tackles ability. If you want to make it harder EA, make the damn CPU double him with the guard or a TE, or have to keep the RB in to chip him. Even then the stud still might get you. And is there a good DE on the other side and some pretty good DT's on that line, so there isnt much the less talented team can do by double teaming? THAT'S THE FREAKING POINT OF RECRUITING AND BUILDING A STRONG TEAM.

If my TE is a freaking stud, other players or the CPU should be screwed if they try to cover him with some 78 speed LB. Hell the damn CPU can get away with covering a fairly good WR with some average LB. REALLY?? Call the damn proper defense based on PERSONNEL!!!!

And voila because the correct personnel are out there and players abilities matter, you can run the freaking zone read again, or out of the shotgun in general.

That is most of football. What are your strength's player wise and what are your weaknesses? Plan and play accordingly. Its a chess game. EA needs to realize this. Give and take. Balancing stopping the run and pass. Safeties and Corners up? Could get beat deep. Dime? Could bust a run on you if your not careful. 3rd and long and against a crappy team? You called dime man with pass commit? Even then have you ever seen blanket coverage in a situation that isnt a failed screen or deep bomb?

Oh and let me put in my damn entrance music as a custom stadium sound. Then I might actually use this damn feature.

# 75 N51_rob @ 02/05/11 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fistofrage


	Need bobbled snaps, blocked kicks, blocked punts at the same rate they occur in real life. AI needs a better return game on both punts and KO returns. The AI with spread QB's need to run the option better.

Agree with everything you posted but especially these.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

# 76 Gloves 82 @ 02/05/11 12:09 AM

Thou shall let us save dynasties during games like you could in Madden for like the ps2. Don't get me wrong though, I want all of the other issues fixed before this. This is something I'd like to have, but it's not a big deal if it doesn't get put in. I hate finding out I'm going somewhere when I'm in the second quarter and having to either a.) leave my xbox on to continue later or b.) shut it off and start again.

I've liked all of the suggestions so far though.

# 77 SeaOfRed75 @ 02/05/11 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by devinewon


	Its called cheating. I've seen a back up QB lined up at WR torch my all conference cornerback. I'm talking about for 170 yards 6 catches and 2 TD's. I'm talking about beating him so badly that I couldn't make a play on the ball.

Im with you there. Try a back up RT. Yeah thats right a back up RT beating my secondary for a TD.

Not with a good team mind you. This is in my crappy team OD where I use Wyoming and my secondary besides my 1st CB and SS are pretty bad (in the 68 or so overall range)

But it was also against a really bad 64 overall backup QB from North Texas. And it was a 22 yard freaking pass to the back corner of the endzone. To a damn 6'5" 275 maybe 60 speed back up OFFENSIVE FREAKING TACKLE!!

There have been the rare athletic OT that could make the transition to TE maybe in the NFL after being coached up and dropping a little weight etc etc.

But a terrible back up with 60 speed, just thrown into the game because of crappy depth and EA's TERRIBLE way of bringing us the hurry up no huddle spread? Come-on.

# 78 Eagles72781 @ 02/05/11 09:20 PM

Agree with everything written here, though if bobbled snaps and bad snaps are included in NCAA 2012, we may be asking for them to be removed in 2013.

Don't know how anyone else feels about this, but I would like to be able to log in and watch the other human players in my online dyansty play each other. My OD is with my two best friends, and I think it would be cool to be able to watch them play(without having to be at their house).

# 79 SeaOfRed75 @ 02/05/11 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eagles72781


	Agree with everything written here, though if bobbled snaps and bad snaps are included in NCAA 2012, we may be asking for them to be removed in 2013. Don't know how anyone else feels about this, but I would like to be able to log in and watch the other human players in my online dyansty play each other. My OD is with my two best friends, and I think it would be cool to be able to watch them play(without having to be at their house).

Agreed. A spectator feature would be very cool.

Also a co-op OD feature would be incredible. Being able to play with a friend as the same team would be very cool. One at QB the other RB or WR/TE. Two humans on defense? Awesome.

# 80 89OneHanded @ 02/14/11 04:25 PM

I am impressed. Only once in this entire thread did anyone mention helmets or face masks. This is an excellent thread, the OP makes great suggestions, and there are many great points made in the following discussion. This thread should be made into a sticky, or at least kept towards the top, so maybe an EA guy will stumble upon it.

I agree with many of the things said, but the one thing I think is missing from the suggestions is a distinction between 3-4 and 4-3. This goes along with some of the stuff people were saying about GA Tech falling apart after a couple years because the fullbacks are garbage and they recruit pocket QBs. Recruiting needs to be much more scheme oriented, but not just on offense, on defense too. Transitioning between the 3-4 and 4-3 should be hard to do if you don't have the personnel. At the moment, it's just as easy as picking a different defensive playbook.

Great points though, gentlemen, and a great thread.

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