How about going back to the basics? (Warning: huge rant!)

[M-Dub?]

A lot of people are pissed about the deep ball in 2005, but if you think about it, it's been a steady progression (or regression might be a better word) from a run-oriented game to a pass-happy one for a few years now. Remember in NCAA 2002 where you could occasionally call a basic I Form counter or off-tackle and take it 60-70 yards for the score? That never happens anymore. Now, if you break a 20 yard run, you're elated. The only really long runs (20+ yards) are typically QB scrambles. Puny little DBs take down FBs and power HBs with relative ease. I'll give credit where credit is due. The option actually works pretty well on this game, if you have a decent O line to let it develop. But I'd like to be able to call some basic handoff or toss plays that are more effective.

Then there's the fact that this game essentially penalizes you for playing realistic football. The longer your drive goes on & the more plays you call, the more likely you are to fall victim to BS fumbles or holding/clipping penalties. If you try to run, you end up averaging 2-3 yards a carry, at best. If you try to complete short, quick passes, your WRs and especially HBs & FBs drop the ball. Or it's overthrown. Might as well just chuck it up to Mike Williams four times and pray, right? Or just scramble all game with your 85 spd 3rd-string QB.

I know a lot of kids play this game, but I still think the core group of die-hards who will buy this game every year are 25-49 year-olds who are true college football fans. Let the kids have Madden. They can scramble with Vick all day and chuck it up to Moss all they want. Give us college fans a game we can actually enjoy. We want to run counters and isos. We want to complete a 7 or 8 yard pass over the middle to a wide open WR. We want to be able to rely on our DBs to break up a 50 yard lob pass to a double- or triple-covered WR without having to master some elablorate button-mashing technique or using unrealistic, gimicky defensive shifts and formations. If there's two guys there, he should rarely make the catch. If there's three guys there, he should almost never pull it in. Pretty simple concept, right?

Did EA ever think that maybe NCAA football fans actually appreciate the simplicity of the game? That people buy this game because they like college football in real life and want a game that plays like real college football?

Sorry. Rant over. This game's just been really frustrating me lately...

[djwill13]

preach on brotha lol

oh and my qb is second string and he's 82 speed lol. just messin with you. i utilize my speed qb, but i'm not always looking to run. i may scramble just to clear the middle of the field.

you must have posted this before you played holycrawfish. he broke nemerous runs on me and getting awn took a simple hb direct 65 yards to the house on me lol.

i think the oline should sustain their blocking longer or something lol. too many times theres a wide open hole and a dlinemen reaches out and arm tackles you. i hate that

don't feel bad though man. i'm holding my own against some of the elite, but i'm getting pissed too. almost all my losses are 7 points or less and it sucks.

[VTHokie32]

Since we're ranting here, there are several things that royally piss me off about this game, and they really stand out when you play online.

1) WAY too many dropped passes. Don't even get me started. I've broken a controller over this one!

2) Punting on Heisman level is almost impossible. Unless you hit it perfectly, it goes WAY out of bounds. There should be a limit to how far out of bounds a kick can go. You never see that kind of ridiculousness in real life from a DI scholarship athlete.

3) HFA is OUT OF CONTROL. Since most of my offense is based on reading the D and calling the appropriate audible or hot route, I basically have very little chance of offensive success unless I'm the home team. Heck, the Colts call their entire O at the line, and Manning runs up to each player to tell them the play if he has to. Guys never make the "can't hear" motion then line up not knowing what to do in real life.

4) Returning KO's is way too difficult. They need to slow down the coverage guys to make it more realistic. Usually your best bet is to let it go into the end zone, because even against the CPU making it past the 20 is rare.

5) We should be able to design our own plays, and also carry our custom playbooks into Online play. I hate having to waste time looking through all the teams playbooks to find one I like. If I'm the coach, I design my own fricking playbook!!!

There are other things, but I'll stop for now. I think the run audibles "Opposite" call is the best thing they added this year. Take out the stupid signs, mascot games, etc. and add some realistic stuff for hardcore fans to use. I'd also like to take my dynasty team online, the '09 Fighting Irish are TOUGH!!! 68-0 since I was named Head Coach!!!

[sparepart33]

For now, I just want 2 things. I want the HFA to be tweaked and I want the DB's and LB's to be more realistic in pass coverage. I can somewhat deal with the rest. If you could only pick 1 or 2 changes, what would they be? Maybe if we came up with a Top 2 list based on everyone's beefs and sent it to EA maybe just maybe they would listen. I know DREAM ON.

[sparkyosu]

LOB passes (put in computer programmin that says if 2 or more defenders are present then catch probabilty is like 5%)

the matchup stick should work... if my WR is jazzed up HE SHOULDNT BE DROPPIN BALLS





also kick blockin... more then a gimmick way i have blocked an EP and Punt once in what ? 10 months?