Sample Recruiting Sequence

[DuckFan]

By popular request (and some boredom while I wait to see who gets to lose to the Spurs in the Finals)...

Here is a complete DuckFan recruiting season.

This season will feature a top-level program, in this case Oklahoma. I may do additional season runs with lower level programs if there is interest (and still boredom to be found).

To level the playing field as best as I could and make the results as comparable as possible to ones you might achieve on your own, I have simmed the entire 2004 season, using the preset sliders for Oklahoma. They went undefeated, beating Missouri in the Big 12 game and defeating Michigan in the Orange Bowl.

Coaching Strategy was unchanged... Oklahoma, Spread, 4-3, Off 58 Run 42 Pass, with the Off Conserv and Sub sliders both around half where they default, Def 59 Pass 41 Run, with the Def leaning Conserv and Subs around halfway.

White finished second in the Heisman with 3300 yds and 37 TDs.
HB 20 rolled up 1050 yds, HB 35 had 790 (Peterson was redshirted automatically for some reason)
WR 9 had 1080 yds and 14 tds
WR 81 had 850 yds and 10 tds

Defensive numbers were very spread around. Seven different guys had 4 sacks. No one had more than 80 tackles. No one had more than 3 INTs...

I would imagine you could get very similar numbers within 40 minutes of simming. Sim the first 6 or 7 games until you are undefeated. Save. Sim the remaining until you stay undefeated. Sim the Big 12 and Orange Bowl until you win both. Shouldn't take more than 40 minutes tops to be sitting at the end of an undefeated season for Oklahoma...

Okay...

So let's begin...

[DuckFan]

I will break down my results into multiple posts...

So if there start to be replies before I am done (which is fine), just keep scrolling down for more results... :)

[DuckFan]

We'll set sliders for this round of recruiting as follows:

Recruiting 40%
Training 35%
Discipline 25%

This is a little bit different from the way I would normally play it. But it's not that far off.

My general rule of thumb is this. If you are a program on the rise, spend almost everything on recruiting. If you are a program in decline, spend almost everything on training. The reason for this is simple. If you used to be a 2-star program and you are now a 4-star program, you would be better off signing a Freshman 4-star than training your Junior 2-star. He'll be a better player from day one for you. On the other hand, if you were a 6-star program the last few years and then had a 5-6 season, you will get back to form faster if you train those stud players that are already on your roster as opposed to bringing in some new guy who is just going to get replaced when he is a junior anyway.

I play a giant game of chicken with discipline. I run 10% most every year, and then pick out one season and run 40%. During that year I hand out season-long suspensions to guys who were late to one practive and drag my interest bar all the way back down. That strategy works extremely well, but it takes practice and would require an entire thread. I am not yet that bored. So for now, we'll run with the sliders above.

40% Recruiting
35% Training
25% Discipline

[DuckFan]

This particular time around, we didn't have anyone leave early for the pros. Just the graduating seniors... And no one transferred out...

That leaves us with:

QB - 3
HB - 7
FB - 2
WR - 4 (Short 2)
TE - 3
T - 3
G - 3
C - 1 (Short 1)
DE - 4
DT - 3 (short 1)
OLB - 6
MLB - 2 (short 1)
CB - 5
FS - 1 (Short 1)
SS - 1 (Short 1)
K - 1
P -0 (Short 1)

49 returning players... 8 needs

[DuckFan]

As you might expect, the National Champs wield a lot of power in the recruiting cycle... we have 351 points to play with, which is 14 pts per recruit per week.

First I go to the "Interested Prospects" page:

There we have 22 5-stars listing us in the top three, plus 57 4-stars...

There are also a couple hundred lower ranked guys, but we won't be talking to anyone below 4-stars this year...

First thing we look at is any position where a recruit will have to start, or will see a lot of playing time.

1) Our Freshman punter has to start.
2) Our freshman FS and SS will definitely see playing time.
3) Our freshman C may be the backup (although we might move a G over)

-----------------------
Punter

The #1 guy is a 5-star, from TX, and has us 1st (with USC and Mich)
The #2 guy is a 4-star, from AZ, and has us 1st (with USC and Miss)

Eight of the top 9 guys have us in the top 3, but we definitely want the #1 guy if we can.

I recruit max points (30) on the #1 P.
I recruit 15 points on the #2 P.

Both are pitched Program Prestige. It's the safest choice. A quick check tells me that USC and Michigan are both without a punter as well. So there's a chance this guy wants playing time. But in general, 5-star guys are more likely to care about prestige (and USC and Michigan were both top 10 schools in 2004).

------------

Free Safety

The best two guys interested are #11 who is a Juco Jr, and #22, both 4-stars. They might do as backups, but I suspect I can do better. We'll come back to FS.

-------------

Strong Safety

The best two guys interested are #22 and #24, both 3-stars. Not good enough to even be backups. I can do better, and we'll come back.

-------------

Center

The #1 guy is a 5-star from TX and has us first (with Texas and Miami). #3-#10 are all 4-stars and all have us in the top 3.

I recruit max points (30) on the #1 C, pitching Program Prestige.

--------------

Okay, other than safeties, our needs are met. Let's see what random talent we can pull...

We'll start with any 5-star that has us 1st, no matter what position.

#1 TE from NC (with Mich and USC) gets 20 points of Program Prestige.
#2 QB from IL (with USC and NU) gets 18 points of Program Prestige.
#4 G from TX (with Miss and Texas) gets 16 points of Program Prestige.
#2 T from OK (with Mem and UVA) gets 15 points of Program Prestige.
#3 T from SC (with Mem and WSU) gets 16 points of Program Prestige.
#2 WR from GA (with Marsh and UNC) gets 28 points of Program Prestige.
{this is a little higher than the others because it is a position with a need}
#3 WR from OH is a Juco Jr and I pass even though he has me first.

We now have nine targets so far... Sixteen scholarships available...

We need to talk to more WR, DT, MLB, FS and SS...

Backing out to the All Prospects screen, we'll check for players that have us listed "High" scrolling down from the top by position.

#1 WR from AL (with Mem, FSU, WMU). Obviously doesn't care about location so we have a chance. He gets 16 points of Program Prestige.

#4 WR from MN is a 4-star and has us first (with La Tech and ISU). He gets 16 points of Program Prestige.
#5 WR has us first but is a Juco Jr. I pass.
The next WR with us high is #7. That's too low to talk to in the first week so we will wait.

#1 DT from FL has us 3rd (with UF and KSU). 5-star. He gets 18 Program.
#2 DT from MS has us high (with KSU, Texas, BC) 5-star. He gets 9 Program.

The top MLB that has us High is #16. We'll wait a week there...

#6 FS is the first High (with USC, Texas, OrSt). He gets 12 Program.

#2 SS is the first High (with KSU, Boise, Mich). He gets 12 Program.

----------------

That's 15 offers out... Ten to go...

We go back to the Interested Prospects and look at 5-star talent... 80 points left...

We're talking to 1 of the 3 5-star QBs (the #2). We'll also talk to the #1.
#1 QB from MD (with Marsh, OU, Mem) gets 15 Program.

We're talking to 1 of the 2 5-star WRs (passing on the Juco)

We're talking to 1 of the 4 5-star TEs (the #1 who has us 1st)

We're talking to 2 of the 4 5-star Ts. We'll talk to the other 2 as well.
#4 T from LA (with Mem, UVA, OU). He gets 6 Program.
#6 T from IL (with Mich, OU, UVA). He gets 6 Program.

We're talking to 1 of the 6 5-star Gs. We'll talk to two more (that have us 2nd)
#2 G from TX (with USC, OU, Miss). He gets 8 Program.
#3 G from SC (wth FSU, OU, USC). He gets 8 Program.

We still have 5 scholarships. And we still have 5-stars who love us. But talking to extra TEs doesn't make much sense. We don't need to talk to more than 3 Gs (and we are talking to the ones most likely to sign). We'll talk to the other 5-star QB then go looking for talent.

#5 QB from TX (with Temple, FSU, OU) gets 8 Program.

Four scholarships left...

We go back to the Top 100 page now. And we look for players that have us high at positions we might need...

The #1 HB (17th overall) is High. We have 7 HBs now and really don't need one. But you never know when the #1 HB is going to come in at like 85 OVR.

#1 HB from CA (with Aub, Texas, Bucks) gets 8 Program.

#1 ATH from CA (with Temple, Hawaii, Mem) gets 8 Program.

#3 SS from NE (55th overall 4-star) (with UF, Boise, FSU) gets 9 Program.

#1 K from OK (81st overall 4-star) has us average, but I have good luck recruiting the #1 K since the AI rarely talks to them. Soooooo....
#1 K from OK (with Texas, Mizzou, Baylor) gets 4 Program.

There's our 25 guys for the first week... To recap:

I recruit max points (30) on the #1 P.
I recruit 15 points on the #2 P.
I recruit max points (30) on the #1 C, pitching Program Prestige.
#1 TE from NC (with Mich and USC) gets 20 points of Program Prestige.
#2 QB from IL (with USC and NU) gets 18 points of Program Prestige.
#4 G from TX (with Miss and Texas) gets 16 points of Program Prestige.
#2 T from OK (with Mem and UVA) gets 15 points of Program Prestige.
#3 T from SC (with Mem and WSU) gets 16 points of Program Prestige.
#2 WR from GA (with Marsh and UNC) gets 28 points of Program Prestige.
#1 WR from AL (with Mem, FSU, WMU). 16 points of Program Prestige.
#4 WR from MN (with La Tech and ISU). 16 points of Program Prestige.
#1 DT from FL has us 3rd (with UF and KSU). 5-star. He gets 18 Program.
#2 DT from MS has us high (with KSU, Texas, BC) He gets 9 Program.
#6 FS is the first High (with USC, Texas, OrSt). He gets 12 Program.
#2 SS is the first High (with KSU, Boise, Mich). He gets 12 Program.
#1 QB from MD (with Marsh, OU, Mem) gets 15 Program.
#4 T from LA (with Mem, UVA, OU). He gets 6 Program.
#6 T from IL (with Mich, OU, UVA). He gets 6 Program.
#2 G from TX (with USC, OU, Miss). He gets 8 Program.
#3 G from SC (wth FSU, OU, USC). He gets 8 Program.
#5 QB from TX (with Temple, FSU, OU) gets 8 Program.
#1 HB from CA (with Aub, Texas, Bucks) gets 8 Program.
#1 ATH from CA (with Temple, Hawaii, Mem) gets 8 Program.
#3 SS from NE (55th overall 4-star) (with UF, Boise, FSU) gets 9 Program.
#1 K from OK (with Texas, Mizzou, Baylor) gets 4 Program.

[DuckFan]

Week 1 commits:

#4 WR
#2 P

Obviously we would have preferred to sign the #1 P first so we could have dropped the offer for the #2. But I would rather be starting the #2 than be starting a walkon P... These two combined for 31 recruiting points the first week. So them signing frees up 3 extra points for week two...

No prospects signed with anyone else. So we review the guys we are talking to:

By position:
#1 QB (still Marsh, OU, Mem) doesn't care about program. He gets 15 Coach.
#2 QB (now OU, NU, ND) doesn't care. He gets 15 Coach.
#5 QB (now Temple, TAMU, OU) doesn't care. He gets 12 Coach.

#1 HB moved up to 3rd (Texas, AUB, OU) doesn't care. He gets 16 Coach.

#1 WR moved up to 3rd (Mem FSU OU) doesn't care. He gets 20 Coach.
#2 WR (still OU, Marsh, Mem) doesn't care. He gets 20 Coach.

#1 TE (still OU, Mich, USC) loves it. He gets 20 Program.

#2 T (still OU, Mem, UVA) doesn't care. He gets 15 Coach.
#3 T (still OU, Mem, WSU) loves it. He gets 20 Program.
#4 T (now OU, Mem, UVA) doesn't care. He gets 12 Coach.
#6 T (now OU, Mich, UVA) doesn't care. He gets 12 Coach.

#2 G (now OU, Mizzou, USC) loves it. He gets 20 Program.
#3 G (now OU, FSU, USC) loves it. He gets 16 Program.
#4 G (now OU, Miss, Texas) doesn't care. He gets 10 Coach.

#1 C (now OU, Texas, Baylor) doesn't care. He gets 12 Coach.

#1 DT (still UF, KSU, OU) doesn't care. He gets 21 Coach.
#2 DT still only High and we drop the offer.

#6 FS still only High. Doesn't care. He gets 8 Coach.

#2 SS still only High. Doesn't care. He gets 8 Coach.
#3 SS still only High. Doesn't care. He gets 9 Coach.

#1 K still only Average, but loves Prestige. He gets 9 Program.

#1 P (still OU, USC, Mich) loves it. He gets 12 Program.

#1 ATH (now Haw, Tem, OU) doesn't care. He gets 12 Coach.

The #3 Juco WR still has us first. We'll give him one week to sign. If he doesn't sign this week we'll pull off him. Don't need him. Don't really want him. But if a 5-star will sign in one week I'll take him. He gets 8 Program.

That's it for week two...

[DuckFan]

Week 2 commits:

#1 HB (had a gut feeling it made sense to talk to him) - Coach Prestige
#3 T - Program
#1 TE - Program
#2 WR - Coach Prestige

So after two weeks we have four 5-stars and two 4-stars. Filled both holes at WR already. Still no movement on the other spots. None of our targets signed elsewhere. These guys combined for 76 pts last week, so that frees up 20 extra to spread around for week 3...

Looking at our targets again. In week 3, the first thing I do is check Interested Prospects to see if any new faces have shown up. Lots of them do in week 4, but sometimes one will appear in week 3. This time around it's lots of TEs and Gs we aren't talking to, plus a surprise. That #2 DT that we gave up on last week now has us 2nd on his list...

Targets by Position:

#1 QB (OU, Marsh, Mem) doesn't care. I can't pitch Style because he is a scrambler and White wasn't. Location is out, he's from MD. Playing time is out, I have 3 ahead of him. All I can do is pitch a neutral, in this case I'll go Program. He gets 15 Program.
#2 QB (OU, NU, ND) loves it. He gets 15 Coach.
#5 QB (OU, TAMU, Temple) doesn't care. He gets 12 Location (even though TAMU is closer)

#1 WR (OU, Mem, FSU) doesn't care. He gets 20 Style.
#3 WR gets dropped. I really don't want the Juco anyway.

#2 T (OU Mem UVA) loves it. He gets 15 Coach.
#4 T (OU Mem UVA) doesn't care. He gets 12 Style.
#6 T (OU Mich UVA) loves it. He gets 12 Coach.

#2 G (OU Mizzou USC) loves it. He gets 14 Program.
#3 G (OU FSU USC) loves it. He gets 16 Program.
#4 G (OU Miss Texas) loves it. He gets 14 Coach.

#1 C (Texas OU Baylor) doesn't care. I need this guy, but I hesitate to pitch location because of the two Texas schools. We'll take one shot at it and hope we don't lose him. He gets 24 Location.

#1 DT (UF OU KSU) doesn't care. He gets 15 Style.
#2 DT returns to the mix. He gets 18 Coach.

#6 FS moved up to 2nd. Doesn't care. He gets 12 Style.

#2 SS moved up to 2nd. Doesn't care. He gets 12 Style.
#3 SS moved up to 3rd. Doesn't care. He gets 12 Style.

#1 K still average, still loves it. He gets 8 Program.

#1 P still 1st, still loves it. He gets 12 Program.

#1 ATH Still 3rd. Doesn't Care. He gets 8 Style.

That's it for week 3... At this point I am 1st on 11 more 5-stars

[DuckFan]

Week 3 Commits:

#2 T - Coach Prestige
#4 T - Style
#6 T - Coach Prestige
#2 G - Program
#4 G - Coach Prestige
#1 P - Program
#2 QB - Coach Prestige
#2 SS - Didn't care about any of the 3 but signed anyway

Lost the #1 C and the #1 ATH (to Texas and Nevada). Athlete I don't care. The Center hurts... But with so many OL guys I can move one to C so I am not worried...

Of the remaining players, ALL the 5-stars have me first. As does the SS. The K still isn't listed and the FS is 3rd...

I check the Interested Prospects and it's still extra TE and OL guys...

#1 QB doesn't care (but I knew that). He gets 15 Program. I honestly wouldn't even be talking to him except he has a 4.26 and has me listed 1st. If I was 3rd on his list I would dump him and get depth somewhere else.
#5 QB doesn't care. I continue recruiting him out of spite. He gets 10 Program.

#1 WR doesn't care. Which means the only two things he can care about (other than Pipelines and Talking to Him) are PT and Location. I can't pitch Location or PT. So I go back to Program, a neutral pitch and figure talking to him may be enough. He gets 16 Program.

#3 G loves it, still. He gets 12 Program.

#1 DT loves it, finally. I want this guy bad. He gets 21 Style.
#2 DT doesn't care (though I keep moving up). He gets 15 Style.

#6 FS doesn't care (down to PT and Location). He's in CA, so I try 12 PT.

#3 SS loves it. He gets 15 Style.

#1 K still loves it. Still Average. Still gets 8 Program.

#4 C (4-star) has me 2nd now. He gets 12 Program.

#11 FS, the 4-star that originally had me 1st, still does. He's a JUCO but in this case that may be an advantage. I need a backup for a Senior. And if this guy is going to be mediocre he only has to play one year then I will be wide open for a stud Freshman to arrive. He gets 18 Program.

Then I realize I still need a MLB. The #16 guy who had me High is still around. I pull off of the #5 QB, and plug his 10 pts onto the #16 MLB with Program.

That's it for week 4...

[DuckFan]

Week 4 Commits:

#3 G - Program
#1 DT - Style
#1 WR - Didn't care about anything but signed anyway
#2 DT - Style

I lose the #1 K and the #16 MLB

#1 QB (still 1st) Still doesn't care. He gets 30 Program.
#3 SS (still 1st) loves it. He gets 15 Style.
#11 FS (still 1st) doesn't care. He gets 6 Style.
#4 C (2nd) doesn't care. He gets 12 Coach.
#6 FS doesn't care, still 3rd. My only hope here is that he doesn't sign with anyone and the two schools ahead of me don't need a FS in which case he will automatically walk on with me. So I pitch 4 Program.

There are no decent MLB to be had. SO I just talk to two random talent guys that have me high.

#7 DE (1st) He gets 16 Program.
#13 OLB (3rd) He gets 15 Program.

That's it for week 5...

[DuckFan]

Week 5

No Commits...

Not a real surprise as I had few openings left and had already signed so many... though I was hoping I might snag the #1 QB...

I finish with a need at C, at MLB and at FS.

Both of the two FS I was talking two are still listed as Targets, so they are unsigned. One of those two will walk on. The MLB and C I will get cold walkons. I would have liked to have lined someone up for an auto-walkon but it didn't work out that way...

I have the top class, which really isn't surprising.

15 5-stars
3 4-stars

No other school has more than 2 5-star recruits...

That's fairly typical for my recruiting once my juggernaut gets rolling. Back in NCAA 2004 I would consistently get 18-22 5-stars each year but they have scaled back on the numbers, so 11-15 is a monster haul now...

Even with my 3 4-star guys I only have one guy listed below #4 at his position, and that was the #6 T (who is a 5-star). My three 4-star guys are #2 SS, #2 P and #4 WR...

#2 QB
#1 HB
#1, #2, #4 WR
#1 TE
#2, 3, 4, 6 T
#2, 3, 4, G
#1, #2 DT
#2 SS
#1, #2 P


#1 Overall (TE)
#5 Overall (G)
#6 Overall (DT)
#7 Overall (P)
#8 Overall (QB)
#9 Overall (WR)

14, 16, 17, 28, 31, 36, 40, 42, 45, 49, 53, 57 (#57 being my lowest recruit)

I'll go over how the players came in, and the walkons that showed up... but not until tomorrow... :)

[BigBlue22]

WOW, how do you win the NC and still not lose anyone. I always have at least 2 transfer and 3-4 go pro when I have a really good year. Normally I`m able to talk the guys into coming back, but that takes recruiting points.

Do you normally not take juco players ?

[DuckFan]

WOW, how do you win the NC and still not lose anyone. I always have at least 2 transfer and 3-4 go pro when I have a really good year. Normally I`m able to talk the guys into coming back, but that takes recruiting points.

Do you normally not take juco players ?

If you look at Oklahoma's roster from NCAA 2005 they don't have very many junior starters. So there just aren't many guys that will leave early. Mind you they still lost like 20 guys, including over a dozen with ratings above 92. But nobody that could be kept...

As far as JUCOs the only place I will take them to start is on the OL. At skill positions I shy away from them as starters since they can't get much above 88-90. I will occasionally steer towards one as a backup just so that I can have him graduate at the exact same time as my starter, since that makes it easier to get the #1 guy that year...

[hobbs2324]

DF, nice read, and as always alot of appreciation for the time and effort you put into your work. My question is about how you play games after you have recruited this major wealth of talent. Do you simm or play your games out, what level of play and any adjustments to the sliders?
I see how you target players at a certain level for your need spots, and I understand the philosophy. I have a great need for speed always. I can't stand the 98 OVR, 68 speed DE, he isn't a guy I can dominate with on a regular basis, because a QB will begin to get rid of the ball much quicker or roll out on you so there is no way to ever get to the QB. I hate a DB with slower then 4.45 speed, and HB with a speed of 4.28 or worse. I need to scout or else I am going to be stuck playing a style of game which isn't real fun to me. If I am simming, you can't love anyone more then the 98 OVR DE with bad speed because the games being simmed playout completely different then one you actually play. I like how you promote the school prestige the first week to almost everyone, when you scout a guy, you pitch the same thing with less points given up and you can actually spread out alot of offers, basically network, and I can validate the points being given up later knowing that the guy has some decent speed. It also helps me steer clear of the problem child. I won't scout alot of kids from far away costing me a ton of points, until a little later in the recruiting schedule where I can find some sleeper pickups, as you say that I may only get them because I was the only one who spoke to them. I also use your suggestion from almost a year ago where you start looking at the interested recruits at week 3 and 4 and picking up a big time kid who was jilted by their original 3 teams.
You are very analytical with your decision making, I personally wouldn't frown upon scouting, if I see a slow kid who was once rated at 4.3 and now is 4.58, or is a discipline problem, I drop them immediately, don't need the headache nor the extra guy on the roster to cheer on the real players

[hobbs2324]

With the JUCO's, I seem to find them more often when I first take over a team, and less when the talent level has been raised enough where they know they won't be getting alot of time

[DuckFan]

I don't know if you checked out my other thread (where I do a year of Fresno State)... but my opening week pitch is very dependent on the school I have...

With a 6-star Prestige team, you'd be a fool not to start with Prestige on pretty much every recruit the first week. It cannot possibly be a negative.

When I did Fresno State (a 4-star team after the first year), there were a lot more guys I had to pick a different pitch (because if USC and I both pitched Prestige I would lose him)...

If I am starting with a 2 or 3 star Prestige team, the strategy is very different, especially if I have skewed my playing style to be able to do Coaching Style on a bunch of guys...

And my strategy when I get problem children is very simple... I cut them... Doesn't matter if the guy was 5-stars and a 90 OVR as a sophomore. I cut him... And by recruiting him before cutting him I ensure I don't have to face him later. When you get the top class every year, it's easy to get rid of a guy here and there...

You brought up performance by a 68 SPD DE... I have had guys with that SPD get 20 sacks in a year. But they are coverage sacks. I can get him a ton of sacks by playing my MLB. Just depends on what you want... I see your point, and I hate playing slow HBs... but the rest of the positions I take what I get and let them dominate...

[hobbs2324]

you can't cut a guy until the following offseason. I have punished them with what is suggested or increased the punishment, and buried them on the depth chart. You ever notice a 2nd string or lower guy isn't causing the problem, it is always the starter. When I recently took over Oklahoma, they had a slow highly rated DE, he got a pretty high amount of sacks, because I would blitz from the opposite side, but I hate the slow kids and even though He played well I just didn't enjoy using him, seemed like a chore.
Didn't get to see the fresno thread. I usually won't scout nearly as thorough[sp?] with the Indianas, UTEP, Army, etc. that first year, where I am looking for nothing but better players immediately
You are mostly simming your games am I correct?

[DuckFan]

The Fresno thread is still on the first page...

And yes, I sim most of my games. Some seasons I sim all of them. But if I have enough free time to get a couple hours in each day, I will usually sim the games that are likely to not be competitive and play the 2 or 3 that should be good games. As an example, when I play a new Ducks Dynasty, I always sim the first three games because Indiana is a boring win, Oklahoma is a boring loss, and Idaho is a boring win. I usually play the ASU game, the Cal game, and the Civil War, every once in a while adding in the WSU game as well... I have simmed that damn Indiana game around 120 times now and Indiana has never won. As good as we played at home in beating Michigan the previous year, we played at least that badly against Indiana in finding a way to lose. I had to sit in the stands for that debacle...

Once July 12th rolls around I will be very torn. I always love playing the new gameplay and they added a lot of cool stuff this year. But I will also want to get right into a recruiting cycle to see what it's like. With last year's game, the first thing I did was sim the Ducks' season (they went 8-3) and then do a round of recruiting for them. Then I quit out of that and went back to the beginning of the year. That won't be an option this year since so much of the recruiting is done during the season... Mostly I am just wishing someone could sedate me for 33 days until the game comes out...

[wolverinejay]

That won't be an option this year since so much of the recruiting is done during the season.
From what I have read and been told about recruiting in NCAA 06, the bulk of the recruiting will still be done in the off-season. In-season recruiting only allows you to look at a maximum of 12 players per season. Only can target 3*- 5* prospects, and campus invites can only be given out to prospects that have your school in their top 3. Instead of using points you assign a % of recruiting to each of your targets during the season, also there has been no mention of being able to scout the 12 players you are recruiting. I believe there is no firm commitments during the season as well (only off-season like before). While you can't turn in-season recruiting off, you can choose to let the CPU do it instead.

I know the in-season recruiting feature in NCAA 06 is just a first step for EA (better than nothing), but it could have been much deeper.

[DuckFan]

Obviously I can root for the simulation to get more and more realistic down the line...

It would be interesting if they eventually have you recruiting guys during the season BEFORE you find out what their "Star" rating is... Because that's the way it works in real life. You may have access to some rough times and weightlifting stats, but that's it. They aren't ranked and rated until well into the process.

As an example... as of this morning, the Ducks have offered scholarships to these players for 2006... All without a single "star" rating to go by...

QB
Jeremy Ricker
(Bishop McDevitt HS)
Harrisburg, PA

QB
Justin Roper
(Buford HS)
Buford, GA

QB
Jake Locker
(Ferndale HS)
Ferndale, WA

QB
James Lark
(Pineview HS)
St George, UT

WR
Travon Patterson
(Polytechnic HS)
Long Beach, CA

WR
Terrence Austin
(Polytechnic HS)
Long Beach, CA

WR
LaValle Parker
(Lee County HS)
Leesburg, GA

WR
Michael Strickland
(Walton HS)
Marietta, GA

OL
Chris Guarnero
(Mullen HS)
Denver, CO

OL
Mau Nomani
(Tigard HS)
Tigard, OR

OL
Zack Heberer
(San Pedro Senior HS)
San Pedro, CA

OL
Ryan Tolar
(Pasco Senior HS)
Pasco, WA

OL
Steve Schilling
(Bellevue HS)
Bellevue, WA

DT
Cameron Elisara
(Joel E Ferris HS)
Spokane, WA

DT
Derrick Hill
(McClymonds Senior HS)
Oakland, CA

DE
A.J. Simmons
(Bishop O Dowd HS)
Oakland, CA

DE
Keith Browner
(Susan Miller Dorsey HS)
Los Angeles, CA

LB
Joshua Tatum
(McClymonds Senior HS)
Oakland, CA

S
Jonas Mouton
(Venice Senior HS)
Los Angeles, CA

CB
Vincent Joseph
(Polytechnic HS)
Long Beach, CA

CB
Devin Ross
(Rancho Cucamonga HS)
Rancho Cucamonga, CA

CB
Shareece Wright
(Colton HS)
Colton, CA

K
Kai Forbath
(Notre Dame HS)


Now are some of these guys probably 5-star or 4-star guys? Probably... But the Ducks had to make their decision about offering a scholarship long before anyone else could tell them that... Real teams don't have the luxury of waiting to see who the top 3 HBs are before offering a scholarship... Yes, they wait on some of their guys until they have that kind of info. But some guys commit much earlier in the process...

[Soccerbest7]

I believe there is no firm commitments during the season as well (only off-season like before).
.

I remember them saying if you invite a recruit to a rivalry game and you win, he might be ready to sign a soft or a firm cvommitment

[hobbs2324]

Thanks again for the insight DF, I checked out the Fresno thread and you did an incredible job with that school. I usually simm my games against the teams not in the top 25 and play all the other ones, and I'm thinking that would be the reason why I need that speed number to be firm, to know that they can catch the ball, etc.