It’s official:

We’ve reached the twilight of our 2007 (and early 2008) college football experience. With a national champion crowned, we no longer wake up with that special excitement on Saturday mornings. We can continue to play NCAA Football 08 for just a bit longer, helping our favorite school’s digital depiction to achieve what its real-life counterparts could not, but after a while, it all begins to feel a bit contrived. It’s time look ahead to the 2008 season, and NCAA Football 09.

While I for one, was a big fan of this year’s game, it was not without its shortcomings. The fluidity of the gameplay has come a long way since the wretched next-gen 07; however, there is still LOADS of room for improvement. That being said, I shan’t mince words. Here is my first installment of wishes for NCAA 09.

Correct In-Game Presentation

Last (or current, depending on your pocketbook) gen editions got it right. Excellent crowd noise, exquisite fan-fair, Lee putting on the mascot heads, it all felt dangerously authentic. So where did all go?

One of the biggest gripes about EA Sports is its tendency to strip down games for the next generation, while focusing on graphic and engine advancement. Now, I’m no programmer, and if I were perhaps I wouldn’t complain, however with the evolution of the NCAA series for Xbox and Playstation 2,  I see no reason why these nice little touches shouldn’t be implemented into our next-gen gaming experience. 

That being said, next year, I want a full return of the pre-game fanfare, with some next-gen touches. I want the mini pre-game show back, with some more depth to the commentary and predictions. I want to see the teams run out onto the field, and specific players highlighted as potential difference makers. And I want to see the coin toss happen at the 50 yard line.

During the game, I want the atmosphere back. I want the crowd so loud that it shakes my controller, and my living room. And please, please tell the developers that we’re getting a bit tired of the repetitive commentary. Let’s get a little bit of depth into the play-by-play and analysis, beyond those infrequent times when I break a school record.

Enough with the Roster Glitches and Lagging Menus

Hey, the menus used to work, right? We could edit a player’s appearance, info, and equipment within a dynasty without the depth chart defaulting. We could also edit a depth chart without the player somehow occupying the 2nd and 3rd spot within a certain position. We could also move quickly between menus without annoying one second lags. Were we spoiled? Maybe. 

Aesthetically, the new menus and interfaces look nice. But there has to be a way to make them as efficient as those within the past generation. EA Sports, please fix this, dare I say, IMMEDIATELY. 

Use NCAA FCS (formerly 1-AA) Teams

Okay, it’s pretty rare that any of us actually use these teams. But for those fans who attend any of these schools, it was always a nice option. I’m not asking for complete  FCS season schedules, complete with the year-end playoffs (this year anyway), but I am asking that I see Michigan play Appalachian State, rather than NCAA 1-AA East. For an alleged football simulation, the lack of FCS teams kills the realism. And for the NCAA hardcore fans, realism reigns supreme.

Improve Defensive AI/Fix Turnovers

Even the most ambitious of NCAA gamers had to take issue with the rampant turnovers in this year’s game. And let’s be honest, we all tweaked the interception slider.

I will give EA Sports credit, the tweaks made to the turnover system were made to create more balance in the game, and reduce the amount of “money plays” that you could run on offense. I like where its collective head is at, but making turnovers as frequent as Big Ten BCS losses (I know, ouch) is like putting a Band-Aid on a bullet wound. I mean hell, if developers can make enemies lay a suppressive fire and flank my position in next-gen shooters, then why can’t they make defenses behave realistically?

For next year’s defensive system, I would like to see a cocktail of smarter playcalling, enhanced keys on offensive tendencies (in-game adjustments would be nice), and an improved pass-defense system (based on positioning, with more tipped and broken-up passing animations). I would also like the game to implement a blown-coverage system, as well as a recovery there-from. Am I asking for the moon and the stars? Maybe. But it’s time that football sims started living up to their namesake, en total.

Improve Offensive AI/Playcalling

The need for improvement is substantially less than on the defensive side of the ball, however, there are still  issues. For instance, when things start going your way within the course of a game, the opposing CPU playcalling tends to become, well, unintelligent. This again, is an EA quick-fix. 

When a team gains momentum in real-life, this can often times hinder the opposition’s execution of plays, not hinder the competency of their coaches’ playcalling. I have found that time and time again, taking a two score lead in any game, the CPU suddenly hands its playcalling duties over to Sloth from The Goonies. I mean, come on. How realistic is it for a team to run a swing pass to a fullback on 3rd and 8? I’d much rather see a team’s on-field execution tail-off, rather than its playcalling. 

I know, I may have made a tall order here, and after all, NCAA 08 is a fun game. But with the advances that we have seen in other game genres, shouldn’t we hold our beloved sports games to the same standard? I think so.

Next week, I will take a look at my wishes for next year’s Dynasty Mode, Campus Legend Mode, and Recruiting system, and anything else that I may have left out. Please feel free to leave your comments and suggestions.