Why do you think every single person chooses to kick the ball off in the first half?

[ftball11]

Having the ball first, in tha second half, is a tactical advantage similar to baseball, where the home team bats last in the 9th inning. If you need to make up any ground (i.e. score points), you know how much.

[theohiostbuckeye]

I suspect one of the reasons people do it online is to figure out the opponent's offensive tendencies. Since most people only run a few plays/cheese etc., you pretty much have them figured out on that drive and adjust accordingly. Doesn't work against skilled players and in OD's where you know your opponent. The bonus to kicking, of course, is that you get the ball to open the second half which has its advantages like others have mentioned.

[c1champ]

i want da ball first cause if i score i feel like u hafta play catchup and da pressure is on u

[milmont77]

semi-tangent here.... is there anything better than going to WAR in the first half... I'm talkin' a white knuckle, cussing out loud, heavyweight slug fest... and coming out on top for the first half... forgetting who is gonna get the ball to start the 2nd half and seeing that's it you when the screen pops up ? ahhh. i love that it's especially sweet when it's an upset in the making.

[ronpee73]

Quote: Originally Posted by Vaporub83

When the team that won the toss defers they make their choice in the 2nd half. If the other team messes up and chooses to kick to begin the game the team that defer will get to receive in the first half and 2nd half. I've seen it happen a couple of times. I've even heard of a coach doing it intentionally.

I did this once in HS. Was my first time out as captain and I just said we'll kick assuming that automatically meant we got it in the second. Then second half they chose to receive. I felt very very stupid.

[six]

I think NFL teams like the Steelers, Titans, Ravens, should always kickoff in the first half. They have great defenses and probably will force a 3 and out...so I always kick off in Madden and NCAA if I get the choice.

[NoDakHusker]

Quote: Originally Posted by 99ovr

Just saying that I've never encountered someone who chose to receive the ball first at the coin toss, when in real life it's the exact opposite...never seen a team choose to kick the ball off first. Any ideas on why this is?

actually a lot of teams choose to kick first in real life, so you probably watch college football as much as the NCAA dev team does.
and the reason is pretty obvious...you get the ball to start the second half...there's not much more to it. i always choose to kick first.

[vexerr]

I want the ball. I will choose to receive 3/4 of the time.