Field Goal Kicking & Recruits - Realistic?

[StormJH1]

I've had an ongoing issue with the way field goal kicking is handled in NCAA games for several years. Although field goals are considered an ancillary part of the game by many, this is arguably the biggest issue impacting close games, especially against the CPU.

Here are my complaints - feel free to agree or disagree:

CPU (and human) kickers are WAY too accurate - I play on All-American, so there is one harder level than what I experience. But anyone who has watched real college football know that there are tons of FBS schools plagued with bad field goal kicking. Even from ranges within 40 yards, there are not 120 kickers in FBS that can routinely nail FG's. Some teams struggle to kick them 1/2 of the time, and even some major programs won't try them unless they are very close. I've played probably hundreds of games of NCAA 11 to 14, and I've maybe seen a CPU kicker miss once or twice. That's it. It's pretty deflating when the opponent gets inside the 30 on you in a tied game, and you know it's already over b/c they'll make the kick.

Too many kickers have poor range - While the kickers are absurdly accurate, too many of them struggle to even get the ball to travel more than 40 yards. This is with full meter and neutral wind conditions. Yes, there are some collegiate kickers who struggle at that distance. But most FBS teams can scrape up some kicker who has the range for 50 yards - albeit with terrible accuracy and consistency. Even worse, the CPU automatically knows if their kicker doesn't have enough leg, and won't try a FG if they've calculated it will be short.

Not enough good kickers in recruiting - In recruiting, there aren't enough good kickers, and a lot of the "good" ones are accurate, but have poor range (as in, less than 75 rating). The way that the kicking meter is, it will usually forgive poor accuracy, but if your kicker doesn't have the leg, there's nothing you can do about that. I suppose that some kickers improve their range from age 18 to age 22, but not dramatically so. I would prefer to see more kickers that can kick a ball 40 yards, and see them improve their accuracy as they become upperclassmen.

Kicks no longer hook and slice like they used to - I remember the kicking being better in the PS2-era games. One of my most memorable games ever was a Texas vs. Ohio State national championship game that I won 7-6 in NCAA 2003. I was stunned to see them line up for a 55 yarder (this might have been Mike Nugent for OSU) with 3 seconds left. The kick had the distance, and looked good, but started to hook violently at the end and missed to the left. I won the National Championship. It was a great moment that basically can't happen anymore in the new games because the kicks are straight as an arrow, and predictably go through every time the CPU lines up.

As I said before, field goal kicking is disproportionately important in games with 5-minute quarters where you're dealing with clock management and close games about half the time you are playing. I can't even say that the meter is the "problem" because I'm usually only trying kicks that are close enough that the left-to-right accuracy isn't a big deal.

[Benz87]

I agree with not enough good kickers being available as recruits. In my first year I realized the best available were in the 3* 70 OVR range. My current Kicker was a JR so i recruited a 68 OVR 3* that year with intention of redshirting the following year and hopefully seeing a good amount of progression.

I have seen many off field goal attemtps though. I recomend possible playing with sliders if you havn't done so yet. I am currently using SECElite's set and have seen the CPU hit off the uprights several times, as well as completely miss makable kicks left, right or short.

[StormJH1]

Not a lot of posts here, so maybe people disagree?

Now that I'm in the offseason, I see that kickers do progress a fair amount. Still, the kickers who get recruited out of HS to kick for major college programs generally have the range to hit 40 yarders. I think the young kickers should be better. Also, there should be like a 12-team race for the few of them that are halfway decent.

[ukhoops1]

Quote: Originally Posted by StormJH1

I've had an ongoing issue with the way field goal kicking is handled in NCAA games for several years. Although field goals are considered an ancillary part of the game by many, this is arguably the biggest issue impacting close games, especially against the CPU. Here are my complaints - feel free to agree or disagree: CPU (and human) kickers are WAY too accurate - I play on All-American, so there is one harder level than what I experience. But anyone who has watched real college football know that there are tons of FBS schools plagued with bad field goal kicking. Even from ranges within 40 yards, there are not 120 kickers in FBS that can routinely nail FG's. Some teams struggle to kick them 1/2 of the time, and even some major programs won't try them unless they are very close. I've played probably hundreds of games of NCAA 11 to 14, and I've maybe seen a CPU kicker miss once or twice. That's it. It's pretty deflating when the opponent gets inside the 30 on you in a tied game, and you know it's already over b/c they'll make the kick. Too many kickers have poor range - While the kickers are absurdly accurate, too many of them struggle to even get the ball to travel more than 40 yards. This is with full meter and neutral wind conditions. Yes, there are some collegiate kickers who struggle at that distance. But most FBS teams can scrape up some kicker who has the range for 50 yards - albeit with terrible accuracy and consistency. Even worse, the CPU automatically knows if their kicker doesn't have enough leg, and won't try a FG if they've calculated it will be short. Not enough good kickers in recruiting - In recruiting, there aren't enough good kickers, and a lot of the "good" ones are accurate, but have poor range (as in, less than 75 rating). The way that the kicking meter is, it will usually forgive poor accuracy, but if your kicker doesn't have the leg, there's nothing you can do about that. I suppose that some kickers improve their range from age 18 to age 22, but not dramatically so. I would prefer to see more kickers that can kick a ball 40 yards, and see them improve their accuracy as they become upperclassmen. Kicks no longer hook and slice like they used to - I remember the kicking being better in the PS2-era games. One of my most memorable games ever was a Texas vs. Ohio State national championship game that I won 7-6 in NCAA 2003. I was stunned to see them line up for a 55 yarder (this might have been Mike Nugent for OSU) with 3 seconds left. The kick had the distance, and looked good, but started to hook violently at the end and missed to the left. I won the National Championship. It was a great moment that basically can't happen anymore in the new games because the kicks are straight as an arrow, and predictably go through every time the CPU lines up. As I said before, field goal kicking is disproportionately important in games with 5-minute quarters where you're dealing with clock management and close games about half the time you are playing. I can't even say that the meter is the "problem" because I'm usually only trying kicks that are close enough that the left-to-right accuracy isn't a big deal.

i recruited a kicker that was 81 overall

[brandon27]

I recruited a kicker that was an 81 overall with Michigan in my dynasty. However, He started at a 73 or something, and after scouting his OVR jumped up. Which I found strange for a kicker, but I'll take it. Aside from him though, in the recruit pool there really wasnt more than maybe 2 in the 70's, the rest were all 60's OVR and lower.

I do agree with the kicking game though, it's too easy I find. One thing we can do, that I've never really bothered to as of yet is adjust the kicking power and accuracy sliders. If that helps, maybe that's a route you can go? Try playing with those, see if it makes the kickers less accurate, as that seems to be what you are searching for. I'm not a slider editor/adjuster or anything like that, but it's something worth looking into maybe.

[FightinSnydersKSU]

Turn the CPU accuracy down. If you feel like you make too many too, turn your slider down. I have both set on 10 and there are plenty of misses, especially since my kicker already sucks