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MVP
OVR: 12
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Roanoke, VA
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Re: The "why I love NCAA 14 three years later" thread
My NCAA 14 has sat dormant for several months, mostly because I've been playing Madden, and because of the birth of my daughter. However, I keep enjoying this game to this day.
Recently, since football is back, I decided to pick it back up. I just finished year 2024 with Virginia Tech on my dynasty, and I have built them to a power house. We have won 7 of the last 10 national championships, with 4 of them in a row and undefeated seasons (So yes, I have not lost a game in 4+ years). I am playing on Heisman sliders that are difficult, but I've built the program up so well that we attract consistently good talent.
I am going into year 2025, and so I schedule a neutral site game at Soldier Field against #2 Michigan (we are #1), and I am bringing with me 3 freshman qbs (my starter went to NFL, my backup graduated). As I have the last 4 years, I expected to simply cruise to victory. This was not the case. I decided I wanted to come up with a way to make the game a lot more challenging, so I decided to remove ALL of the coaching perks for head, o and d coordinators, and rely truly on the ratings themselves. I didn't anticipate how exciting and how difficult that this would make the game.
For the Michigan game, I fought scratched and clawed my way to victory 26-17. My defense is absolutely loaded with talent, and I forced their kicker to score all of their offensive points (5 field goals with 2 others missed). They also tacked on a safety by their defense. With that said, the story was my offense. I consistently have a top-5 offense every year and can usually pass and rush with no issue. After removing the perks, I can affirm that this changes the game. Between my 3 freshman qb's, I threw 4 interceptions and had 1 fumble. All 3 of them were below 40% completion percentage, and 1 of them got injured. Combined, they all had less than 140 yards passing. It was completely abysmal. What I soon realized was how important it is with a freshman qb (with all of the perks removed) that you need to connect on short and intermediate passes to get their confidence up, to help open up the deep passing game. Anyways, I escaped game 1 with a win, knowing I needed to improve pass game in game 2.
Game 2 rolls around, and I am visiting 0-1 Colorado for the start of a home-and-home series. I figured this would be the perfect game to rebound, and get my freshman qbs on track. I decided to stick with Luke Hemphill who started last game but injured his elbow. Dewayne Hixon and Tyson Beck were behind him, respectively. The game starts out with us on offense, and we rip right down the field running the ball with my 2 stud backs, Bo Flowers and Levi Drake. I get inside the 20 yard line, decide to roll out on a pass play. My tight end is breaking free across the field, but an untimely hit from a DT makes the ball turn into a laser beam, and it lands right in the arms of a linebacker for the pick. 6 plays later, Colorado's potent spread offense destroys my defense and scores 7. The next 2 drives end in a punt and a fumble, and Colorado builds a lead 17-0 before I can blink. I finally get a touchdown late in the first to make it 17-7. just as I start to establish momentum, they hold me to a field goal and make it 17-10, before taking off again and scoring 2 straight field goals to make it 23-10. Just before half time, I tack on a touchdown to close the gap, but they respond in a matter of seconds to kick a field goal and make it 26-17 at the half. At half time, they have over 350 yards passing - my defense was STRUGGLING!
To open the second half, they get the ball and they drive right down the field and score another field goal to make it 29-17. I bounce back with a long methodical drive, and make it 29-24 thanks to Hemphill. I used him in the running game and supplemented some short passing to build his confidence up, and by the third quarter he was playing like a starter. I appreciate the fight it took to gain his confidence and build to being able to spread the ball around. Adds another element of strategy. Anyways, of course Colorado doesn't slow down, and they go right down the field for another long drive and a touchdown to make it 36-24. On the next drive, I convert 2 4th down conversions, and I also am saved by a rare off-sides penalty on their defense on a play that I threw an interception, and I capitalize by running it in for a touchdown, followed by a 2 point conversion to make it 36-32 (my logic was if I score a td to go ahead, they can kick a field goal and we'd be tied rather than me be behind).
As we head into the 4th quarter, my defense begins to click (FINALLY after giving up 500+yards). I put together a long, methodical drive to score a touchdown and go up 39-36. On the following drive, my defense forces a pick, and we drive back down and tack on a field goal to make it 42-36. Following up the last defensive stand, my defense forces a punt, and we are in position to put away the game. All I need to do is run my offense and we can run the clock down. however, on the first play, their defense had other plans. I attempted a triple read option, and as I get to the edge ready to pitch the ball to flowers, their star corner torpedos between us and head-butts the ball to the ground. I run to dive on it with Flowers, I wiff, and their defense recovers. Deep in our territory. I just knew this would make the beginning of the end. As usual, Colorado scores quickly and they take the lead 43-42 with around 2-1/2 minutes left. When I get the ball, I know all I need to do is run my offense, run the clock, and kick a field goal to win. Well, that faded quickly as I end up throwing an untimely interception with the clock inside of 1 minute. I decide to use strategy, and Colorado reels off a huge cross-field throw to a receiver, and I remove all defenders from the area and let them score with :39 left, to make it 50-42.
On the ensuing kickoff, my returner Tye McBride delivers in the clutch, and returns the ball to the 50 yard line. 4 plays later, and Hemphill connected with McBride for a long touchdown pass, and a 2 point conversion by Drake sends us to overtime at 50-50.
The fireworks were just beginning as we both matched each other, scoring touchdowns on both possessions to head into the 3rd overtime, 64-64. Hemphill works his magic, and works us right into scoring range on a read option on the first play. 2 plays later, Flowers runs it in from 3 yards out, and we score. I called the triple option on the 2 point attempt, however Hemphill was stuffed by the OLB, and we were denied. 70-64. Colorado takes to the field, with a chance to win the game. from inside my 5 yard line, we run a tight zone defense, and are able to nullify their first 3 attempts to score. 4th down, all I need is one more stop to end it, and the qb drops back, my d line trying to get to him, but he is mobile and moving all over the pocket and their o-line has my line stifled. After several seconds waiting on someone to come open, he chucks it to the corner on a fade where his receiver is wide open for the touchdown. 2 point upcoming. I call a timeout to refreshen my defense and take time to figure out the best play. I ran Dime 3-2-6 cover 6, and pressed my corners to jam. At the hike of the snap, it looks like the same result as last time. My defense comes in hard on the jail break, but the combination of a strong o-line and the mobile qb slows my pass rush. He is running all over the backfield waiting for a receiver to get open. After several seconds, my DT Dario Ruffin slips through a seam at guard and is on a full speed rush at the qb. I dive to take him to the ground, however the qb ducks and Ruffin goes flying over his head. Just then, his receiver is open on a drag route at the goal line, and he delivers a strike, in stride, and his receiver hauls it in just as 3 defenders crushes him, but he holds onto the ball and Colorado wins. 72-70 in triple over-time against the #1 team in the country.
It was such a heart breaker...after not losing in so long. But I wanted the challenge and I wanted to go through periods where I actually have to rebuild my team rather than just reload and win the national championship every season. By removing perks, I think I have found that combination. Regardless, it is games like this that keeps me coming back for more, even 4 years later. NCAA14-4-LIFE, brother!
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08-31-2017, 10:27 PM
