Training Camp/Preseason

[joejccva71]

Couple of questions guys:

1. During the Training Camp/Preseason, when gameplanning do you always just "Train Rookies" throughout the ENTIRE preseason or do you choose plays to learn as well?

2. How many times do you train the same rookie throughout the preseason? Like for your stars or diamonds in the rough, do you train them atleast once a week (so 4 times in a preseason) or less?

3. Do you start your starters through the first half and your backups (rookies) through the second half of the preseason games?

4. What if I have a rookie DT that is 92 OVR and 97 POT? During preseason should I put him at 2nd string so he can get reps during the second half just like the other rookies? Or definately have him 1st string? I know this sounds dumb, but want to make sure.

Thanks.

[cutter73]

1. I generally train rookies, especially the ones I plan on playing a big role for my team that year. I don't spend as much time practicing individual plays because I generally use the preseason games as the time for practicing plays. I don't much care about winning preseason games, so I'll run a handful of plays during the games until I get a them to at least learned status.

2. I concentrate on players I think will be instant starters. Players I plan on bringing along slowly get less practice time up front than the ones I plan to start on opening day.

3. I play my starters for the first half, then second string for the second. It's the default setting for preseason as well. Your second string gets automatically subbed in for the second half. Sometimes, if I have a veteran team that knows the playbook, I'll sub my second string earlier, like after the first quarter, to avoid possible injuries and get my backups some experience. Nothing sucks worse than having a star player get a season ending injury in a preseason game when they already have the playbook pretty well learned.

4. If I plan on starting a player, I put them on the first string rookie or not. In practice, your starters get much more benefit from practices than do backups I think. I believe in practice your first string player will run the plays until they master a play, then the backups will be subbed in. I think that is how the system works, if not, someone will correct me on it.

That's just how I do it. Other people may have other ways that work better for them, but I've gotten pretty good results so far.

[scorp]

It auto subs 2nd half, I usually make all my rookies starters on the depth chart for the 1st 2 preseason games to get their potentials and other stats unlocked and start switching out form there. Let starters get time during 2nd half od 4th quarter just so the relearn what they forget.

Also I train rookies most of the time, but once I find out a guy doesn't have much potential I wont train that guy. work on some plays too.