How to pick a school...

[Catufb85]

I know this thread seems to have different variations of how one may pick a school to start off on the so called "long" journey of creating a dynasty with the selected. Now that we know that NCAA 14 is going to be the last of its kind, I am trying to find more creative ways of making the game more enjoyable. Don't get me wrong I think this is one of the best NCAA's yet. Have thoroughly enjoyed playing this game. But I think I am with so many other NCAA fans, that after about a season or two, that creativity and boredom take over. And you are there night after night deleted your Dynasty and starting over and thinking even harder on which school has all the essentials to either bring them from the bottom to the top, rep your beloved alma mater or just your life-long team. I have come to express this because I am currently in this situation for the millionth time. I can easily just go with being a HC or an OC at my life long favorite team, UNC. But then again I get the enjoyment of starting off as a no name 1 start OC and working my way up the ranks to becoming a College Football Coaching legend. But then the patience of taking it year after year only to see no really interesting offers to follow.

So what I am asking, and sorry for rambling, but please feel free to share how you go about picking the perfect school, the perfect starting point, the perfect scenario that we as creative gamers have developed in our brains to achieve sanctification.

If you do reply, thank you for your feedback and advice.

[Miles Perry]

For me it depends. If I want to claw my way to the top as a coach, I'll start at a one star school. But, generally, I'll pick my school based on the stadium. I feel the stadium is the most important aspect because it's the environment you're in, and it's just about the only thing in the dynasty you can't change.

[jbrew2411]

I like to put 5-6 schools names on pieces of paper then draw one out of a hat where I will start as a OC/DC. Most of the time I have zero connection to these school which I think helps make it easy to leave for better job options. I set my own house rules to follow to make the game harder. Some examples are limits on who I can recruit (no ATH's or 4* & 5* players must start in two years), must honor 50% of coaching contract unless the HC leaves, and so own. I also at times like to place NCAA sanctions on any program I take over as a head coach if that is my first job. I like to limit scholarship numbers to 55-60 for 5 years. It adds some challenge to the game and makes me want to build that program beyond 5 years. You can do some other recruiting restrictions as well like no out-of-state recruiting.

I have found a few different ways to make my dynasty worth playing beyond a few years. I also recommend posting in the "how's your dynasty going" thread as a way for you to follow your own dynasty. Just a few ideas for you.

[SpartyParty11]

I usually try to pick a school where EA hasn't messed up on. Such as un-updated jerseys and stadiums, fights songs etc. I know the crowd noise doesn't affect anything since the crowd noise cuts in and out.

But really, sometimes I pick an awful school in a good conference such as Kentucky or Washington State and try to bring them to the top. Much harder because of the conference they're in.

[Falacer]

I stay away from the picking a school in one of the 3 big recruiting states (CA, TX & FL). If I am pipelined to them that's ok but sometimes I even pick one that's not. I always do U of Buffalo because that is where I was born & raised. UB was 2 blocks away from my childhood home, spent many a Saturday's with my dad walking to the stadium to watch some games.

Other than that I always pick a 2* or 3* school to build up to a national powerhouse... dont we all aim for that? My next one I chose Utah State because their playbook in interesting to try a hurry up passing heavy offense.

[Peacefrog]

I started off in RTG as a safety (because I sucked usering players on defense). I took him through all four years at my beloved Penn State, and had him graduate. Then I created a dynasty with a coach by the same name and similar build, and put him as the DC of Penn State. I took the first HC offer I got, and built up Old Dominion for a few years. Then I took a job with Oregon State. Now, my ultimate goal is to get back to Penn State, but without winning the National Championship. Just to get there as the dynasty progresses, on its own. Unfortunately, Penn State has since gotten good again, and has been competitively in the hunt for the BCS Bowls every season. I'll probably jump a few more teams before I end up a Nittany Lion again.

[coyotedelmar]

Well in fairness still on just the first dynasty I've done, which I tried to go a bit realistic(ish), starting as a coordinator at a school in non-power conference (to steal terms from college basketball). From there tried to wait til moving made sense, and to a mid-major type school, then to a power school and after a few years taking a head coaching job at a lesser school again. I didn't go quite as I planned, in I spent just a year at Marshall before jumping to Texas (I started at South Alabama), which probably isn't realistic, even if the offense had a huge year. I also started head coaching at ASU, because it was in Arizona, though again jumping from Texas to ASU may be going to too big of a job, even if they had been pretty bad the past few years but ehhh.

I may try at some point just having a random number generator pick a team from a list and see what happens. In another video game I'll have a RNG pick the birthdate, favorite club and often first and last name of the coach I'm making, which is kind of fun even if it doesn't make really any difference.

Quote: Originally Posted by Peacefrog

I started off in RTG as a safety (because I sucked usering players on defense). I took him through all four years at my beloved Penn State, and had him graduate. Then I created a dynasty with a coach by the same name and similar build, and put him as the DC of Penn State. I took the first HC offer I got, and built up Old Dominion for a few years. Then I took a job with Oregon State. Now, my ultimate goal is to get back to Penn State, but without winning the National Championship. Just to get there as the dynasty progresses, on its own. Unfortunately, Penn State has since gotten good again, and has been competitively in the hunt for the BCS Bowls every season. I'll probably jump a few more teams before I end up a Nittany Lion again.

I'll have to try this when I do my DC dynasty (Not with Penn State of course but the general idea), sounds pretty interesting and seems a good way to learn the ropes of playing on the defensive side before jumping into the dynasty portion.

[R.Moncrief]

The last several editions of NCAAF, I either rolled with Miami (favorite team), California, or Indiana. Indiana was a bit more fun to run before Kevin Wilson.. I have a hard time taking over a program with a created coach when I know the coach in real life is headed toward something special.

With that logic though, California is a great choice. They've been on a downward spiral in recent years and have a new coach IRL, so a new coach in game is feasible. You can completely re-haul the offense/defense to your liking as well.

Another good team is Colorado, a program on the fall from greatness since their 1990 NC championship. They moved to the PAC12 a couple years back so great conference, great history, fun first year with Paul Richardson as one of the best receivers in the PAC12 if not the country (if you use him right).

Texas State is a lot of fun for me as they're the first team I've decided to run a Run and Shoot offense with. I have them in an expanded 12-team Sun Belt conference (added UAB, UTSA, UTEP, North Texas, New Mexico State / removed Western Kentucky). If you actually know how to properly run the Run n Shoot, to the best way possible in a NCAAF game, then Texas State is a lot of fun. I plan on running this one for as long as possible since NCAAF 14 is the final hurrah.

Teams also have new life if you put them in conferences that make more sense than what has actually happened. For instance, put West Virginia in the ACC (swap Maryland for Louisville, then Louisville to BIG12 for West Virginia). This move makes sense as Louisville was believed to be headed to the Big 12 before they decided to go ACC, and West Virginia's three rivals are all in the ACC anyway. Throw BYU in the Big 12 for good measure, as they were also rumored to head there, and you have yourself a big time conference that can easily rival the SEC. And if you set up the Sugar Bowl to be SEC champion v. Big 12 champion, then it's even better!

Indiana demoted to the MAC makes for a fun dynasty. I spent three seasons with that one, two bowl wins and a MAC championship.

Sometimes its fun to use your imagination with conference realignment. Like I mentioned with a Indiana MAC demotion, or WV to the ACC. Try Notre Dame in the B10 for ****s and giggles, or pretend Alabama underwent some major scandal that had them booted from the SEC and got Saban fired ultimately leading to him going on a hiatus from coaching, limit yourself to recruiting 3 star players or less for two seasons, and play in the Big 12 or something. Alabama v. Texas, or v. Oklahoma year in-year out sounds awesome doesn't it?

Eh, hope all this gave you some ideas.