Just finished my first game using 8 minute quarters, AA setting, default sliders.
My created team VS Miss St. They fucking killed me, 65-3. It was the worst beatdown I've ever had in video game football. Here's some stats from my team-
QB 8/39 completed. 97 yards.
I'd say that 6 or so of these passes were dropped passes. The rest were a result of heavy coverage or underthrown balls. I couldn't connect for shit. So, i agree that dropped passes is in there. But, it doesn't strike me as a "problem". I'll probably adjust the sliders a bit, but its not like I was kicking the floor out of anger because someone should have caught something he didn't. Then again, I am using a really low stat team...so I expect this.
HB-29 attempts, 29 yards. Un-real. It wasn't his fault so much as it was the o-line. They were completely dominated by the bulldigs. I couldn't run much on the inside at all, a hole never developed. The outside faired a little better, as tosses this year are a step up over last years guaranteed tackles for loss. They aren't a huge step up though. While guards definitely pull better (Much faster, and they are aware), the WR's on your team might suck royal wang at being aware on blocking...I mean just running past a tackler. That being said, the running game is good. Better then last years.
On the defense side of things, I found it very nice to find that a OLB was the leader in tackles as opposed to a DB. Likewise, the D-Line play is much improved which equals more tackles. The reason for this is there isn't as much suction blocking as before. So, the days of swim/dive are over. You have to watch yourself. Some times its better then to just jump in and hold back. This has been the case for running, but never for D-Line play. Very good.
I had 4 INT's, Miss had 2. They were all the result of the QB's poor throwing, not majic INT's. One thing I found cool was taking a timeout, and coaching my rattled secondary. The play right after, I picked off the QB in the endzone. Nice.
Speaking of rattling/composure, I think I got my ass kicked so bad because my team was really rattled. Especially my O-Line. They were just totally shook, and it showed in play. No holes opened up at all.
The same was true for the opposite team. I managed to absolutely level the QB as he got the ball off. After that, he was shook for a little while. Whenever someone got close to him he'd throw it away. Not like the "get it off just as he's an inch away from a sack", but he would throw the ball away or just run. That was pretty damn cool.
1 liners-
Grass stains suck. They were much better in the older versions. At times they can look like day glow.
One of my players blew a call because the noise got to him. Pretty cool.
Overall, the games better then NCAA 2004. By how much? Well, all the improvements are basically subtle. I don't feel the jump that I felt from 2003 to 2004, but there are tweaks that probably make NCAA 2005 the best NCAA game to date. Its just when you add in the sporatic slowdown (which only reared its ugly head on 1 play in my entire game) and the step backs like bad grass stains, unimproved creation mode...that's when you go "Damn, what could have been".
Don't get me wrong, I dig it. Absolutely. I'll be playing in the tourney, and a dynasty of my own. But, I got to call it as I see it. It could have been better.
