EA NCAA Football 09 Hints and Tips
Guide to Play Selection, Offense, and Defense for New Players
EA’s long-running college football franchise, NCAA Football, is an incredibly-detailed and faithful recreation of the actual game. Over the years, countless new features have come together to create an intensely complicated game that can be intimidating for those who haven’t played each yearly installment since the series’ inception.
Dialing down the difficulty is one way of dealing with the game’s steep learning curve. Unfortunately, playing on the lowest difficulty level often leads to blowout victories and seriously diminishes the fun of the game. After all, college football is supposed to be about close games and come from behind victories, not 77-3 blowouts.
Fortunately, there are a few tips that can help new players compete against more competitive opponents at the varsity level.
Play Selection: Ask Corso
NCAA 09’s “ask Corso” feature is a lifesaver. For many new players the endless pages of formations and plays can be daunting and sorting through them can lead to countless delay of game penalties.
Selecting “ask Corso,” however, narrows the playbook down to several plays that are usually appropriate for the current game situation. The A.I. is far from perfect, but there’s usually enough selection to find the kind of play that the player wants to run.
There will be times when Corso’s selections may not line up exactly with the player's wishes (the punt block play never seems to show up in fourth down situations, for example) but for the most part, having the enormous playbook narrowed down is a lifesaver.
NCAA Football 09 Offense
Many players who are new to NCAA football struggle with understanding receiver routes and consequently throw many interceptions. Unless the route is a basic streak, the key is to wait for the receiver to make their move and then throw the ball.
- On a slant route, for example, wait for the receiver to turn toward the middle of the field and make sure the defender is behind him before firing off that bullet pass.
Just like in the real game, it’s important not to lock in on one receiver. If a cornerback is sticking to the number one receiver like glue, the player should not be afraid to look for the tight end or dump the ball off to a running back underneath.
- If the quarterback has a lot of space around him, scrambling for the first down is sometimes an effective option as well.
Certain plays are more effective than others. Passing to the running back out of the backfield is almost always good for several yards. Remember this when it’s third and two.
NCAA Football 09 Defense
Choosing which player to control on defense can be confusing as well. Unlike the offensive side of the ball, there are eleven different options.
New players should avoid defensive backs because pass coverage is one of the most difficult defensive roles and mistakes in the secondary can be very costly, often leading to touchdowns for the other team.
Rookies should stick to the defensive line. Defensive end is a very important position that is not terribly difficult to play. On most plays there is but one job, get to the quarterback.
- Defensive ends usually get most of the sacks, and few things in the game are more satisfying than taking down the opposing quarterback five yards behind the line.
Utilizing the "ask Corso" feature along with these basic tips for offense and defense can improve a new player's ability to compete effectively in NCAA Football 09.
NCAA Football 09 is available for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Playstation 2, Nintendo Wii, and PSP consoles.
NCAA 09 for Xbox 360
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