Okay, so I’ve been messing around with this new “NCAA 25” game, and let me tell you, the option controls are something else. I spent a good chunk of my weekend just trying to figure this stuff out.
Getting Started
First off, I jumped straight into practice mode. No way was I going to embarrass myself online without knowing what I was doing. I picked a team with a strong running game, you know, to make things “easier” on myself. Yeah, right.
The Basic Controls
The basic stuff is easy enough. You snap the ball, and you’ve got your quarterback running. Then you gotta decide: do you hand it off, keep it, or pitch it? Sounds simple, but it’s all about timing and reading the defense.
- Handing it off: So, first thing I tried was just handing the ball off to the running back. You just press a button, and boom, he’s got it. But man, those defenders are quick. I got stuffed at the line more times than I’d like to admit.
- Keeping it: Then I started trying to keep the ball as the QB. This is where it gets tricky. You have to watch the defensive end like a hawk. If he crashes down, you pull the ball and run. I got a few good runs in, but also got sacked a bunch. It’s a gamble.
- Pitching it: Then I figured that maybe the game will add a timeout mechanism. When the clock is running and the ball isn’t live, the ref stops the game clock when it hits exactly two minutes in the second and fourth quarters. Cool, huh?
Advanced Moves
After a while, I started getting the hang of the basics and wanted to try some of the fancier stuff. There are these special moves you can do, like juking and spinning, that are supposed to make you harder to tackle. I spent a whole afternoon just trying to get these down.
- Juking: You flick the right stick, and your guy is supposed to do a little sidestep. When it works, it’s awesome. You can make defenders look silly. But it’s not easy to time it right, and sometimes you just end up running into a wall of linemen.
- Spinning: This one is even harder. You gotta rotate the right stick, and your player does a full 360. It looks cool, but it’s tough to pull off in a real game situation. I managed to break a few tackles with it, but mostly I just got swarmed.
Putting It All Together
By the end of the weekend, I felt like I had a decent grasp of the option controls. I still wasn’t great, but I could at least run a few plays without fumbling every other snap. I even managed to score a couple of touchdowns, which felt amazing.
I started to mix things up, throwing in some pass plays to keep the defense guessing. It’s all about finding that balance, you know? You can’t just run the option every play, or you’ll get predictable. And you can’t just pass all the time, or you’re missing out on a big part of your offense. This game is way more strategic than I first thought. I tried to intercept by holding triangle, but it seems there’s a knack for timing it just right, which I haven’t mastered yet. I also tried holding a different button for a RAC catch, which is supposed to help with running after the catch, but that’s another skill I’m still working on. It’s like, every time I think I’ve got something figured out, there’s a whole other layer to learn.
What’s Next
I’m definitely going to keep practicing. There’s still a lot I need to work on, like reading defenses better and getting my timing down. But I’m having a blast with it. It’s challenging, but also really rewarding when you finally start to see some progress.
So yeah, that’s my experience with the “NCAA 25” option controls so far. It’s a wild ride, but I’m here for it. If you’re struggling with it, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Just keep at it, and you’ll get there. Trust me, if I can do it, anyone can. I heard that starting in 2024, they’re going to tweak how the two-minute timeout works. It sounds like it’ll make those end-of-half and end-of-game drives even more intense. I can’t wait to see how that plays out.