GWJ2STAR 3.0 -- Week 12

Welcome to Week 12!
Remember to visit dynasty.easports.com to publish your own stories.

=============== Buffalo Bulls (7-3) ===============
Last week, Buffalo won 42-10 against Kent State (4-5).
This week, the Bulls are idle.
In recruiting news, the following Buffalo targets have announced their decisions:
- (*) LOLB Brent Chandler has committed to Buffalo
- (***) CB Shelton Bush has committed to Maryland
- (***) LE Jeremy Carpenter has committed to Buffalo
- (****) WR Jason Harvey has committed to Buffalo

=============== Eastern Michigan Eagles (8-3) ===============
Last week, Eastern Michigan won 35-20 against Ball State (2-7).
This week, the Eagles are idle.
In recruiting news, the following Eastern Michigan targets have announced their decisions:
- (***) LG Gary Crowell has committed to Eastern Michigan
- (***) HB Edwin Keller has committed to Eastern Michigan
- (***) LT David Jordan has committed to Eastern Michigan

=============== Marshall Thundering Herd (4-5) ===============
Last week, Marshall won 21-17 against ECU (2-8).
This week, the Thundering Herd travel to Houston to face the Rice Owls (3-7).
In recruiting news, the following Marshall targets have announced their decisions:
- (***) DT Brent Johnson has committed to Temple
- (**) LT Chris Bennett has committed to Marshall

=============== Northern Illinois Huskies (6-3) ===============
Last week, Northern Illinois won 28-17 against Ohio (2-8).
This week, the Huskies will host Toledo (7-2).
In recruiting news, the following Northern Illinois targets have announced their decisions:
- (***) LT Rob Banks has committed to Northern Illinois
- (***) FS Kevin McCauley has committed to Northern Illinois

=============== San Diego State Aztecs (7-3) ===============
Last week, San Diego State won 63-16 against New Mexico (2-7).
This week, the Aztecs will host Nevada (4-6).
In recruiting news, the following San Diego State targets have announced their decisions:
- (***) MLB Antoine Patton has committed to San Diego State
- (***) RE Travis Smith has committed to San Diego State
- (***) WR Devin Morrow has committed to San Diego State
- (***) TE Matt Horne has committed to San Diego State

=============== SMU Mustangs (6-4) ===============
Last week, SMU won 38-24 against Houston (6-2).
This week, the Mustangs will host UCF (5-4).
In recruiting news, the following SMU targets have announced their decisions:
- (***) C Donnell McDonald has committed to Nebraska
- (****) QB Michael Butler has committed to SMU

=============== UTEP Miners (3-8) ===============
Last week, UTEP lost 36-33 against Southern Miss (6-4).
This week, the Miners are idle.
In recruiting news, the following UTEP targets have announced their decisions:
- (***) MLB David McQueen has committed to Kansas
- (***) DT Mike Rush has committed to UL Lafayette
- (***) SS Bryan Brantley has committed to Baylor
- (***) DT Andre James has committed to UTEP
- (***) QB Jonathan Harvey has committed to UTEP
- (***) K Tyson Fry has committed to Nebraska

NIU gets an important win over Toledo, 23-16. The defense (largely) led the way with 18 tackles for a loss and 3 fumble recoveries.

Unfortunately the system didn't have a replay for the best fumble, the result of a MLB tracking the ball carrier as he started to come around the corner from behind the line...and then laying the lumber, forcing a fumble which he also recovered. I don't know if it's because both players were injured, having the wind knocked out of them, but it's annoying not to have that replay.

Toledo's only TD came late in the 4th on a crazy play in which the backup QB (since the starter was knocked out ) threw into triple coverage, the WR somehow caught the ball, and at least one defender stood with his back to the WR while another bounced off of him. Eh, it happens...but I feared I might be headed for another inexplicable 4th quarter loss for awhile!

Unfortunately with only 2 more MAC games and a head-to-head victory against NIU, CMU has pretty much locked up the path to the MAC championship game out of the West. Unless...if they lose against Ball State and EMU, then there could be three teams with 2 losses in conference...but we'll have all beaten each other in some round robin way, so it might have to go to some other tiebreaker, like total record or something. I think even then I'm sunk, but one can hope...

Recruiting is finally falling into place. I'm looking to snag another 5-6 players still. Good luck against Toledo. They were a pain in the ass. I'm going to kick the shizzle out of Idle.

Already beat them. It helped that I knocked their QB out of the game in the first half...

By the way, IGN says NCAA12 has the ability to make custom conferences, sim games from the web, AND the commish can advance weeks from the web!

firesloth wrote:

By the way, IGN says NCAA12 has the ability to make custom conferences, sim games from the web, AND the commish can advance weeks from the web!

Hot beans in the chili of Lloyd Carr!! Liking that bit of new stuff. Madden, take note!

UCF just scared crap out of SMU. They jumped out to a 14-0 lead, and was up 21-7, and nearly 31-14 at the half. They scored with less than a minute left, but Padron was able to hit McCade with a bomb to get SMU into scoring distance, and finished it off with a TD pass to Greenbauer.

Zach Line was beast, but fumbled twice n the first half and really put SMU in a hole. We were still down 31-28 heading into the 4th quarter. After another five TD's scored, SMU squeaked out with a 49-45 win. Not much defense today.

holy crap, I would have said a few choice curse words at the AI during this one. :p

Leroyog wrote:

holy crap, I would have said a few choice curse words at the AI during this one. :p

Oh, I did. I went up 49-45 late, and UCF fumbled their kickoff return. Sure enough, Line goes out injured, and my freshman proceeded to cough the ball up and give them another shot to win the game. UCF did hit a pretty huge 50 yard FG at a time I thought I had made a good stop. I hated giving up those points. I'm used to the crappy kickers giving us the ball back.

Leroyog wrote:
firesloth wrote:

By the way, IGN says NCAA12 has the ability to make custom conferences, sim games from the web, AND the commish can advance weeks from the web!

Hot beans in the chili of Lloyd Carr!! Liking that bit of new stuff. Madden, take note!

Yes!! Those will be awesome changes.

airicc8 wrote:
Leroyog wrote:
firesloth wrote:

By the way, IGN says NCAA12 has the ability to make custom conferences, sim games from the web, AND the commish can advance weeks from the web!

Hot beans in the chili of Lloyd Carr!! Liking that bit of new stuff. Madden, take note!

Yes!! Those will be awesome changes.

I finally read the article. Turns out I was right.

One of the first "professional" video game articles I ever wrote was Female Doggoing about how my alma mater Mizzou's coach was a fat ass in the NCAA games but not in real life.

He is a slaver. What's funny about his joke about taking the Lame Hawks out of the big 12 was that I spent most of last off-season hoping Mizzou would leave for the Big 10. Unlike most rivalries, where I look forward to match-ups, I could not be happier if Kansas never had to play Mizzou again.

SDSU beats Nevada 35-7 although I think if it had been DS I would have lost 35-7 the way I played early.

"I was a big fan of online Dynasty last year, and applying these coaching options to a group of friends is what really gets me excited. A Dynasty where we all start out as offensive or defensive coordinators puts a new spin on the competition, but it's far from the only tweak. When you setup a Dynasty, you have control like never before -- you can make and break conferences."

This is from the NCAA '12 preview. I've been waiting for this offensive/defensive coordinator job availability for so long! It will make the coaching changes so much more fun, especially in offline dynasties (I'm not sure how it will work online).

So, if you're an offensive or defensive coordinator, do you play that side of the ball only or both, or is it just simming the games?

From what I read, you would play all your side of the ball and then you'd see a sort of sim of the others (either you'd watch on the field or like a gamecast). I'd imagine if I were the offensive coordinator and you were the HC, I'd just watch the computer play against you on D then I'd take over on offense.

It could really make our "2-star" idea stand out though as we'd all start off as lowly coordinators (maybe at small schools) and build rivalries/careers from there!

airicc8 wrote:

From what I read, you would play all your side of the ball and then you'd see a sort of sim of the others (either you'd watch on the field or like a gamecast). I'd imagine if I were the offensive coordinator and you were the HC, I'd just watch the computer play against you on D then I'd take over on offense.

It could really make our "2-star" idea stand out though as we'd all start off as lowly coordinators (maybe at small schools) and build rivalries/careers from there!

That's cool. I'd do it if it meant that I only played offense, but there's no way I'd be able to play a dynasty playing only defense. I sim most of my defensive series when games aren't close now.

Are we just waiting on one game or are they all played?

Wait...is Marshall still being played since we lost him as Georgia in the other dynasty?

firesloth wrote:

Wait...is Marshall still being played since we lost him as Georgia in the other dynasty?

No, Marshall is out. I have not looked at the 2Star league. Do I need to roll?

I got my game in against Northwestern in the other league, but it was pretty much a jump on and jump off situation. I will check in later and roll it.

TheCounselor wrote:
airicc8 wrote:

From what I read, you would play all your side of the ball and then you'd see a sort of sim of the others (either you'd watch on the field or like a gamecast). I'd imagine if I were the offensive coordinator and you were the HC, I'd just watch the computer play against you on D then I'd take over on offense.

It could really make our "2-star" idea stand out though as we'd all start off as lowly coordinators (maybe at small schools) and build rivalries/careers from there!

That's cool. I'd do it if it meant that I only played offense, but there's no way I'd be able to play a dynasty playing only defense. I sim most of my defensive series when games aren't close now.

I know what you mean about Defense being hard at times. What I like about it is that you can start as the offensive coordinator and then move up to the head coach. I would think about starting as a D-coordinator and then trying to get a HC job. It'll be interesting to see how it plays out.

Will the coordinators be able to recruit players for their side of the ball? I'm excited!

Jayhawker wrote:

No, Marshall is out. I have not looked at the 2Star league. Do I need to roll?

If everyone is done recruiting. With Marshall out, we only had 3 games this week. All three have been played.

When I looked last night, we were all done, except UTEP needs to recruit. I will roll this evening unless Hansom lets me know he needs more time to recruit.

Once I get a shot and using the 360, I will roll the league.

As I mentioned in the other league's thread, I think I am going to drop out after this season from the 2Star league also. While I have really grown to love this set of sliders, I really wish we were using these from the get-go. Regardless, with a newly patched MLB2K11 and some other games coming out, I want to take a break from league play for awhile. I will be happy to transfer to whoever wants to take the reigns.

I hope that NCAA 12 is everything we want it to be. I will probably wait for awhile before committing to or starting a league. It seems like it is going to have nice options for league play that I want to get feel for. Maybe the OC and DC will be a good way to start, or maybe not.

Plus, I would like to start a league from the ground up with more realistic sliders like we have here. I think these would make playing in BCS conferences even more fun. Part of the reason I wanted to start a 2Star league was to have a challenge, where it was tough to win games. In the second season, it was clear that didn't work. I think the sliders, while much more compelling, were also kind of a shock to the system.

I'm playing an offline dynasty with Kansas using these sliders, and it almost feels too easy. But I still find myself in tight games, even with Iowa State. So my preference is to wait a bit and try out slider sets and go with one that feels like a good balance.

There is also a chance that NCAA 12 is going to blow, and picking NCAA 11 back up will be the best option.

NO!!

But Jay, I do agree with you about starting a league once we are familiar with the best slider sets and options.

Perhaps that can be what the 2-star league is next season; not a league that starts right away, but us waiting until we have the right slider sets and a consensus on what to do with any/all the league options.

Just a thought, but I'll wait for the proper research to be done before wanting to start up the 2-star league again for '12.

Toss me the reigns whenever you want. I'll keep it afloat for those who want to keep going.