Simming the Season returns with EA Sports and NCAA Football '14

If you're unfamiliar with what this silly series of posts exactly are, here's a breakdown for you: I simulate the 2013 season for the Cougs in the EA Sports video game NCAA Football '14. I do not play any of the games, as the computer decides the outcomes. Last year, we wound up winning the Rose Bowl and only lost two games. Obviously, this is one giant exercise in stupidity and should not be taken seriously in the slightest. I run the simulation on Heisman difficulty, hoping it will even the playing field even more so. I did not increase the ratings of any players for fear of torches and pitchforks from the people who take this thing seriously.

What I want to do this year is make everyone involved a bit more than last year. This introductory post will list the roster, as well as the depth chart. If there are any players absent who the community deems worthy, I'll include them. The problem with this game is there are a finite number of spots available, so not every player can make the game. Mainly, it excludes some incoming freshman (Cody O'Connell) and walk-on upperclassmen (Bennett Bontempts). I've had to get a little creative with the depth chart, since WSU doesn't use a FB or a TE. If people disagree, I can change things there too.

Lastly, I'll list the players I think should redshirt, but we can all vote on that, too. This is up to you guys. First, let's simply take a look at the roster, and which players are listed at which position.

***

QB: Connor Halliday, Austin Apodaca, Tyler Bruggman, Isaac Dotson

RB: Teondray Caldwell, Leon Brooks, Gerard Wicks, Marcus Mason

FB: n/a

WR: Dominique Williams, Gabe Marks, Brett Bartolone, Vince Mayle, River Cracraft, Bobby Ratliff, Kristoff Williams, Rickey Galvin, Isiah Myers, Robert Lewis, Charleston White

TE: Cole Madison

LT: Gunnar Eklund, Sam Flor, Eduardo Middleton

LG: Jacob Seydel, Matt Goetz, Joe Dahl

C: Elliott Bosch, Denzell Dotson, Carlos Freeman

RG: Rico Forbes, Moritz Christ

RT: John Fullington, Riley Sorenson, Pierson Villarrubia

LE: Matthew Bock, Lyman Faoliu, Gerald Sterling

RE: Xavier Cooper, Destiny Vaeao

DT: Ioane Gauta, Kalafitoni Pole, Daniel Ekuale, Robert Barber, Emmit Su'a-Kalio

LOLB: Cyrus Coen, Ivan McLennan, Eric Oertel, Jared Byers

MLB: Darryl Monroe, Justin Sagote, Chester Su'a, Peyton Pelluer

ROLB: Logan Mayes, Jeremiah Allison, Kache Palacio

CB: Anthony Carpenter, Daquawn Brown, Alex Jackson, Tracy Clark, Rahmel Dockery, Nolan Washington, Damante Horton

FS: Taylor Taliulu, Casey Locker

SS: Deone Bucannon, David Bucannon

K: Andrew Furney

P: Michael Bowlin

***

Now, there are a few interesting choices. First, I downloaded this roster from internet gaming sensation PastaPadre. I've updated it a bit (no more Mansel Simmons or Jake Rodgers), but he updated it from the original default roster as well (no more Henry Eaddy). So this isn't the exact default roster the game came with, but it's not so totally changed that it might mess up results. (If you want to download the roster I made, you can via EA Sports' online locker. My gamertag for Xbox 360 is PlayerKyle14)

You'll notice that I have Isaac Dotson listed as a QB rather than a SS like he was originally. I think he might stick at QB, but if people want him elsewhere, I can move him. It's also interesting that Cole Madison is the only TE on the roster. Unfortunately for him, he's not the starting TE. With that said, onto the depth chart. I should note that every position has three slots, save WR (six), DT and CB (five), and MLB (four).

***

QB:
Halliday
Apodaca
--

RB:
Caldwell
Brooks
Mason

FB:
Madison
--
--

WR:
D. Williams
Marks
Bartolone
Ratliff
K. Williams
Galvin

TE:
Mayle
Cracraft
Myers

LT:
Eklund
Flor
Middleton

LG:
Seydel
Goetz
Dahl

C:
Bosch
D. Dotson
--

RG:
Forbes
Christ
--

RT:
Fullington
Villarrubia
--

LE:
Bock
Faoliu
--

RE:
Cooper
Vaeao
--

DT:
Gauta
Pole
Ekuale
Barber
Su'a-Kalio

LOLB:
Mayes
McLennan
Oertel

MLB:
Monroe
Sagote
Su'a
Byers

ROLB:
Coen
Allison
Palacio

CB:
Carpenter
Brown
Washington
Horton
Jackson

FS:
Taliulu
Locker
--

SS:
Deone Bucannon
David Bucannon
--

K:
Furney
Bowlin
--

P:
Bowlin
Furney
--

KR:
Lewis
Dockery
Galvin

PR:
Dockery
Lewis
Brooks

***

Now you'll notice that Mayle is the starting TE. That's not because I think he's actually a TE, but that's because of the offensive packages in the game, the TE is used quite a bit. Basically, I made Mayle the starting inside receiver opposite Bartolone. Having Cracraft and Myers back him up help because there are a few two tight end sets. It's also important to have Marks above Bartolone so he can play outside. I flipped Mayes from ROLB to LOLB where he'd be lining up as BUCK LB. I also run a 3-4 base defense, so both Monroe and Sagote are starting.

One of the weirdest things I noticed was how low Washington and Horton were rated. They were actually the lowest rated corners on the roster. Now, I've been on record with how overrated I think interceptions are, but Horton as a 68? Yikes. That's a bit rough. The default starting five corners were Carpenter, Brown, Jackson, Clark, and Dockery. I don't think Washington or Horton are First Team All-Pac 12 performers, but they should at least crack that five deep.

I've taken out guys I think should redshirt, and that's why you see a lot of -- spots listed as the 3rd stringer. Once we decide who to actually redshirt, I'll auto fill some backups, but generally, the 3rd stringers don't matter. Here's a list of the players I'm redshirting:

Tyler Bruggman
Isaac Dotson
Gerard Wicks
Charleston White
Carlos Freeman
Riley Sorenson
Peyton Pelluer

So there you have it, folks. Tell me what you think we should change, if anything. Otherwise I'll start and the first game will be posted on Friday.