EA Sports’ foray into college football video games began far before their NCAA-branded titles of the late 1990s to early 2010s. Following the same model as their Madden franchise, which launched with John Madden Football in 1988, EA sought a notable college football head coach to grace the cover and title.
Who better than a three-time Super Bowl winner coming off a 10-3 season in his second stint as a collegiate head coach? Yet, Bill Walsh’s success wasn’t the only reason EA chose him — it was his innovation.
How EA Sports College Football 25 Honors Bill Walsh
Walsh created the West Coast offense, which essentially used short, horizontal passes to extend the running game and stretch out the defense. The scheme revolutionized football, and many offenses are built on its framework to this day.
As a result, it’s no surprise that EA chose Walsh as the face of their new franchise. Although Bill Walsh College Football only had two iterations (1993 and 1994), it laid the foundation for the games that followed.
In 1995, the series rebranded as College Football USA before taking on the NCAA moniker for the first time in 1997. Now on its fourth name in franchise history, College Football 25 is leaning on what made its inception possible: innovation.
EA revamped the passing mechanic, offering a new and improved way of moving the chains. The developers completely overhauled trajectories and inaccuracy miss locations while also increasing the variance of lead intent with the left stick of controllers.
Players will be able to layer throws exactly where they want them, and “inaccurate” throws will no longer land 5+ yards away from the intended pass catcher; instead, they will be outside of their frame but still catchable.
But perhaps the most noticeable change players will experience is the new throwing meter with three colors: blue, yellow, and red. Throwing in the blue increases the odds of a safe, accurate pass. Yellow attempts offer uncertainty but will still give prospective receivers a chance on the play. However, staying in the red will result in inaccurate throws.
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The size of each color’s area depends on the quarterback’s arm strength and accuracy ratings, throw distance, pressure, and whether the player is on the move.
This renewed focus on precision and strategy pays homage to Walsh’s innovative legacy, ensuring that the spirit of his game-changing tactics continues to shape the future of the college football video game franchise he helped establish.
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