A Simple Offensive Philosophy to Be Competitive
Players in this game have a wide range of skill levels. I am by no means a football genius, but I've been able to compete in Heisman difficulty online leagues and win most head-to-head matchups. I also go into almost every CPU game with a strong feeling I'll win.
As many flaws as this game has, it's evident that playing successfully requires you to play each game like an ACTUAL football game. Others have referenced reading coverages/defenders in the box, etc. Actual football strategies usually work in this game. This isn't NCAA 14, you can't just come out and do whatever you want.
I highly recommend starting an offline dynasty with Heisman difficulty and practicing the principles listed below. Unless you are completely new to football games, this is where you should be, even if it's frustrating at first.
My offensive philosophy is predicated on two primary principles that go hand-in-hand. It's all about managing the game through a simple and conservative approach. I didn't invent this and it's nothing special, it's just how football is usually played. If you find it boring, you probably find actual football boring too.
Take what the defense gives you. There is no competent college football coach that goes out there and wings it. The defense should be dictating what your play call is going to be. Stop picking a play because "this looks like a touchdown" in the playbook and start picking plays because "this looks like positive yardage" based on what the defense is showing you. There are weaknesses to every defensive scheme/play call, your goal should be to exploit those weaknesses. Big plays will happen but you can't force them.
If you come out with a pass play and see a box advantage, that's an easy 4+ yard run. Audible to inside zone or whatever run play you prefer, and take the free yards, especially if it's 1st down. Get comfortable taking any positive play, even if it's a 2 yard gain.
Establish a balanced game plan. Effectively running and passing is substantially more damaging to your opponent than just airing it out all game. Also, long drives (10+ plays) are more damaging than quick scores on big plays. You should be trying to keep it close from a game management perspective and expanding the lead when the opportunity presents itself. Big plays will happen, just don't force it.
Stop rolling out every time. Drop back, step up, move around in the pocket. Is it always gonna work? No. Is your lineman always gonna block perfectly? No. But you'd be surprised how much better they do when you move like an actual QB. You'll notice when you have a scramble opportunity, don't force a scramble.
Get comfortable with your playbook and your audibles. Spamming the same routine plays or only using a small portion of your playbook *might* work against the CPU, but you'll get shredded in a head-to-head matchup against a competent player. These playbooks are massive, don't limit yourself.
Limit the turnovers. Turnovers are dreaded in football for good reason. Many of you are wondering why you're throwing so many picks, yet try and go for the big play every time. Yeah, sometimes the defense is gonna make a superhuman play, but if you're throwing as many picks as you say, I can already tell it's mostly on you.
Sacrifice your love of yards/touchdowns for not throwing picks. I'd much rather end the game with 220/2/0 than 420/4/4. An interception means you've given away your chance to score to the other team, and in the worst-case scenario, they're getting it in your territory or taking it back for six.
Before the snap, check the routes. Whether you hot route or not, sequence your reads. You don't even need to look at all of them during the play. I've never played QB, I still make the wrong read or miss an open guy, but you have to have some idea of the timing of the routes based on what the defense is showing you. You don't even need to know what is best to beat cover 2, 3, or 4, or even how to read them, you just have to have a general idea *before* the snap.
Utilize your checkdowns. I rarely have all of my receivers on deep and/or long-developing routes. Try and keep at least one receiver/back on a short route and dump it down if the other reads aren't there. You may even have him open in space immediately, in that case, give him the ball. If a college team came out with the same “I'm gonna sling it downfield no matter the coverage" mindset that some of you have, they too would set records for INTs thrown.
Slide with your scrambling QB. You don't have to every time, but if you notice there's no escaping the 5 defenders closing in, slide early. Don't wait til the last second. If you're on the sideline with no lane, get out of bounds. Also, I've had decent success holding the tuck ball button before those kinds of tackles, regardless of the player. No idea if that's helping, but I don't seem to fumble as much.
Punt the ball. While not directly a turnover, going for it on 4th and 8 from your own 25 because you're frustrated is the same thing as throwing a pick on your own 25. Make it easier on your defense and flip the field. Offense can indirectly be defense and vice versa.
There's more to it than this, but this is REAL football and applies to every offensive scheme. You can run Air Raid/No Huddle or Triple Option and still prioritize taking what the defense gives you and taking care of the ball. I enjoy the difficulty and the realistic games. Dumb stuff is gonna happen, but more of it is in your control than you think.
Brandon Scobey is a Featured Columnist for Four Verts: An CFB 25 Substack. He also writes for The League Winners covering the Steelers and Sooners.He currently is a junior at Florida A&M University. Follow him on X and Instagram at yoitsbrandonfr.
Episode 2: Four Downs w/Four Verts
In case you missed our email blast earlier today, we published the second episode of our podcast Four Downs w/Four Verts. Check out the episode and subscribe on Spotify for future episodes.
In this episode, C Jackson Cowart and Jeremy Vernon highlight significant gameplay changes post-patch, including improved pursuit angles, tighter passing, and reduced exploitable offensive plays. They also address dynasty mode improvements, such as fixed bugs and better sim logic.
Jeremy shares defensive strategies, emphasizing pre-snap preparation and user control. They recommend the 4-2-5 and 4-5 defensive formations and discuss favorite teams like Charlotte, Arizona, Michigan, and Boise State. They conclude with tips for recruiting and recommend checking out Bordeaux's Imperialism series.
Tip of the Day: No Adjustment Defense for Beginners
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Thank You Mills!
We wanted to quickly express our appreciation to Mills, who gave us an unsolicited shout-out on Twitter over the weekend (we're still not calling it X). If you’re unfamiliar with Mills, he produces some of the most innovative content around College Football ‘25 and MLB the Show, among other games.
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