Build a College Football Dynasty

Completing long passes and running for first downs are challenging, but a rookie coach taking a school from mediocrity to a national championship (and then defending that championship the next year) is a whole different beast. In Dynasty Mode in NCAA® Football 06from EA SPORTS™, there are a number of techniques and strategies you can employ to help become a perennial number one in the Bowl Championship Series (BCS).

Pummel the Little Guys
Beating the poor, little unranked teams may not seem as important as taking on the giants of the game, but if the game is close, you'll end up irreparably harming your BCS ranking. Put the hammer down in these games—don't let up at all. Massacre them if you can. I'm talking 30, 40, 50 point wins. Get noticed as a powerhouse in a hurry!

Don't be a butter fingers.

Make a Multi-Year Plan
Remember, this is Dynasty Mode, not season mode. You don't need to win it all in your first year. In fact, think of your first season as the beginning of a new era, and likely a rebuilding era at that. Try for a winning season, perhaps a bowl invitation at the most. If you get farther, great; if not, don't sweat it. Your job initially is to understand your team and prove to your recruits that you mean business.

Know Your Roster
Most dynasties fail initially from simple ignorance. Get serious about knowing your team, not just your best players. Dive into the roster and research the abilities of all your players. Figure out which D-back should be covering the opponent's star receiver, learn who your second and third best wide-outs are, find out which lineman you should be controlling for the pass rush, which safeties should be dropping back in coverage and which should come up to help support the run. Understanding the faults and merits of your team is just as important as playing them well.

Keep 'Em in Line
College players are an unruly bunch, and you'll likely have to take disciplinary action during the season. Do just that, even with your star players. Don't take action (or take too little), and you draw the ire of the NCAA. Instead of ruining your chances at winning one game, you can ruin a whole season, if not more. However, there's a balance to keep in mind. With only a set amount of disciplinary points, don't go hog-wild early in the season. A good rule of thumb is ease off on the lesser infractions and come down hard on the more serious ones.

Just gliding along.

Load Your Schedule
While not necessarily the best bet in your first season, consider loading up your schedule with top-tier opponents as your team becomes a legitimate contender for the title. Beat the snot out of unranked teams and you'll stick with your current ranking, but moving up requires that you go head-to-head with the best in the nation.

Recruit Every Week
It goes without saying: Use the weekly recruiting after every game and during every bye week. Recruiting new talent is crucial. This isn't the NFL, where you sign a player for six years. In fact, your star players are likely to declare for the draft before their four years are up, so ensure a constant influx of talent. As a general rule, pick two players per week to concentrate on, and spread the remaining points around to other players to make sure they know you're still interested.

Redshirt the Young Stars
Don't ignore this option at the beginning of each new season. Redshirting ensures player progress throughout the year and allows you to keep them around a year longer than normal. Put your star recruits on the roster right away and redshirt promising talent in positions you know will need filling the following year.

Just as in big-time college football, NCAA 06's Dynasty Mode requires you to concentrate more on what takes place off the field than on it. If you want to build a winning program, use these strategies and you'll be hoisting the coveted BCS trophy over your head in no time!

By Alex McLain