The Dynasty will be run in a sim style manner. In this way, it is expected that all players conduct themselves in a manner that makes the game fun, fair, and challenging for both parties involved. The primary goal, in my opinion, for participating in a video game league is to have fun. We all know that some of the cheap lobby tactics that take advantage of the CPU AI or just display poor sportsmanship can quickly turn playing the game into an unpleasant hour of gaming. The rules/guidelines are not here to make people feel restricted or confined in their game play but more so ensure that the hour you spend playing is enjoyable in victory or defeat and you are respectful of your opponents experience.

Difficulty Level - Heisman
Quarter Length - 7 Minutes
Recruiting Difficulty - All-American
Game Speed - Normal

Table of Contents
I.) Play Style
II.) Advancement
III.) Gameplay Rules
. . . . 1.) No Cheese
. . . . 2.) Moving Players
. . . . 3.) Play-Calling
. . . . 4.) Call a Paced Game
. . . . 5.) Play-Action
. . . . 6.) 4th Down Rules
. . . . 7.) User vs AI Games (Stat Padding)
. . . . 8.) Missing/Not Playing Games

IV.) Reporting Broken Rules
V.) Penalty for Breaking Rules
VI.) The Offseason

Play style:
Everyone has a play style of their own. Choices of Air Raid vs Option vs Pro Style and 4-3 vs 3-4 vs 4-2-5 really sets NCAA apart from Madden. These differences are more than welcomed as it makes for a diverse league, but it's still important to mix up your play calls. Mixing up running and passing. Calling different types of man defense, zone defense, blitzes, and zone blitzes. While people have favorite plays in key situations, running it over and over in that situation should be avoided, such as screen passes on 3rd and longs or FB Dives on each 3rd and Short. While the popularity of the "Spread" offense has sky-rocketed and the reliance on an Air-Raid type of offense is true to some college's styles, those teams still run the ball. Likewise, only playing one defensive formation against one offensive package should be avoided as well.

Advancement:
The league will likely advance every 4-5 days. We will use the forum to post when a week is open as well as when the next advance date will be. If all games are played early the will advance the week early. Please note that advance will not be held up for recruiting only.

Gameplay Rules:
1. No cheesing
While EA has done a decent job of removing AI flaws in their games, should any cheap tactics like rocket user catching and nano blitzing be found, they will not be tolerated. Play the game against your opponent, not the AI.

2. Moving Players
A.) Moving defensive lineman manually is not allowed.
B.) Moving Linebackers is allowed, but limited. You may only move linebackers horizontally; you are not allowed to manually bring them up tighter into the box on the edge, or into a gap. Once you move your linebacker, you must stick with them; you may not change to another player to move.
C.) Moving DB's will follow much of the same reasoning as LB's, here primarily horizontal, and with a limited vertical range, in that a safety must remain a few yards minimum behind a linebacker's depth unless you are showing blitz coverage (with Triangle + Right). If in blitz coverage, the Strong Safety is treated like a linebacker, the Free Safety must remain deep. Once you manually move your defensive back, you may not change to another player to move.

3. Play-Calling
Mix up play calling on both offense and defense. Expand your playbook by trying new plays and formations in Practice Mode if you're not comfortable with a big playbook. If the offense spreads the field with 4 receivers or more, you shouldn't be in a base defense. Some formation's package subs will put a Nickel/Dime personnel on the field. Those are great, but they are not a replacement for calling true Nickel/Dime formations. Cover 2/3/4/6 and man-to-man need to be mixed in to calls as well as not calling Bump-and-Run all the time. If you're backed up into your own red zone, whatever formation you want to use is fine because the situation dictates it.

4. Call a paced game
Do not rush plays to try and pad stats, and do not milk the clock until the final 2 minutes of the game in a certain victory. Even with no-huddle attacks you should give the defense a chance to call plays. (the_EDJ: "My personal rule is to run the clock to 20 seconds when I go no huddle. That way if I change formations the defense can react. And if I don't I know they've had a fair chance to call a play.")

5. Play-action
In past games, play-action often took advantage of a weak AI no matter the down and distance. Because of that, do not call play-action passes on 3rd and long (5 yards or more to go).

6. 4th Down Rules
Up by 14 or more – You are not allowed to go for it. You must kick (FG or Punt).
Up by 13 or less (or tied) – You may go for it if it is 4th and short (3 yards or less) but only if you have reached your opponent's 35 yard line.
Losing by 16 or less - you may go for it in on 4th and short (3 yards or less) but only once you have crossed midfield and entered your opponent’s side of the field.
Losing by 17 or more - you may attempt a 4th down conversion in any situation.

***If you find that a player broke a 4th down rule, it is expected that the violator punt the ball to the opponent immediately.

7. User vs. AI Games (Stat Padding)
Often, the AI does not offer a challenge for players. Because of this, User vs. AI games can get out of hand. As sim style goes, it can be difficult to regulate players who stat boost star players in hopes of leading the dynasty in different categories.

In playing AI games, there will be no stat boosting allowed. It is expected of AD's to sub in reserve players in the second half of blowout victories. NCAA makes this easy with the Mass Sub option.

8. Missing/Not Playing Games
It is understood that there will be times when a user will not be able to play his game due a busy schedule, personal reasons, etc. However if this becomes a trend that a user is missing games then there will be a penalty enforced. It is not fair to the other users that play their games that a user can miss mulitple games, potentially get sim victories and earn a post season championship or bowl game. If a user misses 4 games (1/3 of the regular season) and his games are simmed as a result, then that user will not be allowed to participate in the post-season. That includes the Conference Championship Game and/or Bowl Game. The User will instead be put on auto-pilot for those games.

Reporting of Breaking Rules
The hardest part of enforcing rules is proving the infraction took place. The most important part is avoiding the immature he said/they said type arguments. We are adults, act like it. Stats are the easiest to track. Providing proof is important if you want to PM me with your concerns. Sometimes videos or snapshots, or a cell phone picture of something displaying the infraction can become important. We have a good group of guys, so this shouldn't become an issue.

Breaking of Rules:
Should an AD break a rule, the infraction will be taken into consideration and 1 of 3 scenarios can take place.

1) Suspension of star/key player(s) for a number of games. It will be the AD's responsibility to abide by the decision and bench their player in all phases of the game for the duration of the penalty.
2) Booted from the league.
3) The commissioner has the option to throw out results of games. (Part of the decision will allow the owner a chance to play again, or be forced to simulate the game.)

The Off-Season
We will fly through the off-season as fast as we can. The schedule will be provided at the end of Bowl Season. Expect minimal things like player transfers to be skipped over, wheres players will be given 12 hours to recruit and convince players to stay. In this setup, we should get through the off-season in about 4 or 5 days.

While I feel firmly about these rules, they are open for discussion for the most part. Send me any questions or open discussion of the rules.