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Schedule Game 1: N. Mexico St. Game 2: Arkansas Game 3: Rice Game 4: Tulane Game 5: K-State Game 6: Oklahoma Game 7: Iowa St. Game 8: Baylor Game 9: Nebraska Game 10: OSU Game 11: Texas Tech Game 12: Texas A&M Orange Bowl: vs. FSU • Index • Methodology • The Real Schedule • Talk UT Sports |
How Are We Doing It?
By Matt Thompson
Austin360
The games will be played on a Playstation 2 with the game "EA Sports NCAA Football 2003." (Available on the web at EASports.com.) For those unfamiliar with such things, the game comes with most of the players on 117 Division I-A teams. Due to college rules, the players aren't mentioned by name, but the numbers correspond, and you can add the names in "edit" mode. (For example, "QB No. 5" becomes "Chance Mock" and so forth and so on.) The game's highly detailed, especially in "Dynasty" mode, which entails hiring and firing coaches, recruiting players, setting schedules - just about everything but wining and dining wealthy alumni (a feature I'm sure will be included in the 2004 version).
Since this game was released last Fall, the rosters were for the 2002-2003 season, hence I had to let the game play out a full season on its own so I could purge the roster of graduating seniors and give younger players, such as Vincent Young and the aforementioned Mock, time to develop.
Here, I ran into a problem. After the season (which was wildly successful, I should point out - let's just say UT had no problem handling Oklahoma - twice - according to the folks at EA), the computer was convinced Roy Williams, B.J. Johnson and Nathan Vasher would all go pro. This would purge them from the roster and make the subsequent season largely unplayable.
My first reaction was to create "prospects" identical to the guys, so Texas could just re-sign them during the recruiting segment of the game. Problem was, they were major prospects, and they ended up signing elsewhere. (One went to Virginia Tech - another, I won't say who, ended up north of the Red River.)
Ultimately, I was forced to start over, redshirt the lot of them, and limp through the season without three of the team's top players. (Surprisingly, the Horns did great even without them - winning the Rose Bowl over Southern Cal.)
This kept the guys in burnt orange for 2003, and set the team up much as it appears today. (I let the computer do the recruiting, by the way, and it did quite well. UT ended up with the second highest-ranked class in the country - I told you the game was detailed - and looked somewhat similar to the class Mack Brown managed in real life.)
GROUND RULES
1.) I call the plays, but let the computer do the actual playing. (I've a tendency toward tricks and such, which earned me several National Championships in the past - I'd hate to tarnish anything UT manages on the field.)
2.) Absolutely, under no circumstances, will I hit the "reset" button. (Though, even as I type this, I'm doubting I have the willpower to pull it off, I nonetheless vow I will stick to this rule.)
3.) Ten-minute quarters. I'm thinking this will get me approximately the same amount of snaps per side per game as in the real world's 15-minute variety, but with the added bonus of preventing me from going insane. I'll see how it works out.
4.) Where possible, I'll try to imitate the play-calling of Brown, Greg Davis, Carl Reese, etc. That said, if it ain't working in Videoland, I'll do what I can to help the Longhorns adapt to the cyber situation.
5.) Results will be posted on Wednesday each week.
PRESEASON SURPRISES
Chance Mock had a better run in Spring Football than his video counterpart did. In fact, according to the computer, Young's ready to start. Not by a huge margin, but a significant one.
I'm gonna stick with Mock, nonetheless. At least for the first game or so. I figure I owe it to him after he's labored away in relative obscurity behind Chris Simms. (That's me, making all my decisions on sentiment already - always was a weakness of mine.)
That said, expect a very, very swift hook, though, should Mock start to struggle.
Cyber-Cedric Benson also had a monster camp (closer in line with the real thing), which is good, because I plan on leaning on him heavily, especially through the early stages of the season. (And, unlike the real one, the EA version made no overtures about defecting for EA's MVP Baseball 2003.) Not sure what I'm gonna do if he opts for Dodger Blue instead of Horn Orange, but I'll cross that bridge when he comes to it.
Other than that, the preseason was uneventful.
Let's hope things go as smoothly once the action begins.
WANT IN?
Drop me an email with a screenshot attached of a particularly one-sided UT victory (bonus points for victories over Oklahoma), or details of an extremely stellar accomplishment. If I get enough, I might make a gallery out of it. (Or at least honor you in print ... er ... pixels.)
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» Boat Dealers & Builders
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» Boat Repair & Detailing
» Boat Towing & Transporting
» Dock Builders
» Marinas & Storage
» Bowling
» Camps & Campgrounds
» Fishing Guides & Farms
» Fishing Tackle & Supplies
» Golf
» Guides
» Horse Boarding & Training
» Horse Saddlery & Supplies
» Ice Skating
» Martial Arts Instruction
» Recreation Centers
» Roller Skating
» Scuba Diving
» Shooting Ranges
» Skiing
» Skydiving & Parachuting
» Snowmobiles & ATVs
» Sports Clubs
» Sports Equipment
» Rental & Repair
» Sporting Goods Stores
» Sports Instruction
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