Orange and Blue Hue » EA Sports Likes Some Gators, Also Likes Some Crappy Team’s Players Too Much

EA Sports Likes Some Gators, Also Likes Some Crappy Team’s Players Too Much

I love EA’s NCAA Football series. So help me sweet baby Jesus, I love it.

My first encounter was NCAA 2004. Didn’t play it much. Got NCAA 05 and via random button mashing and playcalling, learned that Chris Leak threw a fantastic bomb to Chad Jackson on play-action out of the Ace formation. Discovered the direct HB snap, slot outs, and the speed option. Addiction set in.

Now it’s gotten to the point that I eagerly anticipate EA’s July launch of their college football franchise. Hell, I even look forward to the unveiling of the cover athlete. I was a little annoyed when Jared Zabransky (are you kidding me?) made the cover — instead of national championship MVP Chris Leak! — for NCAA ‘08.

Now NCAA ‘09 is soon to be upon us and the requisite team ratings are starting to leak out. A screenshot of Florida’s team ratings appear above. Not surprisingly, “QB #15″ is atop the list, followed by “WR #1″.

Tebow’s a 99 overall with a massive truck rating of 90, 85 strength, 84 speed (still seems too slow to me, he’s a legitimate 4.5er from what I can tell) and an awareness level of 88.

Harvin is given a 98 for speed. (How is he not a 99? Oh, well.)

Color me more than a little surprised that EA Sports considers Brandon Spikes and Dustin Doe the 3rd and 4th best players on the team. Spikes, maybe, but D.D.? Note that guys like Louis Murphy, Carlos Dunlap, Aaron Hernandez, and Chris Rainey don’t even make the first screen. Scary! Nice to see our OL get a little love, though. Should be a damn good line and it helps in this game just like it does in real life.

Now, that being said, I have to now direct my ire at EA Sports (and the rest of the college football institution, I suppose, who buy into this sort of nonsense) and simultaneously pick on our buddies at Eleven Warriors a little bit. As much as we like those dudes, there’s not much love lost between Gator fans and Ohio State fans — am I right? So let’s call it open season thanks to this little gem:

Click to see larger version

EA gives James Laurinaitis a 99 overall rating and is considered the Bucks’ best player. Yes, “Little Animal!” EA claims he’s faster than Tebow, nearly as strong, significantly more agile, and he gets a big awareness boost (94 instead of Tebow’s 88.) His Break Tackle and Truck ratings are lower but only because they are by default — linebackers tackle rather than get tackled.

What a load of B.S. Laurinaitis is the most consistently overrated player of the last few years. He was exposed both times the Bucks played superior competition in their ‘06 and ‘07 seasons and was a total non-factor in both of Ohio State’s national championship game appearances. Laurinaitis can be counted on to arrive a step late, or at a bad angle, or to incorrectly read the pre-snap offense such that he takes himself out of the play before it starts. My salient memory of Laurinaitis — when Florida whipped his overrated ass — is when the big fella got caught on camera heaving and struggling to catch his breath in the 3rd quarter… in his first of two blowout losses to SEC teams.

The Big 10 is a BCS conference, but let’s stop kidding ourselves. If any conference is better suited to preserving players who are good only in a mythical sense, it’s that one. One or two good teams with 9 mediocre to bad teams battling it out year in and out produce rather shammy player reps at times.

A player with Laurinaitis’ physical measurements (6′ 3″, 244 lbs.) and game-breaking speed and strength ratings ought to be a first-round NFL pick at minimum and probably would have his name called in the Top 10. Yet, I do not predict this will happen with the real James Laurinaitis because if my dumb ass can easily figure out that he’s slow, doesn’t have great feel for the position and is incredibly annoying as a faux WWE wrestler, the NFL scouts were all over it two years ago. Laurinaitis is a 4th-round pick if he’s lucky, could easily go 5th or 6th round and I would frankly not be surprised one whit if he went undrafted. Nyah.

Now, that’s not to say great college players are always good pro picks, because they’re not. But come on, if you’re a great college linebacker you should be a good pro prospect. That is one position which regularly rewards good players, sort of like defensive linemen.

Now, EA Sports follow their blunder with a properly conceived player rating for HB #28 (Beanie Wells). That kid’s a legitimate Heisman contender and other than his 99 truck rating (come on, he wasn’t knocking everyone over like bowling pins last year) I agree with the rest. Also appreciate that receivers Robiskie and Hartline were left off the list (sorry, those are not elite receivers and never will be) and that QB Todd Boeckman didn’t get onto the first screen either.

So, is Laurinaitis overrated? Or am I the one that’s crazy? Why or why not? Discuss.

34 Comments so far
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I just dont know how a MLB got 96 Acceleration… Thats my main problem

Also, I’d much rather tackle Chris Wells than Tebow

what are emoody’s stats

all i have to say is:

GOOOO TEBOW!!!
GOOOO GATORS!!!

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7999670

Man, we are edging closer and closer to the season. Just need my Steele and NCAA ‘09 and I’m about ready to go!

Nick: 9th comment down on that “Mock(ery) draft” says it all.

“I smell BS….. Laurinaitis has yet to make a stop for loss of yards in either of the previous two BCS games…. and Illinois ran the same play for 8 mins. and Laurinaitis was lost… hey #33 hes running up the middle……. and will be for the next 8 mins……. what a joke.”

Hey now, Greg Lauranitis shouldn’t be THAT much of a disease on a team.

Not like his brother James.

Look around the nation and tell me who is a better linebacker though? Mauluga? He is a beast but more of a hard hitter than anything else. Laurinaitis has a knack for the ball. Chock it up to bad defensive schemes for not getting tackles in the backfield. He makes plays and seldomly lets a guy get by him. Say what you want, but he broke the record for tackles in a championship game. He is just a hard nosed linebacker that will be taken in the 1st round. He is a dream fit for the Patriots, hopefully he doesn’t go there, but I could see them trading for him….

Wow! It’s amazing how all the Florida fans on here know more than the NFL scouts and National analysts who stated that Lauranitis would have been the 1st linebacker picked had he left early!

Gatorpilot, the reason he got a 99 for trucking is because he has a killer stiff arm…..see the any game he played in last year (including the LSU game) if you think I’m making this stuff up.

Gator Boys, this comment:
“I’d much rather tackle Chris Wells than Tebow ”
makes me wonnder if you should even be allowed to reproduce. I understand that Tebow is a beast and 1 of the best (if not the best) player in the country….but any person in their right mind (if they had to choose 1 or the other and couldn’t simply run away) would rather tackle Tebow than Wells.

Lastly, Gatorpilot….I hope your humble pie isn’t molded when “Lil Animal” IS drafted in the 1st round because I’m already fixing it for you.

I suppose I made that statement and will have to back it up if he’s a first round draft choice, but I just don’t see an exceptional pro in the works with Lil’ Animal. The guy is way more average than his rep.

Which reminds me, our own star linebacker, Brandon Spikes Melissacoccus, is also overrated.

Meanwhile, Tim Tebow Ashleycommoncold will suffer a drop off in performance, preventing him from winning a second Heisman and ring.

Last but not least, Percy Harvin Whitneywhoopingcough has gained weight, sacrificing some speed for muscle and making him merely an average WR.

And I heard Michigan was a public Ivy while Ohio State kids are party animals.

Michael Redd, crimson, he he.

Ok, I’ll admit…that was pretty funny Vince.

Then here’s one for ya, Wil?

How many Michigan kids does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

Three. One to screw in the lightbulb, one to brag that the first could screw in the lightbulb faster than anyone, and one to sue Ohio State if the bulb burns out.

“He was exposed both times the Bucks played superior competition in their ‘06 and ‘07 seasons and was a total non-factor in both of Ohio State’s national championship game appearances.”

Yep, he only had 18 FUCKING TACKLES against LSU…a COMPLETE non-factor!

“Laurinaitis is a 4th-round pick if he’s lucky, could easily go 5th or 6th round and I would frankly not be surprised one whit if he went undrafted.”

Holy Shit, I actually laughed out loud at this part. I don’t care who you are a fan of, that is just nonsense. Laurinaitis will be a top 5 pick next year. The question is, were will Mr. Tebow end up? The answer…Mr. Tebow, meet Mr. Eric Crouch…..

And gator fans, you got to talk shit all last year to us Buckeyes, but that time has ended. 9-4 people…..9-4.

Nice!

Tyler,

9-4 with a loss to a pretty crappy Big 10 team in a bowl game. Not a good year.

Ohio State would be lucky to go 6-6 playing that schedule. Be glad you’ve got the Big 10 to hide in.

Can we have a vote? Tebow is tougher than Wells and as a defender I’d be more scared of Tebow.

Does it really need a vote? Tebow is obviously a guy that defenders are less enthusiastic about tackling. For good reason.

If Percy Harvin is a 98 speed… does that make Morgan Trent a 104?

Completely agree on Laurinaitis, the guy makes quite a few tackles… 5-7 yards down-field.

Wow! Now don’t get me wrong I don’t think Ohio State would have went to the National Championship Game last year had they played Florida’s schedule. But 6-6 and defenders being less enthusiastic about tackling Tebow than Wells? You guys must be on some seriously good crack.

Here is the truth whether Ohio State fans or Florida fans want to here it:

If Ohio State and Florida switched schedules they’re results would probably be the same….that is Ohio State would have probably ended up 9-4 and Florida would probably have ended up losing in the National Title game (sorry but your defense wasn’t good enough to come close to winning it last year) and having it’s only other loss being to…well MIchigan (have to go with that 1 because it actually happened).

Lauranitas IS over-rated. Not nearly as over-rated as Gatorpilot thinks, probably should have been a late 1st round or a 2nd round pick this year…that said, he does have a CHANCE to improve on that this year and actually live up to the hype.

There is no defender in this country he isn’t wearing a Florida jersey that would even say that he would rather go head to head with Wells instead of Tebow (and the Florida guys would be lying). Now, they would probably rather defend against Wells because he is a running back that can’t throw as compared to a quarterback that can run.

As great as he is, and I have said on several occasions that he is probably the best college football player this year (offensively at least), Tebow is not stronger and does not hit harder than Wells….that is an ignorant comment. However, it’s also probably not as far off as most Ohio State fans think.

It doesnt matter if he is overrated. The scouts and the NFL love him. He is going in the first round no matter what. Its just is it going to be top 5 or top 10.

About Tackling Chris Wells. Ask LSU about that…

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Nnuk4X6tajs

and thats just when he was running past them. Tim Tebow cant do that

I dont know what you OSU fans are thinking… Wells running by people are Tebow running over people are completely different Nobody is saying Tim is faster than Chris Wells, we’re saying he is stronger/tougher.

are=and. obviously. my bad

Yeah, I think Nick must not have watched a lot of Gator games. As an example — and this kind of thing has of course happened many times, not just occasionally — Tebow was tackled by LaRon Landry (now an NFL safety) in his freshman year (’06). Tebow dragged Landry 5 yards and then used his body to knock down LSU’s *other* safety, also an All-American. He then spun free and almost danced into the endzone except an outstretched hand on the ground grabbed his ankle and tripped him. It was an incredible play, and there’s no chance Beanie Wells has that in him. None.

Tebow trucks through people like nobody in the game — except maybe LSU’s Jacob Hester. Beanie Wells is a great running back and I’d take him any day of the week on our team, but he’s definitely not as difficult to bring down as Tim Tebow. I’m really quite amused that OSU fans think otherwise. It has to be a lack of exposure to Tebow’s running feats. The guy definitely stands alone.

Say what you will about the illustrious wells, TT’s touchdowns says it all. Don’t give me the threat of the pass, they knew what he was going to do and uninjured, did it better than anyone. When Beanie gets a Heisman, talk, until then…..shhhhh.

And btw, why are we arguing with tOwnedSU?

Welcome to all you Buckeyes out there - it is extremely refreshing to read about something on here other than UK basketball!!

You have to remember that these games are always a year behind- so Moody and Rainey are probably not even in the game….

Make fun of Ohio all you want URBANISAGOD. However, it’s a shame that you had to get a coach from OHIO to help you win your last NC.

Gatorpilot, we are not talking about Wells running by people. We are talking about him running over people and having a wicked sick stiff arm. While you’re casting stones about tOSU fans not watching Tebow….you probably should have watched Wells a little more often. He repeatedly runs people over and/or stiff arms them out of the way. Look at the facts: Tebow is taller and weighs the same amount, Beanie is slightly faster (according to 40 times), and on the eye test Wells has probably less body fat and more muscle mass than Tebow (that is not a knock on Tebow, that is just the nature of QB’s and RB’s).
Gatorpilot I normally think you’re pretty realistic about things….but this one is really killing me…you’re basically saying you think Tebow is the hardest hitting runner in the NCAA. That is a ridiculous comment….please go watch some Beanie Wells Highlights on youtube where he is running people over, stiff arming an LSU defender to the point where he is airborne, and having a defender bounce off of him (Washington I think, not sure though) while he kept on “trucking.”

I do believe that Tebow is the hardest QB to take down head to head and probably harder to take down head to head than the majority of RB’s in college football…..but there are several RB’s that are harder to take down than him…and some of them are harder to take down than Beanie also. It’s not a knock on Tebow it’s just the truth.

Wil, I respect your take on this. You are a very objective and well-reasoned OSU fan and your opinion carries weight with me. I did watch roughly 70% of OSU’s games last year and overall Wells was impressive… although most of the competition was not really at an elite level (and I’m sure you’d agree.)

I do think Tebow is a tougher runner. Maybe not as hard-hitting (?) and he’s obviously not a super-speedster, but at 4.5 he’s far from slow. In my opinion he is tougher to bring down whether you look at him as a QB, RB, or FB. Tebow faces a very different defensive look as a QB than Wells does as a HB and Tebow doesn’t usually get as big a head of steam as a guy like Wells does running out of single-back or I-form. I just haven’t seen many players in college with Tebow’s sheer strength and ability to drag DBs. He is a rare combination of power, agility, and skill; he outlifts the offensive linemen, wrestles with the linebackers (and wins his fair share), runs a legitimate 4.5 and can feather-touch a 50-yard pass into the back corner of endzone. That’s a one-in-a-million combination.

I’ve watched Wells enough times to feel like I can make an educated comparison but perhaps I’m missing some important footage.

Compare some of Tebow’s runs against ultra-athletic SEC teams and then look at Wells vs. LSU. He had that great long run early in the game but where was the power running game when OSU needed it against a very physical defense? It didn’t overly impress me.

So for now I’m saying I respectfully disagree, but I’m willing to look at more evidence.

Gatorpilot, if anyone took it that I was implying that Tebow was slow then I apologize. In no way do I think that. He is fast compared to most RB’s and blazing compared to most QB’s. Do me a favor though and just watch the national championship game over again. Wells has several runs where he is knocking people backwards and a particular play in which he stiff arms a LSU DB so bad that he is airborne and falls 3 -5 yards backwards.

I do agree that Wells does get more of a “big a head of steam” than Tebow. However in the same sense, linebackers also get more of a “big a head of steam” at Wells when they realize that it is a run play. The fact is they cannot do this against Tebow (nor should they) or he will kill them because he is very under-rated as a passer.

As to where the running game was….it was there….the coaches went away from it for some reason…..and as a fan who was actually at the game….no one in the stands could figure out why. If you look at the stats, Wells got well over the majority of his carries in the 1st 20-25 minutes and then they decided to air it out.

I also do agree that Wells did have some crappy competition, however if you look at his overall game stats…..he did his best work against the best competition.

P.S. when you’re watching that wicked stiff arm he puts on the LSU DB, try to remember that he had a broken bone in that hand he was stiffarming the DB with.

Don’t forget the strength stat when comparing Tebow and Wells. I don’t know what Wells can push, but Tebow reps 225 like an offensive tackle. His stregth numbers are unheard of for a QB. That transpates to ridiculous power on the field.

The only thing is, can he temper that enough to complete West Coast-style short passes with consistency?

Joe Montana didn’t gun it down the field, but he was very accurate, especially in quarter 4.

And as much as I hate to bring him up, Rex Grossman…

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