Like many other sports gamers, I have been eagerly awaiting the release of EA Sports College Football 25 for what feels like decades. Now it’s finally here in early access, and I’m overjoyed. I’ve been loving my time with the game, in both Ultimate Team and Dynasty modes, but there’s one particular bone I have to pick with the option system that’s holding me back from being fully enamored with the new entry.
Option offenses are crucial to any good football video game, but especially at the collegiate level, where many teams run option-based offenses. For years, EA’s preferred controller input for a read option — where the quarterback makes a read on the defense to determine whether to hold on to the ball or hand it off — has been the same: Tap X (or A on Xbox) to hand it off, or do nothing to keep it.
For some reason, EA Sports College Football 25 has inverted this long-standing tradition. Instead, you tap X/A for the quarterback to pull the ball back and keep it, or press nothing to hand it off. I’m starting to get used to it, but this involves overcoming years of muscle memory in both this franchise and the Madden games. I’ve made dozens of mistakes in the option game already — keeping it when I meant to hand it off, or vice versa — and I would conservatively estimate that it’s cost me 45 yards, two touchdowns, and probably two gray hairs in an otherwise fantastic gameplay experience.
For me, it just makes more sense to press a button to give the ball rather than press a button to keep it. I can understand that, in theory, the action of pulling the ball back is more significant for the quarterback than giving it away. But in these games, you aren’t just playing the quarterback; you’re controlling the offense. And handing off the ball seems more like an action than not handing it off, making that the more fitting place for a button press. And at the end of the day, years of muscle memory will triumph, especially with a blitzing linebacker in your face.
College Football 25 has plenty of control optimization options already. You can change the new passing or kicking systems back to the old controls. Why not add a toggle to change the option controls? The game has lots of quality-of-life upgrades, like running out the clock instantly on quarterback kneels, when applicable. Let’s add one more and bring back the old option controls.