Alright, so I kept seeing this term “pipeline” thrown around in discussions about the new College Football 25 game. Honestly, at first, I was scratching my head a bit. What exactly are they talking about? Is it some complex new game mechanic I missed?
I started thinking about it, just mulling it over while doing other stuff. Then it clicked, connecting it back to actual college football, the real deal stuff you see on Saturdays. You know how some schools just seem to always get players from certain states or even specific high schools? Like, think about how LSU always pulls tons of talent out of Louisiana, or how certain Texas schools dominate recruiting within the state.
Figuring Out the Meaning
That’s gotta be what they mean by “pipeline”. It’s not some complicated system, really. It’s just establishing a strong, consistent connection with a specific area or high school program so that you get a steady flow of players coming your way. Like laying down a pipe and having talent flow through it directly to your team.
So, I figured the process would look something like this in real life, and likely in the game:
- Identify a target area: You pick a state or region known for good high school football. Maybe it’s Florida, Texas, California, or even a smaller state with a few powerhouse schools.
- Focus your efforts: You spend a lot of your recruiting time and resources in that specific area. Lots of scouting, visiting schools (in the game, maybe this means spending recruiting points or making calls).
- Build relationships: You start signing players from that area, maybe grabbing multiple guys from the same high school over a couple of recruiting cycles. You show them you’re invested.
- Consistency is key: You keep going back, year after year. You become a familiar face, a trusted program for kids in that region.
How It Might Work in CFB 25
So, thinking about the game, College Football 25, I started picturing how they might implement this. Maybe some big-name schools will start with established pipelines already coded in. Picking Ohio State might give you an initial boost recruiting in Ohio, for example. Makes sense.
But the really interesting part for me, the part I actually started mapping out in my head, is building your own pipeline from scratch, especially if you’re using a smaller school or trying to turn a program around.
My imagined process in the game would be:
I’d probably dedicate one of my assistant coaches (if that’s a feature) almost exclusively to a target state, like Georgia. Then, I’d pour my own recruiting points into that state week after week. I’d make sure to scout pretty much every decent prospect there. Then, make offers, schedule visits, really try hard to land maybe 2-3 players from Georgia in my first class. The next year, I’d do the same thing, maybe focusing on players from the same high schools I recruited from the previous year. Show that loyalty.
Over several seasons, maybe the game starts recognizing this effort. Perhaps players from Georgia automatically have higher initial interest in my program? Or maybe I get a slight bonus on recruiting pitches with them? That’d feel rewarding, like my strategy paid off. It would make recruiting feel less random and more about long-term planning.
So yeah, that’s my take on the whole “pipeline” thing for College Football 25. It’s basically setting up shop in a talent-rich area and building relationships so you get a consistent stream of players. Less about a single button press, more about sustained effort and strategy in recruiting. That’s how I’m approaching it in my head, anyway. Can’t wait to see how it actually plays out when I get the game loaded up.
