When taking over a new team I like to be a snoop and check out the previous coaches recruiting strategy.  This information briefly remains available to you from the time you accept a new job, to the next season rollover, and can be accessed from the "recruiting history" tab in a players profile.

I got to thinking, and am wondering if this information is available if the previous "coach" was a SIM?  If so, this could potentially be a pretty valuable source of information into exactly how SIMs recruit.  One could potentially figure out exactly what percent of their budget goes into their #1 target, their #2 target, etc..  Are they using their money in the most efficient way possible, or just doing something like sending CV's to everyone regardless of distance?

Can a new coach who just took over a SIM team check and see if this information is there?

Completely off topic (well kind of, has to do with taking over a new team) and don't want to hijack the thread, but I am absolutely amazed when I take over a team that had a human coach the previous season and see just how BAD the practice plans and the team settings were.

I realize some coaches have been known to intentionally set their stuff to look like a train wreck on purpose right before they leave, but most of the time I truly believe that what I'm seeing is what the previous coach really used.  It's no wonder some people struggle as badly as they do.

Sorry for taking this off topic, just something I had to get off my chest.  Back to the recruiting aspect of it.  Apologies Clouseb.

Posted by emy1013 on 3/28/2014 4:19:00 PM (view original):
Completely off topic (well kind of, has to do with taking over a new team) and don't want to hijack the thread, but I am absolutely amazed when I take over a team that had a human coach the previous season and see just how BAD the practice plans and the team settings were.

I realize some coaches have been known to intentionally set their stuff to look like a train wreck on purpose right before they leave, but most of the time I truly believe that what I'm seeing is what the previous coach really used.  It's no wonder some people struggle as badly as they do.

Sorry for taking this off topic, just something I had to get off my chest.  Back to the recruiting aspect of it.  Apologies Clouseb.

The team I just took over had it's "winning late" O/D so screwed up, it ensured they wouldn't be winning much longer. They were both set to O/D which weren't even practiced! I checked through some box scored and this wasn't just an intentional fudging by the coach right before leaving the program, it's what they used through the season. The practice plan flaws, though small in comparison, included giving everyone (seniors included) at least 7 minutes of SH.

To make matters worse, this was in a BCS D1 conference.

I'd think it'd be fascinating to see how a coach who has never asked for help or viewed the forums develops his style for all these things.

I mean what coach without having someone tell him specifically would think "Oh ya a senior doesn't need minutes in study hall"

Posted by tannermcc on 3/28/2014 6:20:00 PM (view original):
I'd think it'd be fascinating to see how a coach who has never asked for help or viewed the forums develops his style for all these things.

I mean what coach without having someone tell him specifically would think "Oh ya a senior doesn't need minutes in study hall"

Any astute coach should realize on their own after a couple seasons that anything over the bare minimum SH is a waste of time, and try to figure out how low you can go.

Posted by emy1013 on 3/28/2014 4:19:00 PM (view original):
Completely off topic (well kind of, has to do with taking over a new team) and don't want to hijack the thread, but I am absolutely amazed when I take over a team that had a human coach the previous season and see just how BAD the practice plans and the team settings were.

I realize some coaches have been known to intentionally set their stuff to look like a train wreck on purpose right before they leave, but most of the time I truly believe that what I'm seeing is what the previous coach really used.  It's no wonder some people struggle as badly as they do.

Sorry for taking this off topic, just something I had to get off my chest.  Back to the recruiting aspect of it.  Apologies Clouseb.

lofl, same here...just unreal.

I took over a D3 team that had double-digit study hall minutes for every player on the roster...  They all had great GPA's, though!

At least until I got my hands on them...

mock study hall all you want, until you have your mvp go down for half a season because he turned in a 1.7 semester card on a 2.3 average. if you get that in your first season, you're probably going to be lobbing s/h minutes at players in sheer terror, especially if your assistant keeps insisting thatthey can't do anything els wth the time anyway (my first team, and no one had any upside).

I'm a first year coach and to answer your original question you can't see the AI recruiting habits

Posted by clouseb on 3/28/2014 5:03:00 PM (view original):

Posted by emy1013 on 3/28/2014 4:19:00 PM (view original):
Completely off topic (well kind of, has to do with taking over a new team) and don't want to hijack the thread, but I am absolutely amazed when I take over a team that had a human coach the previous season and see just how BAD the practice plans and the team settings were.

I realize some coaches have been known to intentionally set their stuff to look like a train wreck on purpose right before they leave, but most of the time I truly believe that what I'm seeing is what the previous coach really used.  It's no wonder some people struggle as badly as they do.

Sorry for taking this off topic, just something I had to get off my chest.  Back to the recruiting aspect of it.  Apologies Clouseb.

The team I just took over had it's "winning late" O/D so screwed up, it ensured they wouldn't be winning much longer. They were both set to O/D which weren't even practiced! I checked through some box scored and this wasn't just an intentional fudging by the coach right before leaving the program, it's what they used through the season. The practice plan flaws, though small in comparison, included giving everyone (seniors included) at least 7 minutes of SH.

To make matters worse, this was in a BCS D1 conference.

WOW - I am glad I read this thread. I had a couple of teams that I have changed defenses on, and one that I changed offenses on, and I totally forgot to adjust the winning late. I am sure this has cost me a few games at least. Don't know why I didn't think to change that. Maybe Vandy in Tark, and Colorado in Phelan can get over the hump now.

Posted by tcplotts on 3/29/2014 7:31:00 PM (view original):
mock study hall all you want, until you have your mvp go down for half a season because he turned in a 1.7 semester card on a 2.3 average. if you get that in your first season, you're probably going to be lobbing s/h minutes at players in sheer terror, especially if your assistant keeps insisting thatthey can't do anything els wth the time anyway (my first team, and no one had any upside).

I don't think anybody is mocking the notion of keeping your players eligible... but if everyone on your team has a 3.5 GPA, you're not doing things optimally.