As a relatively new player, I see now why the leagues are so barren. It's incredibly frustrating dealing with the job system.
To offer perspective outside the top half of D1...
From Day 1, my buddy and I just wanted to jump into a mid major, compete with each other and build our programs. We're not looking to insta-jump into a Big 6. We've watched B and C rated programs flounder, have walk ons and disappear from relevance season after season as we built our resumes.
8 Years on, I still cannot get into the Horizon league. He fortunately had the option to jump into his desired team last season so I told him to jump. Knowing that it might take me another 3-50 seasons to get into the league.
The problem as I see it and that I think I'm reading in several of the posts here is that it's kind of an all or nothing system. You have to get to the post season, win in the post season and play the hardest schedules to move around. Without that you get stuck.
Prior to moving to D1, I'd won 17+ games a season for 5 seasons including accolades my 3 seasons at Western St. Being excited and not fully understanding the system, we both jumped to D1. I took over a 7 win Jacksonville st. team in order for us to stay in the same conference as Warak and I both had very limited options moving up to D1. (I get that we shouldn't jump to ACC, B10, etc. but 4-5 options seems ridiculous given our records at the time.)
My first year was worse than I imagined with only 9 wins, but I had some options to move end of season. Very limited mind you, but I had options.
Next I won 14, then 17. Obvious progress for a team that was really bad.
Yet both my past two seasons, i Have had literally ZERO D1 options. Not even a step back or lateral move. Even D- prestige schools are not interested. I'm sorry but not all D1 teams are looking for a coach who made a run in the NCAA tournament. Some are feeder schools or happy to get the next future coach. As it is now though, every school acts as if they are a Big 6 AD. It's incredibly frustrating.
I love this game, but my will to live in this sim is fading.... The system really kills any chances of movement and that's a bad thing.
Update: My first season finished at jacksonville st, the team had a D- prestige. I had options. My past two we are sitting at D and I have none. That seems backwards to me.
2/25/2020 8:56 AM (edited)