Imagine for a second that you’re trying to get a look at something, but a number of much taller people are between you and that subject, meaning your field of vision is obscured. Now, imagine you’re a quarterback on the shorter side, and you’re needing to contend with seeing past your offensive line, as well as the 6’3″ linebacker that’s found a pathway through. This is the kind of feeling College Football 26 will be looking to hammer home when it launches in July.
Dubbed “Field Vision”, EA has introduced a system to accurately address the challenges a quarterback’s vision can face when in the pocket. According to the official Campus Huddle on the gameplay deep dive, the developers for College Football 26 consulted with coordinators from real-life schools to get feedback on how QB play could be tweaked going into this year’s entry.
“Through conversations with coordinators across the country, one theme kept coming up: the importance of moving the quarterback’s launch point and how interior pressure can impair vision,” the Campus Huddle states. To factor this into minute-to-minute gameplay, EA has implemented a system called “Field Vision.”
Now, taking a quick glance at a term like “Field Vision” could give a seasoned sports gamer flashbacks to the old Vision Cone in Madden 06. And, depending on who you are, you either loved or hated it. But fear not — there isn’t any kind of vision cone present in College Football 26. Instead, Field Vision is strictly a mechanic that is done in the background when controlling the QB.
How Does Field Vision Work In College Football 26?
To anyone curious as to what exactly Field Vision is and how it affects gameplay, it’s quite simple: Quarterback height matters this year and will play a massive factor in how you scheme out your offense. Here’s how it’s described in the Campus Huddle:
Field Vision accounts for your quarterback’s height, the size of offensive and defensive linemen, and their proximity to the pocket
As a result of this mechanic, shorter quarterbacks will have a harder time when trying to play in the pocket, forcing them to move around and find better sightlines to connect on passes more effectively, especially when the pocket begins to collapse. This should also prioritize teams with shorter QBs setting up in the Shotgun as opposed to directly under center. Conversely, taller QBs will be able to maintain their pocket presence way more effectively, even when under pressure.
Can you still line up your 5’9″ QB directly under center? From the looks of it, sure, especially if they’re especially gifted. But doing so will result in penalties as they pertain to pass accuracy. On the surface, this seems to be a great feature that the CFB fanbase will enjoy. However, I don’t expect casuals to love it, unless there’s an option to turn it off in-game.
