Eyes On The Prize Guidelines

CCM Settings
-6 Minute Quarters
-No accelerated clock
-All-Madden Difficulty
-Injuries: ON
-Fatigue: ON
-Salary Cap: ON
-Game Speed: Normal
-Player Progression Frequency: Weekly
-Coach Firing: ON
-Game Play Tuning: Yes
-Trade Deadline: ON (Week 9 Deadline)
-Trade Type: Human ONLY
-Relocation Settings: Human ONLY
-Strategy Pad Quick Links: OFF
-Strategy Pad Display: ON
-Auto Strafe: OFF
-Pre Snap Menu: OFF
-Coaching Tips: OFF
-Player Names: ON
-Heat Seeker: OFF
-Ball Hawk: OFF
-Switch Assist: OFF
-Fill Roster: OFF
-Re-Sign Players: OFF
-Progress Players: OFF
-Sign Offseason Free Agents: OFF

Commissioner Settings
-League Type: Coaches only
-Legend: OFF

Advances
We advance every 2 days in this league, at 11:59 PM EST. We will need active users not only on the XB1 but also right here on the forums. If you can't do any of these then this league is most likely not for you.
Do not schedule games after 11:15 PM EST, as we will advance regardless of whether you are playing said game (you won't be done by the deadline anyway, schedule your games earlier!).

Glitches
Any known glitch is NOT ALLOWED WHATSOEVER! If a user is caught cheating or using glitches the owner that participate in the game must report the owner. We do not want unhappy league members! A few example would be:
-Rocket Catching
-Nano Blitzing

Just a small list of glitches that we do not tolerate. Any recognized glitch in this game is not allowed.

Goal Line
You CAN NOT use Goal Line formation (on offense or defense) unless you or your opponent is about 10yds from scoring in the end zone or within five yards of your own endzone.

Onside Kicks
You can only Onside Kick if you face one of these deficits:
-Down by 21 points or more
-Down in the 4th Quarter

Onside Kicking in any other situation is not allowed.

Pre-Snap Player Movement
Defense: You are allowed to manually move ONE player on defense and can't switch to a different player. Please be in mind to stay in your player's area when it comes to moving on defense (eg. FS shouldn't be manually moved all the way down to the line). Stick to your zone! A quick example of this would be if you are suppose to play coverage as the designated play, you should NOT be blitzing. With regards to D-line, if you are usering a defensive lineman he has to engage the OL in front of him. No looping around 15 yards to mess with the AI.

Special Teams: You may not manually move players on special teams prior to the snap. You may not user players as extra blockers on returns after the snap as well.

Offense: You may manually move a player, however that player must be set before you hike the ball.

No Huddles/Hurry-Up
-You may no huddle within 2 minutes of the end of the 1st Half.
-You may no huddle during the 4th Quarter IF YOU ARE DOWN
-You may no huddle anytime down by 21+

Sportsmanship
Following all of our rules including the next following will show good sportsmanship to your opponent:
-Not milking the clock all game (hike the ball every time before you get a Delay of Game)
-When you get a huge lead, run the ball and the clock out
-Do not Stat Pad. This means you do not keep throwing when you are up by a large margin or purposely getting players better stats so they look good in the standings
-When the game is pretty much over, kneel the ball
-You can Trash Talk, but keep it civil and don't push it too far.
-Do not run up the score when you play user or CPU.
-Playing SIM vs the CPU. Means you still follow all of our rules and still play a SIM game vs the CPU, showing good sportsmanship to the league. Stat padding against the CPU and breaking records is considered grounds for an immediate suspension of the involved players.
-Run different formations all game, don't keep using 3-4 or Nickel on defense or I-Form or Singleback the entire game. Use your playbook, not just your money plays.
-Do not run the same routes.
-Do not Rocket Catch
-No Swerving whatsoever. Use the Jukes and Spins!
-Minimum 2 rushers every play on defense.
-Do not call outside runs the entire game. Also do not call inside runs and bounce outside all the time. If there is no hole you can bounce outside. But not every play.
-Quitting a game is considered a possible grounds for an immediate boot from the league. Do not quit out on games or purposefully D/C against opponents.

Depth Chart
QB -> QB
HB -> HB
WR -> WR
FB - > FB or behind all TEs on depth chart
TE - > TE or behind all FBs on depth chart
LT, RT, RG, LG, C can be used any where on O-Line
DT -> DT, DE
DE -> DT, DE
OLB -> MLB, OLB
MLB -> MLB, OLB
CB -> CB, FS, SS
FS -> CB, FS, SS
SS -> CB, FS, SS
K -> K
P -> P
KOS -> Either K or P

You are allowed to use sub-packages as long as they follow the above guidelines.

Throwing to HB
-Your HB should NOT be your leading receiver at all. If that's the case, then you better start fixing your game plan. You shouldn't be throwing to your HB as soon as you hike the ball let alone throwing to your receiver as soon as you hike the ball. If enough evidence shows that you are abusing your HB, consequences will be made.

-At the end of the season I will look at each owner's receiving leaders. If I see that your starting HB is your leading receiver, your HB will be suspended the first 5 games of the upcoming season. Repeat offense the following season will result in a boot.

Scrambling with the QB
-Use the pocket, that is what your O-Line is for.

-Do NOT scramble as soon as you hike all the way to the sideline. PA Rollout does not mean you PA with the QB and continuing to sprint to the sideline, goes for all PA plays.

-You should only scramble when you have to: when you're about to get sacked.

-Do NOT drop back tons of yards so that you can throw deep balls all game to your receivers.

-Under no circumstances should your quarterback lead your team in rushing attempts or yards. I understand option plays have been implemented, but USE YOUR RUNNING BACK like a football team does. You may run option but you may not run option all game long.

4th Down Rules
You may only go for it on 4th Down during these conditions:

-You are down by at least 21 points any time.

-4th & 1 or Inches and past the 50yd line into your opponent's territory. 4 & 2? Oh well, punt it.

-Down at any time during the 4th QTR.

-If you are up by a large margin and you fall into 4th & 1, punt the ball no matter what. Going for it on 4th Down when you're up by a large margin does not show any sportsmanship to your opponent and reflects bad on the league.

Custom Playbooks
Custom playbooks are not allowed, as there is no way to monitor this from simply being loaded with money plays. There's over 32 playbooks to choose from, you don't need to make one to win in Madden.

Free Agent Signing
For Free Agency, refer here: http://www.eotpmadden.com/t1449-free-agent-waivers-rules

Trading Players/Picks

You are allowed to trade seven times per season at any time. You are eligible to trade up to 4 players/picks total per trade. Anymore than that will count as two trades. Trade Deadline is Week 8.

You are only allowed to trade a single player once per season. By that, we mean if you traded for a player and then tried to trade that player again that same season, you will not be allowed too. Draft picks may be traded multiple times.

Further trading rules: http://www.eotpmadden.com/t6-trading-rules-format

QB Sneak
QB Sneaks are allowed in Madden 25.

Disconnections
Disconnections is common knowledge when it occurs. You will know whether or not to count the game or not. However, if something does occur and you aren't sure what to do, things can get messy.

-If a disconnection occurs any time before halftime, the game must be restarted unless it's a blowout by at least 35 points.

-If a disconnection occurs after halftime, the scoreboard will decide the outcome. If there is a possibility of a comeback in the 3rd or 4th Quarter (at least 2 possessions), the game should be restarted. If it occurs when one owner is destroying another (eg. score is 34-10 with 3:25 left in the 3rd) and a disconnection occurs the owner has the right to count the game.

Please make smart decisions on this and talk with the owner that was disconnected before doing anything drastic. I shouldn't have to implement rulings on disconnects if you guys communicate the issue and make rational decisions on the outcome.

Franchised Players
We will have 6 franchised players. 3 that will be franchised for 2 seasons and 3 franchised for 1 season. After that season is over, the 3 franchised for 2 seasons will be franchised for 1 more season while we will have to select 3 new candidates that will be franchised for 2 seasons. The franchised players MUST be rated at least 80 OVR. If a player drops under 80 OVR the following season that is now franchised for 1 season, that is just fine. If a player that was franchised 2 seasons retires, you must add a player that is above 80 OVR as a replacement including 3 new players for 2 seasons.

This is how the format will be set up as:

Franchised Players for 2 Seasons:
LB Cameron Wake 89 OVR
CB Vontae Davis 87 OVR
LT Jake Long 97 OVR

Franchised Players for 1 Season:
WR Brandon Marshall 92 OVR
MLB Karlos Dansby 90 OVR
DE Kendall Langford 88 OVR

Franchised 1st Round Pick:
C Mike Pouncey

Each season we will update our list.

No Kickers, Punters, or Fullbacks allowed to be franchised.

Roster Requirements
All teams must have a minimum roster size of 48 and a max of 53 players, excluding IR players.

Madden's normal roster requirements apply, since the game will not allow you start playing another user until your roster meets minimum requirements.

Re-Signing/FA Contract Requirements
Max contracts that can be offered to lock up FA is five years. This is done to avoid people socking away a player on a seven year back-loaded deal when it's well known the franchise will not last seven seasons in all likelihood and later in the franchise it's blatantly abusing the contract system.

You may re-sign players for more than five years only in the first 2-3 seasons of the franchise (Season 1 and Season 2 including offseason re-signs heading into Season 3).

Playing vs CPU
When playing the CPU in lieu of an absent owner or open team, make sure to check with the commissioner before starting a game, as players may have notified the commissioner of a situation or a new owner may be joining.

Probationary Owner Period
When joining the league, you will be limited in trades for your first season -- to protect the integrity of individual teams and the league as a whole. For full info, visit the Probationary Owner page.

Rules Updated as of December 21, 2012.

Stay tuned in the next several days as we begin to post updates to the rules in accordance with the release of Madden 25.

Position Changes:
We'll start off with position changes, since they're new to Madden 25. It should be known that position changes (other than swapping left to right) can only be done in the offseason, so major position changes cannot be done until the first offseason.

-FB and TE are interchangeable
-OG and C are interchangeable
-OLB and MLB are interchangeable
-You may swap between left and right at will

Other position changes will be taken on a player by player basis. An example of this is that Peyton Hillis and Jacob Hester are eligible to play either HB or FB. Further examples are Michael Huff and Rod Issac, who are eligible to play both safety positions and corner. Essentially, players who have played a position other than the assigned position in Madden may be changed.

Perhaps the biggest discussion here is OLB versus DE. We will allow this move for established players -- Dwight Freeney is eligible to play both DE and OLB, as are Mario Williams, Robert Mathis, Elvis Dumervil and Robert Ayers (as only a few examples).

For the first season (and ONLY the first season), you may have approved players at other spots in the depth chart because their position cannot be changed until the offseason. EVERY position change must be approved by the committee before being allowed.

To petition a position change, post at the link below:
http://www.eotpmadden.com/t2907-position-change-petitions

Franchised Players:
Second, we are re-instituting franchised players from Madden '12. This is to create some continuity in rosters and avoid the complete desecration of a roster like we've seen with a few teams in past seasons. We will be using the same template as in Madden '12. See below:

2 Year Franchised:
Pos. Player Overall (Scheme)
Pos. Player Overall (Scheme)
Pos. Player Overall (Scheme)
1 Year Franchised:
Pos. Player Overall (Scheme)
Pos. Player Overall (Scheme)
Pos. Player Overall (Scheme)
1st Round Rookie:
Pos. Player Overall (Scheme)

You may not franchise any fullbacks, kickers or punters, as well as any players whose overalls fluctuate tremendously according to scheme. You are free to select any players you like (other than first-round rookies, which are mandatory) rated as 80+ overall, unless their ratings fluctuate as stated above.

Updated as of Sept. 7 for Madden 25

Rules have been revised for Madden 15.