One of the biggest issues facing last year’s release was the actual in-game play. Blocking was unrealistic, interceptions and pass defenses, accuracy and timing shortcomings, and defensive pursuit were all frequently mention in reviews of the release as major flaws.

According the official website of this year’s release, it is something developers have addressed.

“Enhanced AI, dynamic play-calling adjustments, improved blocking and coverages plus new features like Dynamic Substitutions and custom zones give you more control on both sides of the ball, so you can show your opponent what your program is made of.”

The game has also introduced new player types and abilities so that gamers can create the perfect recruit to help lead their team to a College Football Playoff victory amid increased popularity in creation suites.

As part of the Road to Glory feature, they can take their player on the complete journey, from earning their scholarship, through the recruitment period, and onto the roster, where they can continuously track his progression.

The developers also promise a more authentic coaching experience that allows players to compete against and try to outsmart Ryan Day, Marcus Freeman, James Franklin, and other elite college head coaches as part of the game’s Dynasty Mode.

There, players will have access to a trophy room, where they can showcase their accomplishments and help utilize it to encourage those in the transfer portal. They can track player progression, manage and recruit their roster, and set themselves up for a chance at the top prize in the sport.

While intent and execution are two different things, it appears as though EA Games has put in the effort to make the changes and improvements to what plagued fans’ experience with last year’s game.

We will find out starting Monday if those changes were effective or not.

Click here for a deeper dive into the many new gameplay features in this year’s release.

Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic discussed NBA-Euroleague relations, NIL’s impact, coaching pressures, and his philanthropic efforts. He emphasized mutual respect between leagues and staying grounded amid basketball’s evolving global landscape.

The heartbeat of European basketball echoed through Athens once again as the Euroleague Coaches Congress returned to Greece for the second consecutive summer.

Free throws this season

Held at the OAKA indoor arena, the high-level basketball seminar brought together some of Europe’s finest coaching minds for four days of knowledge sharing and networking.

Among the elite speakers was Serbian coach Darko Rajakovic , head coach of the Toronto Raptors. Having carved out a notable path in the NBA, Rajakovic returned to the Euroleague event to engage in meaningful discussions about the game’s evolution, coaching philosophies, and the future of basketball both in North America and Europe. During his visit, he was also officially welcomed as a member of the Euroleague Head Coaches Board (EHCB).

Euroleague vs. NBA: Bridging Two Worlds

Rajakovic is one of the rare coaches to have deep roots in both European and American basketball.

While praising the NBA as the most elite league in terms of talent and resources, he believes the Euroleague deserves more respect.

“There’s still a big gap in mutual understanding between the two,” he told Athletiko’s Chirstos Tsaltas and Thanasis Asproulias. “Europe has great players, incredible coaches, and passionate fans. We all have a lot to learn from each other.”

By bringing his assistant coaches with him to the Congress, Rajakovic emphasized the importance of exchanging ideas and perspectives. “If someone in the audience learns even one new detail that enhances their coaching philosophy, it’s worth it.”

The Ujiri Shock and the Raptors’ Rebuild

For Rajakovic, it was a jolt. “Masai is an amazing human and leader. He gave me this opportunity. His exit was shocking, but I understand this business. Everything runs in cycles.”

Despite the leadership change, Rajakovic remains optimistic. “We have a great young core, and strong support from ownership and the front office. We’re positioned for success.”

The State of European Basketball: Identity Crisis?

Asked about the increasing pace and game load in Europe, Rajakovic drew a sharp comparison. “Europe seems to be trying to copy the NBA model—faster pace, more games—but that’s not necessarily better.” He expressed concern about Europe’s failure to integrate young talent: “That’s the biggest issue. Young players rarely get chances in a league of veterans.”

The Coaching Game: No Job Is Safe

Coaching in the NBA means living on the edge. “There are two types of coaches,” Rajakovic quipped. “Those who have been fired and those who will be fired. If you want security, get a job at the post office.”

He emphasized that longevity comes from alignment and patience within an organization. “The most successful franchises maintain continuity and understand their goals.”

Despite working in a league often dominated by media speculation and trade rumors, Rajakovic chooses to block out the noise. “I don’t use social media. I don’t read the news. I focus on what I can control.”

The NIL Effect: Europe vs. NCAA

The emergence of NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) rights in the NCAA has opened new doors for young athletes—and new challenges for European basketball. More top prospects are now opting to play college basketball in the U.S., chasing both development and commercial opportunities.

Rajakovic sees this as a game-changer. “Talents are increasingly leaving Europe earlier. It’s reshaping the global basketball market.”

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Excitement is building for College Football 26 with both fans of the video game franchise and the players who will appear in this year’s iteration.

While all kinds of questions are swirling among fans about game play enhancements, which players and coaches won’t be in the game, the game soundtrack and much more, fans are also curious how players will be compensated for being in the game.

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Schools will also see a payout for the company using their names, images and likeness, but the dollar amount will depend on how popular they are with users.

Here’s a look at the payouts to players and schools for College Football 26.

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How much money do players get for being in CFB 26?

EA Sports will pay college football players $1,500 in NIL money for their likeness to be used in the game — more than double the $600 offered last year — and players will receive a free copy of the game, according to The Athletic.

MORE: Why Ryan Williams, Jeremiah Smith were named College Football 26 cover athletes

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Are schools paid for being in CFB 26?

Schools will be paid for being in the game, but the payout is not a set amount. Royalties will be distributed based on how often schools are used in gameplay, according to Cllct. This means that the more popular teams are with users, the more money they will earn.

MORE: College Football 26 early access: How to play NCAA video game before 2025 release date

College Football 26 release date

College Football 26 will officially release on Thursday, July 10. Those who pre-order an edition of the game that comes with early access will be able to play three days earlier on Monday, July 7.

MORE:CFB 26 trailer, new features, and more to know about 2025 video game

Tuesday marked the start of a new era in college athletics as the House v. NCAA settlement took effect. Revenue-sharing officially arrived, and Hugh Freeze said the new cap has an impact on recruiting.

Under the settlement, schools can directly share up to $20.5 million with athletes through rev-share. That figure is expected to increase annually under the 10-year agreement. The first payments came down this week.

But with the cap, Freeze said Auburn had to worry about retaining players on the roster rather than signing a larger high school class. He added the Tigers are following their interpretation of the settlement as they focus on retention, particularly at positions such as wide receiver.

“It’s quite different,” Freeze said of the new landscape. “First of all, you want to make sure you are operating with what the settlement says, and we think we are. We’re going by what we believe to be the accurate interpretation of it. It’s not really to our advantage to what we’re doing right now because others, I think, are operating in a different manner. But the main thing that I don’t think people understand is retaining your current roster. It used to not affect high school recruiting. You were going to sign your 20-25 guys. But now, with the salary cap, you have to look at a room like our wide receiver room where on paper, we’re not losing a single kid, and we’ve got to retain those guys because I like that room a whole lot.

“So you don’t have the means, so to speak, to go after the number of high school receivers that you would normally go after because you can’t really – again, on paper, we’re not losing anyone and I don’t want to lose one. I really like that room. I love our young d-linemen. It’s kind of difficult. You’re sitting here trying to sign a class when you really don’t know what your current roster will be in January. So that’s a challenge, but you have to operate within the manner of what the settlement really says and the interpretation that we’ve received, and that’s what we’re doing.”

Hugh Freeze: Roster retention is ‘main thing’

Freeze has seen success on the high school recruiting trail since he took over at Auburn in 2024. The Tigers had the nation’s No. 8-ranked class in both 2024 and 2025, but the 2026 cycle is off to a slower start with just seven commitments.

Still, Hugh Freeze expects Auburn to climb back up the recruiting rankings once National Signing Day comes around in December. But he still noted how rev-share makes it more “challenging” to balance player retention vs. filling open spots.

“We’re talking about a staff that’s put together two Top-10 classes, and here we are, we’re really not in that realm right now,” Freeze said. “Do I think we will be in December? I do. I believe that wholeheartedly. We had over 50 visits in June and I thought most families felt like, ‘Man, this is a great place to be.’ But we’ve got to figure all this other [stuff] out. I know John [Cohen] is going to talk more in depth about the parameters to which we’re operating.

“It is more challenging, for sure, but the main thing to me is retaining our current roster and then filling the gaps with, obviously, elite talent from whether it’s the portal or high school recruiting. But retaining that roster does affect the way you approach recruiting, and that’s new. That used to not be the case. I mean, you were going to sign some kids and figure out the numbers on the back end. But you can’t do that and when you have to be under the revenue-sharing cap.”