7 Dynasty Mode Secrets Every College Football 26 Player Misses

Even if you think you’ve mastered every hidden mechanic in College Football 26, there are still a handful of features most players overlook—some because they’re buried in menus, others because the game never explains them. Today, we’re breaking down seven things you definitely didn’t know about Dynasty Mode, including secret settings, advanced recruiting strategies, and tools that can completely change how you play.

Whether you're a hardcore sim fan or someone who wants every advantage in recruiting battles, you’re going to learn at least one thing that improves your Dynasty instantly. Having plenty of CFB 26 Coins can also greatly help you improve your skills. Let’s jump in.

1. True Coach Mode Exists—and It’s Hidden in the Main Menu

Most players don’t realize you can enable a real Coach Mode that allows you to call plays while the CPU controls all on-field action. To find it, go to:

Main Menu → Settings → Game Settings → Auto Passing → ON

Once this is enabled, you can call plays, hike the ball, and let the CPU take over. They will make reads, jukes, cuts, break tackles—everything. You can even audible and adjust routes before the snap.

This works on both offense and defense. If you want the CPU to completely handle gameplay, just stay on the defensive line and don’t touch your controller.

It’s perfect for:

Full sim franchises

“Coach-only” rebuilds

Watching CPU vs. CPU matchups

Creating realistic dynasty immersion

There’s also Slow Sim, which lets you literally watch the game unfold play-by-play from broadcast angles. Many players have never noticed that the option exists.

2. Grind Labs: The Most Powerful Dynasty Companion Tool

One of the most underrated resources for Dynasty players is an AI-assisted website called Grind Labs. You can use it to:

Get AI suggestions for playcalling

Analyze schemes

Decide which recruits fit your system

Track player development

Break down the film you upload

Build & manage your dynasty through a custom dashboard

The “Create a Dynasty” feature lets you enter your team, scheme, goals, roster, schedule, and more—essentially becoming a full-blown Dynasty tracker.

You can:

Input your roster player by player

Track your recruiting class

Store schedule results

Record trophies and awards

Set season goals & play style

For players who love deep Dynasty immersion, it's one of the best tools available.

3. Athletic Facility Grade Quietly Impacts Player Progression

Buried in a pre-launch deep dive—but not mentioned anywhere in the in-game menus—is a major progression factor:

Your school’s athletic facilities grade increases player development.

Schools with better sports performance, nutrition, and staff receive a progression boost.

You can’t manually upgrade facilities. They improve slowly as:

You win games

School prestige rises

Program success builds

It's one of the toughest grades to increase, but one of the most important for long-term roster building. Many players have no idea it even exists.

4. How to Sign MORE Than 35 Players in a Recruiting Class

Yes—you can exceed the class limit.

This is a workaround many players consider “cheesy,” but the game fully allows it.

Here’s how:

During Transfer Portal / Late Recruiting, remove committed players from your board.

They will remain signed, just not displayed.

You now have open board spots to recruit additional players.

Add new prospects, offer scholarships, and allocate hours normally.

They will all join your roster next season—as long as you have enough roster space.

Important note:

If your roster is full, some of the “extra” signees may not appear next season. You may need to cut players or force transfers.

Great for rebuilding teams that start with:

Low talent

Small roster

Massive holes at key positions

Use this sparingly, but it can completely transform a struggling program in one offseason.

5. The Double Soft Sell Recruiting Method

When you don’t know a recruit’s Hard Sell preference—or you’re stuck between two possible options—you can use the Double Soft Sell Technique.

Here’s how it works:

Put your first Soft Sell on Motivation A.

Go back and put a Soft Sell on Motivation B.

The game lets you apply both as long as they’re different motivations.

Why it works:

Soft Sells carry almost no penalty if you guess wrong (unlike Hard Sells).

You still gain significant motivation points.

It prevents wasting hours on a wrong Hard Sell guess.

It’s extremely powerful early in recruiting or during the Transfer Portal.

CPU teams use Double Soft Sell constantly. Most human players don’t even know it exists.

Use it when:

You’re in second place and closing in

You’re unsure of a recruit’s motivations

You're in the Transfer Portal (where motivations often stay hidden)

After one week, you’ll usually reveal the recruit’s true Hard Sell. Then you can Hard Sell safely.

6. Beware of Playing Offensive Linemen Out of Position

Auto-depth-chart often moves OL around incorrectly.

For example:

Your best right tackle may be placed at left tackle

Guards may swap sides

A center may be placed at guard

If they don’t have the Team Player mental trait, they will lose hidden attribute points when playing out of position. You can’t see the deduction, but it's real—leading to missed blocks, pressures, and poor run lanes.

Always check:

LT plays LT

LG plays LG

C stays at C

Players with Team Player are your flexible backups

It’s a small detail that affects your entire offense.

7. Profile Delete Can Fix Weird Gameplay Issues

If your Dynasty suddenly feels off—poor gameplay responsiveness, strange animations, weird CPU behavior—you can try a Profile Delete.

This resets:

Your user profile

Settings related to gameplay preferences

It does not delete:

Dynasties

Rosters

Sliders

Playbooks

TeamBuilder creations

Many players report smoother gameplay afterward.

Final Thoughts

College Football 26 hides a surprising amount of depth—much of which players never discover on their own. From hidden coaching modes to advanced recruiting strategies and AI tools that overhaul your entire Dynasty approach, there’s always more to learn. Having plenty of cheap CFB 26 Coins can also greatly help you explore.