QB
CPurdy at QB (76, senior, stamina 90). Top-3 of 73.7.
**Dynasty-start roster (CFB 26)**DC Rating 5.5 / 10
Nevada
Strategist Choate with a 4-deep HB room and Madrigal anchoring the OL behind a thin senior cliff at 1.5 prestige.
The Dynasty Verdict
If you want a Jeff Choate program where a 4-deep HB rotation meets a freshman skill tandem and the Tier-3 Southern California reach is the only above-Tier-2 pipeline, Nevada is the Mountain West rebuild built around a multi-year backfield. Madrigal anchors the line at C senior 80 with awareness 90. Turner takes the freshman lead at HB 79 with kick return 95 and acceleration 93. Warnell Jr. patrols the back end at SS senior 78 with acceleration 91. Woods rotates at HB junior 77 with acceleration 93 and speed 90. Combs runs the MIKE at junior 77 with awareness 86. Purdy snaps at QB senior 76 with throw power 88. The home pipeline is a Tier-3 Southern California reach plus three Tier-2 Western regions, which gives Nevada a slightly above-floor recruiting board for a 1.5-prestige program.
What makes Nevada different from the other 1.5-prestige Mountain West programs is the multi-year skill cluster. Air Force under Calhoun asks you to ride the Option behind a 9-senior cliff with A+ stability. Nevada asks you to ride a Spread behind a 5-senior cliff with F coach stability and three junior HBs plus two freshmen in the top 10. Same conference, same prestige tier, very different roster shape and structural posture.
The 5.5 lands on the multi-year backfield depth and gets dragged down by the 69 overall and F coach stability. Choate at D+ coach prestige plus F coach stability is the structural risk: the staff doesn't carry the safety net Air Force's A+ provides at the same prestige tier. Don't pick Nevada for a Year 1 ceiling chase. Pick Nevada for the multi-year HB-and-secondary build where Turner, Woods, Hayes, and Stack carry into Year 2 while the Year 1 QB and edge classes fill the senior departures.
Head Coach
Jeff Choate
StrategistChoate is a Strategist with D+ coach prestige and F coach stability. The launch hands him a multi-year HB rotation led by Turner, Woods, and Hayes, plus Madrigal at C senior 80 holding the line and Combs at junior MIKE running the back seven. The catch is the F stability mark and the 1.5-prestige floor: Choate can scheme around the Year 1 roster, but the recruiting tier and stability grade put the rebuild on a short clock unless the SoCal Tier-3 board converts on Year 1.
Team at a Glance
| Conference | Mountain West |
|---|---|
| Head Coach | Jeff Choate · Strategist |
| Team Prestige | 1.5 stars |
| Team Overall (in-game) | 69 |
| Top Position Group | Running Back · B- · top-3 avg 77.7 |
| Weakest Position Group | Special Teams · C- · top-3 avg 67.3 |
| Stadium Atmosphere | D- |
| Brand Exposure | D- |
| Coach Prestige | D+ |
| Coach Stability | F |
| Top-10 Senior Departures After Year 1 | 5 of 10 |
Top 10 Players
By overall rating at dynasty start
| # | Player | Pos | Yr | OVR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Andrew Madrigal | C | Sr | 80 | Awareness 90 |
| 02 | Herschel Turner | HB | Fr | 79 | Kick Return 95 |
| 03 | DJ Warnell Jr. | SS | Sr | 78 | Injury 92 |
| 04 | Caleb Ramseur | HB | Sr | 77 | Injury 91 |
| 05 | Cian Stack | TE | Fr | 77 | Injury 95 |
| 06 | Ky Woods | HB | Jr | 77 | Acceleration 93 |
| 07 | Marcus Bellon | WR | Sr | 77 | Acceleration 93 |
| 08 | Stone Combs | MIKE | Jr | 77 | Injury 90 |
| 09 | Ashton Hayes | HB | Jr | 76 | Stamina 93 |
| 10 | Chubba Purdy | QB | Sr | 76 | Stamina 90 |
Position Group Grades
RB
B-Turner at HB (79, freshman, acceleration 93), Ramseur at HB (77, senior, acceleration 89), Woods at HB (77, junior, acceleration 93) and Hayes at HB (76, junior, stamina 93). Top-3 of 77.7, the strongest unit on the roster.
WR
CBellon at WR (77, senior, acceleration 93). Top-3 of 73.7.
TE
C+Stack at TE (77, freshman, toughness 94). Top-3 of 74.0.
OL
C+Madrigal at C (80, senior, awareness 90). Top-3 of 75.7.
DL
C+Top-3 of 75.0.
LB
C+Combs at MIKE (77, junior, awareness 86). Top-3 of 75.0.
DB
C+Warnell Jr. at SS (78, senior, acceleration 91). Top-3 of 75.7.
ST
C-Top-3 of 67.3.
Recommended Playbooks
Offense
Spread (Nevada Default)
Run the Spread because the multi-year HB rotation is the design's whole point. Turner bursts at acceleration 93 and speed 89. Woods cuts at acceleration 93 and agility 90. Hayes grinds at stamina 93 and toughness 92. Purdy throws on the move at QB throw power 88 and stamina 90. Madrigal anchors the snap at awareness 90.
Why this fits
A B- RB grade and four top-10 backs (Turner, Ramseur, Woods, Hayes) give the Spread the volume the scheme demands. Turner's freshman eligibility and the two junior HBs carry the multi-year backfield bridge through Year 3.
Defense
4-3 Multiple (Nevada Default)
Run the 4-3 Multiple because Combs and Warnell Jr. anchor the back seven. Combs runs the MIKE at awareness 86 and pursuit 86. Warnell Jr. attacks downhill at SS acceleration 91 and stamina 88. The 4-3 Multiple's flexibility lets Choate mask the C+ DL grade with the LB-and-secondary depth.
Why this fits
A C+ LB grade with Combs at junior MIKE plus a C+ DB grade gives Choate enough back-seven talent to scheme around the front. Combs's junior eligibility carries the multi-year LB bridge.
Recruiting Outlook
Pipeline regions
- Southern CaliforniaTier 3
- Northern CaliforniaTier 2
- Pacific NorthwestTier 2
- ArizonaTier 2
- UtahTier 1
- ColoradoTier 1
- NevadaTier 1
- Metro AtlantaTier 1
- North TexasTier 1
- East TexasTier 1
You'll recruit the West heavily. The Tier-3 Southern California reach is the load-bearing pipeline asset, paired with three Tier-2 reaches across Northern California, Pacific Northwest, and Arizona. That's a slightly above-floor footprint for a 1.5-prestige Mountain West program, but Choate at D+ coach prestige plus F coach stability caps the recruiting math: the staff turnover that grade implies disrupts the pipeline before it compounds.
Position priorities for Year 1 are dictated by the 5-senior cliff. Quarterback is critical; Purdy graduates and the room behind him is thin. After QB, replacement OL behind Madrigal, replacement WR behind Bellon, replacement secondary depth behind Warnell Jr.
The Tier-1 cluster (Utah, Colorado, in-state Nevada, Metro Atlanta, North Texas, East Texas) is for filling specific position gaps with single-player targets only. Don't burn time on the Southeast or East Texas beyond a single recruit a Power-4 school hasn't already locked.
Your Year-by-Year Path with Nevada
Year 1
The Backfield Rotation Year
You're inheriting a 1.5-prestige roster with a 69 overall and a 4-deep HB room that carries the offense. Don't experiment. Run the Spread, ride the Turner-Woods-Hayes rotation behind Madrigal, let Combs and Warnell Jr. anchor the back seven. Year 1 is bowl eligibility and a 6-7 win baseline where the multi-year backfield buys time. While you're winning, sign the Year 1 QB and OL classes that the SoCal Tier-3 board can deliver.
Goal
Mountain West bowl eligibility, 6-7 wins, top-100 recruiting class.
Years 2-3
The Junior Window
Five senior anchors graduate, but Turner, Woods, Hayes, Combs, and Stack carry the multi-year top-10 bridge into Year 2. The Year 1 QB recruit becomes Year 2 starter behind a returning HB rotation. Choate's Strategist archetype gives him the scheme depth to keep the offense afloat while the recruits develop, but F stability still threatens the staff continuity that recruiting depends on.
Goal
6-7 wins, Turner at 84+ as a junior, top-100 recruiting class maintained.
Year 4+
The Stability Question
By Year 4, the dynasty depends on whether Choate's staff survived the F stability cliff and whether the Year 1-2 SoCal classes became multi-year starters. A realistic Year 4+ ceiling is a stable 7-win Mountain West program with the multi-year backfield blueprint intact, or a coach search if the F stability mark trips.
Goal
Stable 7-win Mountain West program with the Spread attack intact.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nevada good for dynasty mode in CFB 26?
Yes for a multi-year HB-and-secondary rebuild, with caveats. Nevada enters CFB 26 with a 69-overall roster, D+ coach prestige and F coach stability under Choate's Strategist archetype, and a B- RB grade anchored by Turner at HB freshman 79 and Woods at HB junior 77. The 1.5-prestige floor and F coach stability are the structural caps.
What's Nevada's prestige in CFB 26?
Nevada enters CFB 26 with a 1.5-star prestige rating, paired with D+ coach prestige and F coach stability. The Tier-3 Southern California home plus three Tier-2 Western reaches (Northern California, Pacific Northwest, Arizona) give Nevada a slightly above-floor recruiting board for the prestige tier.
What playbook does Nevada use in CFB 26?
Jeff Choate's Nevada runs the Spread offense and a 4-3 Multiple defense. The Spread fits Purdy at QB plus the Turner-Woods-Hayes HB rotation. The 4-3 Multiple deploys Combs at MIKE (77, junior, awareness 86) and Warnell Jr. at SS (78, senior, acceleration 91).
Who is Nevada's best player in College Football 26?
Andrew Madrigal at 80 OVR, senior center, with awareness 90, strength 89, and toughness 89. Madrigal is the highest-rated player on the roster and the snap anchor of Choate's Spread attack. Herschel Turner at HB (79, freshman, acceleration 93) and DJ Warnell Jr. at SS (78, senior, acceleration 91) round out the top three.
Should I rebuild Nevada or take an easier team?
Nevada is a multi-year HB-and-secondary rebuild, not a Year 1 contender. The Year 1 ceiling is bowl eligibility plus the backfield rotation; the Year 2-3 floor depends on Choate surviving the F stability hit. Take Nevada if you want a multi-year HB room with a freshman-and-junior bridge at 1.5 prestige. If you want a similar Mountain West profile with stronger coach stability, look at Air Force.