This year's EA college football game gives players a lesson in leadership. Impact players, aka ballers with high ratings, will be able to trigger "lead by example" events that impact each player's morale. Score a touchdown with an impact player, a chain-reaction of good feelings spread to the rest of the team, which in turn, boosts each player's performance.

Other players also get in on the psychological action. Pull off a sweet play and morale (and thus performance) gets a boost. Fumble a pass, and that player's ratings takes a hit. How much the player's confidence jumps and falls depends on the complexity of a play.

NCAA's revamped career mode -- also called Campus Legend mode -- makes a comeback this year, letting gamers create a player and start building their skills in four rounds of high school football, Friday Night Lights-style. Perform well, and get recruited to play football at a top college. Play like a dud and the players gets drafted as a third-stringer at a lesser college. After gamers build up the college footballer of their dreams, the game's producers say players can use the players in Madden's Superstar mode.

Taking notes from Madden's mini games last year, players can also choose what they want to do at night (sorry, no frat parties). Activities like playing basketball or going to the movies can either boost attributes (or not).

Video highlights also get an overhaul this year -- virtual quarterbacks who want to study their performance can now take a closer look at several top plays instead of just one at a time. Also, videos and pictures of up to five highlights per game can be shared with friends or, new this year, viewed on virtual screens in a new virtual shrine that will house a player's trophies and achievements.

We didn't get to see much of the actual gameplay, but the producers also promised more realistic behavior from computer-controlled players and the return of the Dynasty mode. Otherwise, they're staying mum until closer to the NCAA Football 08's release date.