By Chris Williams, CycloneFanatic.com PublisherFollow Chris on Twitter @ChrisMWilliams
Busy day today.
A few Friday morning musings…
— Yesterday’s Tom Herman to Ohio State news caught me off guard. I didn’t see it coming. I woke up to a text message at around 3:30 in the morning that tipped me off to what turned out to be a crazy Thursday.
As I posted on my Twitter page yesterday afternoon before taking the air for the CycloneFanatic.com Call-In Show, I’m very happy for Tom. I think he’s a hell of a football coach and I know that he’s a really good guy. I’m thankful that I got to know him over the last three years and wish him nothing but the best in Columbus and beyond.
The silver lining here for an Iowa State fan…When schools like Ohio State are poaching your assistant coaches, that’s a good thing. It means that Iowa State is heading in the right direction.
What’s next for Iowa State? That’s now the big question.
While it’s way too early to actually know anything, Austen Arnaud and I did come up with THIS LIST yesterday afternoon. A few additional thoughts?
*** The names Tony Franklin and Courtney Messingham really intrigue me. They aren’t the sexiest names on the list, but both men would bring a wealth of experience and most importantly, continuity to the job. Rhoads wouldn’t have to worry about either leaving in two or three years after a little bit of success. Coaching staff continuity is an important factor in building a successful football program. That’s why I especially like those two names.
*** Did you know that Houston offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury helped recruit Iowa State quarterback Jared Barnett (to Houston) back in the day.
Barnett obviously chose the Cyclones. But he’s still familiar with Kingsbury.
*** Another reason to love a possible hire of Louisiana Tech offensive coordinator Tony Franklin is that I’ve been told his system is nearly identical to the one that Barnett ran in high school. Terminology wouldn’t be a problem for the young signal-caller.
On the offensive coordinator coaching front, stay tuned fanatics.
For more on this story, I encourage you to listen to the podcast from last night’s call in show by CLICKING HERE. Austen gave some great insight on the situation.
— I got this text message from a friend today regarding the Iowa State vs. Iowa basketball game tonight. Obviously, this friend is a diehard Cyclone fan.
"Gonna be a tough game tonight. It’s Iowa’s version of the NBA Finals."
Clever guy…
In all seriousness, I’m very excited for tonight’s contest. Last year’s showdown in Iowa City was one of the most entertaining Cyclone games of the season. Neither team was very good, but the feeling inside of Carver Hawkeye Arena told me that the rivalry is coming back.
I think that Fred Hoiberg has a lot to do with that. This rivalry means a lot to him.
As far as tonight’s game goes, there’s no question that Iowa State has more talent than the Hawkeyes. But at the same time, can you really trust this Cyclone basketball team? I don’t. Which crew will show up?
One thing is for sure. If Iowa State wants to improve to 7-3 on the season, the Cyclones need to make some shots tonight. That’s their game. This team’s number one strength is the ability to shoot the basketball. The slump needs to stop. I just looked at Iowa’s roster and the Hawkeyes have nine kids from the state of Iowa listed (some walk-ons). Point being, they will know the meaning of tonight’s game. The Hawks will show up ready to play.
A FEW LINKS…
— Cyclones.com looks back at some great moments in Cy-Hawk basketball history…
— Randy Peterson of the Des Moines Registerpreviews the big game.
— The Ames Tribune’s Bobby La Gesse on how Royce White and young Percy Gibson are developing chemistry in Iowa State’s frontcourt.
