I can handle losing it is how we lose...

**mt85** · 09-16-2006, 02:35 PM

I can handle losing, however, it is very frustrating how this staff calls a game. I give Iowa credit for making the plays to win the game, but I would like to see this coaching staff just once play with aggression throughout the game.

Watching us take the air out of the ball at the end of the half was vintage Dan McCarney. We were moving the ball with ease in the first half. We had decent field position, three time outs and we could have taken the wind out of their sails at half if we drive down and score.

Then in the fourth quarter we get the ball back mid way through the quarter and we run the ball up the mid four downs in a row. Did Dan forget we were down seven at that point?

I hate to say this, but every Cyclone fan knows the frustration that I'm speaking of and it isn't going to change under Dan. As much as everyone wants to see Dan suceed he mentally is not a risk taker, and that is what this program needs to take a step up to the next level. The building frustration with Dan's 'play not to lose mentality' is a huge head wind to JP reaching the goals he's set for the athletic department.

**mwitt** · 09-16-2006, 02:40 PM

Not going for it at the end of the first half and going for it on 4th down were questionable decisions, but they were understandable. Why did it matter that we were running when we were down 7? There were 10 minutes left, and we were averaging 5 yards a carry.

This wasn't an ugly game to lose. We just got beat. We can take some things from it, and use them to play better in the more important conference games. We had no pass rush all game, and Meyer had to scramble all day. That's something we need to address.

**mt85** · 09-16-2006, 02:45 PM

Originally Posted by mwitt

Not going for it at the end of the first half and going for it on 4th down were questionable decisions, but they were understandable. Why did it matter that we were running when we were down 7? There were 10 minutes left, and we were averaging 5 yards a carry.

This wasn't an ugly game to lose. We just got beat. We can take some things from it, and use them to play better in the more important conference games. We had no pass rush all game, and Meyer had to scramble all day. That's something we need to address.

It becomes pretty ease to defend a team when you basically run the same play four downs in a row. Have you ever heard of the phrase 'going to the the well once too often'.

**mwitt** · 09-16-2006, 02:48 PM

Don't fix what isn't broken. We didn't play a bad game, we just got beat.

**shadow** · 09-16-2006, 02:49 PM

ISU is close, they just need to consistently be aggressive calling plays on offense. Our players are doing great, just better play-calling; play to win all the time. But that's what they've needed to do for a while now. Don't know if it's going to change.

**darts180** · 09-16-2006, 02:50 PM

M, may I call you M???, I have no problem with running the football, in fact I like the fact that we could move the ball on the ground, nice job o-line. HOWEVER, what does Mac have to lose??? Really??? Don't you think that he's 24 (wow that still amazes me) games under .500 for a reason. He is 39-37 this decade, and he still has a job. Almost EVERY school in 1-A football would have fired him by now, ISU is probably that ONE school that will hang with him. We have seen tha bottom of football existence here at Iowa State, and wouldn't it be refreshing to see a balls to the wall coach, who doesn't play not to lose, JUST ONCE???
I may be wrong, please enlighten me. Thanks

**Kyle** · 09-16-2006, 02:54 PM

I've been patient, but had e-****ing-nough. I'm recasting my vote to the fire Mac camp. Over a ****ing minute left with three time outs and we sit on it? WTF!!! I'll be really curious to see what his justification for that was. I look forward to us taking a knee every play in the future. I can see the quote now:
"Well, a lot can go wrong when you run plays. You risk fumbles, interceptions, and guys getting hurt. I thought it best to just punt the ball and let our defense try to score some points for us."

**mt85** · 09-16-2006, 02:56 PM

Three games in a row ISU has started the game with aggressive play calling. They've moved the ball and scored very effectively in all three games. We've scored a total of 6 points in the second half of the last two games, and in the second half of regulation against Toledo we had 10. 16 points in the second half with this caliber of offense is a pretty clear indication that something isn't quite right.

**HOTDON** · 09-16-2006, 03:00 PM

That 4th down play was a gutsy call, the first of the season I'd say. Meyer gave up on the run and it cost us the 1st down. He chose to slide out of bounds to avoid being hit. If he'd taken one step into the defenders he had the 1st down.

That was a microcosm of the past few seasons; it was in our hands, but we couldn't finish.

**mt85** · 09-16-2006, 03:01 PM

Originally Posted by darts180

M, may I call you M???, I have no problem with running the football, in fact I like the fact that we could move the ball on the ground, nice job o-line. HOWEVER, what does Mac have to lose??? Really??? Don't you think that he's 24 (wow that still amazes me) games under .500 for a reason. He is 39-37 this decade, and he still has a job. Almost EVERY school in 1-A football would have fired him by now, ISU is probably that ONE school that will hang with him. We have seen tha bottom of football existence here at Iowa State, and wouldn't it be refreshing to see a balls to the wall coach, who doesn't play not to lose, JUST ONCE???
I may be wrong, please enlighten me. Thanks

I have no problem running the ball as well, but after you've done it three times in a row successfully, you've now set them up for a play action pass. If you keep running up the middle (ie four times in a row) they eventually will stop you. After you've softened them up, they will be vulnerable to play action, but you can't wait until 3rd and five to catch them off guard.

**darts180** · 09-16-2006, 03:12 PM

Can't we once, just once, not be the noble loser when we leave the field. Please Mac, please just one time don't hold back, beat a team that is better than us.
I know it happens, they have these things called upsets

**dbronco7sc** · 09-16-2006, 05:05 PM

he did beat Iowa 6 times... and I'm sure at least once they were ranked higher than us...

**ISUFan22** · 09-16-2006, 06:35 PM

Golly gee...Mac can do nothing right in the eyes of the fans. The last two weeks we should have thrown the ball more. Now he should have spent more time running it.

Ummm...he did run the hell out of the ball today.

I'll just never understand the "jump from the cliff" and "lynch the coach" after every game mentality.

**Skyh13** · 09-16-2006, 07:16 PM

I've defended Mac, but today was ridiculous.... I can't believe someone would actually sit on their heels with 1:30 left in the first half and THREE timeouts left... who in their right mind does that?? No decent coach does that. Seriously now. And unless we're trying to run the clock, or we're just absolutely dominating the other team this way, we should NEVER be running the football up the middle 4 times in a row... do it twice, and if you're successful both times, go for the pass. Then you've got the opposing defense in a spot. But oh well, we know that type of scheme won't happen...

**explorer** · 09-16-2006, 07:54 PM

In response to Skyh13, your argument holds no water. Almost every coach would go into halftime with a four point lead on the road to the 16th ranked team in the country just as Mac did. I was frustrated also, but we go for broke and throw and interception, everyone would complain then. He's conservative (yes sometimes to conservative) but most of his calls in these situations are typical of most coaches