I'd feel a lot better about 3-3...

**ISUFan22** · 10-09-2006, 11:48 AM

If our offense was at least scoring some points. We all knew headed into this season our defense would give us troubles.

What no one expected was that our offense would struggle to put points on the board in the way they have this year. And for the most part, it's just been poor execution and strange play calls at times. We've had turnovers, yet not an abnormal amount. Plus, we've done very well inside the red zone so far. Well, we did until Saturday...

But anyways...if we had lost Saturday 49-38...I could stomach that much better than only scoring 7 real points.

But when the defense pitches a shutout until the final possession for Nebraska and the offense does not say "Hey guys, thanks - now here's 4 TD's and a win for your efforts"...I get real, real testy.

The entire offensive unit should be very embarrassed today. Hopefully that embarrassment will turn into a fire lit under each person's arse that will carry this team to some wins and make the 2006 season a respectable one.

**Wesley** · 10-09-2006, 12:14 PM

If it does not happen in nexst four weeks, hope for Shrevepoort. How many fans will be headed to Shreveoport the way this season has gone?

I can see it now: win by 3 on the road in KSU, win by one in Boulder, beat Kansas in overtime, and lose the other three.

Future MCC quote: We are very thankful we are headed for our sixth bowl game in seven years because we need more practice for senior oline.

**cycloneworld** · 10-09-2006, 12:19 PM

What I don't understand is how come we have regressed on offense?

I feel like we are 1-3 games into the season where our offense just needs those first few games to gel, get back in the swing of real games, etc....however, we are now halfway through the season and I haven't seen the offense be any sort of consistant yet. How does that happen? Is it coaching? Execution? Both? If it's both, how much can you blame on each 50/50? 60/40?

We have all but given up on the run, even though Stevie was running well. But we get behind and have to play comeback so the run goes away.

I am still behind Mac because I really do think that he has the tools to be a good coach for us...He recruits well, he motivates well, and he is an excellent representation of Iowa State. Why do you think he gets so much respect from people outside of the state of Iowa? But ultimately he has to take responsibility for his assistant coaches. IMO Cotton is terrible...he hasn't done ***** with probably the best talent group Iowa State has ever seen. Should Mac pay for Cotton's inability to do anything with great players? Yes. Should he pay for it with his job? I don't know.

I honestly don't have the answers to any of these questions. What does everyone else think?

**ISUFan22** · 10-09-2006, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by cycloneworld

What I don't understand is how come we have regressed on offense?

I feel like we are 1-3 games into the season where our offense just needs those first few games to gel, get back in the swing of real games, etc....however, we are now halfway through the season and I haven't seen the offense be any sort of consistant yet. How does that happen? Is it coaching? Execution? Both? If it's both, how much can you blame on each 50/50? 60/40?

We have all but given up on the run, even though Stevie was running well. But we get behind and have to play comeback so the run goes away.

I am still behind Mac because I really do think that he has the tools to be a good coach for us...He recruits well, he motivates well, and he is an excellent representation of Iowa State. Why do you think he gets so much respect from people outside of the state of Iowa? But ultimately he has to take responsibility for his assistant coaches. IMO Cotton is terrible...he hasn't done ***** with probably the best talent group Iowa State has ever seen. Should Mac pay for Cotton's inability to do anything with great players? Yes. Should he pay for it with his job? I don't know.

I honestly don't have the answers to any of these questions. What does everyone else think?

Some very, very good questions.

Why have we regressed on offense?

Absolutely no idea. Maybe the players heard all off-season about how good they were, they hype around Blythe, etc. So, they've played with big heads. However, one would think after all the sobering games so far, those heads would have deflated and they would have taken on a "get to work" attitude.

Is it coaching? Execution? Both? If it's both, how much can you blame on each 50/50? 60/40?

I think you gotta split it almost evenly between the offensive coaches and players. It takes both of them to win and lose games.

We have all but given up on the run, even though Stevie was running well. But we get behind and have to play comeback so the run goes away.

The running game has looked A LOT better, but the total rushing stats don't show it because we're playing from behind. What a glorious thing it could be if we got an early lead someday and had the ability to run the ball down the throat of the opposition. Plus, you add in the question of will they run or throw? Playing from behind, there is only one real option.

Should Mac pay for Cotton's inability to do anything with great players? Yes. Should he pay for it with his job? I don't know.

I think you are on-target here. When you look purely at coaching, I put a lot more blame on Cotton than I do D-Mac for the offensive unit. I also wonder about our wide receivers coach. Again, these guys heard how good they were, maybe the coach bought into it and didn't ride them as he should. I really like Fitch though (QB coach and passing game coordinator) - but he too must shoulder some of the blame.

**garn91** · 10-09-2006, 12:30 PM

Originally Posted by cycloneworld

What I don't understand is how come we have regressed on offense?

That's what this Nebraska fan and Iowan is constanly asking.

I fully understand what Nebraska was doing in the second half Saturday night (running the ball and eating the clock), but I was scared as hell that with all of the 3 and outs Nebraska had and the decent field posistion ISU was getting, that it wouldn't take much for your offense to get back on track and make a ball game out of it.

Question, Do you guys think the Cotton hiring a way to get into the heads of Nebraska fans and find a way for ISU to get an upper hand in the North? Because to be perfectly honest, in the one year he was at Lincoln, his play calling left alot to be desired.

**Wesley** · 10-09-2006, 12:37 PM

And I am wondering about Special Teams . They have moved up into the C range. If you are not doing it on defense or offense, then the Special teams need to mkae a big play.

Nominee for Player of the Week: Jon Banks. HJe knew Nebraska was going to come at him and he held up his end of the bargain.

**JCloned** · 10-09-2006, 12:47 PM

I would feel a lot better if our defense was weak but representative of the progress we felt we had made as a program. We are not just weak. We are dead last in the Big 12. Worse that Baylor, Worse than Colorado, Worse than KSU, Worse that OSU. Dead last. One of the worst in the nation no less. I didn't expect our defense to be as good as last year. I would have been happy with middle of the road B12 and national level.

Yeah our offense is struggling, but wow, the dead last play of our defense has me really questioning if our program has progressed as I thought it had.

**threemuch** · 10-09-2006, 12:48 PM

I agree completely. I haven't seen anything this season that would lead me to believe that we are going to win even just one more game. It makes no sense at all. Our offense should be putting up at least 24-28 a game. 3-3 would be fine with three very convincing wins and if we were competetive against the three ranked opponents we lost to.

All isn't lost, but I just don't see where the improvement required to beat anyone else on the remaining schedule is going to come from.

**HandSanitizer** · 10-09-2006, 12:55 PM

I think everyone agrees that the predicted scores for this year were going to be like 42-28, 35-27 etc.. The defense is young and not that good, but I wouldn't care if the Offense would play like they should.