2007 Cyclones with "swagger"

cyclonelifer · 02-01-2007, 05:55 PM

Not drinking Kool-aid or smoking wacky weed, but I’d like to share a true story of the Cyclone swagger of the 70s.

Though I grew up on the east coast, I was raised in a Cyclone home. My brother was recruited by Clay Stapleton, but never played a down for him. After his senior year, he was notified that Stapleton would be replaced by a new an upcoming young coach named – Johnny Majors. He went to ISU and red-shirted his freshman year. Recruited as a TE, Majors put weight (and speed) on him and moved him to RG. By his sophomore year, he was on the traveling squad and we went to see the Clones play a nationally ranked Syracuse team in New York. Though they lost, opponents began to understand that ISU was becoming a force.

My brother started for the Clones his junior year, and my parents and I made our first trip to Ames to watch a game. It was against Barry Switzer’s Oklahoma Sooners at Clyde Williams Field. Up to that point in the season ISU was becoming a team, not to be taken for granted. And that day they developed a “swagger.” OU had no luck running their wishbone and after three quarters trailed ISU 28-7. The stadium was rocking, everyone believing that the Clones had beaten a nationally ranked powerhouse.

OU was forced to throw the ball and that day Jack Mildren couldn’t miss. The Clones lost that day in the final minute 29-28. But more happened then a loss, an attitude change took place. The players knew they could compete with the nation’s best. But more importantly other teams began to fear playing in Ames. This attitude carried into the ’71 season, one which would see ISU’s first bowl game, with my brother, one of the tri-captains.

The swagger came alive in ’71. “Swagger” meaning to always protect your home field, never lose to an underdog, and always expect an upset of a higher ranked team. 1971, ISU lost three games, on the road to #1 NU, #2 OU, and at home late in the game to #3 Colorado. When bowl games truly meant something, ISU was invited to play in the Sun Bowl against LSU. Though they lost that game, the final coaches poll had ISU at #17.

The “swagger” stayed alive through the Majors tenure and was reinforced with another young, up and coming coach – Earle Bruce. I believe the “swagger” has returned with another young, up and coming coach, who won’t accept defeat and knows what it’s like to be on a winner. Part of the game is attitude. Which I believe, we’ll see right away. So with these thoughts, here’s my predictions for 2007.

Kent St W
Northern Iowa W
Iowa W
@ Toledo W
@ Nebraska ?
@ Texas Tech ?
Texas L
Oklahoma L
@ Missouri W
Kansas St W
Colorado W
@ Kansas W

With a “swagger” home games must be won, all are doable except Texas and OU. Always have at least one upset – which is NU or Tech. And never lose to an underdog, which is the rest of the schedule. No other team is “superior” to ISU on this schedule. A 9 or 10 win season can be achieved.

sodakjoe · 02-01-2007, 06:05 PM

I really don't know if we can consider any of the other Big XII North teams an "underdog" at this point. With a team learning an entirely new system, I really think we're at a much more significant disadvantage.

letsgostate · 02-01-2007, 06:26 PM

I was on the 50 every game during Johnny Major's tenure..unusally not sober. Fun football, I hope it's back

wonkadog · 02-01-2007, 06:29 PM

With all due respect you are out of your gourd. I understand that there's reason for optimism in that we have some good players returning and hopefully they will now be utilized to their full potential. However, our schedule is rough enough that a 6 win season should be considered miraculous this year. You do remember we won 1 game in the conference last year, correct? Most of our other conference losses weren't like the '05 season where we could have won them if the ball bounced the right way...most of '06 was hard to watch.

brianhos · 02-01-2007, 06:33 PM

I am really hoping for 4 wins this year, anything over that is gravy. 6 wins and chiz should be big 12 coach of the year. 8 wins gets him national coach of the year.

Bobber · 02-01-2007, 06:57 PM

Good Post! I think you're overly optimistic, but hey it be great to have that swagger back and let's keep it around...

jtd9046 · 02-01-2007, 07:03 PM

Haha, great post. I had to catch myself there. For a second I thought I was watching a movie and was caught up in the moment.

Clones in '07!!! Let's make it a cinderella movie!!!!

cycloneworld · 02-01-2007, 07:18 PM

I don't think 6 wins is unattainable. I would put my "expectation number" at 5 wins. Less wins, I will be disappointed...more wins will be a successful year.

spierceisu · 02-01-2007, 07:27 PM

I think that we could win 6 games and not stretching it too far. Our offense can't be a whole lot worse than last year and we have quite a few returning starters on defense with a defensive minded coach. The Big 12 north still is not very good this year, and we should win at least 3 out of 4 non conference games. I just hope that against some tough competition we can at least stay competetive instead of the announcers running out of things to talk about 5 minutes into the third quarter because it is 35-3.

CyForPresident · 02-01-2007, 08:30 PM

we should win at least 3 out of 4 non conference games

I fully expect to win 4. Iowa will not be that good next year.

GoShow97 · 02-01-2007, 08:42 PM

Originally Posted by cyclonelifer

Not drinking Kool-aid or smoking wacky weed, but I’d like to share a true story of the Cyclone swagger of the 70s.

Though I grew up on the east coast, I was raised in a Cyclone home. My brother was recruited by Clay Stapleton, but never played a down for him. After his senior year, he was notified that Stapleton would be replaced by a new an upcoming young coach named – Johnny Majors. He went to ISU and red-shirted his freshman year. Recruited as a TE, Majors put weight (and speed) on him and moved him to RG. By his sophomore year, he was on the traveling squad and we went to see the Clones play a nationally ranked Syracuse team in New York. Though they lost, opponents began to understand that ISU was becoming a force.

My brother started for the Clones his junior year, and my parents and I made our first trip to Ames to watch a game. It was against Barry Switzer’s Oklahoma Sooners at Clyde Williams Field. Up to that point in the season ISU was becoming a team, not to be taken for granted. And that day they developed a “swagger.” OU had no luck running their wishbone and after three quarters trailed ISU 28-7. The stadium was rocking, everyone believing that the Clones had beaten a nationally ranked powerhouse.

OU was forced to throw the ball and that day Jack Mildren couldn’t miss. The Clones lost that day in the final minute 29-28. But more happened then a loss, an attitude change took place. The players knew they could compete with the nation’s best. But more importantly other teams began to fear playing in Ames. This attitude carried into the ’71 season, one which would see ISU’s first bowl game, with my brother, one of the tri-captains.

The swagger came alive in ’71. “Swagger” meaning to always protect your home field, never lose to an underdog, and always expect an upset of a higher ranked team. 1971, ISU lost three games, on the road to #1 NU, #2 OU, and at home late in the game to #3 Colorado. When bowl games truly meant something, ISU was invited to play in the Sun Bowl against LSU. Though they lost that game, the final coaches poll had ISU at #17.

The “swagger” stayed alive through the Majors tenure and was reinforced with another young, up and coming coach – Earle Bruce. I believe the “swagger” has returned with another young, up and coming coach, who won’t accept defeat and knows what it’s like to be on a winner. Part of the game is attitude. Which I believe, we’ll see right away. So with these thoughts, here’s my predictions for 2007.

Kent St W
Northern Iowa W
Iowa W
@ Toledo W
@ Nebraska ?
@ Texas Tech ?
Texas L
Oklahoma L
@ Missouri W
Kansas St W
Colorado W
@ Kansas W

With a “swagger” home games must be won, all are doable except Texas and OU. Always have at least one upset – which is NU or Tech. And never lose to an underdog, which is the rest of the schedule. No other team is “superior” to ISU on this schedule. A 9 or 10 win season can be achieved.

Love the post, love the attitude. I'm with you on the 9 win season.

ISUclones33 · 02-01-2007, 08:43 PM

Why not us?.... My family just made a large donation too FYI : )

cytheguy · 02-01-2007, 09:21 PM

It's great to have high hopes, but realistically I'm saying 6 wins top.

cydsho · 02-01-2007, 09:46 PM

Love the optimism but we are replacing an entire OL with jucos and some backups to below average linemen. That is going to be the main factor this year. I will be happy if we just show some improvement during the year and display a new attitude. Let the wins come where they may. This next year in fb is going to be similar to basketball this year. Not saying we might not surprise someone but I don't think we have near the tools to be a consistantly good team.

isucyclone4 · 02-01-2007, 10:07 PM

Originally Posted by brianhos

I am really hoping for 4 wins this year, anything over that is gravy. 6 wins and chiz should be big 12 coach of the year. 8 wins gets him national coach of the year.

EXACTLY!!! Great post. I absolutely LOVE all the optimism and excitement surrounding Cyclone football and Gene Chizik. But honestly, there was a TON of optimism last year, everyone went in thinking that ISU would put up 35 points a game with our high power offense, we saw what happened there. I think we win 5 games in '07. That is no reason to say hey, we shouldn't show up, this will be an exciting year, but no the most successful, I think it will be the START of something special and '08 and '09 once Gene Chizik gets "his" guys here to ISU and has a full year to recruit combined with the fact that we exchange Texas, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech for Baylor, Oklahoma State, and Texas A&M in our big 12 south part of the schedule, we will have major success and going to the big 12 championship game will be a definite possibility both years. Gene Chizik is a great solid coach and solid recruiter, but he is no miracle worker. If he wins 8 games next year, than yes, he deserves coach of the year, especially if it involved beating a Texas or Oklahoma along the way. I just believe it will take more time than just one year for Chizik to the kind of success we want. But I do agree on one thing that no one inside or outside of the Cyclone family can deny: The swagger is back at the up-and-coming Iowa State University.