Reasons for serious optimism

[HuddleUp]

After two games:

- minus 5 in turnovers
- 19 penalties for 165 yards
- 1 for 3 in field goals
- Woody 8 carries for 11 yards
- minus 13 minutes in time of possession
- injuries/suspensions to key players (Reynolds, Hicks, Darks, Knott, KO, Maggitt, etc.)
- new QB
- new RB

Yet we are 2-0 against good teams. The turnover margin will improve along with the penalties. Woody will get it going. Dramatic improvement in time of possession from week one to week two. Team getting healthier each week (knock on wood).

Scary to think how good we can be if this stuff gets corrected... which most of it can be fixed. This season has the early makings of something pretty special. No one expected us to do anything. All the B12 crap going on. This group could make a lasting mark in ISU football history.

[MNCyGuy]

After two games:

- minus 5 in turnovers
- 19 penalties for 165 yards
- 1 for 3 in field goals
- Woody 8 carries for 11 yards
- minus 13 minutes in time of possession
- injuries/suspensions to key players (Reynolds, Hicks, Darks, Knott, KO, Maggitt, etc.)
- new QB
- new RB

Yet we are 2-0 against good teams. The turnover margin will improve along with the penalties. Woody will get it going. Dramatic improvement in time of possession from week one to week two. Team getting healthier each week (knock on wood).

Scary to think how good we can be if this stuff gets corrected... which most of it can be fixed. This season has the early makings of something pretty special. No one expected us to do anything. All the B12 crap going on. This group could make a lasting mark in ISU football history.

I'm sure I'll come back down to earth eventually (though I don't think it will be this week), but right now I really think our only Achilles Heel is FG kicking.

[ISUFan22]

I think you'd be hard pressed to find many (if any) ISU games in which we had those kind of mistakes, the opposition didn't, and we still won the game.

Hell, there are few teams in the country that have won games in those circumstances.

The cliche is good teams find a way to win. Maybe we're a good team this year. I sure hope so - the jury will be in soon.

[ahaselhu]

To this point, I think both our defense and offense have been good, but not great. We still need improvement in both to expect to win consistently in conference play.

And also we need to drastically cut down on our TOs and penalties. We're not going to get by with that much longer.

[HuddleUp]

I think you'd be hard pressed to find many (if any) ISU games in which we had those kind of mistakes, the opposition didn't, and we still won the game.

Hell, there are few teams in the country that have won games in those circumstances.

The cliche is good teams find a way to win. Maybe we're a good team this year. I sure hope so - the jury will be in soon.

That's what gives me so much hope. We usually get smoked in these types of games... especially against Iowa. This reminds me of some of Floyd's and LE's teams. We'd play pretty bad and still manage to win. There's one common denominator there... talent.

[4Cyclones]

Not to be debbie downer, but holding penalties will probably continue with such a mobile QB like StJ. Don't worry though, the good will severly outweigh the bad.

[Ficklone02]

Another thing that gives me optimism is the interchangable parts we have that better depth has afforded us. Ex: I feel the play of Matt T'f.... had a big impact on early down running plays, and CJ Morgan is a perfect OLB to help stock spread teams.

[CSheen]

I hope we can go get a solid win at UConn, But past history shows we can beat Iowa and still have a season go down the tubes. We are always overly optimistic after beating someone ranked higher, and thats with good warrant. But we beat Iowa, not OU, Not Okie State... We still have a grueling schedule ahead of us and we don't have much depth.

My hopes is we clean up our play as much as we can, Go out there, get to a bowl game, hell maybe we will be sharp and get 8 wins, but 5-6 is still very much reality.

[cycloneG]

Another thing that gives me optimism is the interchangable parts we have that better depth has afforded us. Ex: I feel the play of Matt T'f.... had a big impact on early down running plays, and CJ Morgan is a perfect OLB to help stock spread teams.

Matt T was an animal against the run on Saturday.