Assessing the program's progress under Coach Rhoads

[kingcy]

Depth is better, there are better athletes in the program now, speed and strengh are better, Dline play is better, DBacks and Safetys are better, LBs are better, Oline is the same, WRs play is the same, and QB play is down when compairing now to 4 and 6 years ago. The fans are behind the program more, the facalities are better, and the staff is better now than 4 and 6 years ago. The Big 12 is also a lot better than 4 and 6 years ago. The next step has to be made at some point, but this program is being built the right way for the long haul.

[Sloup]

It's hard to argue against Rhoads' track record thus far compared to what he had when he got here. However, he knows the challenge he faces with the schedule and recruiting disadvantages and made a plan to deal with them. In the last four years, he's recruited his own guys to his systems and has proven he knows the game. 6-6 (3-6) should be seen as the floor regardless of whether we lose 5 or 22 starters from the previous year. The key is whether or not the talent level has improved enough to be competitive with the top half of the Big XII. I'm hopeful it has, but I'm not convinced yet.

I'm a little disappointed with 6-6 this year, but I'm not too upset about it. It was a good year for a team that suffered some injuries to key defensive players and had a revolving door at quarterback. In future seasons, I will be okay with 6-6 as long as there are some teams that win 10+ games mixed in there. Maybe that's a little greedy, but Rhoads set his own bar.

[swarthmoreCY]

I am very disappointed with the offense, this is not just a CPR problem but it is his now. ISU has been pretty much bottom of the barrel offensively in the Big 12 for about a decade. Yesterday slammed that home. West Virginia was giving up at least 39 points in EVERY Big 12 game so far this year. We managed to put up a paltry 24. West Virginia was giving up 496 yards/game. ISU was held to 100 yards under that.

You do not think the wind was a big part of that? We finally find a QB that allows us to not compress the field so much, then on Friday the wind forced that anyways. Besides, you real issue is efficiency. What % of possessions do you score on. Points per game is not sufficient in measuring that. Yardage? Please.

[swarthmoreCY]

Yes. We are 9th in the big 12 in rushing. Largely due to the offensive line.

1.) Does not speak to the fact you singling out the best performing unit as the unit needing improvement is illogical. The bottleneck is not OL play.
2.) Largely due to the Oline? How so? Perhaps it is due to fewer attempts than 6 other teams, bad QB play, and facing a stacked box due to no passing game. All ball carriers besides Jantz average 4.2 YPC or better.
3.) Ranking 9th in rushing does not mean the Oline is not getting the job done. To trivialize this point, if we were ranked 10th, but averaged 10 YPC, we would be doing very well.

[twojman]

You do not think the wind was a big part of that? We finally find a QB that allows us to not compress the field so much, then on Friday the wind forced that anyways. Besides, you real issue is efficiency. What % of possessions do you score on. Points per game is not sufficient in measuring that. Yardage? Please.

If this was a one game theme, I would agree with you. Iowa gives up close to 400 yards/game. How did ISU do that day? How about against Tech or Texas? Points per game a very important, in case you did not know that is how a game is won. Please. If you cannot see that the ISU offense is pathetic you are blind. ISU is ranked about 90 or 93 in the country in total offense. Iowa State is 83rd in the country scoring wise. Is that ok? At least we were better than KU offensively this year, I guess that is something hang your hat on in the conference.

[Tornado man]

On the other hand, one winning season out of four would get many coaches fired.

One area that I am concerned about is recruiting. Something like 60% (very very roughly) of our recruits are still 2-star players.

Agree. Recruiting has to get better. I wonder if our staff has that dynamic, persuasive X-factor when it comes to engaging with recruits.
Also, Rhoads is very fortunate that he is at a school with a fan base like we have.

[swarthmoreCY]

If this was a one game theme, I would agree with you. Iowa gives up close to 400 yards/game. How did ISU do that day? How about against Tech or Texas? Points per game a very important, in case you did not know that is how a game is won. .

ISU with Sam as starter is a one game theme.

The game is won with points per game? Then why does Baylor have so many losses? It is about efficiency, high points per game is correlation, not causation. If ISU scores TDs on all its possessions, it will be in very good position to win, regardless of how many total points that is

[CTTB78]

CPR has changed the expectations of the team and consequently the fanbase. We now expect to be competative with any team in the country. We haven't been able to say that since the Earle Bruce days.

The big difference with CPR is that this success does not have looking for the next job. I truely believe he wants to build something here.

[jsb]

I'm happy with where things are at. I wish we could have won another game or two this year, but we just didn't.

I think we are much closer to playing even with most teams in the schedule, which is huge. Rhoads has lost one game which he should have won (Colorado) and has won more games than a person can mention in which he wasn't favored in.

Rhoads had the misfortune of coming in here when the conference was at its strongest. That sucks because to the average/stupid fan, they can't see the improvement that is pretty obvious.

The biggest thing is that after 4 years I LOVE Iowa State football. I've never loved Iowa State football. McCarney's teams killed me and I was always happy when the season was over. Now, I am sad that I don't have another game to go to. I'd love to be at Jack Trice next Saturday even in the cold and wind.

We are getting better and the future is bright. Everyone needs to realize what is happening and enjoy it. It isn't going to happen over night, but this way is better. We are building a program, a winning program.

[Luth4Cy]

Pretty good assessment. I'm not too concerned about losing Wally. For one thing I think he will retire a Cyclone. Once that happens my guess is little Burnham will get the DC job. His d-tackles have shown improvement every year and aren't that far from being a strength on defense.

[swarthmoreCY]

Agree. Recruiting has to get better. I wonder if our staff has that dynamic, persuasive X-factor when it comes to engaging with recruits.
Also, Rhoads is very fortunate that he is at a school with a fan base like we have.

Recruiting has/is getting (slowly) better. We have been working through players from previous staffs and the thrown together class from CPR's first year.

CPR is the biggest X-factor in recruiting we have had in decades. We could use a couple more top-notch assistants in recruiting.

[Doc]

Recruiting has/is getting (slowly) better. We have been working through players from previous staffs and the thrown together class from CPR's first year.

CPR is the biggest X-factor in recruiting we have had in decades. We could use a couple more top-notch assistants in recruiting.

Agree. Recruiting is getting better, and it will show up in a couple of years. For example, our starting lines may have 1-2 BCS offers between them but we have numerous guys in the pipeline that did have offers and probably have higher ceilings than our current starters.

[ILiftWithRoyce]

On the other hand, one winning season out of four would get many coaches fired.

One area that I am concerned about is recruiting. Something like 60% (very very roughly) of our recruits are still 2-star players. The "stars don't matter" people, just imagine how the Cincinnati game last night would have turned out if 60% of our MBB players were 2-star players. Now, I realize that it isn't realistic at this point to expect 5-star and 4-star recruits to be coming to ISU in football, but if 3-star players are the best we are going to get, then we need to make 3-star players the bulk of our commit lists.

In regard to recruits' stars, currently in this year's recruiting class (according to ESPN) we have signed 5 2-stars, 16 3-stars, and 1 4-star.

[ajk4st8]

I love what coach rhoads is doing. I really hope we can win the bowl game to avoid 3 straight losing seasons.

[swarthmoreCY]

I love what coach rhoads is doing. I really hope we can win the bowl game to avoid 3 straight losing seasons.

I hope we can win the bowl game. Only 1 losing regular season in 4 years is a good start.