End of an era?

[azepp]

To be fair, the defense had about as much chance of scoring as the offense did yesterday....

Unfortunately, they also had a much higher chance of being scored on...

[chuckd4735]

The Cyclones have returned only 10 punts all year. With Tulsa's field position the punt would have either been fair caught or allowed to drop. Using a timeout early would not have changed anything.

Odds are yes. But when you never try, you don't set yourself up for it to happen at all.

[istater7]

Their punter had been booming punts all game long and ISU rarely actually gets a return set up. What if they stick a punt at the one yard line? Can't take a knee, big risk of a turnover, definitely not going to score with the way things are going. There were what, thirty seconds to go who knows how many yards with 1 or 2 timeouts? No way.

[azepp]

Their punter had been booming punts all game long and ISU rarely actually gets a return set up. What if they stick a punt at the one yard line? Can't take a knee, big risk of a turnover, definitely not going to score with the way things are going. There were what, thirty seconds to go who knows how many yards with 1 or 2 timeouts? No way.

Fair enough. I think the odds of being pinned deep, muffing the return, etc. are just as long or longer than Tulsa completing their hail mary, but with much more upside.

In any case, my original post was aimed more at questioning the philosophy in general than continuing to dissect this one example. I, for one, think that in general the benefit of being the aggressor, trying to get another possession, and making the other team defend is greater than the risk of something bad happening. Each individual situation is different, but our play over the last few seasons suggests that our philosophy has been to run the clock out regardless of the situation. I'd like to see that change and I hope that Blankenship's move in this game can be an example of why that change should take place.

[cyclones500]

Or you set yourself up for a big punt return, a bad snap on the punt or even a block. I agree with the OP 100%, I may have even said that I hope Tulsa scores once they took that TO just to teach CPR a lesson on that mentality. Of course I said that in the heart of the moment and out of pure frustration and didn't really mean it, but the conservative mentality going into halftime does drive me nuts... SPECIFICALLY WHEN WE DON'T GET THE BALL TO START THE 2nd HALF!

Even if we did just take the punt,and then take a knee, at least we had control of the ball. I thought the timeout by Tulsa was genius.

I'm with you for the most part -- the bolded portion would be included if ISU actually ever attempted such a thing.

That was among my "conservative frustrations" in 2012 -- half-***** punt-block penetration, but with no commitment on the return — what was the fair-catch vs. return ratio this season? It had to be 5-to-1.

[EvilBetty]

CPR is a smart guy. My guess is he learned a lot yesterday not just in terms of strategy in games but also in schematics and how to practice before a bowl.

one would think those lessons would have been learned last year after the rutgers beat down. fool me once shame on you, fool me twice...

[chuckd4735]

I'm with you for the most part -- the bolded portion would be included if ISU actually ever attempted such a thing.

That was among my "conservative frustrations" in 2012 -- half-***** punt-block penetration, but with no commitment on the return — what was the fair-catch vs. return ratio this season? It had to be 5-to-1.

Agree.

[cygrads]

CPR is a smart guy. My guess is he learned a lot yesterday not just in terms of strategy in games but also in schematics and how to practice before a bowl.

I wish this were true but considering CPR's record after by weeks and in bowl games I don't think he has learned anything yet. ISU either has way less talent than Rutgers and Tulsa or CPR doesn't know how to prepare a team for a game after a layoff - I think it is the latter. CPR is a smart guy and I hope he goes to a coach that knows how to prepare for bowl games and gets some good info - one coach CPR might go to is the now former coach of NC State Tom O'brien who has a bowl record of 6-1. Hire O'brien as a consultant if you have to and learn how to prepare for a bowl game. If we continue to lay eggs in bowl games many fans will stop going.

[cyatheart]

If Rhoads didn't learn how to practice for a bowl game after last year's debacle, what makes you think he will after this game?

There was a difference between this year and last year. The players were ready. Players were excited and playing hard right out of the gate. The gameplan offensively was not.

I felt like our guys just were not ready to play last year, this year I felt like emotionally they were ready.

[dirtyninety]

Agree with original OP 100% It is the lazy coaching of cruising into halftime. MacCarney would ALWAYS do that. You see some Pro team coaches do that....but not the good ones. You play every freaking second of every freaking game until victory formation, or you have been lying to your kids with your rah-rah speeches.
I would extend this to the half-*** series before that.....I really hoping to see Barnett come in that last series...we all knew that Richardson was sick/dazed and that series was a total morale waste which was more depressing than the above discussed punt screw-off. Why must we run a worthless zone-read play for lost yardage every series? We had a half of it to that point, and we needed some "two minute drill" exercise at end of half, and we do the obligatory flat foot, stand-like-dumb-***-hand-off-backfield-sideways-run-tackle-for-loss play we always do. Go watch the tape.
Punt rush: WHY? why? why do we have three guys penetrate and then just do the cha-cha-slide (white guy version) instead of trying to block the freaking punt? At least one of them? Is it that hard to coordinate the gunners to know who is fake punt protect and who can at least continue on a crash attempt? stupid.
Lastly, I want a committment from Paul....NO MORE locker room celebrations like he is known for until we win a bowl game. I am serious. I am tired of the replays of our few upsets....maybe this remind Paul of the ultimate goal. We can sing fight song and give impassioned, sincere interviews...that is good. Talk straight with us....that is good. NO MORE LOCKER room stuff though until we win a bowl game.

[SCarolinaCy]

Edit: anyone who would be asking when he'll learn to run the clock out hasn't been watching ISU football for a few years.

Here we are with two minutes left in the half on our own 20 yard line in the rain, and we throw the ball 3 times, take 20 secs off the clock and ALMOST let TU score right before the half. That's an OF coach who has his head up his arse.

[EYEoftheSTORM]

To be completely honest to avoid any sort of point production and "head into the locker room" he should have called the timeout on 4th down, forced them to punt and not fielded it at all, then kneeled it on offense... Nobody scores that way...

[Karsten21]

I'm just glad Steele is gone! Who's with me??

[azepp]

To be completely honest to avoid any sort of point production and "head into the locker room" he should have called the timeout on 4th down, forced them to punt and not fielded it at all, then kneeled it on offense... Nobody scores that way...

I agree. The coaches have just become so focused on getting to the locker room that they're not even thinking about the situation any more. It's just an automatic response to try and run out the clock and that's what I really can't stand about it. When things are being done without any thought going into why we're doing them, that's a bad thing IMO.

[Wesley]

Bottom line is CPR needs to do more to jump start a two cylinder offense.