How many more losing seasons before you lose faith in CPR?

[cyclones500]

If Rhoads had won just one additional game each of his four seasons, we wouldn't even have this conversation.

I'll leave it up to everyone else whether that's a point of enthusiasm or steady mediocrity.

[atlantacyclone]

This conversation really only could happen after an emotional blowout loss to an inferior team. When you take a step back and look at the past four years it is really nice to be upset with a bowl loss considering my last few decades as an ISU fan...

[swarthmoreCY]

You want a 9 win season.....seriously? With 9 game conf schedule and Iowa on our slate each year? Might as well stop your donations now if thats your requirement. We will be fine without you.

WTF? Don't you mean you better increase your donations now? You get what you pay for.

Nevertheless, why is 9 wins so improbable? In 2009 this staff won 7 with a team that went 2-10, and were a K-State type season away from 9.

We just had 6 wins this year, despite:
-losing three out of four "4th quarter" games.
-having an offense with glaring deficiencies, even when just compared to other ISU teams of the past decade...and having a discount-rate OC that we could get at any time (sans Fine, one that was probably the least credentialed/proven in decades).
-it is not like this roster represented a peak in recruiting or development. This roster includes a coaching transition, and the staff's first real class are redshirt SOs or true JRs. As expected, recruiting is getting better as we are further removed from three horrible years (06-08). Not only in more desirable recruits, but roster management.


Add in some years of continued better funding, support, recruiting, and fortunate bounces, and 9 wins is not out of reach.

[Al_4_State]

Isn't this the same stupid statement made by the same debbie downer fans every single offseason?

I'm far from a Debbie Downer, but I just don't see 6 wins out of next year's schedule. Iowa, UNI, and KU are the closest thin to sure wins, and we always struggle against UNI and Iowa is a rivalry game that invokes passionate performances out of teams. Unless schools like KSU, TTU, Baylor and WVU (all of whom we play on the road, FWIW) take a big step back, there just aren't many conference wins out there. We have 4 conference home games including 3 against Texas, TCU, and OK State. That season opener against a Tulsa squad that just kicked our *** and returns a lot of offensive talent is a tough draw too.

We lose a lot on defense, and if guys like Jevohn Miller are going to be starters next year, we are in big trouble. Our offense is going to have talented guys who can make plays, but I don't trust our offensive staff farther than I can throw them. We yank a QB after a bad series, and refuse to develop any kind of play-calling consistency or identity on offense. The offense should be better, but will it be enough to keep the status quo?

If we make a bowl next year, it will be Rhoads's greatest coaching job yet.

[Cyclonepride]

You jest. Where is your pirate?

Ok, fine. You got me. 24 seasons

[jsb]

Ha! Ha! Ha!

Boy are we stupid. Paul Rhoads could win 4 games next year and I wouldn't lose faith. Jesus. Put any of our past coaches in the same situation Paul Rhoads faced and they wouldn't have gotten us to 3 out of 4 bowls. McCarney would have won 3 games in the same situation.

I know we would all like 8 wins. But you have to take the schedule into consideration. It isn't like we played Iowa's schedule and won 6 games. We played a tough, tough schedule.

As far as I am concerned Rhoads can do what he wants. If he wants to make a coaching staff change, that's fine. If he doesn't, I don't care. He has already proved to me he knows what he is doing. And I am not in the least bit disappointed for me (I am disappointed for the team and the coaches). I have had more joy from football the past four years than I ever have.

[Cycl1]

If the losing season is only a losing season because of a bowl game, then a lot a lot. compare total number of bowl games by ISU, and bowl game percentage by CPR.

[00clone]

I know we would all like 8 wins. But you have to take the schedule into consideration. It isn't like we played Iowa's schedule and won 6 games. We played a tough, tough schedule.

It's also not like we played Iowa's schedule and won 4 games...just sayin'.

[NATEizKING]

It was a short time ago (2 years?) we got spanked 52-0 by Oklahoma. We are in every game and overachieved every year against a top 10 schedule. We are more than two seasons away from this discussion unless we go a tragic 5-19 or worse in that span.

[Hayes30]

Give the man a lifetime contract. End of thread.

[jbhtexas]

What is wrong with wanting a 9 win season?
I don't know if people realize this or not, but we are the only Big 12 school without a 10 win season. This also includes the 4 teams that have left.
[...]
There has been progress. It may not show in the record, but if you watch the games we are more competitive in most. We do still lay eggs, but not as often. That is a major hump we need to get over. We have more depth which is another sign off progress.

Also, seven of the present ten Big 12 schools (KSU, KU, OSU, OU, TCU, UT, WVU) have been to BCS bowls (all have won except KSU), in addition to 3 of 4 that have left (CU, NU, TAMU). MU and TTU have also had 11-win regular seasons, but didn't get selected to BCS bowls. I certainly don't see anything wrong with expecting a 9-win season from ISU on occasion.

It probably doesn't matter so much whether the hard-core fans (like the ones who post here) lose faith. They usually support the team no matter what, and I don't think ADJP will let the program get to the point where too many hard core fans have fallen away. If the more casual fans start losing interest and attendance/season ticket sales fall too low, ADJP would probably have no choice but to make a change. Thus, the question becomes whether hovering around 5-6 wins per year will drive away the more casual fans.

There definitely has been improvement. There were no ugly blowout losses this year. However, others have raised a good question: if CPR can't break the current string of losing seasons, will he be able to recruit players to maintain 6 wins?

Another interesting scenario would be one of bowl contraction. What happens if ISU can get six wins, but misses a bowl?

[VeloClone]

That season opener against a Tulsa squad that just kicked our *** and returns a lot of offensive talent is a tough draw too.

For the record ISU plays Tulsa on 21 SEP. By that point ISU will have already hosted UNI and Iowa. Just because it was the season opener this year don't automatically assume the return game will be next year.

[Al_4_State]

For the record ISU plays Tulsa on 21 SEP. By that point ISU will have already hosted UNI and Iowa. Just because it was the season opener this year don't automatically assume the return game will be next year.

Forgot that.

Still, I don't expect much next year. I've looked at 2013 being a rough year for awhile now, and its not going to change my opinion of Rhoads unless something really crazy happens. We're not at the point where we can just "reload" and next year seems like it will be one of those years. I think our recruiting and current talent sets up for a nice 2014, but there's going to be a lot of trial-by-fire and young guys playing right off the bat next year.

[VeloClone]

Forgot that.

Still, I don't expect much next year. I've looked at 2013 being a rough year for awhile now, and its not going to change my opinion of Rhoads unless something really crazy happens. We're not at the point where we can just "reload" and next year seems like it will be one of those years. I think our recruiting and current talent sets up for a nice 2014, but there's going to be a lot of trial-by-fire and young guys playing right off the bat next year.

Well one good thing you can take from it is the young "trial by fire" guys who have to play will all be redshirt freshmen and more likely redshirt sophs, not true freshmen like they have been in the past. It cannot be overstated how valuable Rhoads' decision to redshirt entire classes will prove to be in the longterm.

[cc1091]

Can we close this thread.

Agree.