What would make 2008 a successful season

[Bader]

I don't know about you guys, but a road win would be excellent, conference or not....

[superfan]

Thoughts on the subject:

1.) Show consistent improvement throughout the season.

We did it last year, it really needs to happen again.

2.) Do not be blown out in any game this year.

Last year was a roller-coaster. We lose two games we shouldn't, then knock off Iowa. We follow up by pulling off one of the worst collapses I've ever seen against Toledo, get beat soundly by Nebraska, routed by Tech, and demolished by Texas. All of a sudden, we nearly pull off a big upset vs. OU, scare the hell out of Mizzou in Columbia, beat K-State, and come back to beat CU. Something happens the last week, and we get butchered by Kansas.

3.) Win two out of the following four games:
South Dakota St., Kent St., UNLV, Iowa.

South Dakota State and Kent State SHOULD be wins, but past history has proven nothing is a guarantee. After our last game vs. UNLV, you can bet they're going to have a chip on their shoulder, and Kinnick is a tough place to play.

4.) Win one out of the following four games:
Kansas, Nebraska, Texas A&M, Missouri

Tough conference home schedule this year. Kansas should be 4-0 riding their Orange Bowl win. Nebraska is always a good team, even with a new coach (who was #2 on my dream list for ISU behind Chizik). A&M will come to play, and Sherman is a good coach. Missouri may be playing for a BCS bowl when they roll into town.

5.) Win one out of the following four games:
Baylor, Oklahoma St., Colorado, Kansas State

Face it, we haven't won a road game since 2005. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Baylor is the best chance to be a win, OSU went to a bowl game last year, we never win in Boulder, and K-State went back to the Snyder era with JUCOS, so they might be vastly improved.

There's my thoughts. 4-8 or better and I'll be extremely happy.

[BigLame]

While any posts on football get my attention and I read most, if not all, these threads ultimately anger me.

Ultimately, I want the Cyclones to expect to win every game they take the field. The most physical, most prepared, and most disciplined team wins at this game, and being 'satisfied' with 5 wins and continued improvement does not cut it with me.

Now, I have no issues with losses, as long as we are not beaten physically or mentally. Passes will be dropped, tackles will be missed, but as long as they have an opportunity to make these plays, that's all we can ask for. I just don't want a team to be able to come in and run quarter back sneaks up the middle for 4 or 5 yards ever again (KSU did this several years ago).

I hope no player or coach looks at this coming season's schedule and creates a magic 'number' of wins to determine success, and fans doing the same is a poor habit. Hawk fans do this all the time, need I say more?

[PGreen ISU '92]

5-7 would be a two game improvement over last year and I think would have everybody really excited heading into 2009.

[cardinal&gold]

Originally Posted by BigLame

While any posts on football get my attention and I read most, if not all, these threads ultimately anger me.

Ultimately, I want the Cyclones to expect to win every game they take the field. The most physical, most prepared, and most disciplined team wins at this game, and being 'satisfied' with 5 wins and continued improvement does not cut it with me.

Now, I have no issues with losses, as long as we are not beaten physically or mentally. Passes will be dropped, tackles will be missed, but as long as they have an opportunity to make these plays, that's all we can ask for. I just don't want a team to be able to come in and run quarter back sneaks up the middle for 4 or 5 yards ever again (KSU did this several years ago).

I hope no player or coach looks at this coming season's schedule and creates a magic 'number' of wins to determine success, and fans doing the same is a poor habit. Hawk fans do this all the time, need I say more?

Generally speaking, I tend to agree with this attitude. However I think it is natural for people to pick a number out of the air when they look at a schedule. It generates discussion in a period when discussion is otherwise rather dull (in other words, it's June).

As for me, I can't ascribe a number of wins to the season but I do think it would be swell if we could win a road game or two, beat someone we're not supposed to (I'm looking at you, Gary Pinkel), and not let go of games that we have control of, like Toledo last year. It's also important that we start the year right by beating SDSU and Kent State. We can't afford to lose those games this year if we have any hope whatsoever of going bowling.

[RyCy04]

Originally Posted by AustinCyclone

5 is the magic number

School House Rock would tend to disagree with you. But to make this a successful season I would say 5 wins and to get ID'ed at least 1 time while tailgating so I don't feel so old.

[chrishull14]

It all depends on what we end up having at QB. Right now all we have is a lot of potential. Until we see what actually happens on the field, there is no way of knowing what our year will be like.

[ISUFan22]

I think you have to define "success" as one that ends in at worst a poor post-season appearance. So "success" for me would at minimum be 6-6 and a bowl game.

I would feel decent about 5 wins as long as we're competitive in all or at least most of our losses. If we can only get 4 wins or less this year, that would be a bit of a letdown.

[bmuff]

I'd be happy with 5-7 and ecstatic with 6-6 and a minor bowl. That to me shows major improvement and I don't think it is unrealistic if they take care of business in the noncon. There aren't a lot of teams on the schedule with the ability to really blow ISU out. Mizzou and KU are really the only two and both of those games are at home. OSU has the offense to put up a bunch of points, so our offense better come to play or else that one could get away from ISU.

[GoSTATE71]

Be competive every single game but realistically, i spelled that wrong btw..i see us beating SDSU, Kent state, UNLV, and Iowa to start everything else i cant predict except i think we'll beat baylor and nebraska for some reason...id love 5-7 hopefully a bowl. but to be competive every weekend and 5 wins would make me pretty happy

[cstrunk]

I don't agree with anything less than 6 wins being a successful season. 5 wins is an improvement, but would still leave a lot of Cyclone fans disappointed. I keep hearing all the time from Cyclone fans about how much we suck and they don't want to get tickets because they are just going to see us lose and they'd rather spend money elsewhere or just tailgate. I think 6 wins is definitely attainable, and very important if we want to see things moving forward with our football program.

So while some people see it as a challenge to get to 6 wins, I don't think anything less than that can be considered a success. If we go 5-7 this year, will most fans see it as a success and be happy with losing more than we win? I don't think so, but I think if we go 6-6, people will really jump on the bandwagon and be very excited for what looks to be a very promising 2009 campaign.

[woodie]

kicking all of the big 12 north oppenents' arses.

[ISUonthemove]

Get 5 wins and be in every game in the fourth quarter.

[erikbj]

last year was the year of improvements. I am expecting for ISU to pick up where they left off since the Oklahoma game (that showed that they could play with the big boys). This year I think success will be measured with 6-7 wins......if you had the team that was playing at the end of last year throughout the season ISU would have had 5 or 6 wins. They should have not lossed the UNI, Toledo or Kent State game......Oklahoma and Nebraska where games that ISU could of or should have won until Brett Meyer did his typical throw a big time INT with the game on the line.

I am ready for results and I think GC is ready too....he didn't come here to be competitive, he came here to win.

[Bader]

Originally Posted by woodie

kicking all of the big 12 north oppenents' arses.

Boy looks like we've.....never had a successful season