What was to be and the New Offensive Coordinator

[Cyclonepride]

Great to see you back! Just remember the "ignore" feature when you get tired of negativity again.

[Omaha Cy]

I think with Qbs like Ganz and Daniel graduating and CU/KSU somewhat in limbo, theres a chance ISU wont need to be a world beater on offense to collect a few conference wins. Ku will still look to be throwing it around to no end though.

Im hoping to H-E-double hockey sticks that there is some continuity on offense under the new regime and progression of sorts comes quickly.

[ketelmeister]

I agree with you on your coaching comments. What's amazing to me is that it took Chizik two years to discover McFarland wasn't competent, and two years to see the huge holes in the pass defense. In reality, I'm not sure we would have been that much further ahead if Chizik would have stayed. We would have needed a new offense and changes in the defense, and that takes time. And, his recruiting this year is showing a definite lack of size for both lines. It's easy to coach with the top talent. Being able to coach with less than top talent at all positiions takes a coach who can overachieve. Chizik did not seem to have that. Will Rhoads? I hope so.

[CyRocket]

In 2006 I was very excited (as were most Clone fans) at the hire. But it became clear this year that Chizik was not a good game coach. He needs good coordinators to handle the play calling. the trouble with him is that at Texas and Auburn he had a stable of 5 star players. This made the play calling easier. We need coordinators that can out figure, out coach with lesser talent. If that calls for gimicks systems great, just get it done and give us a reason to cheer.

[D UP Clones]

Anyone who believes you can line up in a pro set and beat people at ISU is a complete fool. Chizik was a fool and never got "it."

I lobbied for Loney and Rhoads the first time around. I had hoped Chizik could actually coach and didn't just rely on great athletes. Unfortunately, he was what I expected.

And to the Loney basher, LOL, dude you have no clue. The guy had the best offense ISU has ever had and ran the spread better than most teams. Loney has proven he can flat out get it done at ISU. No other name you have has proven that and that is HUGE.

Enough about that because you obviously don't get "it."

ISU has to run the spread. The quarterback has to run the ball and the ocoordinater has to be an "in game coach." It's not enough to draw it up in practice if you don't know when to use it in the game.

I agree that the OC hire will be the biggest one Rhoads makes. We unfortunately won't be lucky enough to get Loney back. You never really know if these guys can coach until you get them here. Some are a product of their talent at their level and the coaches they work with.

I hope Rhoads can find another Loney who can bring back great offense to ISU.

[CyBelieve]

Agreed D UP Clones. With this kind of track record I can see why the Cyclone Faithful don't want to see Loney here again.

"Loney enjoyed three coaching stints at his alma mater Iowa State as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach (1995-97, 2000-01). During his third stay with the Cyclones, Loney’s offense produced back-to-back bowl seasons in 2000 and 2001. In 2001, the Cyclones averaged 423.1 yards total offense per game and 26.9 points per outing. In 2000 his offense averaged 424.4 yards per game, the third-best total in school history.

Loney was the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at the University of Minnesota in 1998 and 1999. Under Loney’s guidance in 1999, Minnesota was second in the Big Ten Conference and 11th in the nation in rushing offense. The Golden Gophers averaged 415.4 offensive yards and 31.6 points per game. In addition to setting five school records in 1999, Loney’s offense produced All-Big Ten first team rusher Thomas Hamer (1,326 yards) and first-team All-American center Ben Hamilton.

From 1995-97, Loney was offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Iowa State, where he produced the only tailback in NCAA history to rush for a pair of 2,000-yard seasons in 1995 and 1996, Heisman Trophy finalist Troy Davis. Troy’s brother, Darren, followed that feat with 1,005 yards rushing in nine games in 1997."

[JCloned2]

Anyone who believes you can line up in a pro set and beat people at ISU is a complete fool. Chizik was a fool and never got "it."

I lobbied for Loney and Rhoads the first time around. I had hoped Chizik could actually coach and didn't just rely on great athletes. Unfortunately, he was what I expected.

And to the Loney basher, LOL, dude you have no clue. The guy had the best offense ISU has ever had and ran the spread better than most teams. Loney has proven he can flat out get it done at ISU. No other name you have has proven that and that is HUGE.

Enough about that because you obviously don't get "it."

ISU has to run the spread. The quarterback has to run the ball and the ocoordinater has to be an "in game coach." It's not enough to draw it up in practice if you don't know when to use it in the game.

I agree that the OC hire will be the biggest one Rhoads makes. We unfortunately won't be lucky enough to get Loney back. You never really know if these guys can coach until you get them here. Some are a product of their talent at their level and the coaches they work with.

I hope Rhoads can find another Loney who can bring back great offense to ISU.

Wow where to start. Loney did not run anything close to the offenses that I am talking about. Lining up occasionally with 4 or 5 wide is not a spread offense. Loney could get it done years ago, but not now. RMac isn't the bad coordinator you describe, he doesn't have the philosophy that ISU was going to move to, outside of some peculiar play calling at times - some of which is directly due to Chizik being extremely risk averse. Finally while I am no fonder of Chizik then I suspect you are the reality is he did get, albeit late as I said.

[kingcy]

And to the Loney basher, LOL, dude you have no clue. The guy had the best offense ISU has ever had and ran the spread better than most teams. Loney has proven he can flat out get it done at ISU. No other name you have has proven that and that is HUGE.

Loney also had two of the QBs in ISU history to work with and the 2nd best back in ISU history to work with when he was OC. The recievers and line wasnt bad either. When he was Oline coach he had the best back in ISU history and one of the best if not the best back ever in college FB running behind his line. Yes he would be an ok hire as OC but PR has to think outside the box a little. Loney's play calling wasnt all that great and very stright forward. Mac wanted every OC after him to run what Loney did and it didnt really work the greatest.

The three things that bugged me about Chizik is he didnt always play the best players, his gametime coaching wasnt good, and he acted like he didnt want to be here at times, doing somethings just because he had to.

[jumbopackage]

Anyone who believes you can line up in a pro set and beat people at ISU is a complete fool. Chizik was a fool and never got "it."

I lobbied for Loney and Rhoads the first time around. I had hoped Chizik could actually coach and didn't just rely on great athletes. Unfortunately, he was what I expected.

And to the Loney basher, LOL, dude you have no clue. The guy had the best offense ISU has ever had and ran the spread better than most teams. Loney has proven he can flat out get it done at ISU. No other name you have has proven that and that is HUGE.

Enough about that because you obviously don't get "it."

ISU has to run the spread. The quarterback has to run the ball and the ocoordinater has to be an "in game coach." It's not enough to draw it up in practice if you don't know when to use it in the game.

I agree that the OC hire will be the biggest one Rhoads makes. We unfortunately won't be lucky enough to get Loney back. You never really know if these guys can coach until you get them here. Some are a product of their talent at their level and the coaches they work with.

I hope Rhoads can find another Loney who can bring back great offense to ISU.

Loney proved he could kinda get it done, the emphasis being could. It's past tense. The Big XII of today isn't quite the Big XII of 5 years ago - especially the Big XII North. Loney coached teams at ISU are 0-15 against ranked teams.

Obviously there are no guarantees going forward, but just because a guy "did it" at ISU 5 years ago, doesn't mean he will do it today.

[kingcy]

RMac isn't the bad coordinator you describe, he doesn't have the philosophy that ISU was going to move to, outside of some peculiar play calling at times - some of which is directly due to Chizik being extremely risk averse.

RMac's biggest problem was Chizik wanted to run the ball no matter what and RMac has a history of throwing the ball all over the place. They had way different ideas on how the ofense should be ran. I really think RMac is the big loser in all of this if he isnt kept on as Oline coach.

[Wesley]

Seems like some logical deductions. But if Chiz couldn't bring in athletes for a good defense how was he going to bring them in for a high scoring offense?

Because offensive players have a good time oin the Big 12.

[Wesley]

I think Gene thought he could win six a year and he was wrong, so he bailed at his third opportunity. He also interviewed two other positions. Did anyone know what those other two schools were? Anyway, JP knew it was just a matter of time before gene flew the coop. i am not even sure Gene wanted to talk to high school coaches or make the Cyclone preseason rounds with the public. He probably lost out on lots oif recruits that reinforced his desire to move. He could have kept his family down South and stayed in a motel room.

[jumbopackage]

Another Loney stat:
Record against teams with a greater than .500 winning percentage:
95-97 - 1-18 (UNI)
00-01 - 5-7 (Pitt, Ohio, UNLV, Iowa, UNI)

Average points scored against those teams:
95-97 - 18.1
00-01 - 23.3

[kingcy]

I think Gene thought he could win six a year and he was wrong, so he bailed at his third opportunity. He also interviewed two other positions. Did anyone know what those other two schools were?

No please tell us.

[D UP Clones]

Then you don't know what a spread offense is. A spread offense is lining up with those receivers and having your quarterback also run the ball. Loney's offense's did that.

You are talking about the run and shoot which many of these offenses are actually running. Offenses have been throwing it around for several years and it wasn't called the spread.

It's only a spread if you take advantage of the quarterback running the ball and that is the true advantage of the spread offense.

Oh, and to the other poster, how good was ISU with Seneca the year after Loney left. Wow, you guys have no clue. Winning is about coaching and talent. At ISU you can't win without a good OC and Loney was a good OC.

End of story. Your bs excuses about different big twelve make me laugh. You're right Nebraska isn't nearly as good. neither is Colorado, or Kstate, etc. I could go on all day.

The big twelve north is weaker now than it has every been.

PS What's funny to me is many of you thought this Malzahn coach has proven something at TULSA. LOL You're killing me with this balony. Holy cow!