Early Preseason Rankings ISU > OKSt

[vmbplayer]

I'm not going to flat out disagree with kNU at #2 because they could very well be, but I don't see any way in hell that they can be a better defense even with the loss of Suh. That's coach hype to the extreme. I know they are returning 8 guys on D but still. You're talking about a defensive lineman who was given serious talk for the Heisman.

[Cyclonestate78]

Yeah, KU seems too high at #7. This is a team that went 1-7 in the league last year only winning a tight game against us at home. And they are coming off of a lot of off season issues and breaking in a new coach.

Also great to see that we dropped the 6, 9, and 12 teams from the south in exchange for 1, 3, and 5. Top that off with our non-conference schedule and this team could take several big steps forward this year and end up 5-7. That said, if we get back to a bowl this year my man crush on CPR will become a full blown love fest.

This. If the defense can maintain and the offense can take a couple steps forward then we could be in business. Let's face it... OU & Texas will be good but not great like they usually are. Kansas & Texas Tech could be taking significant steps backwards this fall. It sure will be interesting to see what CPR and the Clones will do this fall. Can't wait.

[Clonehomer]

4 defensive starters is a tough stat, so that may be a lot of their basis for putting us below KU. Thankfully, that stat is a little deceiving. Most of the guys that are going to be starting next year got extensive playing time this year. The defensive line was rotated so much this year that I think they all should have quite a bit of experience. O'Connell got a lot of time and made some big plays for us last year. I think the only questions this team has on defense is at the LB position. The coaches have really talked up Knott and Klein so hopefully they will be fine.

I guess I'm actually more confident in the defense now than I was a year ago. Wally put together a pretty good group out of what we thought would be a real problem. I guess I'm hopeful he can do it again.

[trajanJ]

I don't see KU going backwards. We only won one game last year. I guess it is possible that we don't win any next year, but we return our entire line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball and some of our best recruits didn't play last year because they were in the famous Mangino Doghouse. We have to break in a new qb but people tend to forget Reesing had 10 turnovers in 4 Big 12 games in a row last year. Our assistants on paper look tons better than what we had and the D side of the ball should improve on the coaching side by quite a bit. The key to playing ISU is limiting the turnovers. ISU had 33 less first downs than their opponents last year without playing Texas, OU or Texas Tech. That was by far the biggest disparity in the conference. If we don't turn the ball over a bunch the KU/ISU game should be a tight one.

[Cyclonestate78]

4 defensive starters is a tough stat, so that may be a lot of their basis for putting us below KU. Thankfully, that stat is a little deceiving. Most of the guys that are going to be starting next year got extensive playing time this year. The defensive line was rotated so much this year that I think they all should have quite a bit of experience. O'Connell got a lot of time and made some big plays for us last year. I think the only questions this team has on defense is at the LB position. The coaches have really talked up Knott and Klein so hopefully they will be fine.

I guess I'm actually more confident in the defense now than I was a year ago. Wally put together a pretty good group out of what we thought would be a real problem. I guess I'm hopeful he can do it again.

I agree. We let teams move the ball quite a bit between the 20's but I don't think I have ever watched an ISU D turn the opponents away empty handed in the redzone as many times as they did last year. I think we averaged giving up nearly 14 points less per game last season then we did the year prior. I can't remember where I saw that stat but if that is the case that is one hell of an improvement. My hat is off to Wally and the defensive coaches.... They are doing one hell of a job and I think they are only going to do better in the future.

[Cyclonestate78]

I don't see KU going backwards. We only won one game last year. I guess it is possible that we don't win any next year, but we return our entire line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball and some of our best recruits didn't play last year because they were in the famous Mangino Doghouse. We have to break in a new qb but people tend to forget Reesing had 10 turnovers in 4 Big 12 games in a row last year. Our assistants on paper look tons better than what we had and the D side of the ball should improve on the coaching side by quite a bit. The key to playing ISU is limiting the turnovers. ISU had 33 less first downs than their opponents last year without playing Texas, OU or Texas Tech. That was by far the biggest disparity in the conference. If we don't turn the ball over a bunch the KU/ISU game should be a tight one.

I guess I should clarify. I think KU's overall talent level at key positions is going to take a significant step backwards. There also could be issues with a new staff coming in etc.... I know, I know.... ISU did a good job last year of adjusting to the new staff but some of the key guys had already adjusted once prior and I think that makes the transition a little easier for them to handle. KU's guys won't be used to it since it will be their first change in staffs in quite some time.

I just don't see how you lose your all everything qb and basically your only real receiving threats and you just replace them and not miss a beat. I just don't see that happening.

[Frak]

I'm not going to flat out disagree with kNU at #2 because they could very well be, but I don't see any way in hell that they can be a better defense even with the loss of Suh. That's coach hype to the extreme. I know they are returning 8 guys on D but still. You're talking about a defensive lineman who was given serious talk for the Heisman.

Yeah, I guess I don't get that either. Crick was a nice player, but Suh got all of the attention. A guy like that makes your entire DL and overall D better. How many guys off of that great Tampa Bay DL earlier this decade does everyone remember outside of Warren Sapp? Very few, but they were flat out dominant because everyone had to gameplan around Sapp. Same thing with the Vikings lines with John Randle. A dominant DT changes the whole dynamic. Not to mention, Asante played in the SR Bowl and Dillard was at least a three year starter. Nebraska may be just as good or even better than last year, but it won't be because their D improved, it will be because their O went from awful to average.

As for KU, I don't doubt that they can improve on 1-7 in conference. They have an easier schedule. And I like Gill's assistant hires. They may very well end up above ISU in the standings. But, I don't think that they'll beat ISU in Ames. IMO most teams are going to have to throw the ball vs ISU to beat them. I don't think that KU will be able to do that without Meier, Reesing and Briscoe.

I think that ISU ends up 7-5 next year beating NIU, KSU, UNI, KU, KSU, TT and CU. IMO they have a shot at Utah, iowa and Nebraska too, and may win one of those and lose to one of the above.

[trajanJ]

Our all-everything qb gave away four straight games in the conference. Did you watch that senior bowl? Reesing threw for 17 yards and a pic. We're not losing John Elway. Plus Gill is a proven qb coach who has done some great things with that position. We do lose a couple receivers that have been very good for us, but we have recruited very well in that position for 3 straight years so I wouldn't be surprised if somebody steps up. Our D was as poorly coached as possible and I expect that to improve on coaching alone. I'm not saying KU is going to come out and beat everybody but I do think we will be competitive. With the exception of Nebraska I don't think the North schools are talented enough to pencil in any wins against each other. Mizzou actually has as much talent as Nebraska but their coaching puts them in with the rest of us.

[MNCyGuy]

Yeah, I guess I don't get that either. Crick was a nice player, but Suh got all of the attention. A guy like that makes your entire DL and overall D better. How many guys off of that great Tampa Bay DL earlier this decade does everyone remember outside of Warren Sapp? Very few, but they were flat out dominant because everyone had to gameplan around Sapp. Same thing with the Vikings lines with John Randle. A dominant DT changes the whole dynamic. Not to mention, Asante played in the SR Bowl and Dillard was at least a three year starter. Nebraska may be just as good or even better than last year, but it won't be because their D improved, it will be because their O went from awful to average.

As for KU, I don't doubt that they can improve on 1-7 in conference. They have an easier schedule. And I like Gill's assistant hires. They may very well end up above ISU in the standings. But, I don't think that they'll beat ISU in Ames. IMO most teams are going to have to throw the ball vs ISU to beat them. I don't think that KU will be able to do that without Meier, Reesing and Briscoe.

I think that ISU ends up 7-5 next year beating NIU, KSU, UNI, KU, KSU, TT and CU. IMO they have a shot at Utah, iowa and Nebraska too, and may win one of those and lose to one of the above.

you have us beating KState twice?

[Cyclonestate78]

Our all-everything qb gave away four straight games in the conference. Did you watch that senior bowl? Reesing threw for 17 yards and a pic. We're not losing John Elway. Plus Gill is a proven qb coach who has done some great things with that position. We do lose a couple receivers that have been very good for us, but we have recruited very well in that position for 3 straight years so I wouldn't be surprised if somebody steps up. Our D was as poorly coached as possible and I expect that to improve on coaching alone. I'm not saying KU is going to come out and beat everybody but I do think we will be competitive. With the exception of Nebraska I don't think the North schools are talented enough to pencil in any wins against each other. Mizzou actually has as much talent as Nebraska but their coaching puts them in with the rest of us.

I am pretty surprised with your take on Reesing. Sure he didn't have a great year last year but he did have a great couple of years prior to that and in particular he brought an Orange Bowl trophy back to Lawrence. I am sure your opinion of him was much better when you guys were 5-0 and ranked in the Top 25.

[delt4cy]

but KU is losing the trio of Meier, Reesing, and Briscoe which will be nearly impossible to replace from a productivity standpoint.

Reesing had an unbelievable ability to escape pressure prior to last year, then the weak performing line allowed more pressure in 09 and he spent the entire Big 12 season flustered.

The KU Oline will be improved in 10', but are by no means World beaters. I don't know much about Pick, other than I hope he lives up to his last name, but if he isn't very agile it could spell for a very tough learning curve.

I still feel confident that ISU's Oline in 2010 will be able to plow over a weaker KU dline. With a healthy Arob, I like the way this match-up looks from 8-months out. 8-month predictions should be taken with a grain of salt from anybody though-

[Cyclonestate78]

but KU is losing the trio of Meier, Reesing, and Briscoe which will be nearly impossible to replace from a productivity standpoint.

Reesing had an unbelievable ability to escape pressure prior to last year, then the weak performing line allowed more pressure in 09 and he spent the entire Big 12 season flustered.

The KU Oline will be improved in 10', but are by no means World beaters. I don't know much about Pick, other than I hope he lives up to his last name, but if he isn't very agile it could spell for a very tough learning curve.

I still feel confident that ISU's Oline in 2010 will be able to plow over a weaker KU dline. With a healthy Arob, I like the way this match-up looks from 8-months out. 8-month predictions should be taken with a grain of salt from anybody though-

I have you marked down for a blowout victory for ISU in Ames. I like it.

[trajanJ]

I like Reesing I just think his ability was less than a lot of people think. That Orange Bowl game was great but if you look back at the stats Reesing just had average numbers (20 of 37 for 227 with a TD and a pick). Plus I feel very strongly that your qb needs to be a viable rusher in college. Pick is very talented. He is stronger faster and bigger than Reesing and we signed the #2 juco qb in the country so I'm hoping one of them will turn out ok. I just don't see ISU plowing over anybody in the conference. I think the games will be competitive. ISU had a very good schedule last year. They got Iowa at home, a place where they had beaten them quite often recently. They got Baylor at home without Baylors All-Everything qb. Plus they got CU at home and the Buffs haven't won a road game in 2 years. They played KSU early when K-State was playing terrible. By the end of the year KSU was a much better team. If ISU had whipped some of these teams by running over them I could see that happening next year against us. But they were outgained and had less first downs in all of their conference wins except the Baylor game. I think the game will be close but I do have ISU favored because they are playing at home.

[tazclone]

Our all-everything qb gave away four straight games in the conference. Did you watch that senior bowl? Reesing threw for 17 yards and a pic. We're not losing John Elway. Plus Gill is a proven qb coach who has done some great things with that position. We do lose a couple receivers that have been very good for us, but we have recruited very well in that position for 3 straight years so I wouldn't be surprised if somebody steps up. Our D was as poorly coached as possible and I expect that to improve on coaching alone. I'm not saying KU is going to come out and beat everybody but I do think we will be competitive. With the exception of Nebraska I don't think the North schools are talented enough to pencil in any wins against each other. Mizzou actually has as much talent as Nebraska but their coaching puts them in with the rest of us.

Yeah but you have Chuck Long as OC. That is a hinderance.

[trajanJ]

3rd & Long is his name according to some of my OU buddies.