and the only titles they have won in the modern era are when the Big 10 did not have a championship game, and they tied for the title. Oh, and most of the time they did not play the team the tied, so they were co-champs.
Cyclones a contender in 2024
- Thread starter Cyintex
- Start date
People forget how bad we used to be consistently. I remember Campbell got like 4 wins that first year and that was a highly successful season. A lot of younger people that have basically grown up as a cyclone fan with Campbell as a coach seem to not appreciate these 7-6 seasons like we all do. With that said, I do remember the season after the fiesta bowl and our insanely high projections and the disappointment of going 7-6. That was a tough one and I refuse to let myself give unfair expectations like that season. A lot of returning young talent and 7 wins should be very attainable but will be very disappointing for a lot of people
As I look at 2024, it can be a great year. I am thinking 8-4 is out there. It would be nice to start the non conf strong and start 3-0. That is such a struggle for us some years. I am significantly more worried about the defense than the offese this year, here is why:
1) The offense has a top 3 QB in the league in Rocco. We have above avg running backs in Sama, Hansen, and the new guy from Arizona Dylan Lee is supposed to be a stud. The WRs are excellent with Higgins and Noel. The TE position is set with a future pro in Brahmer. OL should be improved as well
2) Depending on analytics site you use, our total defense last year ranged from #45 to #50 overall: https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/2023-team-defense.html
So if you assess the power 5 is about 65 teams, being ranked about 45 is bottom half to bottom third. That isn't the type of defense that allows you to win conference titles.
I like Tyler Onyedim on the edge, he's a future pro. Our safeties in Verdon and Cooper are also future pros and all conference caliber. Who outside of these guys strikes fear into the opponent though?
I feel pretty good about Purchase and Jontez Williams at CB. The LBers and D line have a ways to go for me (outside of Oneydim).
I also fear that opposing teams in the league have figured out our rush 3 drop 8 scheme. It worked early on because it was so unique. Now - a lot of teams have copied this. We also don't have a Will McDonald anymore to beat double teams when we rush 3. Our sack numbers were abysmal in '23.
I would love to be proven wrong this year but I fear the defense could hold us back. I seriously hope we get some development in scheme (can we use Zachery Lovett more in a pure speed edge rushing role, he's good at that), or can we use more blitzers off the edge more. We need to get more creative on D I feel.
I also want to see certain guys on D take the next step. Dom Orange, Will McClaughlin, we need both of them to up their game in a big way, they're talented athlets and have that potential. Also, can transfer Kenard Snyder from Louisiana make a difference in the pass rush game?
Long story longer, I have many more questions on the defense than the offense. I feel the offense is going to thrive in most games. Two toughest games will be at Iowa and at Utah. This is a good year that we get to skip Colorado as they will be kinda stacked.
1) The offense has a top 3 QB in the league in Rocco. We have above avg running backs in Sama, Hansen, and the new guy from Arizona Dylan Lee is supposed to be a stud. The WRs are excellent with Higgins and Noel. The TE position is set with a future pro in Brahmer. OL should be improved as well
2) Depending on analytics site you use, our total defense last year ranged from #45 to #50 overall: https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/2023-team-defense.html
So if you assess the power 5 is about 65 teams, being ranked about 45 is bottom half to bottom third. That isn't the type of defense that allows you to win conference titles.
I like Tyler Onyedim on the edge, he's a future pro. Our safeties in Verdon and Cooper are also future pros and all conference caliber. Who outside of these guys strikes fear into the opponent though?
I feel pretty good about Purchase and Jontez Williams at CB. The LBers and D line have a ways to go for me (outside of Oneydim).
I also fear that opposing teams in the league have figured out our rush 3 drop 8 scheme. It worked early on because it was so unique. Now - a lot of teams have copied this. We also don't have a Will McDonald anymore to beat double teams when we rush 3. Our sack numbers were abysmal in '23.
I would love to be proven wrong this year but I fear the defense could hold us back. I seriously hope we get some development in scheme (can we use Zachery Lovett more in a pure speed edge rushing role, he's good at that), or can we use more blitzers off the edge more. We need to get more creative on D I feel.
I also want to see certain guys on D take the next step. Dom Orange, Will McClaughlin, we need both of them to up their game in a big way, they're talented athlets and have that potential. Also, can transfer Kenard Snyder from Louisiana make a difference in the pass rush game?
Long story longer, I have many more questions on the defense than the offense. I feel the offense is going to thrive in most games. Two toughest games will be at Iowa and at Utah. This is a good year that we get to skip Colorado as they will be kinda stacked.
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My spring assessment is 8-4. I'd hope to make that the floor for this season's expectation.
"Assumed" loss at Iowa. Pencil-in loss at Utah. Lose 2 vs. KU/KSU/West Virginia or go 2-1 with those, then a "shoulda" W becomes L (but not "Ohio-bad.")
"Assumed" loss at Iowa. Pencil-in loss at Utah. Lose 2 vs. KU/KSU/West Virginia or go 2-1 with those, then a "shoulda" W becomes L (but not "Ohio-bad.")
Campbells first year had three wins, and I don’t think anyone considered that a highly successful season. We’ve had fewer than 3 wins 6 times since Johnny Majors took over almost 60 years ago. Now, the team had the huge win vs TTU and Mahomes, but it was not a successful season.
Beat by UNI. Completely destroyed by Iowa. Beat terrible KU and San Jose State. It was expected, and some reason for optimism, but it was not a good season.
NoDak - W
@ Iowa - L
Ark St - W
@ Houston - W (tossup)
Baylor - W
@ WVU - L
UCF - W (tossup)
Tech - W
@ KU - L (tossup)
Cincy - W
@ Utah - L
KSU - W (tossup)
8-4, factoring in tossups anywhere from 5-7 to 9-3 is possible. We have great experience coming back, but the schedule isn’t easy. We’ll see.
@ Iowa - L
Ark St - W
@ Houston - W (tossup)
Baylor - W
@ WVU - L
UCF - W (tossup)
Tech - W
@ KU - L (tossup)
Cincy - W
@ Utah - L
KSU - W (tossup)
8-4, factoring in tossups anywhere from 5-7 to 9-3 is possible. We have great experience coming back, but the schedule isn’t easy. We’ll see.
Every road game has facets that suck and none of them are gimmes.
This is a great point, the schedule is unlike any schedule any of us have ever seen.
There are really 2 games we might be underdogs in. Iowa and Utah, and Iowa isn’t going to be much again.
Honestly they should win 9 to 10, the schedule is just way way worse vs anything we have ever seen, but I’m expecting 7.
This will anger some, and others will say "it's about time": Many posters are sounding like Iowa Cyclones/Iowa State Hawkeyes.
For sure it was worth being optimistic. There were also a couple losses like Baylor and Okie St where the team played well. The last half of the season they looked like a solid team.
Hopefully CMC can have a better record against that equivalent to a B1G West schedule than he actually had against the B1G West.
