Help me shake my pessimisim

[mustangcy]

Am I the only one that thinks our Football program is just never going to turn the corner? Ever since the Big 12 announced it's new round robin schedule and took a non conference game away from us I've had a very unshakable knot in my stomach...that ISU is doomed in this conference. That even a super talented coach like CPR will just never get this thing turned around. Thing is I'm normally a glass half full type of guy which makes this even more disturbing in my own eyes. But it seems every conceivable obstacle that a team could ever have..ISU has against it.

1. No recruiting territory of our own. Iowa just does not produce enough D1 talent and most of them go to Iowa.
2. The Iowa Hawkeyes.
3. Teams like TCU, South Florida and Central Florida beginning to take the recruits (scraps from the big boys in those states) that ISU could count on. Now ISU continues to slide further down the table in recruiting Texas and Florida. Nobody should be happy about TCU beating Wisky today. TCU is a major recruiting opponent to ISU in the state of Texas. Now they can claim BCS status when they go to the Big East. Not good for ISU.
4. No non conference schedule to pack on wins...to get to bowl games...to get momentum for the program. We only get 3 NC games and one has to be against one of the best teams in the Big 10 year in and year out and next year we get them AND a BCS bowl team.
5. The round robin Big 12 schedule. I'm sure people will always bring up our win against Texas and Texas Tech but really, when do you think we will beat both of those teams in the same year again? The texas win was not what we thought it was..let's all be honest. Our schedule isn't just brutal next year...it's going to be brutal every single year. Texas, OU, OSU, Mizzou, Tech (they won't stay down for long), A&M...serously, where the hell are our wins going to come from? We can't even notch Baylor as a win anymore..not that we always beat them even when they were terrible.
6. Money. We've got none compared to pretty much every single one of our opponents.
7. Facilities (see number 6).
8. Fans. See I actually think what fans we have are top drawer. ISU fans always get ragged on but the real fact is that ISU fans are unbelievable. There just aren't enough of us and the base just does not seem to be growing the last 5-10 years. The fan base is not growing and it's got to be a major concern.


I'm sure I'm going to get ragged on here...and I probably deserve it but I just can't shake this idea that our football program is never, ever gonna turn the corner. In fact I can't see us making a bowl game in the future. The events of the last 12 months has totally taken the wind out of my sails.

Somebody tell me why I'm being a little baby and why I'm wrong! Please.

 

[Tre4ISU]

The reality is you may be right. It is because of Paul Rhoads I don't believe that to be the case though.

Looking back, if the option was there, the Big East may have been better for us. On the flip side, our ceiling is much higher in the Big 12. If the rumored money comes in from the Big 12 TV deal, that will really help us close the gap on teams with a bunch of money because our utility on that money is much greater. Another 10 million or so is huge for us. Huge. Just remember-It wasn't long ago Kirk Ferentz took over a program in similar shape as ours in terms of recruiting and look what he has now. I believe PR can be better than that. It is imperative that we do what we need to keep PR. The big Boosters and little boosters need to know there are things needed and if you ever want any sort of success we need facilities something fierce.

 

[CyForPresident]

You are not alone.

Worse yet, I can easily see the Big 12 splitting up. And just like the SWC, ISU will suffer the same fate of TCU, SMU, and Rice. We are dangerously close to playing in the MWC or god forbid the MAC.

 

[Rogue52]

We have a lot of work to do and conference realignment hasn't helped anything except what will hopefully be greatly increased television revenue.

We have to believe.

 

[Shinyhappyclone]

I too do not like our situation....but I am a pessimist/realist/logical preparer.
the Big 8 was what college sports conferences should be. Bowl games are what college football should be (I freaking am getting less and less patience with people who ***** abour a playoff system.......BFD. How can you NOT like so many teams ending the season as champions of their particular bowl, and it has been pretty obvious through the BCS years who the actual #1 is....even this year, the Auburn Oregon winner will be #1, duhh....).
Anyway, I just don't see where we fit with the Big Texas conference. I see little benefit for players, it isn't fun for the current students, it does not add much to alumni relations. The AD gets more money to spend.....is that what this is all about? Should it be??? There really aren't many good options for us. The Big East needs to fold and be reconfigured with a more Midwestern element in its own smaller conference since the Big 8 will never, ever come back. I say we jetison (or they jetison us) the Big Texas schools....We stick with Us, the Kansas Schools, Mizzou...then you have a second element of Louisville, Cinncinnati, TCU maybe(??), West Virginia and Pitt maybe. I don't know....we are in a bad spot. Hell, I could see Vanderbilt getting booted into that mix.

 

[cdekovic]

Which would you rather have, better recruits or a better coach? I will take a better coach any day. A better coach will find a way to get the most out of the talent and will develop average players. Look at Texas, USC, Miami as a few examples. They have the some of the best talent available, but have truly under-performed. Even the Hawks don't get the best talent but are able to develop kids into NFL players.

 

[CrossCyed]

Which would you rather have, better recruits or a better coach? I will take a better coach any day. A better coach will find a way to get the most out of the talent and will develop average players. Look at Texas, USC, Miami as a few examples. They have the some of the best talent available, but have truly under-performed. Even the Hawks don't get the best talent but are able to develop kids into NFL players.

True, but its not like its mutually exclusive.

 

[Wesley]

I am going off another tangent. I want to see what kind of team we have when we get a bonifide passer at the helm. I want to see some of the new playuers at wide receiver. I do not think we are hitting on all cylinders yet for our team, so we may be a better team yet.

If we go MAC, we will have little money for any kind of football.

If we go MWC, we will not be BCS.

You better have more hope or it may not matter much.

 

[CYinPA]

ISU will suffer the same fate of TCU

Sounds good to me.

 

[mustangcy]

I am going off another tangent. I want to see what kind of team we have when we get a bonifide passer at the helm. I want to see some of the new playuers at wide receiver. I do not think we are hitting on all cylinders yet for our team, so we may be a better team yet.

If we go MAC, we will have little money for any kind of football.

If we go MWC, we will not be BCS.

You better have more hope or it may not matter much.

Ok, I'm just playing devils advocate here...but which fanbase had more fun this season. ISU's or Northern Illinois? ISU was clearly the better team but NI won 10 games, made a bowl...is it really just about being in a BCS conference or is it about winning football games and going to bowls?

 

[cy2win]

Ok, I'm just playing devils advocate here...but which fanbase had more fun this season. ISU's or Northern Illinois? ISU was clearly the better team but NI won 10 games, made a bowl...is it really just about being in a BCS conference or is it about winning football games and going to bowls?

NI would trade places with ISU in a heartbeat right now if it were up to NI.

 

[Al_4_State]

I really don't understand the current "the Big 12 is splitting" talk. Where they gonna go? Who in our conference will have a better deal elsewhere? Unless it's a Big 10 offer, the answer is "no one". A&M FANS like to yak about the SEC, but their administration will never make that move because they'd never sniff relevancy again. Also, Texas is not going Independent. No incentive. No reason they wouldn't have already gone if they really wanted to go. The Big 12 doesn't hold them back at all, and long run probably makes them money.

 

[everyyard]

We're still alive people. 7 months ago I wasn't sure we would still be. Fact is we will always be an underdog and we need to embrace it. If it's not fun for the students they need to drink more. ISU vs the world forever. Every hill is a mountain and every small victory should be celebrated as such.

 

[CYinPA]

Ok, I'm just playing devils advocate here...but which fanbase had more fun this season. ISU's or Northern Illinois? ISU was clearly the better team but NI won 10 games, made a bowl...is it really just about being in a BCS conference or is it about winning football games and going to bowls?

ISU by far.


ISU has not come close to reaching its potential. Looking just in-state, the past 10 years have been way better than what the hawks went through for 20 years before Fry. In the Big 12, there is Snyder and KSU.
The first thing a program needs to reach its potential is a coach like that. We now have one. The second thing needed is support for that coach. Ultimately, the only thing that may hold us back, is us- if posters are any indication.

 

[CyForPresident]

I really don't understand the current "the Big 12 is splitting" talk. Where they gonna go? Who in our conference will have a better deal elsewhere? Unless it's a Big 10 offer, the answer is "no one". A&M FANS like to yak about the SEC, but their administration will never make that move because they'd never sniff relevancy again. Also, Texas is not going Independent. No incentive. No reason they wouldn't have already gone if they really wanted to go. The Big 12 doesn't hold them back at all, and long run probably makes them money.

I agree the conference will stick together in the short term, but last summer made me nervous. I just don't like being at the mercy of 3 schools.

And any time a conference loses members, it always gets weaker or simply falls apart.

 

[mustangcy]

NI would trade places with ISU in a heartbeat right now if it were up to NI.

Great, I'm sure the AD at NI would love to trade places with ISU. My question is which fanbase had more fun this year? NI winning 10 games or ISU winning 5? And look, I'm not for ISU leaving the Big 12 for the MAC..I just think the whole idea that being a loser in the Big 12 is SOOOOOO much better than a winner in a lesser conference is questionable.

 

[jbhtexas]

Anyway, I just don't see where we fit with the Big Texas conference. I see little benefit for players

In which conference that ISU could likely join would the players get more benefit? They play against good competition on a weekly basis during conference season, and get great exposure to pro scouts, for those who are pursuing that route.

it isn't fun for the current students,

Why?

The AD gets more money to spend.....is that what this is all about?

Yes. See the other thread regarding the top 10 FB spenders. In that list, 8 of the top ten have ten wins this season. Spending alot of money on FB doesn't guarantee winning (i.e. UT), but it sure seems to help.

 

[LutherClone]

You are not alone.

Worse yet, I can easily see the Big 12 splitting up. And just like the SWC, ISU will suffer the same fate of TCU, SMU, and Rice. We are dangerously close to playing in the MWC or god forbid the MAC.

I think we would more most likely fall into the Big East. The addition of TCU helps us in the respect that they would look for more "western" schools. Add Mizzou, K-State and KU and Iowa State. That's 13. The ACC would become the raided conference and we would be at 16 with the others.

 

[CYinPA]

Great, I'm sure the AD at NI would love to trade places with ISU. My question is which fanbase had more fun this year? NI winning 10 games or ISU winning 5? And look, I'm not for ISU leaving the Big 12 for the MAC..I just think the whole idea that being a loser in the Big 12 is SOOOOOO much better than a winner in a lesser conference is questionable.

Their message board is full of talk about figuring out if they could get an MWC invite, with some hoping to eventually get to the Big 12 (and Big 10).

 

[Al_4_State]

I agree the conference will stick together in the short term, but last summer made me nervous. I just don't like being at the mercy of 3 schools.

And any time a conference loses members, it always gets weaker or simply falls apart.

The Big East has survived raiding. Half our fanbase wishes we ended up there.

And really, aren't most conferences @ the mercy of a few schools? Imagine what happens if the Ohio States of the world get tired of paying Northwestern's way. Substitute 'Bama and Vanderbilt or USC and Washington State if you like. The Big 12 economic model might be more sustainable long term if this TV deal comes out good.