Positives from the TCU game

[demoncore1031]

The defense hasn't getting much love, and they played their best game of the season. Jeremiah George had another solid game. Rodney Coe really stepped up. Cory Morrissey (sp?) was good. Nigel Tribune looked good once again. Charlie Rogers played well. We actually forced a couple of turnovers! First time we have had 2 or more INTs in a game all season.

Special teams was good. Netten was 2-2 on XPs and hit his only FG att. Nealy... well, you know. We didn't give up any big kick or punt returns. The only mishap was Albert Gary fumbling a punt. I hope this leads to him being permanently benched! Kirby punted well when he had the wind to his back, and had that beautiful throw!

I have nothing good to say about the offense or coaching. The end

 

[veryphil]

You're right, the defense was a bright spot. But the players deserve better coaching than this. They played their hearts out but the coaches didn't prepare them for the season. Rhoads is a great, fiery individual who excels at reactionary histrionics and garners Gangnam Style-level YouTube views for his post-upset victory speeches. But he is not a good head football coach. We need a motivator, yes, but also someone who can choose effective OCs and DCs, recruit well and train young men how to play football. We have all of these outstanding, state-of-the-art facilities at Iowa State now. Those are intended to lure great student athletes to our school and help develop them while they're there. The general hope is that the result will be more wins or, at the very least, a competitive football team. The next project should be to find a comparably outstanding coaching staff to aid in that effort. That said: GO CYCLONES!!!!

 

[demoncore1031]

I disagree. Rhoads is the guy. He is a defensive minded coach. Defense has not been good this year, but look how young they are and what they had to replace from last year. I like the Burnham's, too. I think the D is headed in the right direction, but we need an offense who can sustain drives so the D isn't always on the field. I know we need to improve in the pass rush, and I think we will eventually.

I want to see the offense completely changed. Replace every coach on offense (maybe not the RB coach), and figure out how to move the ball with the players we have. I like that we are a defensive team in this conference, but the offense has to pitch in. If we had ANY offense at all today, we win it easily. The D played one hell of a game.

 

[alarson]

Defense was good, but TCU hasnt exactly been known for being all that good on offense.

 

[veryphil]

Rhoads is the guy.

I really, really, really want to believe this. I grew up in Iowa, shed blood for Iowa and I love the fact that we have a homegrown guy on our sidelines. I'm not saying "fire him," but he needs some help in his deficiencies.

 

[Doctor]

Defense was good, but TCU hasnt exactly been known for being all that good on offense.

Yeah, their offense has been pretty bad this year.

They've scored 17 or less 4 times this season which is just awful. Basically anytime they played a team with a pulse.

 

[HouClone]

Other positives is that the offense in the 4th quarter, particularily Rohach, looked like a college offense. Shontrelle Johnson ran with fire. Dondre Daley was a beast on the WR quick catches and bowled over the defender determined to get the first down and made a nice catch on a high throw on the 2nd one. Bibbs was a first down maker.

Put me in the camp that Rhoads is the right guy. Even in losses, the team plays hard. Rhoads is the guy for us today, tomorrow, and the future. Once we get the offense figured out with a consistent identity, I believe we can contend for a Big 12 title. No joke. ISU in the Sugar Bowl against Bama 2016. I'll be there in New Orleans and so will 50,000 Clone fans. We have a young defense now and have stud offensive playmakers with Lazard, Mister, and Montgomery and offensive lineman coming in next year.

 

[FBFAN]

The defense hasn't getting much love, and they played their best game of the season. Jeremiah George had another solid game. Rodney Coe really stepped up. Cory Morrissey (sp?) was good. Nigel Tribune looked good once again. Charlie Rogers played well. We actually forced a couple of turnovers! First time we have had 2 or more INTs in a game all season.

Special teams was good. Netten was 2-2 on XPs and hit his only FG att. Nealy... well, you know. We didn't give up any big kick or punt returns. The only mishap was Albert Gary fumbling a punt. I hope this leads to him being permanently benched! Kirby punted well when he had the wind to his back, and had that beautiful throw!

I have nothing good to say about the offense or coaching. The end

 

[CyCloned]

I have nothing good to say about the offense or coaching. The end[/QUOTE]

The offense has some skill guys that a good offensive coach can win with. QB is in need of a huge upgrade, either through better coaching or recruiting, and the OL needs to improve and get health. Not sure that a whole scheme change is needed, but definitely need to change some things to make what they are doing not be so easy to defend.

 

[UNIGuy4Cy]

Yeah, their offense has been pretty bad this year.

They've scored 17 or less 4 times this season which is just awful. Basically anytime they played a team with a pulse.

That's without the #1 preseason big 12 quarterback

 

[UNIGuy4Cy]

Thought both lines played great, the wide receivers continue run wide open and catch some horribly thrown balls, Nealy and Wimberly are legit, Miller and Coe on defense are coming along. I really think the wide receivers, tight ends, running backs and offensive line will take a HUGE step forward next year. To do anything with that a new OC is a MUST and quarterback progression is needed but it's hard to do when your OC is as confused as a freshman quarterback.

 

[clonedude]

There actually were some positives from this game. OL looked a little better. The defense for the most part was really good. Coe had a great game. So did George. Washington played his rear end off too I thought.

I do think we need to stick with Rhoads, only because I'm not sure we can do any better. My question though is, do we really trust Rhoads, a defensive guy, to be able to hire the right OC? I think he should get some advice from someone that knows offense, like maybe Sage or something?

 

[Palmer]

I thought LB Miller possibly had his best game...he has improved...

 

[jay moe]

Kirby did not punt well.

 

[Doctor]

Anyone notice that when we play bad teams, there are some positives that we can find after the weekly loss?

"Player X is really improving."

"The defense really stepped up."

"What a game out of Player Y."

No, it's the same group of guys and the same unit as a whole. They finally just played other players who aren't good.

As long as we can play a schedule against other bad teams, we'll have a chance to have some decent individual performances. We'll still likely lose, but we'll be able to point to some positives.

 

[clones26]

The weather, tailgating

 

[cygrads]

TCU has averaged 16.3 ppg in conf with one of those games being in OT scoring 27 points and I know their QB was out up until the prior game. Now I do think the D played well enough to win and Coe is getting better along with Miller and Tribune. Triune may be all conf his last two seasons. My concern is never about the Defense because these coaches have proven themselves - not so much on the other side of the ball.

 

[Stormin]

Defense has not been good either. We have allowed teams to make game winning drives to win games after having the lead.

Offense under Rohach was very disappointing. We scored 3 points in his drives. Offense looked terrible. At the end of the game throw the Hail Mary like Texas did against us. 15 yard passes with 18 seconds left do nothing. Just lay it out there. Rohach had a very poor day. Albert Gary did too.

 

[Yellow Snow]

Our offensive players don't suck. Put Mike Leach in charge of our offense with these SAME players and we are a totally different team. I firmly believe that.

I know people don't want to hear about injuries as an excuse, but trust me... after we lose a 3 point game to Michigan in Hilton, Ejim's injury will be a big topic on this board.

When we lost to OSU in the tourney last year, nobody had a problem at all saying Babb's injury played a huge role in the second half. Why do injuries matter in basketball but get totally dismissed as excuses in football?

 

[Spam]

Our offensive players don't suck. Put Mike Leach in charge of our offense with these SAME players and we are a totally different team. I firmly believe that.

I know people don't want to hear about injuries as an excuse, but trust me... after we lose a 3 point game to Michigan in Hilton, Ejim's injury will be a big topic on this board.

When we lost to OSU in the tourney last year, nobody had a problem at all saying Babb's injury played a huge role in the second half. Why do injuries matter in basketball but get totally dismissed as excuses in football?

Because we have good seasons in basketball despite injuries?