Can ISU make a bowl in 2015?

[BryceC]

This is an honest question, and I hope we can avoid a total flame war.

Lots of debate about Rhoads lately and I've been in the thick of it. What I want to avoid is the money talk. It definitely has a place in ISU's ability to compete as a program but is irrelevent in determining whether Rhoads will be back or not for 2016. I think most will agree 2015 will likely be make or break, and the benchmark will be bowl eligibility.

Here's what we know, we do lose some players. I think there are really only 3 guys that we lose that we don't have clear replacements for, and that is Farniok, Bibbs, and Morrissey. Bibbs IMO is mitigated by the fact that we will have a stable of good, proven WR's who can play at this level. Morrissey is maybe offset some by the emergence of some guys like Pierson or Taylor but they aren't at his level yet.

Here are areas I think we need to see significant upgrades or improvement:

OL: IMO the most difficult with the loss of Farniok. Sam unable to stay healthy again after 12 sacks in his last 3 games. Running game significantly worse than it was last season.
RB: I don't know if this is a function of the line, the scheme, or the talent but these guys just don't even seem to be factor.
DL: Enough has been said about this group.
LB: You have to hope Harris or Meeks can step into the middle. Ferch/Brackins fill needs to be identified, and although I like Knott he should have some serious competition for his spot.
CB: Suitable alternative to the spot across from Tribune would be good, and Nigel needs to improve in press coverage.

My question is, who do we have coming back from injury or coming in that we can reasonably expect these position units to compete a level that could get us to 6 wins. Non conference is UNI, Iowa, @Toledo, all winnable games and they likely need to win them all.

 

[KCy]

Yes and I actually expect them too. Not sure why but I like the team we have. I am a homer I know.

 

[roundball]

 

[everyyard]

We won't see another bowl this decade.

 

[Spam]

We'll win a national championship in basketball before we make it to our next bowl game.

 

[KCClone1]

No,

The offense gives me some hope, but we have looked horrible without Farniok.

On Defense, the DL will again be bad and the LB's have only Knott returning. When losing Jevohn Miller is a backbreaker then you obviously have no depth behind him, because he isn't that good to begin with.

 

[bigdaddykane]

Oh yeah next year is the year #14-0

 

[Triggermv]

I sure hope so

 

[RubyClone]

Can? Sure..

Will? I'm just going to go ahead and make other plans for bowl season.

 

[coolerifyoudid]

I'm normally really optimistic, but I've seen too much bad football to think that we're going to go from this season to a bowl next year. I think we definitely have the potential to go bowling every year, though. I'm hoping that Mangino can get the offense clicking more in year two. He should have a better idea of the types of players he needs in his system by now.

 

[IcSyU]

If we had a talented defense which could be coached up I'd say yes. We don't have a talented front 7 so no. There's some talent in the secondary but they can't cover for 10 seconds every play.

I haven't seen anything out of Sam Richardson to suggest he can command a 40 point per game offense.

 

[jcisuclones]

We'll win a national championship in basketball before we make it to our next bowl game.

So it sounds like we're going to a bowl game next season!

 

[A-town Cy]

Buying out the @ Toledo game would help.

 

[connorferg9]

This is an honest question, and I hope we can avoid a total flame war.

Lots of debate about Rhoads lately and I've been in the thick of it. What I want to avoid is the money talk. It definitely has a place in ISU's ability to compete as a program but is irrelevent in determining whether Rhoads will be back or not for 2016. I think most will agree 2015 will likely be make or break, and the benchmark will be bowl eligibility.

Here's what we know, we do lose some players. I think there are really only 3 guys that we lose that we don't have clear replacements for, and that is Farniok, Bibbs, and Morrissey. Bibbs IMO is mitigated by the fact that we will have a stable of good, proven WR's who can play at this level. Morrissey is maybe offset some by the emergence of some guys like Pierson or Taylor but they aren't at his level yet.

Here are areas I think we need to see significant upgrades or improvement:

OL: IMO the most difficult with the loss of Farniok. Sam unable to stay healthy again after 12 sacks in his last 3 games. Running game significantly worse than it was last season.
RB: I don't know if this is a function of the line, the scheme, or the talent but these guys just don't even seem to be factor.
DL: Enough has been said about this group.
LB: You have to hope Harris or Meeks can step into the middle. Ferch/Brackins fill needs to be identified, and although I like Knott he should have some serious competition for his spot.
CB: Suitable alternative to the spot across from Tribune would be good, and Nigel needs to improve in press coverage.

My question is, who do we have coming back from injury or coming in that we can reasonably expect these position units to compete a level that could get us to 6 wins. Non conference is UNI, Iowa, @Toledo, all winnable games and they likely need to win them all.

I would want to see the schedule first, hopefully that comes out in the next few weeks, but I think it's a possibility with the returning players we'll have.

 

[isulive2train]

Yes...they're building it as we speak.

 

[Inebriated]

We will overestimate our talent as always and expect to go, but I don't think we will. We'll say we have gained a bunch of experience, but it doesn't matter how much experience you give MAC caliber players they can't compete with Big 12 talent. We have SOME Big 12 talent don't get me wrong...but not nearly enough to compete at this point.

 

[Gunnerclone]

Our defense can't possibly get good enough from now until then. We need like 3 classes full of JUCO's to get the D up to a respectable level.

 

[dualthreat]

Even if we are pretty bad next year, we should start 3-0. None of those first 3 are very good... even for us.

 

[cyyote15]

No,

The offense gives me some hope, but we have looked horrible without Farniok.

On Defense, the DL will again be bad and the LB's have only Knott returning. When losing Jevohn Miller is a backbreaker then you obviously have no depth behind him, because he isn't that good to begin with.

I am interested to see what happens when you give an entire off-season to our next starting center. Farniok has been awesome through his career and I am going to miss him, but I believe the line will look better when we have the entire off-season to prepare a new starter, then when we have a week to find a new leader.

I don't think the Oline will look as bad as it does when Farniok was hurt, but I think the line will regress some.

 

[IAStubborn]

This is an honest question, and I hope we can avoid a total flame war.

Lots of debate about Rhoads lately and I've been in the thick of it. What I want to avoid is the money talk. It definitely has a place in ISU's ability to compete as a program but is irrelevent in determining whether Rhoads will be back or not for 2016. I think most will agree 2015 will likely be make or break, and the benchmark will be bowl eligibility.

Here's what we know, we do lose some players. I think there are really only 3 guys that we lose that we don't have clear replacements for, and that is Farniok, Bibbs, and Morrissey. Bibbs IMO is mitigated by the fact that we will have a stable of good, proven WR's who can play at this level. Morrissey is maybe offset some by the emergence of some guys like Pierson or Taylor but they aren't at his level yet.

Here are areas I think we need to see significant upgrades or improvement:

OL: IMO the most difficult with the loss of Farniok. Sam unable to stay healthy again after 12 sacks in his last 3 games. Running game significantly worse than it was last season.
RB: I don't know if this is a function of the line, the scheme, or the talent but these guys just don't even seem to be factor.
DL: Enough has been said about this group.
LB: You have to hope Harris or Meeks can step into the middle. Ferch/Brackins fill needs to be identified, and although I like Knott he should have some serious competition for his spot.
CB: Suitable alternative to the spot across from Tribune would be good, and Nigel needs to improve in press coverage.

My question is, who do we have coming back from injury or coming in that we can reasonably expect these position units to compete a level that could get us to 6 wins. Non conference is UNI, Iowa, @Toledo, all winnable games and they likely need to win them all.

Yes and I think they do. If we stay healthy and get some decent help on the d-line. With a little luck or leadership we could have this year or last. I think we will be more talented next year as a whole and if the offense can play like they did pre-Oklahoma/post-ndst and the defense can shave off a score or 2 from their average we will be there.