Tough to win the recruiting race when your school is in Iowa. Just no way to compete against most top 10-15 teams in states like Texas, Florida, California, Georgia, Ohio, Michigan, etc. Iowa just doesn't produce enough 4 star recruits.
To be a consistent 8-10 win team, ISU can do that with existing recruits. But we need to be better in a few areas:
1) We need to be better in September. Helps to go 3-0 non-con.
2) We need to be above average with special teams.
3) Our passing game needs to stretch the field. It's too tough to score 30+ pts a game against quality defenses relying on 10+ play scoring drives.
4) Our D needs to force TO's. We need to be more physical and aggressive on defense. The key is making opponent QB's uncomfortable.
Our goal for recruiting should be 20-40 every year. On the Va Tech, Wisconsin and middle(ish) pack of the SEC levels. That's 2-5 4 stars a year and getting highly sought after 3 stars.
I agree with your #1. I think that starts with having a good o-line. Get our running game to the Bill Snyder/K-State level he had them at.. As long as Heacock is our d-coordinator (Kinda scared about Ohio St poaching). We have that side of the ball figured out. Same thing for Iowa and Parker. We know our identity and it works. Cleaning up our mistakes in the first half is getting better. So he isn't perfect
K-state, Iowa, Va Tech with Beamer... Those programs THRIVE with good special teams. That led them to 9+ win seasons regularly. Until we clean up our special teams.. We are stuck at 6-9 wins
Passing game stretching the field requires us to recruit different QB's.. undersized guys like Purdy and Rocco Becht can't hit 35+ yard throws regularly. SO we would have to recruit different QB's (Unless we get Kyler Murray level recruits). I think deep passing at ISU succeeds with more speed before a QB change. Turn 15-25 yard throws into 50+ yard plays. Recruit less 6'4" guys who are slow out of their breaks. Recruit more track and basketball players who can get separation. The 2021/22 classes are a nice start with Noel, Silas, Eli Sanders, Greg Gaines, Quaron Adams, Jason Essex. Hakeem Butler and Allen Lazard are unicorns and impossible to recruit regularly. We can recruit height at the TE spot where they are much more affective and don't need to be so athletic
I disagree with your defensive assessment. We do a decent job at turnovers with the talent we have. If we can recruit more lockdown corners or have several Will McDonalds to rush the passer.. Then you can get more aggressive in coverage. Defense not giving up 21 in the first 4 drives is more of an issue than turnovers. Not quite sure how you fix that