Keys to the season were turnovers, injuries, and special teams. Combo of luck changing, and I think the schedule (5 homes games and KU on the road is obviously better for ISU in conference play) is mostly the answer.
Why do you think the team is doing so poorly this season?
- Thread starter drmwevr08
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We avoided injury with last year’s pod schedule. Our offensive line has been reshuffled and regressed.
To summarize,
1) Baylor, ISU driving late deep in Baylor territory later in the 2nd half ball tipped at the line of srimmage Baylor picks. Last year it was Baylor who threw the pick deep in ISU territory late in the game.
2) WV, fumble at the goal line, no fumble ISU probably pulls it out. Don't care if questionable call or not. It was ruled a fumble on the field, that fumble and the Iowa fumble were back breakers.
3) Texas Tech hits a 62 yard field goal, last year Cameron Dicker from Texas who is a very good kicker misses like a 58 yarder to win it..
4) Last year ISU gets to play Spencer Rattler, this year OU figured out he is not as good as his hype.
5) Last year 5 conference home games, and play a cupcake KU team on the road. This year 4 at home including a horrible KU team so really like getting only 3 conference home games because does not matter where you play KU.
6) Bye week in October, why? put the damn thing in September
1) Baylor, ISU driving late deep in Baylor territory later in the 2nd half ball tipped at the line of srimmage Baylor picks. Last year it was Baylor who threw the pick deep in ISU territory late in the game.
2) WV, fumble at the goal line, no fumble ISU probably pulls it out. Don't care if questionable call or not. It was ruled a fumble on the field, that fumble and the Iowa fumble were back breakers.
3) Texas Tech hits a 62 yard field goal, last year Cameron Dicker from Texas who is a very good kicker misses like a 58 yarder to win it..
4) Last year ISU gets to play Spencer Rattler, this year OU figured out he is not as good as his hype.
5) Last year 5 conference home games, and play a cupcake KU team on the road. This year 4 at home including a horrible KU team so really like getting only 3 conference home games because does not matter where you play KU.
6) Bye week in October, why? put the damn thing in September
1. We got the right bounces last year, they went the other way this year
2. Our program got through COVID better than most teams last year, it made a difference.
2. Our program got through COVID better than most teams last year, it made a difference.
1. Defense (and OL) has suffered a number of injuries.
2. As a result, the defense (and OL) hasn't been as sharp as it was last year.
3. As a result, the defense (and OL) hasn't been able to cover up for Manning's ineptitude as an offensive coordinator.
2. As a result, the defense (and OL) hasn't been as sharp as it was last year.
3. As a result, the defense (and OL) hasn't been able to cover up for Manning's ineptitude as an offensive coordinator.
I don't think the team is doing poorly. I do think there is quite a bit more going on than "bad bounces" that caused losses to 4 teams that ISU beat last year:
1a) Inconsistent offense, strange plays and playcalls on offense, apparent disorganization at times on offense
1b) Offensive Line issues, particularly in the last two games. Not sure what is going on...coaching issue or lack of depth??? Baylor shredded OU for nearly 300 rushing rushing and gave up one sack a week ago. Against OU, ISU couldn't break 100 rushing yards and gave up 7 sacks. That's not an issue of the ball bouncing the wrong way.
3) Defense strategy issues. Against TT and WVU, ISU chose to generally sit back in coverage and expected that the relatively new/average QBs would get impatient and make mistakes. Instead, those QBs rather picked apart ISU's defense. OSU, against those same QBs and in the same part of the season, sent pressure early on to disrupt the QB's. The OSU strategy was successful in both cases, and OSU easily won both games.
4) Special Teams were bad early on, but were mitigated by Mevis. Unfortunately, the damage had already been done in two games (BU and Iowa).
1a) Inconsistent offense, strange plays and playcalls on offense, apparent disorganization at times on offense
1b) Offensive Line issues, particularly in the last two games. Not sure what is going on...coaching issue or lack of depth??? Baylor shredded OU for nearly 300 rushing rushing and gave up one sack a week ago. Against OU, ISU couldn't break 100 rushing yards and gave up 7 sacks. That's not an issue of the ball bouncing the wrong way.
3) Defense strategy issues. Against TT and WVU, ISU chose to generally sit back in coverage and expected that the relatively new/average QBs would get impatient and make mistakes. Instead, those QBs rather picked apart ISU's defense. OSU, against those same QBs and in the same part of the season, sent pressure early on to disrupt the QB's. The OSU strategy was successful in both cases, and OSU easily won both games.
4) Special Teams were bad early on, but were mitigated by Mevis. Unfortunately, the damage had already been done in two games (BU and Iowa).
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And that was the problem. Can Campbell be the hunted and not the hunter when he doesn't have a huge talent advantage like at Mt. Union? Even when we did, we didn't use it.
I am not of fan of CMC's coach speak. Listening to the pregame of TTech was nauseating. Guy needs to play more Playstation. Go for shutouts and big offensive numbers.
Margins don't matter when you are up multiple scores and your opponent is one-dimensional.
Probably a combination of all of the above. Talent is there because we saw what it could do last season. Execution has been lacking in some key games and moments this year both by players and coaches. CMC has said it before that we have to win within the margins and for ISU those margins are usually pretty slim. While we have not had some breaks go our way that did last year we also have shot ourselves in the foot a lot with some boneheaded decisions by key players and play calling by coaches too. Purdy is an experienced QB who should know by now when to just take the sack or throw it away under pressure but he's made some terrible decisions in some big moments that really put us in some bad spots. Those double pass calls on 4th and short in the OU game are perfect examples of Manning trying to complicate things when you just have to trust your line can get a push to get short yardage. Then our defense at times looks completely out of sync and not playing the right coverages for the situation too. Just a lot of things that could have gone better.
Did I expect this team to make the CFP? No, I knew we'd have to play nearly perfect all year for that to happen as even splitting a game with OU if we faced them in the conference championship game might be enough to keep us out of it. I didn't think we'd be here with 6 wins and worried about win number 7 at this point though and I think we as fans have every right to be disappointed with this season because the talent and experience was there to do better than we have. And that is what worries me about what kind of drop off we may be facing next season because if this was supposed to be our best team ever with all the guys leaving just getting to .500 next year could be a problem.
Did I expect this team to make the CFP? No, I knew we'd have to play nearly perfect all year for that to happen as even splitting a game with OU if we faced them in the conference championship game might be enough to keep us out of it. I didn't think we'd be here with 6 wins and worried about win number 7 at this point though and I think we as fans have every right to be disappointed with this season because the talent and experience was there to do better than we have. And that is what worries me about what kind of drop off we may be facing next season because if this was supposed to be our best team ever with all the guys leaving just getting to .500 next year could be a problem.
Last year wasn't a fluke. We had a core group of solid players who made timely plays and won the close games. This year, basically that same core group of players didn't make the big plays and in a few games we committed turnovers/mistakes that cost the Clones games.
IMO anyone who thinks players on this year's team rested on their laurels, are pretty clueless.
I do feel that the coaching staff needs to do a deep dive on a couple things in the off-season:
IMO anyone who thinks players on this year's team rested on their laurels, are pretty clueless.
I do feel that the coaching staff needs to do a deep dive on a couple things in the off-season:
- We need more big plays out of our passing game. Seems like our O-line has struggled over the years in picking up blitzes AND we don't throw deep enough.
- Our rush defense was hit or miss this season. Same goes for our pass rush. Seems like we need to be more disruptive with our front 6.
- Our special teams aren't always special. They got better by year end, but it would be nice to have special teams that score points AND don't give up points.
Silliness. He's built the strongest program in the history of our school. He can talk however the **** he wants, IMO
1. ISU under Campbell is going to live in close games. This means what appears to be playing up/down to competition. ISU is going to win games when the other team is probably better, and lose some where ISU is probably the better team.
2. Last year was a strange year. ISU dealt with it well, but PSU, Michigan being terrible, Indiana being pretty successful, and ISU winning a Fiesta Bowl might suggest just how strange it was, and that results needed to be taken with a grain of salt.
3. The same terrible September play that has always plagued this team continues. This is a problem that needs to be fixed, but as has been discussed many times over, there are surely tradeoffs between being more crisp in September and having late season depth that can be plugged in and play at a high level.
4. Special teams has improved over the year, but for two years they have mostly been terrible. And it's not "our kicker/punter suck" it's things like absolutely terrible lane integrity (Louisiana, Baylor) and not knowing what to do on an onside kick (KSU).
5. Turnovers, and people need to understand what causes turnovers and how you prevent them. People think you reduce turnovers by focusing at the micro-level - ball security, QB decision-making, etc. That's not really what causes turnovers. They are caused by having to throw into tight windows because no one is open, giving up pressure vs. 3 and 4 man rushes, inability to pick up blitzes, sloppy route-running, giving up penetration and TFLs, things like that. Turnovers themselves are less a problem than they are the symptom of bad offense. Yes, QBs making bad decisions or being inaccurate create INTs, but if guys aren't open and you are facing pressure, INTs are going to happen.
6. OL isn't very good. Physically they get pushed around, and they get confused by simple 3 and 4 man stunts. There's a combination of physical and execution problems.
All that said, this team is really close to being 10-1. This year is so disappointing largely because ISU has had so few whacks at the 10-win, conference title pinata. If Campbell sticks around, there will be more chances, and that will result in conference championships. Next year will be a rebuild, but in 2 and 3 years this team is going to be right back competing for the top of the league.
2. Last year was a strange year. ISU dealt with it well, but PSU, Michigan being terrible, Indiana being pretty successful, and ISU winning a Fiesta Bowl might suggest just how strange it was, and that results needed to be taken with a grain of salt.
3. The same terrible September play that has always plagued this team continues. This is a problem that needs to be fixed, but as has been discussed many times over, there are surely tradeoffs between being more crisp in September and having late season depth that can be plugged in and play at a high level.
4. Special teams has improved over the year, but for two years they have mostly been terrible. And it's not "our kicker/punter suck" it's things like absolutely terrible lane integrity (Louisiana, Baylor) and not knowing what to do on an onside kick (KSU).
5. Turnovers, and people need to understand what causes turnovers and how you prevent them. People think you reduce turnovers by focusing at the micro-level - ball security, QB decision-making, etc. That's not really what causes turnovers. They are caused by having to throw into tight windows because no one is open, giving up pressure vs. 3 and 4 man rushes, inability to pick up blitzes, sloppy route-running, giving up penetration and TFLs, things like that. Turnovers themselves are less a problem than they are the symptom of bad offense. Yes, QBs making bad decisions or being inaccurate create INTs, but if guys aren't open and you are facing pressure, INTs are going to happen.
6. OL isn't very good. Physically they get pushed around, and they get confused by simple 3 and 4 man stunts. There's a combination of physical and execution problems.
All that said, this team is really close to being 10-1. This year is so disappointing largely because ISU has had so few whacks at the 10-win, conference title pinata. If Campbell sticks around, there will be more chances, and that will result in conference championships. Next year will be a rebuild, but in 2 and 3 years this team is going to be right back competing for the top of the league.
Offensive line play
Bad playcalling on offense
Bad luck
Slow starts
No real pass catchers other than Kolar and Hutch
Too many small mistakes
Bad playcalling on offense
Bad luck
Slow starts
No real pass catchers other than Kolar and Hutch
Too many small mistakes
No kidding. And honestly, I think if you really listen to him it's less coach speak than people think.
No. We should encourage him to leave.
Ha! That would be amazing. But I'm sure he is gone and it is the right decision. Much like David Montgomery, Breece has a good head on his shoulders and a what seems like a really great mom (she's a great follow on twitter)....he wouldn't go early unless it was the absolute right thing for him to do.
But that is what sort of makes it harder to see him go.
I don't think most people think it was all due to bad bounces. Far from it. But bad bounces surely played into affect. I mean who the hell has ever hit a 64 yard field goal?
