Why do you think the team is doing so poorly this season?

[surly]

4. Oregon wasn't very good last year so inflated our perception of ourselves. It's like they just put the Top 6 Pac-12 teams into a hat last year and they got picked for the Fiesta Bowl.

I wrote that last year before the bowl and got blown up here, but you're quite right.

 

[Inthesystem]

I agree with many: It’s bad luck more than anything else. The team seems together and they didn’t suddenly forget how to play football.

 

[acoustimac]

First of all..the dominant option here has nothing to do with this year's lack of success. That being said…it’s mistakes, a poor offensive line, bad preparation, more mistakes, etc…in other words…this is just an average team and the record shows.

 

[cysmiley]

For the 66% saying it was due to bad bounces, was this the driver for the first half deficits?

Not necessarily, but that fact points to the adjustments we are able to accomplish.

 

[3rdCoastClone]

what's so bad about this thread if I may ask?

WATCH: Nick Saban rips 'self-absorbed,' blowout-hungry Alabama fans in two-minute rant before Thanksgiving

Crimson Tide fans now know to be grateful for their team this Thanksgiving

www.cbssports.com

 

[Sarge_Slaughter_the_Hawks]

They didn't score more points than five of their opponents.

 

[WhoISthis]

Not good enough at the details, often manifesting in bad “luck” and a perceived regression to the mean.

Rather disappointing to see from an experienced team, but the culture advantage we had with Covid last year was gone.

 

[AlaCyclone]

They looked GREAT against TCU when the fan base was feeling low. I thought that was impressive. I hope we see a similar effort in the Bowl Game.

 

[BWRhasnoAC]

First of all..the dominant option here has nothing to do with this year's lack of success. That being said…it’s mistakes, a poor offensive line, bad preparation, more mistakes, etc…in other words…this is just an average team and the record shows.

The power rankings still have ISU ahead of Iowa. It's average in the W-L column but the computers still love ISU. Yes the mistakes were bad but we're much better than average.

 

[heitclone]

I don't think people are giving our league enough credit, our road schedule was tough.. At KState, WV, Tech, OU and Baylor isn't easy. We've had Tech's number but we've struggled in the rest of those places. An extra road game is always going to be tougher but this year, other than Okie St, we hosted the bottom 3 teams in the league. I'd much rather have gone to Lawrence, Ft Worth or Austin than any of the places we played this year.

I think we could have one a couple of those close road losses if they were at JTS.

 

[demoncore1031]

Consistency is why this team has not won 10 games this year. Coaching and play calling, the passing game, o-line, special teams, defense has had a few really bad performances. So yeah, I'll go with lack of consistency.

 

[AlaCyclone]

I don't think people are giving our league enough credit, our road schedule was tough.. At KState, WV, Tech, OU and Baylor isn't easy. We've had Tech's number but we've struggled in the rest of those places. An extra road game is always going to be tougher but this year, other than Okie St, we hosted the bottom 3 teams in the league. I'd much rather have gone to Lawrence, Ft Worth or Austin than any of the places we played this year.

I think we could have one a couple of those close road losses if they were at JTS.

I wish we could have had this year's team with next year's schedule setup! Perhaps, next year, the team can go 8-4 or 9-3 with a young team.

 

[heitclone]

I wish we could have had this year's team with next year's schedule setup! Perhaps, next year, the team can go 8-4 or 9-3 with a young team.

Yup the home/away setup will be much better for a young squad. That's why in some ways, I'm glad we played the tougher schedule this year. It was a bit disappointing but next years time might have a tough time bowling with this years schedule. At least the veteran squad got that done. With this setup, we can hopefully keep the bowl streak alive.

 

[tolfbfan]

No kidding. And honestly, I think if you really listen to him it's less coach speak than people think.

That is CMC speak and exactly what is preached everyday to staff and players in my opinion. I have listened to a half dozen of his team talks. Maybe said a little less guarded to the team, but same message.

 

[tolfbfan]

I think this is a philosophy that needs to be re-evaluated. ISU doesn't need to do this in every game anymore. OSU isn't putting up gaudy scores, but of their 8 conference games, only two of them have been 1-score games, while 5 of ISU's conference games have been 1-score affairs. 2 of those 5 had no business being that close.

WHAT? So, you are saying our philosophy is to play in as many close games as possible. My jaw hit the table and I am now heading to hospital for stitches.....lol.

 

[Clark]

I don't think people are giving our league enough credit, our road schedule was tough.. At KState, WV, Tech, OU and Baylor isn't easy. We've had Tech's number but we've struggled in the rest of those places. An extra road game is always going to be tougher but this year, other than Okie St, we hosted the bottom 3 teams in the league. I'd much rather have gone to Lawrence, Ft Worth or Austin than any of the places we played this year.

I think we could have one a couple of those close road losses if they were at JTS.

Didn't Maryland win at West Virginia?

 

[tolfbfan]

We lost most of our close games this year. Most you could point to 1 or 2 plays that cost us. Seem to come up just short at the end. O-line has struggled lately think they are kind of banged up now. One thing I will say is we have been right there in all of our losses and this team is tough and never lays down even when thing aren’t going there way.

Is there a stat for how many defenses stacked the box and/or blitzed allot. It seemed to me that everyone pinned their ears back and came at us defensively more than ever before. I'm telling you that is difficult. High reward/high failure type situation. I believe this year was representative of the teams abilities not even considering the record. I believe last year also was representative of the teams abilities. MARGINS period!

 

[davegilbertson]

I wish we could have had this year's team with next year's schedule setup! Perhaps, next year, the team can go 8-4 or 9-3 with a young team.

Looking at next year's schedule I thought, wouldn't it be funny, if this is the year they finally go 5-0/6-0 like we've all thought they could.

 

[BWRhasnoAC]

Is there a stat for how many defenses stacked the box and/or blitzed allot. It seemed to me that everyone pinned their ears back and came at us defensively more than ever before. I'm telling you that is difficult. High reward/high failure type situation. I believe this year was representative of the teams abilities not even considering the record. I believe last year also was representative of the teams abilities. MARGINS period!

So you're saying we simply can do nothing about that? How about having a quarterback who recognizes the blitzes or an offensive line who does? Or maybe hot routes that don't need to come from Manning and are made on the field by the quarterback? We have been absolutely terrible at picking up blitzes for the last 3 to 4 years.

 

[jbhtexas]

WHAT? So, you are saying our philosophy is to play in as many close games as possible. My jaw hit the table and I am now heading to hospital for stitches.....lol.

The philosophy seems to be that if the basic offensive strategy is struggling, the staff isn't going to deviate much from that strategy to try and score more points, and are content to have close game. Like a score of 16-10 against an FCS team that finished the year 6-6. Also a great post in the Manning thread about continually trying (and failing) to out-Iowa Iowa, when other proven options are available.

A key to success in any endeavor is to recognize when persistence/stubbornness will eventually lead to a solution, or when it is just plain making things harder and preventing progress. I think the ISU staff struggles with this.

Hope you don't get any scars from your stitches.