Craig McDonald transferring

Cyinthenorth

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Mar 29, 2013
15,908
11,987
113
36
Dubuque
I like the briefness of the post. Right to the point.
Yeah, not sure what's going on with the secondary room/CMcD at this point, but prefer this to the lengthy 3-4 paragraph BS about how much they loved Iowa State and Ames even though they're leaving with ample eligibility, that we get with most guys
 

Frak

Well-Known Member
Apr 27, 2009
11,449
7,055
113
But is McDonald THAT MUCH better than Verdon/Howard???
I don't think that McDonald is that much better than Verdon. He just has an advantage in experience. Verdon played a lot of QB in HS and has been at ISU less than a year. He's going to be a good player, but I would guess he's still pretty raw.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: cyc26

cyc26

Active Member
Nov 24, 2020
223
178
43
25
Yeah, not sure what's going on with the secondary room/CMcD at this point, but prefer this to the lengthy 3-4 paragraph BS about how much they loved Iowa State and Ames even though they're leaving with ample eligibility, that we get with most guys
The briefness of the post and fact that we heard nothing prior is telling that it was a sudden, unexpected move. I mean even the players who are with him everyday were surprised.
 

Frak

Well-Known Member
Apr 27, 2009
11,449
7,055
113
Not sure how you can say that with any certainty. For all we know the kid could be the next Eisworth.

The Eisworth scout was one of the best our staff has done so far. And there are a lot of good ones (Enyi, Purdy, Rose, Kolar, X, Will McDonald, etc.). If they get anywhere close to that on Thompson, we don't have to worry much about Safety depth.
 

JP4CY

Lord, beer me strength.
Staff member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Dec 19, 2008
74,692
95,785
113
Testifying
I feel kind of bad for Eisworth. I feel like we kind of "used him up". I think the way he played took a huge toll on his body and he left ISU not the same player that arrived. Let's hope he has new life in the NFL.
He played like Bob Sanders.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: CYCLNST8

Cyinthenorth

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Mar 29, 2013
15,908
11,987
113
36
Dubuque
I feel kind of bad for Eisworth. I feel like we kind of "used him up". I think the way he played took a huge toll on his body and he left ISU not the same player that arrived. Let's hope he has new life in the NFL.
Could probably say the same of Mike Rose. He played too many snaps at the collegiate level. Played as a true FR
 

cymonw1980

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Nov 23, 2015
1,060
1,818
113
Raleigh, NC
I don't disagree with the idea that many guys (King, Amos, Miller, Antoine, etc.) left for playing time. I believe Isheem Young would have started next year (we start 3, I think he would have been one, maybe i am wrong, will never know now). So, I would argue, we now have lost 2 guys that would be starting next year, two guys that may even be drafted in the next few years.

Bottom line, in just about every stat, the DBs in the Transfer Portal out performed the DBs returning. Does this mean a guy like Porter or one of the new guys coming in won't be able to out perform what the guys that transferred out would have given us in 2022? Obviously not. But we lost a lot of depth, a lot of snaps, and a couple starters in my opinion.

Games Played in (with DB Stats Recorded):
Total: 109
Return: 42
Transfer: 54

Grad: 13

Tackles (Not counting Porter's 13 on ST):
Total: 356
Return: 130
Transfer: 166

Grad: 60

Turnovers (INT/Fumble Recoveries):
Total: 10
Return: 0
Transfer: 8

Grad: 2

(Forced Fumbles: 4 total, 2 Return, 2 Transfer)

1651507549162.png


1651507515136.png
 
Last edited:

cymonw1980

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Nov 23, 2015
1,060
1,818
113
Raleigh, NC
The Eisworth scout was one of the best our staff has done so far. And there are a lot of good ones (Enyi, Purdy, Rose, Kolar, X, Will McDonald, etc.). If they get anywhere close to that on Thompson, we don't have to worry much about Safety depth.

We lost a ton in the DB room (wrote another post with details). Bottom line, I believe we are a developmental program. We have guys like McDonald who played 1 game in 2020, develop in 2021 into what would have been a game 1 starter in 2022.

Guys like King probably were being passed up by guys behind them. But with all the attrition, I would argue even some of those guys would likely be on a 2 deep right now.

Yes, we have guys like Porter (special teams a year ago), the Juco Transfer, some true freshmen, we all hope will be great pieces. But our DBs forced 10 turn overs and had 356 tackles a year ago. We have more tackles (166) in the portal than returning to the team (130). Of the 10 turnovers, 8 were from guys in the portal the other 2 were Eisworth. None return.

Even if the Juco kid is good I think we lost 2 guys that would have started (Isheem Young, McDonald) and a ton of depth which is critical - separates good/great from ok/bad teams.
 

DrClone

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2009
1,379
747
113
Any chance he stays? Seems like a rash decision Also needed to enter the portal by today. Would CMC take him back if he changed his mind.
 

MisterO

Proverbs 19:11
Dec 6, 2020
2,538
-1,907
63
I wouldn’t read too much into it….people make changes all the time and there’s probably 20 different variables that all played a part in his decision. I don’t think this reflects on CMC or Coach Broom.

I help run a small company and we see the same thing: people leave because they get their feelings hurt, or someone didn’t greet them when they thought they should, or a competitor offered them a little more money (even though we offer a better culture and work environment in my biased opinion), they break up with their significant other…and on and on. Then you factor in these are 19/20 year-old kids were dealing with in college. I don’t envy CMC’s position.

We need to keep building with people that actually want to be here…if you don’t want to be here, best of luck to you and there’s the door.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ISUalways

cymonw1980

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Nov 23, 2015
1,060
1,818
113
Raleigh, NC
have not read all 13 pages here, so sorry if I am repeating something already said.

April 20th: McDonald announced his planned camp on twtter...
April 28th: McDonald says "camp has been postponed due to weather check new date" (it was supposed to be Apr 30th not sure if there was bad weather in the forecast? I live out of state now so do not keep up with the weather)
April 30th: He is in the portal

Maybe the camp did get postponed "due to weather" and it is just a coincidence that he entered the portal a couple days later... but that seems really odd.

Did ISU know about the camp? What made him change the date? Did they ask him not to have it?

Something happened in the 10 days between announcing a football camp and then suddenly changing the date, and transferring.

They could be unrelated (maybe he had full approval / support from ISU coaches to run the camp). Trevon Howard (still on the team) was also supposed to participate along with "other" ISU athletes. So, let's see if the camp goes forward on May 21st (new date) and if any ISU football players participate.

Also, CM and Trevon Howard seem to be big on the NIL stuff. This is not a bad thing - more power to them, hope they make a bunch of $. But I could also see this as a situation where he was offered an opportunity to make more... again, may have nothing to do with a pay-for-play deal ("NIL") but if he signs with a mid tier SEC team or a team at the "neb" type of level (lots of fan support, likely trying to compete) this is exactly the type of player you go after. You are not going to out bid tex a&m, tOSU, etc. for top guys. But you don't need to. You grab rising talent from good programs pay them and they burn their free transfer. So, unless they want to sit out a year you have them for the rest of their eligibility.
 
Last edited:

MartyFine

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2009
15,303
24,344
113
Warren Co., IA
have not read all 13 pages here, so sorry if I am repeating something already said.

April 20th: McDonald announced his planned camp on twtter...
April 28th: McDonald says "camp has been postponed due to weather check new date" (it was supposed to be Apr 30th not sure if there was bad weather in the forecast? I live out of state now so do not keep up with the weather)
April 30th: He is in the portal

Maybe the camp did get postponed "due to weather" and it is just a coincidence that he entered the portal a couple days later... but that seems really odd.

Did ISU know about the camp? What made him change the date? Did they ask him not to have it?

Something happened in the 10 days between announcing a football camp and then suddenly changing the date, and transferring.

They could be unrelated (maybe he had full approval / support from ISU coaches to run the camp). Trevon Howard (still on the team) was also supposed to participate along with "other" ISU athletes. So, let's see if the camp goes forward on May 21st (new date) and if any ISU football players participate.

Also, CM and Trevon Howard seem to be big on the NIL stuff. This is not a bad thing - more power to them, hope they make a bunch of $. But I could also see this as a situation where he was offered an opportunity to make more... again, may have nothing to do with a pay-for-play deal ("NIL") but if he signs with a mid tier SEC team or a team at the "neb" type of level (lots of fan support, likely trying to compete) this is exactly the type of player you go after. You are not going to out bid tex a&m, tOSU, etc. for top guys. But you don't need to. You grab rising talent from good programs pay them and they burn their free transfer. So, unless they want to sit out a year you have them for the rest of their eligibility.

April 29th: PJ Fleck offers a sack of cash...
 

DeereClone

Well-Known Member
Nov 16, 2009
8,281
9,648
113
The briefness of the post and fact that we heard nothing prior is telling that it was a sudden, unexpected move. I mean even the players who are with him everyday were surprised.

I don't think we should read too much into the briefness of the post. Some people are just more direct.

Like someone else said above, I appreciate the brevity of the post. I don't need to read three paragraphs of fluff and you thanking everyone from the RA in your dorm to God for the great year you had in Ames.
 

Cycsk

Year-round tailgater
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Aug 17, 2009
28,449
17,421
113
Wonder if there is some connection to his camp. For instance, maybe registration was so bad or he got in trouble for not following protocols.

Anybody know how his camp was shaping up?
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: cywr89