If we don't include the snow game, where do we stand?
That game was impossible to tackle on both sides.
2024-25 ISU FB Early Predictions and Offseason Discussion
- Thread starter Jer
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If we don't include the snow game, where do we stand?
That game was impossible to tackle on both sides.
Correct on offensive line
Correct on d-line (Williams has mentioned this weekly on his pods)
Our corners don't suck, we did however lose a lockdown corner who you could put on an island.
Last last third of the 2023 season, you saw our offensive really open up. I want more of that and less bowl game play calling. How do we call plays in September like we called them in November?? Listen to Williams on his pods with Blum, he's begging for the same thing!
See above, plus we haven't shown the ability to be physical enough to play heavy since Breece Hall went to the league.
We currently do lack players who have had that breakout into a day 1 pick. We had two in Breece and McDonald who helped take Iowa State to our best years ever for the program. Maybe one of the sophomores on the roster can flip that switch?
I don't think my post was overall negative.. I just think some people on this board are irrational thinking this team is a layup to win 8+ games.
I'm excited for the season but am using rational thinking to hold back unrealistic expectations for a team that got absolutely manhandled by a G5 program in Memphis.
I'll also be the first to admit that I've been quite frustrated with the programs disappointing performance post Fiesta Bowl..
Hope my skepticism is proved wrong, especially as we are in such a pivotable spot in college sports and the conference. We need strong football momentum more than ever
Hope my skepticism is proved wrong, especially as we are in such a pivotable spot in college sports and the conference. We need strong football momentum more than ever
So it’s rational to think we’ll suck because we “got manhandled” as you say by Memphis, but not rational to think we’ll be good because we manhandled TCU, BYU, Cincy, and Baylor?
I would suggest taking a good long look at the 2020 season not just for ISU but across college football, including who ISU got to play in the Fiesta Bowl.
They beat a 4-2, No. 25 Oregon team without a legit QB.
I don't know why people still cling to that as some 'next level opportunity' with all that was going on but for whatever reason it's still a thing.
2021 was *this* close to having a similar 2020 season record and 2020 was *this* close to having a 2021 type of season.
You're right. And this type of thinking may be what's required to get to the next level. But, one thing no one can deny, is that we're no longer an automatic win for other teams ... which so many of us recall in cringe worthy manner. We're rarely run off the field anymore and are given a chance to win the majority of games. Yes. There will be times when we lay an egg. But, then that can be said for the vast majority of programs out there. I'll be happy if we're competitive in every game, regardless of the opponent.
The latest posts align with my thinking. Campbell has ISU consistently being an average team capable of pulling an upset, but more likely to be the team that makes errors that cost wins. Many of us that lived through so many years of bad football can like being average. Winning 6-7 games is always better than winning 3. What we’ve yet to see is the program taking the next step to be like KSU (for example) where we consistently win 8-10 games. I hope I see it in my lifetime….
Yep, ISU is consistently decent and sure it would be great seeing them get to that next level up but so many things have to go well for that to happen.
There's certainly things I wish were different for how ISU appears to approach things but the overall result is hard to argue with especially historically speaking.
Its a lot easier to go from bad to good than from good to great. I hope we see greatness as well.
I was gonna post similar. Last year was the first time in ages that i thought ISU had an explosive offense and wasnt afraid to use it.
What bogged them down was trying to execute consistently over long drives.
Better o-line play would help a ton with the latter, and then watch tf out. The ability to run consistently as well as having varied home run threats in Higgins, Noel, Sama, Braymer...
This is 100% my blind optimism, but I believe that with the new B12, and the way CMC has this program in the current landscape, it feels like the team is about to make a jump to greatness. IMO, they will progress more this year than our “friends” in the eastern half of the state
I know your point, but every team was dealt similar cards. We prevailed and won the outright regular season, with OU and UT in the league.
The key IMO was the high end NFL talent at QB, WR, TE, DE, and RB
Similar cards but ISU didn't have nearly as erratic of a schedule and got to play teams that were screwed up by Covid stuff or screwed things up themselves (Texas).
Beating a bad Baylor team required some heroics from Mike Rose at the end.
Aside from Purdy and Hall, who was 'high end NFL talent'? We've yet to see what McDonald will do and anyone else has played a bit but that's about it.
They were a good team but I'm still not sure how people can take a Fiesta Bowl win in that season as some sort of launching pad for greater things. A bowl win in normal seasons doesn't equal things to continue 8-9 months later and certainly not after that weird year.
We had the same high end talent in 2021. And at the time the only next level talent we were sure of was Breece. X, Kolar, Will, were not considered next level at the time
Also, if you are an ISU fan and thought Brock would have success at the next level after some of the plays he made here, kudos to you
And still a leaky/inconsistent back end on defense and marginal OL, etc.
Imo the dynamics of players using their Covid year may have leveled things off a bit of potential.
Why do the loudest critics continually discount the ksu game and continually dwell on the bowl game?
Because the conditions allowed for several explosive plays that were not the norm for ISU or about any team.
ISU was more explosive last year but I would like to see how much that game changed the team's rankings in those categories.
All that said I would guess the same folks will expect Sama to break off 70 yard runs often next year.
Hey, we'll take a couple more of those 70+ runs, certainly won't hurt!
I will be happy for the long runs he had in the BYU game. He had 110 yards in 8 carries. I think he had a 59 yarder in that one. But ISU also had and should still have explosive plays in the passing game, that will help set up the running game. To me, the bowl game is the one that is hard to explain, the outlier, as to how our offense regressed so much during bowl practices.
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