I guess I'm just confused on the reasons people are in support of Rhoads here. A lot of people are acting like we are in the third year of his tenure. Like somehow he took over this loser team and is working to improve it. It's year 7. His best year was his first year. Every year since then has been a regression from that year. There is no such thing as "improvement" when we are talking about a coach winning 3 games in his 7th season. I mean heck, hopefully by year 14 he can get us back to that 6-6 mark and losing bowl games.
He's been here long enough that we can establish a pattern now. He's working with his guys and has been for a few years now. Since having his own guys, the team has gone down hill significantly since his first year, he has yet to show that he and his staff can in any way develop a player beyond what they are when they get here, and worst of all, he still finds ways to get absolutely smoked by more than a couple of teams a year.
I'm sorry, I just don't see improvement, I see more of the same.
And about the bolded part, are we blocking out the OU loss this year or did I dream that game?
The last few years have been tough. Some tough losses this year. Fact remains that we have 5 Top 15 teams on our schedule. And yes, it does make a difference who you play.
Things I like about CPR is that he has led us to some epic wins that we have never had before. Those type of wins rarely ever happened before CPR. We have 2 wins over Texas. And have had several big wins over highly ranked opponents.
Most of the time we have been pretty competitive even when losing. IMO, the team is much improved. In 2014 CPR kicked off our two starting Defensive Tackles for disciplinary issues. Pretty much screwed us on defense. Should CPR get credit for having the integrity to do that despite the fact that it made our defense weak?? Or should he be blamed for having that integrity and not looking the other way?
We have had a tumultuous period in the Big 12 Conference during CPR's tenure. Should it be ignored that the Big 12 nearly disbanded and that Iowa State was very close to being shut out of a major conference?
CPR should get blamed for losing some close games and for his assistants not making good enough adjustments to win some of these close games. At the same time should CPR be blamed for Cole Netten missing a chip shot FG against Toledo?? Or Joel Lanning missing a wide open receiver against Okie State for a likely TD in our last game?? In both those cases the coaches had put the players in the correct position to win the games. And the players failed to execute and get those wins.
I have been in the stands for a long, long time. Things are much different now than just a month ago. I can see both sides of the issue. I can see CPR being fired and replaced. But it that replacement is not an improvement over CPR then I would not do so. I do not want an assistant coach at some school. And I do not want some coach with little experience. I would consider a Doc Holliday or a Dino Babers that is in his 50's and has been around and has had some success.
The 'having his own guys" argument is really stupid. Iowa State won 3 games and 2 games in the previous 2 years before CPR when they were coached by Gene Chizik. Sounds like you are making the argument that CPR is one helluva coach to coach those players up and win when they really sucked before. And what happens if we get a new coach next year that wins 7 or 8 games and then falls on some hard times the next few years. Do we suddenly praise CPR for being such a great recruiter and then dump on the new coach for "not being able to win with his own players"?????
