BLUM: Paul Rhoads deserves another climb

[isucy86]

I hope we don't get altitude sickness from the climb

I hope that CPR can get things turned around. However, I can't think of an example where a football coach who is 6 years in, whose program is trending downward, that was able to turn things around. IMO we have just delayed the inevitable and Jamie Pollard is hoping Cyclone fans will be All-In for another year.

As long as Magino sticks around, I have no doubt that our offense can average over 30 ppg, but it is the defense that scares me in 2015. It's not like Morrissey, Miller and Jensen are absolute studs- but I am hard pressed to envision even an average Big12 defense.

 

[Rhoadhoused]

Yep, no one's developed. George didn't develop. Klein didn't develop, Knott didn't develop. If only we would have had a DT be a 1st team All Big 12 guy AFTER he lost 100 lbs due to illness. If only our two starting safeties weren't pretty darn good as a sophomore and a freshman.

Listen, I'm not interested in going back and forth naming people who have and haven't developed. There hasn't been hardly any the past two years. Knott and Klein were not "developed" IMO. They were studs as true sophomores.

George came on as a RS SR but in the end was a very productive player on a very bad defense with no other tacklers to compete with him.

McDonough was a good kid that developed a lot. I think Morrissey was as well.

I can also list a lot that haven't. Knott jr, Brackens, Lynn, Richardson (CB), Cotton, to name just the ones who actually get on the field. Don't take my statement totally literally. There has not been enough development, and to take the development approach your success rate has to be much, much higher than ours has been. I don't really see how you could argue with that.

 

[im4cyclones]

11+ wins- Great team
9-10 wins- Really good team
7-8 wins- Good team
5-6 wins- Average team
3-4 wins- Bad team
0-2 wins- Really bad team

Doesn't change if you're an Alabama or Iowa State fan. Just calling a spade a spade. I'm thrilled after a season like 2009. It showed me we were heading for bigger and better things. Win total wise, we've done nothing but go downhill since. That doesn't always mean firing the head coach, but our recruiting classes don't seem to me like we're going to turn the ship around. Even if we go 6-6 next year. Big deal. 2016 looks to be a down year from 2015.

Completely and totally disagree. You could have a set standard in the NFL where the playing field is equal. That is not the case in college football. You will forever be disappointed in Iowa State with this line of thinking. Perhaps you should cheer for another team .

 

[spelhome]

I am a fan and I read Blum's article. Nice read and I was partially influenced by it. Then I thought what if I give my annual donation and buy more tickets and then have to sit in Jake Trice and watch UNI beat us again. Oh man, I don't want to see that again, ever. That said I believe that it is a very real possibility.

I don't know whether CPR should stay or go. I'm more concerned about whether I continue to buy tickets or find something else to do on Saturday afternoons next fall. I'm leaning towards doing something else. Sorry, I am just burned out on the losing.

Losing to UNI could happen even if we were to can Paul. I would argue it would be more likely. We are playing next year's schedule regardless who is coaching.

 

[Wesley]

I agree with you, Blum, but your last analogy was poor. Everyone knows if you find yourself in a valley (or a hole) you stop digging.

:wink:

If I thought the team next year would be much better, I would agree. However, it will be about the same. A 3-4 win team is coming back.

 

[spelhome]

Or yours are way too high. Rhoads has 25% of ISU's bowl appearances.

You have some extremely low standards.

Says the poster named Cyphyllis.

 

[Dandy]

The program is a dumpster fire. I have zero confidence Rhoads can put the fire out. Why let him continue to lose? Rebuilding in years 4-6 proves you did awful at the beginning of your tenure. Fire Rhoads now and let someone else start the rebuild that Rhoads obviously can't do.

 

[Stormin]

Nowhere in Blum's writeup did he mention anything about the financial aspect of the situation. So I'm assuming he is not considering the financial aspect of this and just feels Rhoads deserves another chance no matter what, right?

If so, that is complete nonsense and is just an obvious homer being a homer. Nothing more.

You cannot justify Rhoads getting more time as head coach here without bringing up dollars. You just can't. We've been in steady decline since he's come on board. There has been no other "climb". None. We've steadily gotten worse basically every year, with this year being the worst of them all.

If this would have been Rhoads' last year of his contract, he would be gone, no question. And if not, then JP would need to be shown the door as well IMO. And if you believe that isn't correct, then you're living in some kind of Paul Rhoads lovefest land that is not part of reality any longer. Sorry.

We do not even have the talent to compete with the NDSU's, UNI's, and KU's of the world right now folks. But that isn't Paul's fault somehow? Really? And if we do have the talent to beat them, but we don't, then who's fault is that? Please enlighten me.

I agree that Rhoads will get another year for sure, but ONLY because of financial reasons and nothing else. If he was in his last year right now and JP signed him to another extension, then they both would need to go immediately IMO. And if you don't realize that, then you know literally nothing about how big college athletics has become as a business these days. It is not for the weak. It is not about keeping your friends on the payroll at the expense of wins.

All of Iowa State's athletic teams depend on a healthy football program. We do not have a healthy football program right now. And if you can't blame the head coach, them I'm at a loss.

Keeping Rhoads is something that JP HAS to do right now. He is financially strapped. There is no other reason. Any attempt at rationalizing keeping him on board, without mentioning finances, is simple minded at best.... and screams of homerism BIG time. We all know that. So quit sucking up to Rhoads. You don't get paid 2 million a year to fail at your job miserably. You just don't. Not in this day and time in college football.

What an idiotic post. For one thing, Rhoads does not get paid $2 million per year. PLEASE go away. PLEASE.

 

[00clone]

[video=youtube;8-ufR6QG02w]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-ufR6QG02w[/video]

:wink:

 

[Tornado man]

What an idiotic post. For one thing, Rhoads does not get paid $2 million per year. PLEASE go away. PLEASE.

Well now this is confusing - it's a 10 year contract at $21.1 mil total. What else would you call it?

 

[Tre4ISU]

Listen, I'm not interested in going back and forth naming people who have and haven't developed. There hasn't been hardly any the past two years. Knott and Klein were not "developed" IMO. They were studs as true sophomores.

George came on as a RS SR but in the end was a very productive player on a very bad defense with no other tacklers to compete with him.

McDonough was a good kid that developed a lot. I think Morrissey was as well.

I can also list a lot that haven't. Knott jr, Brackens, Lynn, Richardson (CB), Cotton, to name just the ones who actually get on the field. Don't take my statement totally literally. There has not been enough development, and to take the development approach your success rate has to be much, much higher than ours has been. I don't really see how you could argue with that.

What's Knott, a sophomore? Brackens I would agree on but I also think he'd be way better if used differently. Lynn and Richardson aren't that bad considering they spend pretty much all game on an island. George is the damn NFL.

The LBers are the vast majority of our problems. We have a bunch of young guys who just aren't very good yet. It wouldn't be unheard of for 3 of a FR, FR, SO, SO, JUCO RSJR, to pop. There will also be help added to this Dline and when I say help I mean perhaps two starters and at worst two guys who will play. This defense could be a lot different next year. I have said before I would like a different DC. I still do, but I don't think that talent or development are the huge issue right now.

 

[madguy30]

Good read. I still haven't learned about what kind of culture is being established in ISU football. What kind of a team are they known for being? What's a strength that can always be reliable from one year to the other to put the team in a position to compete in most games?

Not a fan of the Snyder comparison/mention--show me an ISU team that's as sound fundamentally and plays as physical before any Snyder mention comes up.

 

[Rhoadhoused]

What's Knott, a sophomore? Brackens I would agree on but I also think he'd be way better if used differently. Lynn and Richardson aren't that bad considering they spend pretty much all game on an island. George is the damn NFL.

The LBers are the vast majority of our problems. We have a bunch of young guys who just aren't very good yet. It wouldn't be unheard of for 3 of a FR, FR, SO, SO, JUCO RSJR, to pop. There will also be help added to this Dline and when I say help I mean perhaps two starters and at worst two guys who will play. This defense could be a lot different next year. I have said before I would like a different DC. I still do, but I don't think that talent or development are the huge issue right now.

That brings up another question, why has our team been so incredibly young for so long? I think some of that comes from the lack of the development of guys who should be JRs and SRs this year.

Guys who came and stayed for a couple years only to leave are the worst recruiting misses, which Rhoads publicly stated when he first got here and has repeated. Charlie Rogers was supposed to be our #2 CB, he didn't stick around for some reason. Coe and Irving obviously were big risks that did not work out.

Why don't we have JRs or SRs to step in at safety or to play competently at our #2 CB spot? Why didn't we have one linebacker this year that looks like a really high quality player? Not to mention that Tribune, while being a total stud, was expected to come in and play our #1 CB spot as a true freshman and now true sophomore. That is a risky move although it has worked out. Miller came on but I don't think he was playing any better than an honorable mention type season.

The offensive line has been a mess for a long time, although there were some bright spots this year pass blocking. The entire line has been insanely bad run blocking.

I was totally willing to look past all this for a year, but two consecutive years with all these problems added onto all the other issues, that's an issue. And I look at next year and we will still be relying on a lot of young players and that doesn't look promising to me at all.

Jordan Harris was a big miss for a JUCO this year, hopefully he can develop and play kind of like Brun did but it seemed like they wanted to play him but simply couldn't this year. Taise is another JUCO who couldn't grab a major spot despite a line hit by injuries and lots of shakeups that could absolutely have used a run blocking boost. Devron Moore never made it to campus. Floyd is getting beat out by two underclassmen and Cotton (although I do believe Cotton-Moya is a stud). Mutcherson can play but is a lot like Brackens, and is clearly in the doghouse right now.

 

[clonedude]

If money is of no concern, then IMO you have no other choice but to fire him.

When we put the same team on the field next year I don't want to see any complaints.

 

[Luth4Cy]

If money is of no concern, then IMO you have no other choice but to fire him.

When we put the same team on the field next year I don't want to see any complaints.

Does that also mean you won't complain?

 

[clonedude]

That brings up another question, why has our team been so incredibly young for so long? I think some of that comes from the lack of the development of guys who should be JRs and SRs this year.

Guys who came and stayed for a couple years only to leave are the worst recruiting misses, which Rhoads publicly stated when he first got here and has repeated. Charlie Rogers was supposed to be our #2 CB, he didn't stick around for some reason. Coe and Irving obviously were big risks that did not work out.

Why don't we have JRs or SRs to step in at safety or to play competently at our #2 CB spot? Why didn't we have one linebacker this year that looks like a really high quality player? Miller came on but I don't think he was playing any better than an honorable mention type season.

The offensive line has been a mess for a long time, although there were some bright spots this year pass blocking. The entire line has been insanely bad run blocking.

I was totally willing to look past all this for a year, but two consecutive years with all these problems added onto all the other issues, that's an issue. And I look at next year and we will still be relying on a lot of young players and that doesn't look promising to me at all.

Bingo. Why are we "young" and "inexperienced" every year? No excuses for that.

 

[clonedude]

Does that also mean you won't complain?

Of course not. I get to say I told you so. Duh.

 

[Luth4Cy]

Of course not. I get to say I told you so. Duh.

When somebody cries wolf about a team being bad as much as you do, I'm not really sure you can say I told you so.

 

[Wesley]

You just named 3 losing seasons and a season with arguably the easiest schedule ISU will face.

Clones have not played .500 overall ball this century I do believe.

 

[Wesley]

This thread is exactly the reason why reasonable people who don't feel the need to call for heads seem like the minority around here. Blum posts a very well thought out article about why he believes Rhoads deserves another shot (while acknowledging that opposing opinions are completely valid) and he's absolutely blasted for it.

Reasonable heads probably are in the minority after reading this thread. Six years is a long time and ticket prices have skyrocketed. Three and two win season followed by a third chance? Hats off to the Fans for hanging in there.