Close losses
- Thread starter StLouisClone
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Before John Heacock , we used to get blown out, when offense did not score.
The last 6 years we had more nut kicks in close games because of offense/ special teams, then the last 100 years
At first glance many have stratetgically inept staffs, or at least large parts of those staffs. Nebraska with the fake punts and onside kicks, us with timeouts and shotgun snaps on 4th and inches, Iowa with their issues.
Close losses are the by-product of great defense and marginal offense. They are also a by-product of not having enough depth to respond when things heat up in the 4th quarter. I am as frustrated as any fan and not getting wins in these games, but I am also old enough to remember the "good" teams in the Big 8,12 pounding the hapless Cyclones into submission in 2 quarters.
It is frustrating that the offense from yesterday would have beaten KU, KSU and Baylor with ease. That drive where they went hurry up and completed 3-4 passes in a row was pretty impressive.
Still need to figure something out in the running game. ISU averaged 2.6 YPC against TX, with Dekkers getting 30 yards on 8 carries as the leading rusher.
It is frustrating that the offense from yesterday would have beaten KU, KSU and Baylor with ease. That drive where they went hurry up and completed 3-4 passes in a row was pretty impressive.
Still need to figure something out in the running game. ISU averaged 2.6 YPC against TX, with Dekkers getting 30 yards on 8 carries as the leading rusher.
Go back to the cave and stump for the killer.
And yes--I agree that all of your responses show a lack of intellect.
I’m ok with the close losses particularly if they come in well-played games like yesterday (for the most part).
What I do not abide is this staff’s time-proven slothful willingness to make obvious changes. I’ve mentioned before that it’s almost like there is some eroticism enjoyed by the staff using the same tired offensive playbook, resulting in racking up close losses, for …? reason? And they do this yearly until it’s well beyond clear that SOMETHING has to change. A good offensive staff can make necessary changes mid-game. We see it from our defense weekly.
At various points throughout every season it seems like there’s a greater desire to bash our heads against the wall doing things that don’t work over and over instead of winning, and we unnecessarily lose 2-3 very winnable games. It absolutely hurts recruiting.
What I do not abide is this staff’s time-proven slothful willingness to make obvious changes. I’ve mentioned before that it’s almost like there is some eroticism enjoyed by the staff using the same tired offensive playbook, resulting in racking up close losses, for …? reason? And they do this yearly until it’s well beyond clear that SOMETHING has to change. A good offensive staff can make necessary changes mid-game. We see it from our defense weekly.
At various points throughout every season it seems like there’s a greater desire to bash our heads against the wall doing things that don’t work over and over instead of winning, and we unnecessarily lose 2-3 very winnable games. It absolutely hurts recruiting.
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I AGREE THAT Donnie Duncan was THE MASTER OF CLOSE LOSSES!This is funny. I made a response regarding close loses and how perhaps it should be a new column since we don't have ties anymore. Anything less than a 10-point defeat counts as a close lose in the new column (W-L-CL)
So, for this season Iowa State is: 3-0-4<<<<<<Yes that looks better, doesn't it make us feel better?
Here is the original thread, scroll down to the video in the thread and you will see a very pretty bar chart where another member graphically displayed how Campbell is the best coach for Iowa State in the 21st century because he doesn't have any blow out loses:
Poll: ISU +16 vs Texas
ISU keeps it close but loses and adds to the close game L stat.cyclonefanatic.com
You will see the video is from the Iowa State-Oklahoma game in 1984. I consider that the ultimate defining close lose, where under the lights at Jack Trice in the first night game Iowa State only lost to then national powerhouse Oklahoma by a score of 12-10. I remember Cyclone fans in the mid 80s saying how amazing it was we almost defeated Oklahoma.
The very next year in 1985 we almost defeated national powerhouse football program Drake at Jack Trice in another close lose, 20-17. Drake didn't even field a football team the following year and dropped to Division III status the year after that.
I really liked the mentality of Matt Campbell in 2017. The comment that bulls--t programs care about 6-6 was remarkable. I thought he was pretty clear that the objective was the W-L column at the end of the season.
When you win games, you don't quantify if it was a close win or not. The game is won or lost depending on which team makes more plays in all phases of the game. The game is a blow out when one team makes few to no mistakes and seizes 75 percent or more of the opportunities. Every single play, every down and every moment is crucial. I can't stand it when announcers say only a certain third down or key play is crucial because it is late in the 4th quarter in a close score game. All the plays that led up to that moment are just as important.
The prevailing attitude seems to be that either we have someone who keeps us in close games or we will have someone where we have a lot of blow out losses. The reality is that if that is what we think, than that is exactly what we will get. Almost good enough becomes good enough. The irony is you end up getting exactly what you sought to avoid in the first place.
I'll leave you with some examples of the close loss/it is good enough culture and results:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donnie_Duncan
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Prohm
Finally, the example that it can be done at Iowa State and consistently:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earle_Bruce
This is not a post to insult the OP, the coaches or players. I will never call anyone out because I know they are giving their best and I think all of us here care a lot about Iowa State. Games are won or lost because you have a good game plan and you make the plays needed to win. This is just a simple summary on the reality of achievement motivation. It all starts with a vision of what is acceptable.
Donnie wanted to beat Oklahoma so bad you could sense it and even feel it in JTS!
Poor Donnie Duncan had Oklahoma beat...He only need Alex Giffords to kick a field goal and of course Giffords botched it badly and Poor Donnie Duncan had to settle for a tie! A 7-7 Tie in 1981!!
Matt Campbell is the best coach at ISU in my lifetime of watching the Clones (1982 to today). He might not bring in 4 & 5 star guys, but very few times in the last 3-4 years have I felt we were physically over matched. That says a lot because the Clones have played elite programs like Texas, Oklahoma, Notre Dame & Clemson in recent years.
But, he is a grind it out coach whose teams are naturally going to play close games against other P5 teams. The only problem with this philosophy is there are a few areas that ISU has been consistently deficient during his tenure: special teams and o-line play.
The other area that indirectly becomes an issue is our defense. As solid as the defense has been under Heacock, the 3-3-5 doesn't create a lot of stress on opposing quarterbacks. This year we are:
But, he is a grind it out coach whose teams are naturally going to play close games against other P5 teams. The only problem with this philosophy is there are a few areas that ISU has been consistently deficient during his tenure: special teams and o-line play.
The other area that indirectly becomes an issue is our defense. As solid as the defense has been under Heacock, the 3-3-5 doesn't create a lot of stress on opposing quarterbacks. This year we are:
- 95th among 131 D1 teams averaging 5.0 TFL/game
- 103rd averaging 1.57 sacks/game.
- 87th with 4 interceptions
At least he did not mark the best player with a different colored helmet like his esteemed successor thought was such a great idea. Iowa State was not finer with Criner the whiner. They came so close to getting John Cooper (ISU alum of the Dirty 30) but the President had some sort of issue with him so they went with Criner. Sounds a lot like the Prohm situation.
I don't think it mattered, there wasn't the adminestrative support to sustain a good program then anyway. I don't think a good coach would have compensated for that.
It stands to reason the administration would have gotten a good coach (Cooper) instead of Duncan, Criner and Walden to follow Earl Bruce if they supported a good program.
According to Cooper himself at the 2007 ISU Coaching Clinic, they reached out to him too late - he already felt disrespected when he applied for the job during an earlier opening and ISU said "thanks but no thanks." We had a chance with him and blew it because he "didn't have enough experience" at the time. He recommended Walden.
This can't be correct. Texas would have a loss (to ISU). Iowa State would be 5-1 with only loss to Iowa.
1.) We have a DE that gets held every other play.
2.) We've dropped about 5 picks this year
3.) TFL isn't a great indicator
4.) now do scoring defense
We simply not a very good football team. Our losses are the result of less talent and poor coaching. It has nothing to do with the officiating!
Looks like it was posted prior to our game with Texas.
I disagree, we have talent but offensively the staff failed to adapt tot his years team. We definitely saw a step in the right direction on Saturday by moving Dekkers around more. and spreading the field more. I just wish we would have pulled these levers earlier
I can't agree with this...we will have held both KU & KSU to their lowest point totals by the end of the season and maybe UT (excepting Alabama). The defense is legit. Special Teams is not very good and could have been the difference in the three games I've mentioned. The offense is kind of who I thought they were (no Denny Green)...
