ISU's Issues

[Tre4ISU]

+1, and I feel like the gap in talent is getting bigger every year

It's not.

And our program is so much better now, right?
I also kinda miss those days when we had a coaching staff could recruit and develop decent QB's - you know: Bandhauer, Rosenfels, Wallace, Meyer, Arnaud...

Haha....they didn't develop Seneca. He was a gift. Besides that he didn't even throw the ball that well. I would argue that this team, this year would win those North Divisions. You seem to never bring up that each team in that division was absolutely horrible for a our "best" era in football, yet we never won the division because, well, Mac choked on it. The Mac era wasn't that good. The competition was just much much less than it is right now. Now you have Mizzou, Baylor, aTm, Okst along with the Texas' and Oklahomas who have built programs that weren't there when mac was here. We weren't that good. Get over it.

 

[jdoggivjc]

And our program is so much better now, right?
I also kinda miss those days when we had a coaching staff could recruit and develop decent QB's - you know: Bandhauer, Rosenfels, Wallace, Meyer, Arnaud...

And if your boy McCarney were coaching this team this year we'd probably be looking at 1-6. We probably would have beaten Iowa because that's all he ever does, but all of us, except probably for you, would have given up on this season a LONG time ago.

Oh, and by the way, how are your Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets doing this year? :biglaugh:

 

[woodie]

our team lacks overall speeed...........

 

[Ernie Godfrey]

The problems are the same now as they have always been. It is damn tough to get top level talent to come to school in Ames Iowa.

Sure it is but it can still be done to a certain degree. It's being done at a lot of places that aren't all that different from Ames, Iowa. I think it's a crutch to say that just like it is to use the "we could go to a bowl game if we were in the Big Ten" b.s. This team is oh so close to being 0 and 7. We're not very good. We wouldn't be very competitive in any BCS conference right now.

We're undisciplined and in my opinion either aren't recruiting players to run this system or aren't doing a very good job of developing them. Those are the major issues as I see it.

 

[moforisu]

Kids these days want to play and play now, Texas and the like can only put so many players on the field. We need to get that kid who is good and wants to play and not set out 2-3 years before seeing the field. Tradition is a big part of it and ISU really has none in FB but I believe with CPR and some time we can become better than what we have been in the last 10 years or so. Folks there is no pill to take for a quick fix so if your after that in football you will be sadly disheartened.

Go Cyclones!

 

[acgclone]

It just goes to show what an amazing coach Snyder is. He has resurrected K-State twice now, in short order. The first time, he took the worst D1 football school and eventually got them to the point where they were averaging 10 wins/year.

K-State is probably the closest analogy to ISU that's out there. There are other schools that have their challenges, but ISU and K-State probably have the most of all BCS league programs.

Other than catching lightening in a bottle like K-State/Snyder, I'm not sure we'll ever experience that.

My hopes for greatness now rest on basketball, and I would accept a football program that can average .500 and go bowling once every 3 years.

 

[cymachine]

bull ****, how do they get talent in K State or other schools like Boise State and smaller schools?

You are exactly right. I dont understand all the negative points of view being expressed here. The argument that we cant recruit to ames due to it being ames or non-tradition doesnt stand up to facts. First, other sports have done so, such as womens volleyball. There was no tradition and it is the same town. Second, most of the kids hoiberg is bringing to town have no idea about isus tradition in the past. Third, have you been to waco or lubbock? Cmon man..... I was a student at texas a&m in the 70s, one in ames in the late 70s- early 80s, and live in iowa city now. Ames beats all of them. Comon man, have some pride in your school and town. You guys are selling an outstanding school, town and athletic program short. Iowa state has a helluva lot to offer. Most recruits are looking for pt, a place to make an impact, a bigtime conference, a coach they can play for and respect, good facilities, fan support and a nice place to live. Isu has it all and any recruit would be making a big mistake not to consider iowa state.

 

[acgclone]

Kids these days want to play and play now, Texas and the like can only put so many players on the field. We need to get that kid who is good and wants to play and not set out 2-3 years before seeing the field. Tradition is a big part of it and ISU really has none in FB but I believe with CPR and some time we can become better than what we have been in the last 10 years or so. Folks there is no pill to take for a quick fix so if your after that in football you will be sadly disheartened.

Go Cyclones!

Unfortunately, CPR has a very talented B12 to contend with, along with 9 conference games + Iowa. That is daunting.

It's too bad, CPR didn't get a chance with the B12 in the mid-2000's. Maybe he could have capitalized on a B12 North that was completely up for grabs because everyone was average at best.

 

[daniel22]

I think you can win anywhere now-a-days. There are so many recruits and good coaches should be able to develop players (Iowa). Also, Baylor was a joke and now they are a decent team. Illinois and Purdue were poor teams and they built programs and are continuing to build them. Facilities helps recruit kids and ISU is slowly improving theirs. They just don't have the resources. My opinion is that PR is done well with the previous coaches players and has been recruiting players to fit his system. Quicker WR's, accurate mobile qbs, defensive ends and line. It will take time to get his players to play his way

 

[Hugs4ISU]

CPR tries his best to make up for the talent gap with emotion to bring the most out of his players. The apparent lack of discipline is the side-effect. I think the early turnovers and penalties throughout are a result of this.

I already said this, and got shredded for it. I am still convinced that I am right.

http://www.cyclonefanatic.com/forum...k-we-seeing-paul-rhoads-biggest-weakness.html

 

[DRCHIRO]

Iowa State will struggle in a 10 team conference and it is crucial that the Big 12 get back to 12 teams. I'm as optimistic as anybody but a 9 game conference schedule is to much for the program right now.

Offensively, we are just so inconsistent and have been since the arrival of Tom Herman. He does not deserve all the blame but when you are in year 3 you should start seeing some consistency and the only thing we are consistent at is being inconsistent.

How much longer can we keep scoring 17 pts. in a conference where you need to score 30 to even give yourself a shot before we take a hard look at our offensive philosophy. We are trying to run the same offense as everyone else without the same talent. Iowa State needs to be different than its foes. Look at Northwestern in the b1g, they have been competitive (minus this year) because they are doing something different. b1g teams have to prepare for an offense that they just don't see every week. Northwestern, although for different reasons, has recruiting limitations like we do.

I'm not proposing we go all Georgia Tech on people but I would love to run a pro style offense (similar to A&M's) where we at least get under center some of the time. A&M's offense does not lack big play ability and they don't run 4-5 receivers on the field every possession. With that type of offense, you can actually control the ball and try to keep the other offense off the field. In this conference, that is huge.

I'm by no means throwing Herman under the bus and saying he needs to be canned, but at some point you have to look at our offensive philosophy and wonder if that gives us the best chance to win. Iowa State will never out recruit the other teams in the conference so they need to find ways to be different.

 

[moforisu]

We were so far behind when Pollard showed up on campus that our programs were on life support and as we are finding out Football will take the longest to recover or at least stop the bleeding. I'm not just talking about coaches, but facilities and cash.

 

[Cyhart]

Yeah, the talent level is the biggest issue. Our talent would be good enough to compete in the Big 10 IMO, at least get to bowl games. But the Big 12 is just loaded with talent.

For example, we think we have good RBs, but then you see Cyrus Gray and Christine Michael yesterday and realize that James White would NEVER see the field if he was at A&M. And James White is a good RB folks, don't get me wrong, but the RBs in the Big 12 are almost all elite type RBs. Now carry that kind of talent across the board to all positions on your team and you realize what ISU is up against every week.

I've been saying on here for weeks, we are going to struggle to get back to a bowl game in the new 10 team Big 12 IMO. Our schedule will be a nightmare each and every single year. Especially if we keep playing Iowa every year. Not that we can't beat Iowa, as we proved once again this year, but it's not a cupcake win that we can always count on. If we're only going to play 3 non-conference games every year, they had better be cupcakes. And as this year is pointing out, going 3-0 in the non-con probably isn't even good enough to make it bowling anymore.

We will probably never have as much talent on the field as almost everyone else in the Big 12, besides maybe KU. So, for us to win, we have to out-smart and out-coach other teams. We're doing neither of those right now. We play dumb, commit way too many turnovers and penalties, AND our OC isn't very good IMO and won't be able to outsmart any defense in this league with his predictable playcalling and scheme.

Just my opinions.

This.
We go 7-5 at the worst in this year's Big 10. And we would be in the bowl conversation much more often. Of course, it could be argued our recruiting could take a hit if we were in the Big 10. The old rust-belt area of the U.S. had a heyday, and now its over. Thats obvious with how weak the Big 10 generally is as a whole and how horrible their bowl records usually are. I remember a few years ago Iowa was the only Big 10 team that won a bowl game.

 

[huntt26]

Iowa State will struggle in a 10 team conference and it is crucial that the Big 12 get back to 12 teams. I'm as optimistic as anybody but a 9 game conference schedule is to much for the program right now.

Offensively, we are just so inconsistent and have been since the arrival of Tom Herman. He does not deserve all the blame but when you are in year 3 you should start seeing some consistency and the only thing we are consistent at is being inconsistent.

How much longer can we keep scoring 17 pts. in a conference where you need to score 30 to even give yourself a shot before we take a hard look at our offensive philosophy. We are trying to run the same offense as everyone else without the same talent. Iowa State needs to be different than its foes. Look at Northwestern in the b1g, they have been competitive (minus this year) because they are doing something different. b1g teams have to prepare for an offense that they just don't see every week. Northwestern, although for different reasons, has recruiting limitations like we do.

I'm not proposing we go all Georgia Tech on people but I would love to run a pro style offense (similar to A&M's) where we at least get under center some of the time. A&M's offense does not lack big play ability and they don't run 4-5 receivers on the field every possession. With that type of offense, you can actually control the ball and try to keep the other offense off the field. In this conference, that is huge.

I'm by no means throwing Herman under the bus and saying he needs to be canned, but at some point you have to look at our offensive philosophy and wonder if that gives us the best chance to win. Iowa State will never out recruit the other teams in the conference so they need to find ways to be different.

Excellent post, I'm on board with everything you said. I definitely don't have any answer to the issues, but you hit it all on the head.

 

[kingcy]

The major issue is the line play on both sides of the ball. It is the same issue ISU has had for the last 5 years.

CPR had to build this program back up, we have to look his first 2 real classes and see what is there to judge anything. The players in those classes seem to give more and more to this team every week and that is a great thing.

 

[Tre4ISU]

I wish people would realize that we have lost four games to at least good football teams. We have beaten every average to below team we have faced. Say what you will about Texas but you can't take away their talent or their defense. Its not like we are getting beat by 09 Baylor here.

 

[kingcy]

Iowa State will struggle in a 10 team conference and it is crucial that the Big 12 get back to 12 teams. I'm as optimistic as anybody but a 9 game conference schedule is to much for the program right now.

Offensively, we are just so inconsistent and have been since the arrival of Tom Herman. He does not deserve all the blame but when you are in year 3 you should start seeing some consistency and the only thing we are consistent at is being inconsistent.

How much longer can we keep scoring 17 pts. in a conference where you need to score 30 to even give yourself a shot before we take a hard look at our offensive philosophy. We are trying to run the same offense as everyone else without the same talent. Iowa State needs to be different than its foes. Look at Northwestern in the b1g, they have been competitive (minus this year) because they are doing something different. b1g teams have to prepare for an offense that they just don't see every week. Northwestern, although for different reasons, has recruiting limitations like we do.

I'm not proposing we go all Georgia Tech on people but I would love to run a pro style offense (similar to A&M's) where we at least get under center some of the time. A&M's offense does not lack big play ability and they don't run 4-5 receivers on the field every possession. With that type of offense, you can actually control the ball and try to keep the other offense off the field. In this conference, that is huge.

I'm by no means throwing Herman under the bus and saying he needs to be canned, but at some point you have to look at our offensive philosophy and wonder if that gives us the best chance to win. Iowa State will never out recruit the other teams in the conference so they need to find ways to be different.

The offense has been inconsistant for the last 10 years. Not matter who the OC or the head coach has been the offense has struggled. No matter how talented the QB, RB, WRs have been the offense has stuggled. The issue with the offense is the lack of a good line.

 

[acgclone]

You are exactly right. I dont understand all the negative points of view being expressed here. The argument that we cant recruit to ames due to it being ames or non-tradition doesnt stand up to facts. First, other sports have done so, such as womens volleyball. There was no tradition and it is the same town. Second, most of the kids hoiberg is bringing to town have no idea about isus tradition in the past. Third, have you been to waco or lubbock? Cmon man..... I was a student at texas a&m in the 70s, one in ames in the late 70s- early 80s, and live in iowa city now. Ames beats all of them. Comon man, have some pride in your school and town. You guys are selling an outstanding school, town and athletic program short. Iowa state has a helluva lot to offer. Most recruits are looking for pt, a place to make an impact, a bigtime conference, a coach they can play for and respect, good facilities, fan support and a nice place to live. Isu has it all and any recruit would be making a big mistake not to consider iowa state.

Pointing to women's sports being able to attract tall, white women from the Midwest to Ames, isn't exactly apples-to-apples with recruiting football players to Ames.

I'm not saying that it can't be done, but you can't really use women's sports as proof that you can recruit to Ames.

Football is 10x more competitive than WBB or Volleyball.

 

[Tre4ISU]

The major issue is the line play on both sides of the ball. It is the same issue ISU has had for the last 5 years.

CPR had to build this program back up, we have to look his first 2 real classes and see what is there to judge anything. The players in those classes seem to give more and more to this team every week and that is a great thing.

And some would argue you need longer than that because initial success doesn't help until about the 3rd or 4th class. No one is coming in to ISU making us a top 25 team in less than 4 years. It just won't happen.

(Let me be clear that I mean reasonable choices for head coaches. For you who would pick it apart, Nick Saban isn't coming to ISU.)

 

[Tre4ISU]

The offense has been inconsistant for the last 10 years. Not matter who the OC or the head coach has been the offense has struggled. No matter how talented the QB, RB, WRs have been the offense has stuggled. The issue with the offense is the lack of a good line.

I agree and disagree. On a play-by-play basis, I disagree. There has, at time, been very good line play and mess ups by someone else. On the other hand a big key to us not being successful, IMO, has been poor line play. The line is a major issue, but when they do well, we don't take advantage.