Monday Musings: A new era in QB management?

[BWRhasnoAC]

A playmaker at the QB position is crucial for this team. Even if they are going out on a limb and taking a chance I think they need to go with whomever shows the ability to make the most plays on his own, both through the offense and by improvising. Lanning very well could be that guy. He's the most athletic, he probably has the strongest arm, and he's bigger than both Rohach and Richardson.

With no guarantees that the offensive line is going to be a strong point, and huge concerns with the defenses ability to stop opposing teams I think it's critical that they try to find a playmaker at QB. I don't think the next Seneca Wallace is on the roster, but if Lanning can figure out the mental side of the game I believe he physically brings more to the table than the other two. He could provide a spark that the other two can't. If I'm Rhoads/Mangino I would realize that I need to produce results. The fans aren't going to be patient much longer. Iowa State is not built like Iowa football teams. The coaches can't minimize risk at the QB position because they have a stout defense and running game to back them up. They need a guy who is going to keep the offense on the field, and put points on the board.

I agree, with you but in the future this will change. We haven't had good receivers to throw to in a LONG time. QB woes will get better, I'm confident. I'm also fairly confident it will be Lanning this year, just from watching the arm strength and speed of release, I've made my own choice on his ability to make those throws. Whether or not he can get the mental side down is another thing.

 

[CYKOFAN]

I agree, with you but in the future this will change. We haven't had good receivers to throw to in a LONG time. QB woes will get better, I'm confident. I'm also fairly confident it will be Lanning this year, just from watching the arm strength and speed of release, I've made my own choice on his ability to make those throws. Whether or not he can get the mental side down is another thing.

Sounds like you've seen some practices or scrimmage, and that's good to hear about Lanning. I watched him in high school and his running, release and arm strength were never in doubt, just his touch on short and medium range passes. Maybe he's improved in those areas. True about the big transition on the mental side for a college qb, and have to think Sam and Rohach are ahead there.

 

[Clone9]

After watching them last year, I'm convinced that both SR and GR can be at least average Big 12 QBs (and possibly better than average). I mean, even with the mind games that were going on last year, they showed some flashes of ability. Lanning might be even better, but I think we will at least be OK in the QB department going forward. I don't know of Mangino can un-do all of the damage in one season, but I think that 2015 will at least be significantly better even with the same 3 QBs.

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

I'm not gonna hate on Mess. Some guys are great position coaches, but beyond that they can't piece thigs together. Just like some guys are great coordinators, but once they get a team they just have too much going on to be effective. They get too in deep on things they should not be handling because they think they have to. CPR was heading down this road and I think he realized it.

The best head coaches do what CPR had to do this off season: Understand what makes them ugly, and hire a rock star to cover that blemish. Enter Mike Mangino. CPR is not an offensive mind. I think he wants an offense that plays like his defense. Someone isn't getting the job done, you plug someone else in who you think might. But a good offense requires more cohesion, more timing, more flow, more finesse. It's the opposite of a wrecking crew defense that flies to the ball clawing for a turnover.

It took a lot of humility for CPR to understand where he was at. It took a lot of humility for Mangino to accept the position as offensive coordinator. But really, what better match to have? We have, essentially, two head coaches both with great passion for their respective side of the ball. Both are men who aspire to be great men and great leaders. Both want to do it the right way and both have the confidence that consistently winning is possible... Even at Iowa State. Both want to make their mark in history. Seems to me it's the right time and place for them both to achieve this.

Mike Mangino might be a rock star but what does he know about football? I think Mark Mangino works out better as an OC

 

[CapnCy]

We are loaded at receiver. Need a QB that can consistently get them the ball.

Of course, need time (OL) and the QB also needs to make smart decisions. I know SR was quick and could scramble, but he also got laid out a lot.

 

[Luth4Cy]

All decisions in the end go through the Head coach, but I'm assuming its Mangino's call until Rhoads questions his judgement on the decision. Rhoads has always treated his assistant coaches with a fairly short leash. Ex. Rhoads had talked in the past about how he couldn't overrule Messingham because he was the OC... SMH

My opinion of Rhoads has usually been that he pretty much let's his assistants coach. I think when stuff started to go poorly with Mess, CPR started to interfere with the offensive staff a little bit too much and naturally nothing got better. I think now CPR has enough confidence in Mangino to primarily stay out of the offensive decision making.

 

[temperflare]

Mike Mangino might be a rock star but what does he know about football? I think Mark Mangino works out better as an OC

Why, what do you mean? Who is this Mike you are referring to?

 

[CyCloned]

My opinion of Rhoads has usually been that he pretty much let's his assistants coach. I think when stuff started to go poorly with Mess, CPR started to interfere with the offensive staff a little bit too much and naturally nothing got better. I think now CPR has enough confidence in Mangino to primarily stay out of the offensive decision making.

I agree that CPR, for the most part, let the offensive coaches handle that side of the ball, but he had to do something about the train wreck that the offense was last year. Honestly after the UNI game, I would have been ready to fire the whole offensive staff. It was embarrassing how complete unread to play that game they were. Not that the defense was all that hot either.

 

[Frak]

I haven't seen a minute of practice, but I'd be surprised if it wasn't Richardson starting. He is about as close to Reesing as it gets. He is nimble in the pocket, can run and is accurate. Maybe not the big arm or a great deep ball thrower, but he has all of the other things that you'd think that Mangino would want. My only question would be if he's mentally recovered from the beating he took last year.

As far as the music note, I pretty much can't stand George Strait. Sorry. I'm not a country fan, but the wife drug me to his concert in Omaha. Eric Church opened with an acoustic set and was awesome. Then George Strait came on and played a bunch of slow hokey songs. Even my wife didn't know half the songs he played. For someone who has a crap ton of #1 hits, it blows my mind why he decided to play a bunch of obscure B-sides. Ended up leaving halfway through to hit the bar. I have no idea why so many people like all that steel guitar crap...especially played by a bunch of blue hairs standing around.

 

[ChrisMWilliams]

I pretty much can't stand George Strait. I'm not a country fan.

He is the king of country music. Pretty much explains itself then, doesn't it? What exactly were you expecting?

That was the sixth George concert my wife and I have been to. We both thought it was his best. It's all a matter of taste. I don't like heavy metal music. That doesn't mean that it sucks though. It's just not my thing.

 

[RustShack]

I hope someone is emerging and locks it down during the spring game.

 

[cyrocksmypants]

One thing with CPR seemed that he tends to, maybe not have favorites, but not want to hurt players feelings, in a way. I think he truly cares about everyone of them and treats them as his own, and while he's shown tough love, I think it effects his judgement sometimes. The Jantz/Barnett debacle was an example.

Mangino has no recruiting ties to any of them. He's simply going to pick the one he thinks will be best, and I think CPR is just going to let him do his thing and not get involved. I really think we've got the best coordinator tandem in the conference. Here's just hoping we see some results out of it.

 

[Cycsk]

One thing with CPR seemed that he tends to, maybe not have favorites, but not want to hurt players feelings, in a way. I think he truly cares about everyone of them and treats them as his own, and while he's shown tough love, I think it effects his judgement sometimes. The Jantz/Barnett debacle was an example.

Mangino has no recruiting ties to any of them. He's simply going to pick the one he thinks will be best, and I think CPR is just going to let him do his thing and not get involved. I really think we've got the best coordinator tandem in the conference. Here's just hoping we see some results out of it.

It seems like just about every QB we have had recently has had "hurt feelings."

 

[SouthJerseyCy]

Jantz wasn't named starter that first year until like a week before the season. Same night Rhoads announced Tiller was academically ineligible.

OK, got me [I guess]. That was under Herman and we have no guarantee someone will separate themselves before then this year. Even if it was by design, I'm not sure how that point makes this is a "new era in QB management".

I'm picking nits, I know, but I think Rhoads and company would have preferred a single consistent starter all along.

 

[ChrisMWilliams]

OK, got me [I guess]. That was under Herman and we have no guarantee someone will separate themselves before then this year. Even if it was by design, I'm not sure how that point makes this is a "new era in QB management".

I'm picking nits, I know, but I think Rhoads and company would have preferred a single consistent starter all along.

Sure, but I have never once heard an ISU OC in the Rhoads era say the type of stuff that Mangino is now about "sooner the better," etc. In the past it has always been, "neck and neck, we love competition, etc."

Full disclosure: Had Richardson not been injured last year, he was THE GUY. But he got so dinged up that it allowed Grant to close in. Grant did a hell of a job to end the season.

Point is though, Mangino has been very vocal about narrowing this thing down. Sure in the past, yeah, I bet they would have wanted that to be the case too but they weren't vocal about it at all. This is different. Mark has made his stance very clear. Will it narrow itself down this spring? That's no guarantee at all but clearly it is his preference.

 

[coolerifyoudid]

*Tired cliche warning*

A quarterback's best friend is a good running back.

It's well documented that our offensive line being banged up did not help SR from getting throttled. It also did not allow us to have a consistent running game. We had some decent individual efforts, but we need to be able to establish a ground threat to be respected in the passing game. This is where I think Mangino's play-calling will benefit the playmakers on offense and defense. We need to give the defense a chance to rest this year.

 

[CychoCyclone]

He is the king of country music. Pretty much explains itself then, doesn't it? What exactly were you expecting?

That was the sixth George concert my wife and I have been to. We both thought it was his best. It's all a matter of taste. I don't like heavy metal music. That doesn't mean that it sucks though. It's just not my thing.

Im not a country fan but George Strait has got some good stuff... give it all we got tonight is one of the most beautiful songs ever... back to football, I don't care who starts, cuz I truly think with mangino running things he's gonna get the most out of whoever is out there...