As most of you probably know, KU and ISU swap opponents from the south every two years. One team gets the soft rotation of aTm, OSU, and Baylor while the other gets UT, OU, and TT. (Lucky for them they get one home and one away for OU and UT while be get all or nothing)
I see KU's experience this year and last year as a huge indication for why we need to win next year. A lot of people think we have a 4 or 5 year rebuild here, but with the hard rotation back on the schedule in year 4 and 5, I don't know that we will see much on the field.
The run that KU made last season was proof to many of us that the non-traditional schools in the Big 12 could break through. KU went 12-1 last season with an Orange Bowl win. They did this against the softer south rotation. The only regular season game they played against an opponent that finished the season ranked was a 36-28 loss to Mizzou.
Flash forward to this season with UT, OU, and TT on the schedule. KU was expected by many to once again compete with Mizzou for the north title. They are now 6-4 with upcoming games against UT and Mizzou. Dropping these they will go bowling at 6-6 and with a bowl loss could be looking at a losing season. If ISU could have held on at home, this team could be looking at going from a 12 win BCS bowl season to staying home in one short year.
We need to break through big in 2009. Because if we can't make some noise in 09, it may be 2012 before we have a big opportunity again, and that is a long time to wait when our last bowl game is already several years in the rear view mirror. We may have a much improved team by 2010, but with OU, UT, and TT on the schedule to go with Utah and at Iowa out of conference, a team much much much better than the one we have today could be fortunate to put together a 6 or 7 win season.
Chizik wants to compete with the big south schools, and hopefully someday we will, but I really don't see any way that those games aren't 3 L's in 2010 and 11. Just look at the separation between those schools and KU and Mizzou, who are way beyond where I would hope for us to be in a couple years.
I know rebuilding takes time, and I know Chizik is going to need patience. But I also feel there needs to be a real sense of urgency to do something next year. The team and the fanbase needs some success to help smooth out the bumps we are going to have further down the road. I don't want to say that next year is absolutely do or die, but I do feel that it is pretty darn close!
I see KU's experience this year and last year as a huge indication for why we need to win next year. A lot of people think we have a 4 or 5 year rebuild here, but with the hard rotation back on the schedule in year 4 and 5, I don't know that we will see much on the field.
The run that KU made last season was proof to many of us that the non-traditional schools in the Big 12 could break through. KU went 12-1 last season with an Orange Bowl win. They did this against the softer south rotation. The only regular season game they played against an opponent that finished the season ranked was a 36-28 loss to Mizzou.
Flash forward to this season with UT, OU, and TT on the schedule. KU was expected by many to once again compete with Mizzou for the north title. They are now 6-4 with upcoming games against UT and Mizzou. Dropping these they will go bowling at 6-6 and with a bowl loss could be looking at a losing season. If ISU could have held on at home, this team could be looking at going from a 12 win BCS bowl season to staying home in one short year.
We need to break through big in 2009. Because if we can't make some noise in 09, it may be 2012 before we have a big opportunity again, and that is a long time to wait when our last bowl game is already several years in the rear view mirror. We may have a much improved team by 2010, but with OU, UT, and TT on the schedule to go with Utah and at Iowa out of conference, a team much much much better than the one we have today could be fortunate to put together a 6 or 7 win season.
Chizik wants to compete with the big south schools, and hopefully someday we will, but I really don't see any way that those games aren't 3 L's in 2010 and 11. Just look at the separation between those schools and KU and Mizzou, who are way beyond where I would hope for us to be in a couple years.
I know rebuilding takes time, and I know Chizik is going to need patience. But I also feel there needs to be a real sense of urgency to do something next year. The team and the fanbase needs some success to help smooth out the bumps we are going to have further down the road. I don't want to say that next year is absolutely do or die, but I do feel that it is pretty darn close!