While I continue to keep in mind this Cyclone team is young, I'm also looking for other "young" teams that are having success. And I can find them. That concerns me.
Being young, beat up on the offensive line, beat up QB, those are all things people throw out to make themselves feel better. IF you are prepared as a team, you don't get beat like we did yesterday, not at this level. I understand when a low mid-major or FCS team comes into Baylor and gets embarrassed, it's no big deal and really doesn't do anything but give the guys some experience and put a big payday on the books. I don't care how bad ISU is beat up or how young we are, I didn't even expect ISU to come close to winning the game. But, to get embarrassed like that on the field, in your own conference is just inexcusable. There is no way to justify what happened out there other than to say the coaching staff was in way over their head. That was regression of epic proportions. And when I heard in the 4th quarter that we had 6 first downs, I was actually kind of impressed, because I couldn't remember seeing even that many.
I know I'm a downer this weekend, but I just can't get over the fact that at this level, 5 years into your program, this is what you have to show for it. As I said, I know Baylor was good, we were quite over matched. But it still doesn't excuse the **** performance we had out there last night. Seriously, most FCS teams could have done at least that well if not better. I mean even in garbage time we can only manage one touchdown? I really hope that I'm the only one who feels this way, but it's games like this that kill a program. You can sell, "Improving" if you are actually do that. Right now I just see a portapotty you are trying to sell me as an executive washroom and I'm not buying it.
My only hope right now is that Rhoads sees the writing on the wall and uses this as a huge learning experience. Friendships are great to have in life, but in business, in your career, working with people you might not even like, if it means getting the job done, is a hell of a lot better than holding on to some friends who are going to do nothing but drive your career into the ground.
And another thing that scares me, is we start hearing talk of how it isn't Rhoads' fault, that it's just ISU, a place you can't win. The culture is here, the excitement was here, now it's finally time to man up, admit your mistakes and go out and get a staff that can get you to that next level. If this offensive staff is still here next fall, count me out. I know I'll still be chearing for the Cyclones, but I'm not buying this as the answer.
I was watching the Iowa Ohio State game yesterday and saw a lot of what we do, and kept thinking, wow, they are making it work despite the offense that's in place. That's what it takes to make this kind of offense work. Insane talent. I didn't see a lot different in that game than what ours looked like against Iowa, except at the end of the day, the Buckeyes were just head and shoulders talent wise above the Hawkeyes. Hell, the Hawkeyes did a good job keeping it in check for most of the game until the pure athelticism of tOSU just took over the game. This scheme is not a long term solution for Iowa state.
Woops, sorry for the manifesto, I should probably log off for a while.