Liberty Bowl postgame thread

[Die4Cy]

10. No idea why they brought back the "bring everyone into the phone booth" run scheme. Nightmare.

Yeah you do. And it's the same reason ISU is perceived to struggle with lesser opponents all the time. The staff believes, or maybe wants to believe, that they have a talent advantage over some teams and can beat those teams straight up by calling a simple game plan and limiting their own mistakes. They want every game to be phonebooth football, because it would mean our guys would be physically and technically better than the guys they face on the other side of the ball. But in reality it makes ISU easier to defend and gives opponents confidence that they only need to hit one or two big plays to have a shot at victory.

 

[isufanz1]

We also tied Texas for the most conference road victories this year with 4, won again in Manhattan for the 2nd time in a row after not winning there since 2004.

I would argue this proves it is a coaching issue. When you see performance vary greatly (winning big against OSU and in Manhattan) while also losing to Ohio and Memphis, Iowa at home this year it most likely is a coaching issue (as the talent is there - and can't use being young in the bowl game after a whole season). This is not the first year of great variance either, just the most recent. And don't get me started on the stellar coaching job of 2021.

 

[jsb]

You're right, fans like you accept whatever BS he spouts with no expectation for improvement which is stupid.

What should he say?

 

[madguy30]

They only "don't matter" when you lose them. Otherwise you are told what a huge difference going into the off season there is between 8-5 and 7-6 from all the Cyclone podcasters and get videos from the AD how super important it is for everyone to take their time and money to be at them.

I'm cool if people are telling themselves "lol nothing matters" today out of a need to cope, but we should call it what it is. Iowa State was unprepared for this one and looked bad because of it. That's all.

Going out with a win would have been great but I'm in the column of being past it mattering to the future of the program or carrying momentum etc.

That said looking that sloppy was too bad. But I was over it by mid-2nd quarter. If they came back to win, great but they just idn't look very good.

 

[ICCYFAN]

It took my wife years to get this point across to me. Once you accept it , it’s liberating. The game was on. I watched it. What evs.

This is Cyclone FANATIC - feel free to found and operate Cyclone Whatev’s where you can commune with like-minded people! Of course I’m kidding, but people care and need a release to blow off steam without being lectured.

 

[madguy30]

I would argue this proves it is a coaching issue. When you see performance very greatly (winning big against OSU and in Manhattan) while also losing to Ohio and Memphis, Iowa at home this year it most likely is a coaching issue (as the talent is there - and can't use being young in the bowl game after a whole season). This is not the first year of great variance either, just the most recent. And don't get me started on the stellar coaching job of 2021.

The difference between 2020 and 2021 was largely based on catching breaks vs. not.

 

[Cyhops]

What should he say?

1) Something that makes sense, the future will determine how bright it is?
2) Something that leads to improved performance by the team.
3) Something that gives fans reason for optimism. (All fans, not just those w/ no expectations.)

 

[riceville98]

That was not great. No positives to take from that outside of Becht, Higgins, and I suppose the kicker did what he needed to do today.

One thing I've thought all year is that Sama shies away from contact and is always looking for the big play instead of putting his shoulder down and taking 2-3 yards. Hopefully some time in the gym and some coaching will help him out for next year.

I guess that would be one of my postgame thoughts: What happened to the Sama from K-state? I think you might be on to something here. He seemed timid yesterday and I think always wants the biggest play he can get.

We had much bigger issues but, the way Sama plays is a concern for next year

 

[Jdk]

The faking taking a knee before half was a bush league play. I think it should be banned. It is similiar to faking a slide by a runner. It happened few years ago in ACC title game. The runner faked a slide and kept on running. The NCAA banned it a few weeks later.
If the defensive lineman just played it like normal play. You would get uncessary roughness penalty. If indeed he takes knee. If you notice in the play the officials were in closer then normal.
I know in high school. The offensive player just says we are going to take a knee. We let defense know. Then ball is snapped and clock runs out.
Now should I just let it play out like a normal play? I am a hgh school referee. I haven't ever seen a fake in that situation. We might see it now.

It’s football you do whatever you need to do to advance the ball

 

[CydeofFries]

I don't think this loss is as embarrassing nationally as a lot of this board wants to make it out to be. It will be on sportscenter today and then everyone outside of our fanbase will forget about it. Because the perception nationally is bowl games are a fun exhibition but meaningless otherwise.

However, I do get why we are as frustrated as we are. The issues that plagued us today have been happening time and time again. Defensively, we were taking horrible angles and not tackling well (along with no QB pressure). Offensively we couldn't run block. And after however many weeks, I was really expecting to see some building off of what happened in the KState game and the end of the season on the O Line.

 

[riceville98]

Every game matters! It’s time for our coaches to understand that!!!

I have never figured out why Campbell treats games outside the conference like they don't matter. Ohio and Iowa were classic examples of this and yesterday felt like another one

 

[riceville98]

Almost as embarrassing as the loss was CMC’s half time quote of them having an interim defensive coordinator so we couldn’t adequately prepare as we didn’t know what they would do. That’s a ******* pathetic excuse.

Yes, we’re a young team and there was growth this season, but it’s absolutely unacceptable for any Big 12 team to lose to G5 teams twice in a season.

I understand the excuse people say of - it doesn’t really matter, it’s basically an exhibition game. But recruits watch these games. Portal prospects watch these game. Possible donors watch these games. Possible season ticket buyers watch these games. Position coaches make career decisions partially based on a program building them up or embarrassing them.

Our recruiting has not taken the step it needs to take and our lack of ability to get needed positions via the Portal only further hurts those things in the future. If you’re a recruit prospect and you’re looking at what team can compete for a conference title, be competitive every game, and develop you for the future, games like this can cause serious pause.

The sky isn’t falling, but there has been zero momentum built off of the Fiesta Bowl season and games like today when the eyes are on you start to create narratives for opposing recruiters.

I hated that quote too.........very unlike Matt I thought

 

[riceville98]

I’d like to hear a good reason as to why winning this bowl game truly matters. I’m having a hard time thinking of one…other than that winning is usually more fun than losing.

It matters for program momentum. That's a pretty good reason why it matters

 

[3TrueFans]

1) Something that makes sense, the future will determine how bright it is?
2) Something that leads to improved performance by the team.
3) Something that gives fans reason for optimism. (All fans, not just those w/ no expectations.)

be specific

 

[KidSilverhair]

It’s football you do whatever you need to do to advance the ball

If the kneeling formation is legal, no matter the time or place on the field, then it needs to be treated like a regular play. Let the players go to the whistle, don’t be flagging anybody for “roughness” just because they hit the lineman ahead of them during live action.

Don‘t make fake kneels/fake spikes/etc illegal, that’s silly. But officials need to let the players play football, no matter the score, how much time is left, or what formation a team lines up in.

I guess I wouldn’t expect a defense to go full-out against a kneel formation, but in that situation with that much time left, it was inexcusable to see the Cyclone D line just lazily stand up and watch at the snap.

 

[joefrog]

Yeah you do. And it's the same reason ISU is perceived to struggle with lesser opponents all the time. The staff believes, or maybe wants to believe, that they have a talent advantage over some teams and can beat those teams straight up by calling a simple game plan and limiting their own mistakes. They want every game to be phonebooth football, because it would mean our guys would be physically and technically better than the guys they face on the other side of the ball. But in reality it makes ISU easier to defend and gives opponents confidence that they only need to hit one or two big plays to have a shot at victory.

This.

Also, add in the fact that a former ISU coach and player are on Memphis.

And we come out as predictable as ever?

Brilliant!

Love Mt. Union Football. Great stuff.

Absolutely idiotic not to drastically change things up and try different things in a "meaningless" bowl game.

 

[cyclonez7]

As an ISU fan, there have been lots of "young" teams that never really maximize their potential in the next few years. Yes this team did well to make a bowl game, but unless there's some major improvement to player development with this roster, there's no reason to believe that they will get that much better.

 

[jsb]

1) Something that makes sense, the future will determine how bright it is?
2) Something that leads to improved performance by the team.
3) Something that gives fans reason for optimism. (All fans, not just those w/ no expectations.)

You still don't answer the question...what exactly should he say.

The original question is dumb. But he was asked the future of the program and he said it was bright.

 

[Lineup]

fu*k the process

 

[jsb]

As an ISU fan, there have been lots of "young" teams that never really maximize their potential in the next few years. Yes this team did well to make a bowl game, but unless there's some major improvement to player development with this roster, there's no reason to believe that they will get that much better.

Then we really should change coaches I guess.