ISU v. Arkansas St. Game Thoughts

[Erik4Cy]

Arkansas State was superior to us in pretty much every facet of the special teams game. That was concerning to say the least.

Roughing the punter was an absolute killer to our already tired defense on a miserably hot day after they finally forced a punt.

 

[rosshm16]

While I agree that the game plan held us back in part, as I think we could have ground them into the dust with power runs and quick and easy tight end routes, I love that Mouser is aggressive. We have been wishing for that for a long time.

For example: the early play calls on our first possession were good calls. Those plays were there, Rocco just didn't hit the throws.

There were definitely some bizarre calls though, e.g. the direct snap to Abu with no QB in the backfield on 3rd and 2.

 

[TitanClone]

Arkansas State was superior to us in pretty much every facet of the special teams game. That was concerning to say the least.

Roughing the punter was an absolute killer to our already tired defense on a miserably hot day after they finally forced a punt.

Definitely dissapointing but they might have the best non P4 returner and kicker. Wish Konrardy would have just not played since they knew something was lingering. Can always put him in if the freshman comes out all out of sorts.

The roughing was a good learning lesson, he was close but not nearly close enough to go all out. The games not close if they penalty doesn't happen. Their punters reaction was f****** great.

 

[OscarBerkshire]

Watching the tape we didn’t get beat up front on defense as bad as I initially thought. Just the angles on QB pursuit were pretty bad

 

[OscarBerkshire]

Offensive play calling was just atrocious and the main issue yesterday

 

[cyclone87]

Might have been we were trying to get the Wide receivers more work and better timing with Rocco. Could be big for rest of the year if we get that group locked in. Agree, we could have run it some more on them.

 

[OscarBerkshire]

Also Sama was the better back yesterday I won’t hear an argument

 

[OscarBerkshire]

Final thought, Townsend looked great, really glad to get him going

 

[cyclone87]

Are Konrardy and Willich going to be healthy again are a couple big questions. Flora would also be nice to get back fielding punts.

 

[ClonerJams]

Arkansas State was superior to us in pretty much every facet of the special teams game. That was concerning to say the least.

Roughing the punter was an absolute killer to our already tired defense on a miserably hot day after they finally forced a punt.

On that, he hit the kicking leg. I thought the personal foul was supposed to be on the plant leg, did that rule change?

 

[LAClone]

Virtually any other past Cyclones team would have lost that game. This one was playing in extreme heat, immediately after an in-state rivalry game, and at the end of a four-game stretch that included an international game.

It was an ugly win. But it was a win. And we now have a bye week to fix the ugliness.

Starting the season 4-0 gives us a level of hopefulness for the season we don’t normally have. I’m just going to embrace it.

 

[OWLCITYCYFAN]

Bottom line is, winning ugly is better than the alternative. I saw my first game when Earle Bruce was on the sideline, so I’ve seen plenty of ugly losses over 40+ years. Get off my lawn with this entitlement crap. A few short years ago when it appeared the Big XII would implode, we were staring straight at membership in Conference USA, now we’re looking down on G5 opponents? Why? From my perspective, we just beat a FBS I team on the road to move to 4-0 - mission accomplished! Learn from the mistakes and improve next game! Go State!

 

[CycloneT]

Looking back that decision on 3rd down to pass the ball to seal the game was really stupid. Thank god it worked

 

[rosshm16]

On that, he hit the kicking leg. I thought the personal foul was supposed to be on the plant leg, did that rule change?

I was wondering about that too. I believe this is the current text of the rule:

When it is obvious that a scrimmage kick will be made, no opponent shall run into or rough the kicker or the holder of a place kick.

and also this:

[Kicker] kicks the ball, after which [defender], unable to stop his attempt to block the kick, makes contact with the kicker or holder. RULING: This action could be either “Roughing” or “Running into” the kicker or holder. When in question, the ruling is to be “roughing,” which carries a penalty of 15 yards and an automatic first down.

There's a distinction between "roughing the kicker" (15 yards from the previous spot, automatic first down) and "running into the kicker" (5 yards, no automatic first down), based on whether the officials deem the kicker was "endangered" or not. But it doesn't look like the current rule has a distinction on which leg is contacted.

I believe if the defender touches the ball first, then all contact is fair game:

A player who makes contact with the kicker or holder after touching the kick is not charged with running into or roughing the kicker.

 

[CyNews]

We are 4-0 and what a thrill that is. I am in general a happy camper and do not want to come across as the entitled fan. I'll include some positive and constructive thoughts below for offense and defense.

Offense

• Carson and Abu were rolling yesterday and the ground game looks really good. O line blocking is opening holes and Carson Hansen is probably one of the better short yardage backs in the league / nationwide.
• On the heels of the above, I really did not like throwing at the two yard line, doing play action and then Rocco gets sacked at the 10. Against an inferior foe just hand it off to Hansen and let him plow into the endzone.
• Tyler Moore at TE had a great game and was strong after the catch
• Xavier Townsend seems to be waking up and getting more comfortable, he has serious speed and looked great on the 44 yard catch and pass.
• Both Keaton Roskop 85, and Cooper Alexander 87 were good at TE, they helped a ton in the running game with outside the lane blocking.
• Ben Brahmer looked a little off in the game. Jim Bonifas at center also looked off and got mixed around some. Chase Sowell dropped a big 3rd down completion and I think Campbell should think about utilizing guys ahead of him. Carson Brown catches everything and may take his snaps
• Eskildsen has a walk in touchdown if first pass of the game is accurate, I continue to like the separation Eskildsen creates.
• I'm starting to think that Ben Brahmer is a fantastic red zone threat for catching TDs, but Gabe Burkle is just as valuable to this team, need him back for the Big 12. Gabe does everything well.

Defense

• We clamped down inside the 35 yard line and did what Heacock does best. Give up yards but don't give up many td's. I didn't love giving up 385 yards to a Sunbelt team..
• Tre Bell at cornerback is staring to come out of his shell. He has good size, cover ability, and had a nice interception.
• Alijah Carnell at defensive tackle/DE looked pretty strong. He got off blocks, had a half a sack. Jace Gilbert at DE is getting better too.
• Ike Ezeguo concerns me. That was a game where a quality big 12 D lineman has 3 sacks. He had numerous sacks just slip out of his hands. One on play he attempted to tackle the QB (who he is 100 pounds heavier than) and the QB of theirs breaks a tackle, tough look
• The front 7 of the defense - I thought they made a pretty good Sunbelt QB look like RG III from Baylor. They have to tighten up and I think that starts with Willich getting healthy again, Kooper Ebel getting back to being dominant as he was against KSU and Iowa, and the whole LB core becoming more consistent again. I can believe they were gassed and the whole team was, difficult spot for this game.
• Through the 1st 3 games of the season our defense is 105th in sacks. Those can make the point that "that is not what our defense is designed to do". To that I would say - when we play against the best offenses we have seen in the last two years: Kansas, Tex Tech last year, Miami last year (41 pts) ASU (45 pts) in conf championship game what did all of those games have in common? We put very little pressure on the QB into making mistakes. If I were GM of the ISU football budget which I will never be, I would spend a ton of the budget in this upcoming off season to get 2 impact Defensive Ends, linebackers, etc. If we don't have them in the pipeline we need to go portaling for them. This team could use a Willie Harvey / Marcel Spears LB, and more than that, could use a strong sack guy capable of getting 7 plus sacks a year. Weakness in the front 7 and with pass rush is going to be this teams achilles heel.
• I do get concerned if we can't ratchet up the pressure against opposing QBs, that will just hurt us in a Big 12 championship game format (as it did against ASU). Again i'm thrilled about 4-0.

*starting

 

[AlaCyclone]

4th straight game ending in Victory Formation on the + side of the field.
THAT is Iowa State Football.
Let's Go State!

 

[Cyinthenorth]

Glad we won, but I never really bought the predictions that we would house them in a 55-10 ish game.

We were capable, but between the opponent, setting, weather, CyHawk hangover, already played two big rivalry games…the ingredients were there for a slog.

Glad we could play a bad game and still get the W. Coaches and players will get to work the next two weeks.

Before the season, if you asked for my prediction for this first stretch I would’ve said 3-1 as my best case scenario, dropping one of Ireland or CyHawk. To be 4-0 (1-0) sets us up incredibly.

The cy hawk hangover can be a real thing, and I know they had a bye week between the games a year ago, but they beat them by 45 points a year ago. Nothing about yesterday's game gives me warm fuzzy feelings moving forward. As others have mentioned, the guy yesterday at QB for them was a very solid dual threat QB, but he's nothing close to some of the top guys we are gonna be running into in the coming weeks. Heacock has built up a lot of good will with our fanbase, but I've grown restless with his at times lackadaisical approach. Would love to see our defense become more aggressive, and it seems like we do finally have the talent to be that way at least part time.

 

[madguy30]

The cy hawk hangover can be a real thing, and I know they had a bye week between the games a year ago, but they beat them by 45 points a year ago. Nothing about yesterday's game gives me warm fuzzy feelings moving forward. As others have mentioned, the guy yesterday at QB for them was a very solid dual threat QB, but he's nothing close to some of the top guys we are gonna be running into in the coming weeks. Heacock has built up a lot of good will with our fanbase, but I've grown restless with his at times lackadaisical approach. Would love to see our defense become more aggressive, and it seems like we do finally have the talent to be that way at least part time.

You do know last year has nothing to do with this season?

And that ISU played ASU after a bye anyway? In the 3rd game, not 4th Which further drives home the point that they're not the same.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

I was super disappointed with the linebacker play yesterday. Ebel and Goodwin really struggled. Whoever we dropped into a spy was consistently too slow and took poor angles.

Both Iowa and now Arkansas State have put good QB run schemes on film for our opponents. If we get that same performance in two weeks Fifita is going to run for 200.

On the offensive side of the ball, just a brain dead game plan. That was the 4th worst rush defense in the FBS and we decide to throw the ball around all day while averaging 5 per carry. There was no reason to come out slinging it. Just a masterclass of getting too cute with it all day long.

ASU made our LB’s cover a ton of ground side to side. In that heat they got absolutely gassed.

 

[JM4CY]

On that, he hit the kicking leg. I thought the personal foul was supposed to be on the plant leg, did that rule change?

I thought the kicker took Surges helmet right to his ballsack.