I thought this was a message board was a place to share opinions about ISU athletics. I guess I'll show myself out...
How Great is 8?
- Thread starter beentherebefore
- Start date
Toxic positivity only plzkthx. Unless you want to bash the performance of individual players—that’s fair game here.
You don't have to show yourself out. The question isn't meant to be demeaning or anything. It's just a really interesting question which we all should ask ourselves; me included. Again, not to be offensive, but 'commiserate' is the correct answer because you're sharing your opinion with others who might agree with the negativity; which is basically looking for affirmation. That's ok. Nearly everyone does that. It's just that I share the opinion that we should be happy with what we have, not unhappy with what we don't. And, having suffered through the worst years of Cyclone football, I'm still very satisfied that CMC puts a competitive bunch on the field every time.
I have been through the Criner and Walden years myself and still think ISU could have done better this year. It doesn't have to be an either or. People don't have to keep throwing out those lean years to try and shut people up who voice their opinion that they think ISU could have done better this year.
And.....Dr. Phil....those who are stating that opinion are neither being negative or looking for affirmation.
So me being satisfied with an 8-4 season is why ISU didn't win more games this year? Had I known that I would have expected ISU to finish 12-0, and then the Cyclones would be in the playoffs. My expectations don't effect the outcome of the games. Of course every fan wants their team to win every game, but you need to be realistic as a fan. Going into the season I didn't think this team was better than last year's team. And we had a more difficult conference schedule this year. I don't think we have more talent than the other Big 12 teams to expect 9 or 10 wins every season and be disappointed if they don't. If fans want to be disappointed every season ISU doesn't win the conference, go for it. That's what Nebraska fans do, and it doesn't seem to help their teams win more games. I'm proud of this year's team, and to paraphrase Bill Parcells, "We are what our record says we are."
I just want to say I would have loved an 8-4 season when I in was school. The best season we could muster while I was in classes was 7-5 which was a whole lot of fun looking back. I understand being disappointed this season. I think the majority of us are. I think the floor moving forward is bowl eligibility... IE 6-wins. Long gone are the days where the "goals" in the latest NCAA Football game say "making a bowl." I'd like to think we will normally be in a bowl game going forward with other seasons vying for the Conference title.
Because the CU offense only had 1 turnover, and the interception that CU threw wasn't returned for a BYU TD???
A year with out us getting in the way of our own punting team would be nice.
So where, exactly did the Campbell team turn it around where other coaches never could? Keep in mind that up until recently, Campbell had to do all this playing a round robin Big 12 schedule plus Iowa each year for a tenth P5 game.
Rank the following as most important to turning the program in a positive direction:
Facilities upgrades
Talent evaluation
Recruiting
Weight room/physical development
Assistant coaches/player development
Game management
Institutional support from administration and AD
Campbell's long term commitment to ISU
ISU fans and game day atmosphere
Rank the following as most important to turning the program in a positive direction:
Facilities upgrades
Talent evaluation
Recruiting
Weight room/physical development
Assistant coaches/player development
Game management
Institutional support from administration and AD
Campbell's long term commitment to ISU
ISU fans and game day atmosphere
Personally I think Campbell and his coaches are elite talent evaluators, very good at getting the players they want (and can get) to sign on the line and stay, and above average at player development once they are in the program. The other things all contribute, although game management can be shaky from time to time. Talent evaluation however has been the key. He's gotten more out of the 3 star players he's brought here than previous coaches did, and the floor of the entire program was brought up by doing so.
Imo talent evaluation for the 'fit' vs. stars seems to have played out overall and has recruiting been at least consistent if not toward the top for rankings?
Game management is an interesting one; time out usage and some weird play calls etc. are easy to question, on the other hand there's been games over the last few years that looked like a rough game and then ISU comes out with something they've perhaps waited on that puts the opponent on their heals a bit.
Talent evaluation and recruiting are hard to separate, but I’d put these at the top.
He’s found some guys that were not highly ranked recruits that turned out to be absolute stars.
We’ve also do a good job of developing and - perhaps more importantly - retaining our best players. Even with all the injuries I feel like we’ve had more continuity.
Other teams are loading up on talent in the portal each year but it’s not translating into greater success in most cases.
