Rhoads on the call-in show tonight

[clonedude]

I believe in Rhoads, and think we should definitely keep him.

With that being said, he said something tonight on the call-in show that tells me he really has no clue about offense at all.

A caller asked something about how we struggled to move the ball to start the game, and Rhoads basically said that TCU's defense came out and blitzed us a lot on 1st and 2nd down, which they hadn't been doing at all this year against anyone else on tape, so we weren't prepared for that. He said it took us a while to adjust to this, and therefore, we started with 4 straight 3 and outs or something like that. Really Paul? Seriously?

As head coach you should know better than to think a team is going to come into Ames and do the same thing they've been doing all year long on defense. Other teams watch film on your offense too Paul. They see what your weakness is and they set up a defensive gameplan for that week to exploit your weakness.

TCU probably noticed on offense that we can't throw at all past 5 yds and other teams have had a lot of success blitzing us and putting 9 guys in the box against us. So that's what they are going to come in here and do Paul. They aren't going to play ISU just like they play everyone else. C'mon. You should know that. Other teams aren't stupid.

Everyone has been playing VERY aggressive blitzing defense on us with a lot of success, so that's what TCU is probably going to do. Duh. And it took you 4 offensive series to realize this? Really? No wonder our offense stinks so bad.

Hey Rhoads, guess what.... I'll bet that OU is going to put 9 guys in the box and blitz a lot this week too, no matter what the tape shows they've done to other teams this year. We are not other teams, we are ISU. Teams are going to plan their defense according to who they play. It's an amazing concept!

If Mess can't figure out a way to beat a 9 man front that will blitz a lot, then you need to find a new OC immediately. You are the head man. You should know better. Everyone in the stadium knows what the opposing defense is going to do to us. But yet, you don't because you think they're going to play ISU just like they do Baylor? C'mon Paul. You get paid too well to not know that defenses aren't going to respect our passing game like they do Baylor's, or TT's, or OSU's. Nobody respects our ability to pass. Why would they?

I don't know. I'm sure it's just me, but I'm dumbfounded by the logic of this coaching staff sometimes. It took us 5 series to realize that TCU was going to put nearly everyone within 8 yds of the line of scrimmage and blitz us a lot. Wow. What what an amazing genius you and Mess are Paul. Truly amazing.

 

[Yellow Snow]

Would it have made you happier if he had said Messingham sucks and I'm going to fire his *** after the season is over?

What would YOU say facing the same question?

 

[Scott34]

Email JP and tell him you need to be the coach cause its obvious you know the game better than Rhoads does.

 

[megamanxzero35]

Rhoads hasn't had a season like this at Iowa State. So the BS answers that coaches give during crap seasons as it goes on, Rhoads hasn't ever had to give.

I think he's just awful at giving bad, crap, false answers.

 

[Luth4Cy]

To paraphrase clonedude, Rhoads said TCU didn't do what they thought they would on defense so it took some time to adjust.

Then he leaves out the part where Rhoads took full responsibility for the offensive struggles this season.

 

[ISUAlum2002]

Hmm. This explains why we're never ready with hot reads and screen passes (that are actually well-timed and work) when we get blitzed.

I agree with you that it's unrealistic to watch an opponent's game film and expect they're going to do the same thing on defense. They're going to come out and exploit our weakness, and the prime weakness on offense is our inability to counter blitzes and make other teams pay for them.

 

[mj4cy]

I think when you only have so many days to prepare, you have to play the percentages.....they had to go with what they've seen all year. That's why you always hear about good coaches make adjustments sooner than later.

 

[twojman]

About halfway through the first quarter I put out on twitter that TCU did not have a single defender beyond 8 yards from the LOS. Zero respect for the offense. You should be able to light up teams for big plays when they defend you like that. You should be able to do that by accident once or twice a game when a defense plays you like that, especially when you have been seeing it all season.

 

[Yellow Snow]

About halfway through the first quarter I put out on twitter that TCU did not have a single defender beyond 8 yards from the LOS. Zero respect for the offense. You should be able to light up teams for big plays when they defend you like that. You should be able to do that by accident once or twice a game when a defense plays you like that, especially when you have been seeing it all season.

I'm glad you put it out on twitter. Thanks.

 

[clonedude]

Would it have made you happier if he had said Messingham sucks and I'm going to fire his *** after the season is over?

What would YOU say facing the same question?

I understand he won't throw Mess under the bus, but does he really believe what he says, or is it all just coach speak?

He can't honestly believe that TCU is just going to play the same exact defense against us as they do against most other Big 12 teams, does he? Sorry Paul, but I don't think TCU respects ISU's offense as much as some of the other Big 12 teams they face.

I guess if I were the head coach of a team with this pathetic of an offense and someone asked me why we couldn't move the ball at all to start the game, I guess I'd just say that TCU was better prepared to play the game from the opening whistle and that is on me. Which is kinda what he did, but yet he blamed it more on the fact that TCU "tricked" us by doing something we weren't expecting they'd do. And I just don't understand how he can't figure out that TCU is going to do to us what all defenses have had success doing to us?

As I said, I'm sure I'm the only one that didn't like his response. It just rubbed me the wrong way.

 

[ThatllDoCy]

We were out coached and CPR is taking responsibility for it. It reaffirms that we are predictable, and the game plan poor on Offense. No shocker there.

 

[CYme]

About halfway through the first quarter I put out on twitter that TCU did not have a single defender beyond 8 yards from the LOS. Zero respect for the offense. You should be able to light up teams for big plays when they defend you like that. You should be able to do that by accident once or twice a game when a defense plays you like that, especially when you have been seeing it all season.

We did that last year against TCU. Maybe our coaches think that teams will look at last years game film and prepare for that. We expected TCU to keep everyone 20 yards off the ball and we were going to run wild.

 

[CycloneErik]

Coaching shows are all coach speak. He's not going to break news or saying something deeply insightful. Neither is any other coach in the nation.

Those things are just easy paychecks and a chance to connect with fans without saying much. It obviously works, because everyone has one, but the coaches aren't saying anything.

 

[00clone]

As I said, I'm sure I'm the only one that didn't like his response. It just rubbed me the wrong way.

Didn't listen to the show, but if he said we didn't think they'd stack the box and blitz, I'd be questioning him thru my radio as well. Offensively, they pretty much have to assume every defense is going to do that until our offense proves it won't work. The book has been written how to completely shut it down, any team that doesn't follow it is dumb.

 

[twojman]

I'm glad you put it out on twitter. Thanks.

I am glad you put this on cyclonefanatic, thanks.

 

[CapnCy]

I appreciated how honest CPR was and said the coaching was on him, not Mess...but he also said the offense needs work (9th out of 10 teams).

It may not seem like it based on interview answers (coach talk, etc), but I know he is a numbers guy and analyzes a lot...the stats don't lie and he knows there is pressure to improve. If there are not a number of personnel changes, I would imagine there will be major changes in how they assess intro off season and approach 2014 (film study, schemes, etc?

 

[enisthemenace]

Hmm. This explains why we're never ready with hot reads and screen passes (that are actually well-timed and work) when we get blitzed.

I agree with you that it's unrealistic to watch an opponent's game film and expect they're going to do the same thing on defense. They're going to come out and exploit our weakness, and the prime weakness on offense is our inability to counter blitzes and make other teams pay for them.

Hot reads? I'm not jumping on you, just saw something I haven't seen many point out. When do we ever make a read...ever? It seems we have a play, the formation does not allow for multiple plays, we lock onto a receiver (1st...perhaps only?...read) and if that receiver is either covered or not yet out of his break by the time pressure is felt, the play is...depending on the QB:

1. Run for your life (Richardson)
2. Throw it into coverage (Rohach)

Where is the check down? From what I've seen...there isn't one.

 

[CapnCy]

Coaching shows are all coach speak. He's not going to break news or saying something deeply insightful. Neither is any other coach in the nation.

Those things are just easy paychecks and a chance to connect with fans without saying much. It obviously works, because everyone has one, but the coaches aren't saying anything.

I appreciate you saying this...so true. Just like JOhn Walters job is to promote ISU. Obviously he shows some bias and always tries to spinnin ISUs favor, but I think he's one if the more professional and not being overboard homer.

I love the work ISU Athletics staff do, but it's gotta be tough to keep looking for gongs to spin. Steve Malchow (sp?) does a great job with perspective and stat types of things on his blog, but many are thy smoke and mirrors to provide hope or something to talk about.

 

[CyCloned]

Would it have made you happier if he had said Messingham sucks and I'm going to fire his *** after the season is over?

I would prefer that he was fired 4 weeks ago, but that was just me overreacting. Now it doesn't matter what he does, the damage is done.

As per the OP, it is completely baffling that the offensive unit, and coaches would not have expected to TCU to play a 9 in the box and blitz. What happened against KSU, and Baylor and every other team since Texas? I will give the coaching staff a heads up here: No matter what defense the Sooners have been using all year Oklahoma is going to play a 9 man front and blitz almost every down. ISU should spend the week trying to figure out how to move the ball against a defense like that.

 

[Yellow Snow]

Would it have made you happier if he had said Messingham sucks and I'm going to fire his *** after the season is over?

I would prefer that he was fired 4 weeks ago, but that was just me overreacting. Now it doesn't matter what he does, the damage is done.

As per the OP, it is completely baffling that the offensive unit, and coaches would not have expected to TCU to play a 9 in the box and blitz. What happened against KSU, and Baylor and every other team since Texas? I will give the coaching staff a heads up here: No matter what defense the Sooners have been using all year Oklahoma is going to play a 9 man front and blitz almost every down. ISU should spend the week trying to figure out how to move the ball against a defense like that.

That is kind of my point. Do you honestly think CPR is on the call in show explaining "in his mind" what happened truthfully? He's saying what he can say politically.