I wouldn't go best in the Big 12 good but there was a bit of talent there.
Just never used effectively.
SUMMER SERIES (podcast): The rise & fall of Paul Rhoads at ISU
- Thread starter ChrisMWilliams
- Start date
I wouldn't go best in the Big 12 good but there was a bit of talent there.
Just never used effectively.
Chizik in 2008 had a solid offense, the defense couldn't have stopped Pleasantville high school from scoring 40 points
I posted something similar a year or two ago, but it fits the conversation, so here's a re-visit.
This is not intended to ignore accomplishments during Rhoads’ tenure or to overshadow huge moments (even wins like at WVa in ’13 or Texas shutout in ’15, which came amid otherwise depressing seasons are memorable).
Also, ISU did win several games that easily could’ve been L’s (examples include UNI 2011, Iowa 2011, Iowa 2012)
But Paul failed to grasp multiple chances to gradually elevate status along the way. Few teams win every big game or close-call, but every bit helps.
Chronologically, 10 notable missed opportunities, all within a TD or less, with exception of bowl games. Rankings are at time game was played.
2009: vs. Kansas State (L 24-23)
2009: at #16 Kansas (L 41-36)
2010: #7 Nebraska (L 31-30 OT)
2011: at #8 Kansas State (L 30-23)
2011: vs. Rutgers, Pinstripe Bowl (L 27-13)
2012: #6 Kansas State (L 27-21)
2012: West Virginia (L 31-24)
2012: vs. Tulsa, Liberty Bowl (L 31-17)
2013: Texas (L 31-30) (a)
2014: #20 Kansas State (L 32-28)
A few “dud” losses that didn’t help, either (Tech ’12, UNI ’13, Toledo ’15).
(a) … yes, we got robbed on the “non-fumble,” but clock management/play calling on previous drive, then allowing length-of-field drive after ensuing kickoff and giving up the hail-mary before halftime … shouldn’t even have been in that predicament.
Edit: I'm replacing 2010 KSU w/ 2009 KU ... it's a coin-toss, but Kansas was top-20, possibly a bigger botched opp.
This is not intended to ignore accomplishments during Rhoads’ tenure or to overshadow huge moments (even wins like at WVa in ’13 or Texas shutout in ’15, which came amid otherwise depressing seasons are memorable).
Also, ISU did win several games that easily could’ve been L’s (examples include UNI 2011, Iowa 2011, Iowa 2012)
But Paul failed to grasp multiple chances to gradually elevate status along the way. Few teams win every big game or close-call, but every bit helps.
Chronologically, 10 notable missed opportunities, all within a TD or less, with exception of bowl games. Rankings are at time game was played.
2009: vs. Kansas State (L 24-23)
2009: at #16 Kansas (L 41-36)
2010: #7 Nebraska (L 31-30 OT)
2011: at #8 Kansas State (L 30-23)
2011: vs. Rutgers, Pinstripe Bowl (L 27-13)
2012: #6 Kansas State (L 27-21)
2012: West Virginia (L 31-24)
2012: vs. Tulsa, Liberty Bowl (L 31-17)
2013: Texas (L 31-30) (a)
2014: #20 Kansas State (L 32-28)
A few “dud” losses that didn’t help, either (Tech ’12, UNI ’13, Toledo ’15).
(a) … yes, we got robbed on the “non-fumble,” but clock management/play calling on previous drive, then allowing length-of-field drive after ensuing kickoff and giving up the hail-mary before halftime … shouldn’t even have been in that predicament.
Edit: I'm replacing 2010 KSU w/ 2009 KU ... it's a coin-toss, but Kansas was top-20, possibly a bigger botched opp.
Last edited:
I'll admit Paul lost me after this. I thought it was over just sitting in the stands for this game.
Great podcast. Would love to hear others on other former coaches, especially the insider details of the Hoiberg departure and Prohm hire.
Anybody know why Rhoads was a bad recruiter?
Was there something he did/did not do that inhibited him there?
Was the conference unrest, when people thought ISU was going to end up in the Big East, MAC, or MWC, a cancerous factor because we could not promise potential recruits, especially in Texas, that they would face "the best" or play close to home occasionally?
CW and Blum rightfully point out a few bad classes at the end doomed him and the program, but they did not go much into why Rhoads failed to bring adequate talent to Ames.
Was there something he did/did not do that inhibited him there?
Was the conference unrest, when people thought ISU was going to end up in the Big East, MAC, or MWC, a cancerous factor because we could not promise potential recruits, especially in Texas, that they would face "the best" or play close to home occasionally?
CW and Blum rightfully point out a few bad classes at the end doomed him and the program, but they did not go much into why Rhoads failed to bring adequate talent to Ames.
Sending letters to kids with their names misspelled probably didn't help his cause.
But really I would like to know about this too, for a guy as passionate as he was you would think it would be easy to sell the program.
I think it had a lot to do with a mentality of not being able to get big time kids and going after project players he knew he could land
I happen to think this was one of the biggest factors. We use conference affiliation as a recruiting tool to this day. It's a big deal to guys that want to play in a big boy conference.
During that time frame, it was nearly impossible to recruit head to head against most other P5 schools. They could use the "well, who knows how long it will be until ISU is in the MAC" or similar. We could beat out MAC schools for guys... because their other offers were MAC schools anyway... why not play in the Big 12 while you can? The level of recruit we could even get interested dropped drastically.
My opinion is that the conference turmoil REALLY hurt us recruiting.
You're welcome for the idea submission for this podcast, CW. 
I also got the sense that Blum wanted to slap you in the face for your apparent severe memory loss. Seriously though, really enjoyed the podcast. It could've gone on for another hour probably. Love this series from you two.
I also got the sense that Blum wanted to slap you in the face for your apparent severe memory loss. Seriously though, really enjoyed the podcast. It could've gone on for another hour probably. Love this series from you two.
To me, a big part was disfunction of the staff. We've heard about Ayeni having to campaign to offer Warren and being hesitant to bring it up. They just weren't on the same page. Bleil was not a good recruiter and he was our iowa guy. That forced Rhoads to put Shane Burnham in state instead of parking him in FL where he should have been.
You're welcome for the idea submission for this podcast, CW.
I also got the sense that Blum wanted to slap you in the face for your apparent severe memory loss. Seriously though, really enjoyed the podcast. It could've gone on for another hour probably. Love this series from you two.
LOL at CW telling us how much he's studied and then getting corrected at every turn. That said, it was probably the best podcast CF has produced. I sadly had forgot about the early years. I was done with Rhoads when we beat Texas and he said something about not being the better team. It was that "woe is me" attitude that permeated the entire program. Rhoads was a victim of his stubbornness and poor recruiting. Once things turned south, he turned combative and defensive. It was no way to lead a program, especially at a place with the history of ISU.
I thought 10 minutes into that game we were going to win by 40 points.
There was an easy 25,000 ISU fans there.
That was brutal. All Tulsa did was run a slow 240lb RB down the ISU throats all game.
Yeah, they never did have an offensive identity. That first year was the closest and that was probably his best team. Actually, his first few teams were decent and you could see a corner being turned, but the recruiting never kept up and things fell apart. By mid season last year, ISU had more of an offensive identity than pretty much any CPR team. They're recruiting better than CPR ever did. Hopefully, things keep improving.
One of the more disappointing aspects of that game. It was a giant ISU party down in Memphis, until that game took the wind out of our sails.
When they talk about winners and losers of realignment, Paul Rhoads will be at the very top of the losers list.
Reality is when you are trying to build a program, especially where there wasn't one at a place with zero tradition, your window is very small.
He had the I am so proud speech, and the bowl win the first year to sell recruits. It should have been a huge opportunity. Instead we spent the summer hearing Iowa State would be left out of a power 5 conference.
They survive that, he has a decent second year, 5 wins against a tougher schedule. A thrilling game with Nebraska, where he came out of it almost looking better because of the failed fake extra point at the end of the game than if it had succeeded. A second opportunity to recruit gets taken away again by realignment.
These are the guys that followed knott AJ McDonough (sp), and they weren't up to the challenge because they were overmatched physically. He could never catch up. The hardest positions to fill are quarterback and linemen, they never were able to figure out the qb position, and the d line never grew after the players that were here when he got here, left.
Reality is when you are trying to build a program, especially where there wasn't one at a place with zero tradition, your window is very small.
He had the I am so proud speech, and the bowl win the first year to sell recruits. It should have been a huge opportunity. Instead we spent the summer hearing Iowa State would be left out of a power 5 conference.
They survive that, he has a decent second year, 5 wins against a tougher schedule. A thrilling game with Nebraska, where he came out of it almost looking better because of the failed fake extra point at the end of the game than if it had succeeded. A second opportunity to recruit gets taken away again by realignment.
These are the guys that followed knott AJ McDonough (sp), and they weren't up to the challenge because they were overmatched physically. He could never catch up. The hardest positions to fill are quarterback and linemen, they never were able to figure out the qb position, and the d line never grew after the players that were here when he got here, left.
