Matt Campbell's Most Important Game...

[madguy30]

Ohio was the most important game, I'm not sure this matters other than to see if we lose out or win 2 now. Ohio did a lot of damage.

Ohio was a bad loss but this isn't the first slow start under CMC.

There could be a game in October where things start to click.

 

[amishclone]

If anyone on here boos a cyclone team, just stay home. you aren't needed, much less wanted. no one should ever boo a bunch of college kids playing a sport. that is just sad.

Uh, they're not just a bunch of college kids. They're getting paid money to do their job, coaches and players both

 

[clonedude]

The Ohio game was his most important game IMO…. and he failed miserably.

Pretty much everyone on here agreed that the Ohio game was a must win.

And his presser on Tues only reinforced that he has no clue what he’s doing.

 

[Naddafinga]

I'm not giving up on him although I'm disappointed.
However, for those of you who want to see it or think it could happen.
If CMC resigned or was fired this season, who is realistically on Pollards list?

 

[Cyinthenorth]

Sure, it sounds like "Coach Speak" to say that the next game is the most important game in the Matt Campbell Tenure, but the OkSt game is. It was ok for him to lose the Iowa game. It sucks, but his job security was never in question for losing that. The Ohio game was a disaster for multiple reasons, but he was still not in danger because he has proven to be able to win at Iowa State (at some capacity). We are frustrated with the team, but you reading this on a Cyclone site means something...

Here is the truth.... Losing at Iowa State does not get you fired. Let's face it. We are not LSU or Nebraska that can fire their coach after going 10-2 or 9-3 just because they think he will never win at the level they want. ISU hopes that you make a bowl every other year and putting out multiple losing seasons a couple years in a row isn't the end of the world. Yes, there is a point to when losing is a factor in the ISU HC being fired, but it is not mutually exclusive to the REAL reason...

The real reason you get fired at Iowa State: Apathy. We all know what to expect for our opening play of the first drive. We have seen it every game of every year. It worked once: 2021 KSU. Every other time it was like running into a brick wall. And if ISU does the same play this weekend, I expect "Boos" although I will not participate. The fanbase is tired. The gameplan isn't working and we are BEGGING for a change.....

So what happens if it doesn't change? What happens if we continue to try what doesn't work? I'll tell you. We will have about 53,000 fans for the TCU game. 40,000 fans for the KU game and a burnt orange stadium for the Texas game. You will think: "We need to fire this coach cuz we suck." Jamie Pollard will think: "We had an AMAZING year for season ticket sales, and these people are choosing to stay home. They already had the ticket and they chose not to use it. We are going to sell much less next year." As the athletic director, one of your KPIs is "Season Ticket Sales." It's a huge, dependable revenue generator and the way to sell season tickets is to sell excitement. That will move Pollard's needle....

Rhoads was fired because the fan base became apathetic. Prohm got fired because the majority of Cyclone Nation didn't watch the 2020 season even during a pandemic with nothing else to do. I hope that the staff makes a change. I love the Cyclones and Rocco is a stud. I still believe in Campbell and hope he takes the steps he needs to.

I don't think that many Texas fans travel to Ames in November. Even if they are undefeated still.

 

[Cyinthenorth]

I'm not giving up on him although I'm disappointed.
However, for those of you who want to see it or think it could happen.
If CMC resigned or was fired this season, who is realistically on Pollards list?

Colorado's OC and former Kent State head coach

 

[Cyinthenorth]

My biggest thing with Campbell is, what is he actually good at? What was he originally good at? Does he actually have a clue offensively or defensively, or has he strictly built this program around a rah rah, culture and coach speak facade, aided by a good but not great defensive scheme implemented by Heacock?

 

[Naddafinga]

My biggest thing with Campbell is, what is he actually good at? What was he originally good at? Does he actually have a clue offensively or defensively, or has he strictly built this program around a rah rah, culture and coach speak facade, aided by a good but not great defensive scheme implemented by Heacock?

Well at least part of being a HC is being a good salesman. You have to be able to sell your product to assistant coaches, admins and recruits as well as fans. People have to buy in. I think he's been pretty good at that. Perhaps that only goes so far. The hardest thing to do at ISU is recruit. He's at least partially broken that door down as good as anyone. I hope he isn't letting that slip with too many losses and not enough W's.

 

[Cyinthenorth]

Well at least part of being a HC is being a good salesman. You have to be able to sell your product to assistant coaches, admins and recruits as well as fans. People have to buy in. I think he's been pretty good at that. Perhaps that only goes so far. The hardest thing to do at ISU is recruit. He's at least partially broken that door down as good as anyone. I hope he isn't letting that slip with too many losses and not enough W's.

I appreciate what you are saying here, and agree that those things are important and that Campbell does a good job in those respective areas...BUT...

I would love it if Iowa State could finally hire an offensive minded coach. Then let him hire the next Heacock. McCarney was not a great offensive mind. Ok but not great or even good. Rhoads was horrible. Campbell is showing himself to be horrible after running out of NFL caliber talent readily at his disposal.

 

[RagingCloner]

I appreciate what you are saying here, and agree that those things are important and that Campbell does a good job in those respective areas...BUT...

I would love it if Iowa State could finally hire an offensive minded coach. Then let him hire the next Heacock. McCarney was not a great offensive mind. Ok but not great or even good. Rhoads was horrible. Campbell is showing himself to be horrible after running out of NFL caliber talent readily at his disposal.

I kinda hate the fact that I agree with this, but i do think it is somewhat of a true statement. The NFL talent just allowed us to mask some inadequacies on offense that existed for quite some time

 

[Klubber]

I agree with the general premise. Lose this game and 1-11 looks like a real possibility. That won't get him fired this year, but it will kill recruiting and fan engagement. Then you have set the table for what is most likely a lame duck 2024 season. Hard to see us bouncing back from 4-8 and 1-11 to do much in 2024. At that point you make the coaching change and hope the hole hasn't been dug too deep so maybe the new guy can build it back in 2 or 3 years.

I hope we don't go 1-11 this season. But if we as a fan base aren't on board firing any coach that shows that type of futility, then we deserve a losing team.

Rhoads was kept around too long and just dug us in a deeper hole, which just made it more difficult for Campbell.

 

[joefrog]

My biggest thing with Campbell is, what is he actually good at? What was he originally good at? Does he actually have a clue offensively or defensively, or has he strictly built this program around a rah rah, culture and coach speak facade, aided by a good but not great defensive scheme implemented by Heacock?

Boy, do I have some BAD news for you.............

2005–2006	Mount Union (OC/OL)
2007	Bowling Green (OL)
2008	Bowling Green (RGC/OL)
2009	Toledo (RGC/OL)
2010–2011	Toledo (OC/OL)

 

[Gunnerclone]

Ohio was a bad loss but this isn't the first slow start under CMC.

There could be a game in October where things start to click.

I love how losing to a MAC team is now just thrown in to the all encompassing “slow start” category.

 

[BoomerClone]

WTF in the OP deserves 6 “Dumbs”?

The 10,000 word essay

 

[joefrog]

I love how losing to a MAC team is now just thrown in to the all encompassing “slow start” category.

I like how Campbell's only job in life, for 7 years, was offensive line.

And several years as Offensive Coordinator or Run Game Coordinator.

Stop and think about what that means, when you look at ISU football of the last few years.

And people wonder how I can be so "quick" to want a dismissal.

 

[RagingCloner]

I like how Campbell's only job in life, for 7 years, was offensive line.

And several years as Offensive Coordinator or Run Game Coordinator.

Stop and think about what that means, when you look at ISU football of the last few years.

And people wonder how I can be so "quick" to want a dismissal.

Fun fact, there is a lot we wonder about you...

It explains some of his stubbornness to adapt to other ways of offensive success

 

[madguy30]

My biggest thing with Campbell is, what is he actually good at? What was he originally good at? Does he actually have a clue offensively or defensively, or has he strictly built this program around a rah rah, culture and coach speak facade, aided by a good but not great defensive scheme implemented by Heacock?

He was known for beating Arkansas and ISU and almost getting to the MAC title game his last year at Toledo.

After that he's known for getting ISU to being decent including syncing up to beat some Top Ten ranked teams.

The program may be known for the NFL talent that has come out of it but I don't think it's know for an identity or something you can count on year in year out.

 

[madguy30]

I love how losing to a MAC team is now just thrown in to the all encompassing “slow start” category.

Super duper slow bad no good horrible world is on fire because Iowa State is bad at football like usual start.

 

[isucy86]

My biggest thing with Campbell is, what is he actually good at? What was he originally good at? Does he actually have a clue offensively or defensively, or has he strictly built this program around a rah rah, culture and coach speak facade, aided by a good but not great defensive scheme implemented by Heacock?

Our defense is solid by national standards.

By ISU historical comparison- Campbell/Heacock's defense has been Elite.

The Campbell/Manning offense worked when we he first got here- averaging over 30ppg. But something's happened- sharp decline talent, less development on campus or defenses have caught up. So hopefully Campbell & Scheelhaase break the mold over the next few games.

 

[t-noah]

Sure, it sounds like "Coach Speak" to say that the next game is the most important game in the Matt Campbell Tenure, but the OkSt game is. It was ok for him to lose the Iowa game. It sucks, but his job security was never in question for losing that. The Ohio game was a disaster for multiple reasons, but he was still not in danger because he has proven to be able to win at Iowa State (at some capacity). We are frustrated with the team, but you reading this on a Cyclone site means something...

Here is the truth.... Losing at Iowa State does not get you fired. Let's face it. We are not LSU or Nebraska that can fire their coach after going 10-2 or 9-3 just because they think he will never win at the level they want. ISU hopes that you make a bowl every other year and putting out multiple losing seasons a couple years in a row isn't the end of the world. Yes, there is a point to when losing is a factor in the ISU HC being fired, but it is not mutually exclusive to the REAL reason...

The real reason you get fired at Iowa State: Apathy. We all know what to expect for our opening play of the first drive. We have seen it every game of every year. It worked once: 2021 KSU. Every other time it was like running into a brick wall. And if ISU does the same play this weekend, I expect "Boos" although I will not participate. The fanbase is tired. The gameplan isn't working and we are BEGGING for a change.....

So what happens if it doesn't change? What happens if we continue to try what doesn't work? I'll tell you. We will have about 53,000 fans for the TCU game. 40,000 fans for the KU game and a burnt orange stadium for the Texas game. You will think: "We need to fire this coach cuz we suck." Jamie Pollard will think: "We had an AMAZING year for season ticket sales, and these people are choosing to stay home. They already had the ticket and they chose not to use it. We are going to sell much less next year." As the athletic director, one of your KPIs is "Season Ticket Sales." It's a huge, dependable revenue generator and the way to sell season tickets is to sell excitement. That will move Pollard's needle....

Rhoads was fired because the fan base became apathetic. Prohm got fired because the majority of Cyclone Nation didn't watch the 2020 season even during a pandemic with nothing else to do. I hope that the staff makes a change. I love the Cyclones and Rocco is a stud. I still believe in Campbell and hope he takes the steps he needs to.

I expect a quick bubble screen to the right, with flawless blocking, like we did to open the game with Oregon!