CMC is a great fit for ISU culturally and strategically, as I have detailed elsewhere.
Does he have some "areas for improvement"? Yes of course. But I am somewhat encouraged how he has (albeit slowly) grown and improved as a coach over the past 9 years. e.g. "hey maybe special teams DOES matter"
I was going to post something about his ceiling probably being not the highest of highs like- "if he was gonna win a conf champ, he'd have done it by now" so let's just understand that's what we it will be.
But you know what? Let's comp Bill Snyder, who I think we all recognize as about as good as it gets.
- After year 9, CMC is 63-51 (55%) and BS was 66-37-1 (64%) - but with a lot more cupcakes, less conference games, and avoiding OuT half the time.
- Snyder got his first 10 win season in year 7 (CMC year 9).
- Snyder won 2 conf champ in 27 years (4 appearances in CCG, lost 3; other title was 10 team no CCG)
- Got first conf champ in year 15 -- on his 3rd CCG appearance.
- Career at KSU 65% win percentage
Is CMC going to be Bill Snyder level success? IDK. But he is close enough to the path that I think it's hard to imagine getting a better coach.