Has Campbell Plateaued?

[Beyerball]

We don't have 2 early TO"s and spot ND 10 pts early that game is prob a whole lot different honestly...It is like the team and staff midway thru first quarter just threw their hands up along with ND smelling blood.

We could not be lucky enough to have CMC running our program....This staff has turned this roster around talent wise and is recruiting at a higher level than ISU has ever had...Aside from today we are competitive in every single game and have won more conference games in past 2 years than in previous 10..think about that.

Wts..This game reminded me a heck of a lot of Iowa about 20 years ago...Getting whipped by USC and Stanford etc..

Matt Campbell will have ISU playing in the Big 12 title game within the next 2 years and if we are lucky we will be able to keep him for a whole lot longer and for once in my freaking lifetime have a HC that lasts more than 6-7 years.

It doesn't excuse the atrocious play calling on numerous occasions in this game and lack of adjustments or the piss poor play on D at times..

 

[SpokaneCY]

They are all still developmental guys. Who progressed between last year and this? Kolar? Almost everyone else on the team stayed still or regressed. This staff needs a shakeup.

How about RB? How about our receiver crop? Assailey was actually better than average over the course.

 

[cymac2408]

7 wins is a good year compared to the horrible years that we are all too used to. But face it, for so many other teams, including Iowa, that is a mediocre year. I don't care how bad we used to be, we should aspire for more. Unfortunately, I am afraid that might be the ceiling for Campbell. We beat only one team with a winning record this year. Plus, two of the teams we did beat (Kansas and West Virginia) should be improved next year.

My biggest concern with Campbell is that, despite how much he verbally stresses fundamentals, we seem to be regressing in fundamentals under his tenure. Take a took at Farentz, for example, and you could see slow but significant improvements in fundamentals from each year to the next. I am just not seeing that here.

One thing I have always noticed about Ferentz. Every false start, holding or any penalty. He is always writing it down and must be holding said player accountable somehow.

 

[cyfan21]

Maybe. This year was not progress and close to the 6-6 that he himself calls BS. We will see in 2020 and 2021 if we can be better than 6 or 7 wins. I think it's 50/50 as to whether he ever does better than the 8 wins of '17 and '18. Those could very well be the peak. One thing for sure, unless someone buys into the "can't do better than that at ISU" stuff than it's unlikely someone hires him away without some sort of breakout 9 or 10 game season, or maybe a couple of those. The worst bowl defeat in school history (plus KSU), sort of mutes the "Oh, but we only lost this and that game by 2 or 3 points" blather.

The humanitarian bowl to Boise state was the worst bowl loss in school hist.

 

[brett108]

How about RB? How about our receiver crop? Assailey was actually better than average over the course.

You think Hall is better than Montgomery? He showed he wasn’t today. Also a staff doesn’t get to take credit for developing a true freshman. Let’s see what he looks like next year. And developing a kickers great. Too bad everything else about our special teams is just straight terrible.

We were all snowed this year. 5/7 CF staff members picked ISU to win this game. We weren’t even close. What a damn joke,

 

[DeereClone]

Absolutely - 7 to 8 wins is the plateau for this program and that’s where MC has us. If things line up perfect we might be able to pull off a 9-10 win season, and if things go against us we may end up with 5-6.

I’m happy we have reached this point, always wanting more but realizing where we stand today vs our horrid history.

I also agree with the OP that we aren’t nearly as detailed and disciplined as we should be, especially for talking about that 24/7.

 

[Cloneon]

7 wins is a good year compared to the horrible years that we are all too used to. But face it, for so many other teams, including Iowa, that is a mediocre year. I don't care how bad we used to be, we should aspire for more. Unfortunately, I am afraid that might be the ceiling for Campbell. We beat only one team with a winning record this year. Plus, two of the teams we did beat (Kansas and West Virginia) should be improved next year.

My biggest concern with Campbell is that, despite how much he verbally stresses fundamentals, we seem to be regressing in fundamentals under his tenure. Take a took at Farentz, for example, and you could see slow but significant improvements in fundamentals from each year to the next. I am just not seeing that here.

You are misinformed and/or ignorant. Ferentz did not start well out of the gate and for all the 'greatness' you seem to elude, he had some pretty bad years by your same standards. So, either, get better informed, stow your pride and ego and bring a level headed objective argument to the table.

 

[brett108]

One thing I have always noticed about Ferentz. Every false start, holding or any penalty. He is always writing it down and must be holding said player accountable somehow.

One thing I have always noticed about Ferentz. Every false start, holding or any penalty. He is always writing it down and must be holding said player accountable somehow.

All you have to do is watch their special teams play to know the difference between their discipline and ours. Field position control won them at least 3 games this year, including against us and Nebraska. We’re not even close.

Another thing that should irritate everyone here is that Brian F is a much better OC than Manning. Honestly we’re not catching up with the other in state team. And that looks to be the case in almost every sport.

 

[Cloneon]

One thing I have always noticed about Ferentz. Every false start, holding or any penalty. He is always writing it down and must be holding said player accountable somehow.

And your assumption is that this is not being recorded under MC? Couch coaches should stick to their couches.

 

[NoCreativity]

You are misinformed and/or ignorant. Ferentz did not start well out of the gate and for all the 'greatness' you seem to elude, he had some pretty bad years by your same standards. So, either, get better informed, stow your pride and ego and bring a level headed objective argument to the table.

He had 2 bad years because of the recruiting hole that Fry left. By year 4 he had them in the Orange Bowl.

 

[NoCreativity]

All you have to do is watch their special teams play to know the difference between their discipline and ours. Field position control won them at least 3 games this year, including against us and Nebraska. We’re not even close.

Another thing that should irritate everyone here is that Brian F is a much better OC than Manning. Honestly we’re not catching up with the other in state team. And that looks to be the case in almost every sport.

Agreed, but it should also be pointed out they got burnt on a fake punt last night.

 

[madguy30]

We don't have 2 early TO"s and spot ND 10 pts early that game is prob a whole lot different honestly...It is like the team and staff midway thru first quarter just threw their hands up along with ND smelling blood.

We could not be lucky enough to have CMC running our program....This staff has turned this roster around talent wise and is recruiting at a higher level than ISU has ever had...Aside from today we are competitive in every single game and have won more conference games in past 2 years than in previous 10..think about that.

Wts..This game reminded me a heck of a lot of Iowa about 20 years ago...Getting whipped by USC and Stanford etc..

Matt Campbell will have ISU playing in the Big 12 title game within the next 2 years and if we are lucky we will be able to keep him for a whole lot longer and for once in my freaking lifetime have a HC that lasts more than 6-7 years.

It doesn't excuse the atrocious play calling on numerous occasions in this game and lack of adjustments or the piss poor play on D at times..

Bolded...but was it surprising that ISU started out that way?

 

[brett108]

Agreed, but it should also be pointed out they got burnt on a fake punt last night.

They still don’t have elite athletes. Honestly USC had WR separation on almost every play but the backup QB had little pocket presence and either ate it or made bad throws.

We are never going to have the 5 star speedsters either so we have to care about the details.

 

[brett108]

And your assumption is that this is not being recorded under MC? Couch coaches should stick to their couches.

It’s not being corrected. Anyone on their couch can see that.

 

[NoCreativity]

They still don’t have elite athletes. Honestly USC had WR separation on almost every play but the backup QB had little pocket presence and either ate it or made bad throws.

We are never going to have the 5 star speedsters either so we have to care about the details.

That's what's concerning, Campbell is always drilling to win the details and in between the margins, but this football program just isn't doing the little things like Iowa does to win football games.

 

[Blandboy]

Yes, he’s plateaued. We will never be good again. Fire him now and let’s move on.

God these overreactions get more ridiculous. We have the best coach in program history and we’re in the midst of doing things this program has never done. Yes we played bad today and yes this year was slightly disappointing. Posts like this however make me wonder if some people on here have ever played sports

That’s CF...same suspects posting sos. Makes me long for the off season.

 

[ClonesFTW]

I’ll take the 7-8 win “plateau” over the 3-4 win ceiling we’ve had for decades.

 

[brett108]

Bolded...but was it surprising that ISU started out that way?

I don’t think it’s that different. We were going to have to score at least a couple TDs to win this. We came up with zero.

 

[Clonefan94]

Nope, lot of good things ahead. I think CMC has a little bit of staff evaluation to do, as well as big game prep, to get us to that next level, but if losing to ND in bowl games is as bad as it gets, I'll take it.

 

[madguy30]

I don’t think it’s that different. We were going to have to score at least a couple TDs to win this. We came up with zero.

That false start on 1st and goal on about the 3 was about on par.