How did Baylor football do what ISU couldn't?

[cycloneworld]

Because ISU isn't talented enough to blow many teams out.

Not a dominant defense and while the offense put up big numbers, there wasn't much of an option for explosive plays.

That’s true. But we are also talented enough to hang with Oklahoma. And Iowa. And Baylor. There is no reason we should barely beat UNI and Kansas. We play up or down to our opponents. And when you make as many critical mistakes we made this year in key spots, you lose A LOT of close games like we did.

 

[cycloneworld]

Two words my friend....TEXAS TALENT....

Being in Texas, fertile recruiting ground.

Many people have said this but Baylor was the bottom feeder of the Big 12 for a decade+ with all of that Texas talent. It’s good coaching and solid recruiting that’s got them there. Briles is a garbage human and should never coach again but he could win games. Rhule is a damn good coach and a solid recruiter. Sure they have ACSESS to talent but they’ve found the right coaches to get them to the top of the league.

 

[AgronAlum]

that seems very weird and stupid. Are chip and Joanna Baylor fans? I realize their empire is in Waco but do they talk about Baylor a lot.

Yes. Both graduated from Baylor. Baylor comes up on the show pretty frequently. I think you may underestimate the money and cult following those two have.

 

[PeacefulRival]

Luck, winning turnover battles and not playing Iowa. Last year ISU gets 10+ wins playing a crappy team instead of Iowa and finishing a play or two in another game.

I don't know that not playing Iowa is a gimme win. i.e. Uni and Drake were near losses.

 

[Cyrealist]

I think most of the ISU fan base would take a 11-3 record, losing to OU by 3 the first time, and in OT the second time in the conference championship game. Then losing to Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on New Years day. Over a 7-6 record and finishing tied for 3rd in the conference with our only quality win over Texas.

Look at the conference stats, scoring on offense was basically the same Baylor scored 3 more points than ISU, but the on defensive side they gave up 177 points in conference while ISU gave up 240. A difference of 63 more points scored on ISU.

Obviously they had a good season and Ruhl is a good coach. But we lost to Oklahoma by a missed 2-point conversion. People are talking like Ruhl did the coaching job of the decade. He did well, his players did well, but the conference was down and they won some close games they could have lost. We under-achieved due to some breakdowns on defense, but mostly because of a lack of identity and execution on offense. How many of those 63 points were due to the offense turning the ball over or failing to pick up first downs? But I don't believe we're done yet. The problems aren't insurmountable, and our recruiting is getting better.

 

[iowa_wildcat]

Special teams is my answer. Unless my memory is bad, the Cyclones scored no points on punt and kick-off returns. Those returns can make a huge difference in a close game.

 

[SCarolinaCy]

https://www.wyff4.com/article/panth...-rhule-as-new-head-coach-sources-say/30429486

 

[fsanford]

Sucks for the conference Rhule is leaving, but I guess you get to the top of the mountain so quickly, your coach leaves and your program risk falling off the cliff that exists on the other side.

Fact is Baylor had a great season but did not win the conference, so to me he left with unfinished business. But that view is from a guy who supports a school that has not won a football title since the sinking of the Titanic.

Now Baylor is scrambling late in the process and with questionable recruiting class could come back to earth with big thud

 

[Remo Gaggi]

Tents on the sidelines.

 

[SCNCY]

One thing I was thinking, and I am not sure if anyone has any insight to this. But it was either last season, or the one before that, where David Montgomery was advertising "Winning in the Dark," basically the team going to the weight room and practicing after normal practice hours. Is the team still doing things like that?

 

[Cyclone06]

A few lucky bounces, good execution, and better coaching.

Margins are slim, we are close.

This is the right answer. I will add, "close... yet so far away."

 

[Bipolarcy]

Baylor's record last 3 seasons:
2017: 1-11
2018: 7-6
2019: 11-3 or 12-2

Iowa State's record last 3 seasons:
2017: 8-5
2018: 8-5
2019: 7-6

What was it that allowed Baylor to take the steps that ISU couldn't, but was expected to by many pundits before the year started? One aspect that makes me salty about this is, Baylor copied Heacock's defense, but did it better.

Just curious about others thoughts on the subject. It might of been discussed in other threads.

Was it?
Better players
Execution
Coaching
Schedule
Etcetera

They are in Texas, one of the biggest hot spots for recruiting in the country. We have to convince recruits to get on a plane and fly past Baylor, Texas, TCU, Texas Tech, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma and Oklahoma state to come play for the Cyclones. Or they could just go play in their back yards.

 

[dualthreat]

They are in Texas, one of the biggest hot spots for recruiting in the country. We have to convince recruits to get on a plane and fly past Baylor, Texas, TCU, Texas Tech, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma and Oklahoma state to come play for the Cyclones. Or they could just go play in their back yards.

Not if we recruit the Ohio area. There's a ton of talent in the Big 10 footprint. We can win with those guys.

Midwest option for the big 12

 

[Frak]

We didn't have Mims, we didn't have Lynch. And our DBs were nowhere close to them (or what we've had the past few years). Oh, and their special teams weren't a liability. Not to mention our best MLB was out playing in space.

 

[Cloneon]

Baylor's record last 3 seasons:
2017: 1-11
2018: 7-6
2019: 11-3 or 12-2

Iowa State's record last 3 seasons:
2017: 8-5
2018: 8-5
2019: 7-6

What was it that allowed Baylor to take the steps that ISU couldn't, but was expected to by many pundits before the year started? One aspect that makes me salty about this is, Baylor copied Heacock's defense, but did it better.

Just curious about others thoughts on the subject. It might of been discussed in other threads.

Was it?
Better players
Execution
Coaching
Schedule
Etcetera

Alumni $$$$, Chip and Joanna Gaines are definitely contributions which people tend to under value.

 

[NickTheGreat]

Many people have said this but Baylor was the bottom feeder of the Big 12 for a decade+ with all of that Texas talent. It’s good coaching and solid recruiting that’s got them there. Briles is a garbage human and should never coach again but he could win games. Rhule is a damn good coach and a solid recruiter. Sure they have ACSESS to talent but they’ve found the right coaches to get them to the top of the league.

When I was at ISU in the early 00's, that was the one sure B12 win you could count on.

 

[Bipolarcy]

Not if we recruit the Ohio area. There's a ton of talent in the Big 10 footprint. We can win with those guys.

Midwest option for the big 12

I think you failed to realize my point. Where we recruit has little to do with the fact that Baylor is still in Texas, where a lot of recruits also live. Recruiting in Ohio has the same perils for ISU that recruiting in Texas does. Recruits have to get on a plane and fly past dozens of P5 schools just to get to Iowa State

 

[el tornado]

Both teams should have beaten Oklahoma

 

[besserheimerphat]

One thing I was thinking, and I am not sure if anyone has any insight to this. But it was either last season, or the one before that, where David Montgomery was advertising "Winning in the Dark," basically the team going to the weight room and practicing after normal practice hours. Is the team still doing things like that?

Win In The Dark was the team slogan that year, not just Montgomery. It was more about putting in the effort when nobody is watching in order to win "under the lights." Not necessarily extra practice (though that may have been part of it).

 

[madguy30]

When I was at ISU in the early 00's, that was the one sure B12 win you could count on.

Until 2005.

*drink*