McCarney resigned with 2 games left in 2006. Went out with a W to end that season for finish 4-8 (1-7)
Asking again: Has the rot started to set in?
- Thread starter Gunnerclone
- Start date
McCarney resigned with 2 games left in 2006. Went out with a W to end that season for finish 4-8 (1-7)
Which was an absolute home run hire at the time.
No. It was thought to be a home run hire. It was not. He passed on Brian Kelly and Jim Harbaugh.
It doesn’t matter. He played a pivotal role in getting us to our present, unacceptable level, of mediocrity?
We need more Chiziks if we ever expect to be more than we currently are?
We recruited a few good players but you are overstating Chizik’s impact. Brian Kelly and Harbaugh would have been far better.
Obviously I didn’t work out, but at the time it was an absolute home run. It also set Paul Rhoads up for instant success (relative to ISU history). Paul’s best teams came with Chizik players.
Jake Knott was a Chizik recruit?
Like any new coach Rhoads had to utilize many of the former coaches players. And add in new ones of their own. Stop with the stupid talk. Chizik was THOUGHT to be a home run hire. We are lucky he left for Auburn.
This is the only part of your post I'm gonna push back on a little bit. Everything else I agreed with.
That time frame is way off as a guarantee. 1, we are in a better position facility wise and talent wise. Are we Ohio State? No of course not. But, we are good enough to speed that up. 2, look at places that have good coaches come in and win right away, even in Power conferences. Hell, Georgia Tech and Syracuse are winning right away. So its not like football 10-15 years ago. Now the trick is of course, it'd have to be a good or even better coach to replace him if it were to come to that. But to say you're at least 3 years away... you're not taking over a program that was 3-30 and is replacing 25 seniors. So I think its entirely possible to be 1-2 years away or zero instead of 2-3. PRESUMING its a good hire.
On the stability front... obviously thats good. And winning's good. Obvious statements are obvious.
But at some point the question becomes... what do we try to do? Colorado with Deion was either going to succeed to where they win 10 games or they lost 10 games. There wasn't much middle ground. So I guess that would be the argument. Are you happy hitting singles and doubles, or do you wanna swing for the fence.
Personally? I think its insane to think about it at this point in time. Are there plenty of things I think the program in theory could do better? Sure. IDK that I love our S&C coach as an example. He might be incredible, but I just don't know. I think we're too conservative at times, both on offense and defense. But again, that's not a reason to fire a coach.
As pissed as I am that we have at least momentarily squandered an opportunity unless we get some help and win out - and I do think coaching + injuries and execution all played a role in that - and as much as it hurts knowing that 10 win season is harder to achieve now with no margin for error essentially - and I don't want this to sound bad-
we're Iowa State. Do I think we can compete for Big 12 titles and playoff spots on a given year? Yes. Annually? IDk. Maybe? IDK. That's tougher, obviously. Yes, its a hard sell saying 8-4 or even 9-3 is a great season when you start 7-0. I get that. Because that ending will leave a bad taste in everyone's mouth if that's what happens.
But realistically, that's still a decent, albeit not great season. And if we can build a little bit off it, then we in theory have some pieces moving forward.
Is criticism justified after the last 3 games, even the UCF game? I think so. And CMC is smart enough to know that, hence his answers at the press conference for the most part.
But while I do think there is room for improvement - I think its way too premature to think or even suggest a rot is setting in. If you want to say we're becoming slightly stagnant, that's probably fair but that's a grease and oil change, not a total undercarriage or brand new car
Chizik was never a home run. Hated it then, hated it now. Dude coached at elite universities with elite talent and had success. Here's a cookie.
Whenever he didn't have elite talent, his teams were god awful.
Well, at Iowa State, typically, we're not going to be able to just out talent people on too many Saturday's.
So guys like Campbell, Cignetti, even a Golesh who I think is a pretty decent coach and having reasonable but not outstanding success at USF - are better fits. Those types. Developers and builders, not I do great with talent but suck without it
CMC is a good coach. He isn't perfect or transcendent. He's not Saban, or Kirby, or one of about only 5 other guys.
After about 5 guys, there's probably 20-30 that are good. He is one of those. And most of those guys are looking for a bigger job with more money and recruits than ISU.
CMC isn't going anywhere, and he shouldn't. He is a good man, a good coach, and has the best interest of the players at heart. And he is happy here being allowed to do what he wants to do as his calling in life.
If that's not good enough, well what is? How about Bill Snyder as a target? That seems like a pretty high goal, what does it look like?
27 seasons:
215-117 (7.7 wins per year)
128-89 in conference (5.3 wins per year in a 9 game season comp)
NINE 10-win seasons (a third of his time!)
FIVE more 9-win seasons
9-10 in bowls
5 CCG appearances
won the conference title twice
Is that the goal for CMC at ISU? If you think he can not do it, how close does he have to get before you are OK?
After about 5 guys, there's probably 20-30 that are good. He is one of those. And most of those guys are looking for a bigger job with more money and recruits than ISU.
CMC isn't going anywhere, and he shouldn't. He is a good man, a good coach, and has the best interest of the players at heart. And he is happy here being allowed to do what he wants to do as his calling in life.
If that's not good enough, well what is? How about Bill Snyder as a target? That seems like a pretty high goal, what does it look like?
27 seasons:
215-117 (7.7 wins per year)
128-89 in conference (5.3 wins per year in a 9 game season comp)
NINE 10-win seasons (a third of his time!)
FIVE more 9-win seasons
9-10 in bowls
5 CCG appearances
won the conference title twice
Is that the goal for CMC at ISU? If you think he can not do it, how close does he have to get before you are OK?
This has got to be the dumbest conversation of all time. There is no one that can be upset with ISU football right now, and I am an generally more negative than most. Losing the last two weeks really sucks. But being 7-2 is, at worst, on par with expectations we had in August. All things considered, the program is in the best shape it has ever been. Get healthy and improve, the rest will take care of itself.
yeah bill snyder is the goal. I think we are in season 9 of Campbell and we haven't even hit 10 wins once. if we do it this year, which seems like a tall task at this point, then while we are not on pace for that we're within a comfortable range of that in my opinion.
No. Chizik was a failed hire. Who was thought to be a great hire. Just like Omaha Billiew was thought to be a lottery pick when we signed him. Omaha may still develop. But we were wrong in his assessment and immediate impact. Chizik was overrated.
They had 11 freshman on that first team, barely any played, other than Josh Lenz (Chizik recruit) and they made a bowl. Knott and Klein were great, but they didn’t play that first year. They used pretty much exclusively Chizik (some McCarney) players and recruits the first year.
Once Rhoads had to rely exclusively on his own guys, he completely went in the tank.
The mark of a good coach is how well you can do with your own recruits. I’d say Campbell is passing that test.
No one is saying he didn’t fail in his 2 years. I’m sure most were fine seeing him leave. But at the time of the hire, it was an absolute home run. No one thought Iowa state could land the hottest name in assistant coaches to be their head coach.
Hindsight is 20-20. Harbaugh had never head coached in the FBS at that point (or at a school that offered scholarships)and Kelly had 1 decent year at a MAC school.
