Asking again: Has the rot started to set in?

[MeowingCows]

I’m using for the people that seem to lack any context to why we are 8-2 like we’ve been playing the best football in program history. I’ve even mentioned we saw far better level of football played earlier in Campbells tenure. His 2017 team would have ran through the past few weeks. I guess we can expect poor football to continue, but don’t get mad when people point out we aren’t that good.

Would they? That team had multiple <20 point outings and lost to the #3-#6 finishers in conference. People seem to remember the OU and TCU wins, but not the mid-tier Texas, WVU, Iowa, and KSU losses. And barely squeaking by Memphis.

I would say that team was quite a bit more talented across the board.

 

[Stormin]

I’m using for the people that seem to lack any context to why we are 8-2 like we’ve been playing the best football in program history. I’ve even mentioned we saw far better level of football played earlier in Campbells tenure. His 2017 team would have ran through the past few weeks. I guess we can expect poor football to continue, but don’t get mad when people point out we aren’t that good.

Since we have never truly had really good football at Iowa State, I would argue that we are seeing the best football we have had since before Campbell got here. We aren’t that good. But we have been so much worse. Now we are complaining about 8-2 and possibly miss the CCG as unacceptable.

The complaints are more about a dislike for Campbell for whatever reason. Campbell is going to be 45 years old. The players obviously love him. Campbell“s best seasons lie ahead. We are in the CCG conversation. That has only happened under Campbell. No other coach at Iowa State has done that.

 

[12191987]

I’m using for the people that seem to lack any context to why we are 8-2 like we’ve been playing the best football in program history. I’ve even mentioned we saw far better level of football played earlier in Campbells tenure. His 2017 team would have ran through the past few weeks. I guess we can expect poor football to continue, but don’t get mad when people point out we aren’t that good.

Best ever seems a little dubious, but so does calling this season poor football.

By historical standards, and even Campbell era standards, this is still a pretty good Cyclone team.

They’ve got at least 3 games left.

I wonder what we’d find if we went back to some of those 2017 game threads like WVU or KSU?

 

[awd4cy]

Since we have never truly had really good football at Iowa State, I would argue that we are seeing the best football we have had since before Campbell got here. We aren’t that good. But we have been so much worse. Now we are complaining about 8-2 and possibly miss the CCG as unacceptable.

The complaints are more about a dislike for Campbell for whatever reason. Campbell is going to be 45 years old. The players obviously love him. Campbell“s best seasons lie ahead. We are in the CCG conversation. That has only happened under Campbell. No other coach at Iowa State has done that.

Why are the best seasons ahead? This year was a peak year. Guessing we return fewer starters than last year and won’t dodge the 3 best teams in the Big 12 next year. Also, how much longer will Oklahoma State, Utah, TCU, Baylor be down?

 

[12191987]

The complaints are more about a dislike for Campbell for whatever reason. Campbell is going to be 45 years old. The players obviously love him. Campbell“s best seasons lie ahead. We are in the CCG conversation. That has only happened under Campbell. No other coach at Iowa State has done that.

If we’re lucky someday we’ll get a Ron Prince of our very own to show us the spirit of the (football) season.

 

[Gunnerclone]

Why are the best seasons ahead? This year was a peak year. Guessing we return fewer starters than last year and won’t dodge the 3 best teams in the Big 12 next year. Also, how much longer will Oklahoma State, Utah, TCU, Baylor be down?

The same people that gobble the pre-season hype merchants are now the “we’re ISU we’ve always been bad” people so shut up and take your ass whooping by KU and like it. Matt Campbell remains a genius.

 

[12191987]

So, just out of curiosity, what don't we do in football?

Expand and upgrade the stadium? Check.
Fired an OL coach and brought in a pretty respected in Clanton? Check.
Changed S&C coaches when it felt needed? IDK if I like the current one but again, check.
Improved the football support staff and facilities capabilities? Check.
Brought in a few transfers but not crazy but again, we don't have the $$$$$ to be super spenders in NIL / transfer. Check.


Now, I will say the argument that he's the winningest coach - while true - is a bit of a misnomer in the sense that we're not talking about 125 wins. We're talking 60. So, while its valid and true, that's also a lower bar based on our histoty. Not CMC's fault, but at the same time... its like he surpassed Nick Saban in terms of winning percentage.



But back to my overall point - IDK what else you think we should be doing? Seriously. We bring in players, keep the majority of our players, go to bowls, have players get drafted in the NFL, beat Texas/Oklahomas of the world, etc... yes, the record against Iowa is not great but other than that...



Do I love how conservative we play on offense? Not always, no. No I don't.


But at the same time... what are we NOT doing ? We're winning more, spending more, achieving more. That's a really weird argument.

Essentially it sounds like " well, he cut the crusts off the bread and I like crust" which is fine. That's your right. But the idea that we're not trying to win in football defies logic and reality. We've spent more and invested more and accomplished more.

Again, its fine to say because of that investment you expect more. That's OK. So long as you're realistic in that. Again, 8-9 wins in the current Big 12 should be doable most years. Which in theory, keeps you in the hunt till November. Occasionally better, occasionally worse. If CMC cared and asked my opinion, I'd maybe have a few suggestions but that's life.

 

[Koala]

Since we have never truly had really good football at Iowa State, I would argue that we are seeing the best football we have had since before Campbell got here. We aren’t that good. But we have been so much worse. Now we are complaining about 8-2 and possibly miss the CCG as unacceptable.

The complaints are more about a dislike for Campbell for whatever reason. Campbell is going to be 45 years old. The players obviously love him. Campbell“s best seasons lie ahead. We are in the CCG conversation. That has only happened under Campbell. No other coach at Iowa State has done that.

McCarney was a win away in the last game of two consecutive seasons from a spot in the Big XII title game.

 

[12191987]

McCarney was a win away in the last game of two consecutive seasons from a spot in the Big XII title game.

This doesn’t undermine your point, and certainly isn’t meant to disparage Coach McCarney (I’m still salty about how his tenure ended), but:

Those two teams played Big 12 North schedules that arguably weren’t any tougher than this year’s schedule.

We’ll see how the next 3 games play out, but I’m not sure I’d buy an argument that either of those teams were as good as this one.

 

[Stormin]

Why are the best seasons ahead? This year was a peak year. Guessing we return fewer starters than last year and won’t dodge the 3 best teams in the Big 12 next year. Also, how much longer will Oklahoma State, Utah, TCU, Baylor be down?

Why wouldn’t they be? The future is not written.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

Not sure what the end game is, but it’s not wild to acknowledge that we are also stuck. We are just a little worse of a Kirk Ferentz at Iowa version and likely just have to live with it. I’m just glad we have a much much better situation with the basketball program and TJ. The sky is really the limit there.

LOL Rotters gonna rot.

 

[awd4cy]

Why wouldn’t they be? The future is not written.

I just gave you a bunch of reasons. I guess I just need more blind faith.

 

[awd4cy]

The same people that gobble the pre-season hype merchants are now the “we’re ISU we’ve always been bad” people so shut up and take your ass whooping by KU and like it. Matt Campbell remains a genius.

Just like the annual our OL is vastly improved and our offense will be different. Crazy to fall for something 8 times.

 

[isufanz1]

We have the 8-10th highest NIL out of the 16 teams. We pay our head coach the 10th highest salary out of 16 schools in the Big 12. At some point this is an expectation issue from a fanbase unwilling or unable to properly provide the financial support necessary for a Top 30 fb program

Gosh I didn’t realize all we had to do was pay Matt and the rest of the coaching staff another $3-4m and they would start coaching and recruiting at a 100% level. Thank you for opening our eyes to the sandbagging that has been going on - I appreciate it.

 

[Big_Sill]

Since we have never truly had really good football at Iowa State, I would argue that we are seeing the best football we have had since before Campbell got here. We aren’t that good. But we have been so much worse. Now we are complaining about 8-2 and possibly miss the CCG as unacceptable.

The complaints are more about a dislike for Campbell for whatever reason. Campbell is going to be 45 years old. The players obviously love him. Campbell“s best seasons lie ahead. We are in the CCG conversation. That has only happened under Campbell. No other coach at Iowa State has done that.

I do not want Campbell fired for the record (once again).

There appears to be 2 groups of people in this thread. Those who think our putrid football history predetermines the cap on our expectations, and those who don't.

I don't think our history should guide our expectations, and I suspect the coaching staff would be with me too.

The goal this year was the CCG and CFP, anything short of that is a failure. What happened under Walden in the 80's has no impact on this.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

Eh, this years team is on par with a McCarney team. You just see it different cause OMG 8-2! 8-2! We would be seeing the same thing if this years team got slapped with the back half of the 2002 schedule.

That is a dog sh!t comparison. Wake me up when we lose by 40.

 

[Stormin]

McCarney was a win away in the last game of two consecutive seasons from a spot in the Big XII title game.

Yes. And suffered a winless conference season in 2003. We were not competitive while losing. And we were winless in conference when Mac resigned in 2006. We won our last game against Mizzou in Mac’s farewell. Our only conference win that year. And we escaped in non conference and barely won 3 games against weak competition. We could have been winless up till Mizzou. Recruiting and donations had hit bottom. It’s a fact. Pollard had no choice.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

The same people that gobble the pre-season hype merchants are now the “we’re ISU we’ve always been bad” people so shut up and take your ass whooping by KU and like it. Matt Campbell remains a genius.

Neat. Can we please stop pretending like Kansas is a terrible football team? They had a rocky start but they are solid on both sides of the ball. I guess that probably doesn't fit your ****** narrative though...

 

[12191987]

I do not want Campbell fired for the record (once again).

There appears to be 2 groups of people in this thread. Those who think our putrid football history predetermines the cap on our expectations, and those who don't.

I don't think our history should guide our expectations, and I suspect the coaching staff would be with me too.

The goal this year was the CCG and CFP, anything short of that is a failure. What happened under Walden in the 80's has no impact on this.

As someone firmly in the latter camp with respect to a cap on expectations, I couldn’t disagree more on the idea that missing a goal means failure.

If you expected the CCG and CFP you were definitely delusional. Neither was an unrealistic goal, but this team was picked to finish sixth.

Utah and OSU, yeah, their seasons are failures.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

McCarney was a win away in the last game of two consecutive seasons from a spot in the Big XII title game.

And absolutely sh!t the bed...