Assessing the program's progress under Coach Rhoads

[swarthmoreCY]

Agree. Recruiting has to get better. I wonder if our staff has that dynamic, persuasive X-factor when it comes to engaging with recruits.
Also, Rhoads is very fortunate that he is at a school with a fan base like we have.

Recruiting has/is getting (slowly) better. We have been working through players from previous staffs and the thrown together class from CPR's first year.

CPR is the biggest X-factor in recruiting we have had in decades. We could use a couple more top-notch assistants in recruiting.

 

[Doc]

Recruiting has/is getting (slowly) better. We have been working through players from previous staffs and the thrown together class from CPR's first year.

CPR is the biggest X-factor in recruiting we have had in decades. We could use a couple more top-notch assistants in recruiting.

Agree. Recruiting is getting better, and it will show up in a couple of years. For example, our starting lines may have 1-2 BCS offers between them but we have numerous guys in the pipeline that did have offers and probably have higher ceilings than our current starters.

 

[ILiftWithRoyce]

On the other hand, one winning season out of four would get many coaches fired.

One area that I am concerned about is recruiting. Something like 60% (very very roughly) of our recruits are still 2-star players. The "stars don't matter" people, just imagine how the Cincinnati game last night would have turned out if 60% of our MBB players were 2-star players. Now, I realize that it isn't realistic at this point to expect 5-star and 4-star recruits to be coming to ISU in football, but if 3-star players are the best we are going to get, then we need to make 3-star players the bulk of our commit lists.

In regard to recruits' stars, currently in this year's recruiting class (according to ESPN) we have signed 5 2-stars, 16 3-stars, and 1 4-star.

 

[ajk4st8]

I love what coach rhoads is doing. I really hope we can win the bowl game to avoid 3 straight losing seasons.

 

[swarthmoreCY]

I love what coach rhoads is doing. I really hope we can win the bowl game to avoid 3 straight losing seasons.

I hope we can win the bowl game. Only 1 losing regular season in 4 years is a good start.

 

[alarson]

I hope we can win the bowl game. Only 1 losing regular season in 4 years is a good start.

If you're going to play that game, you could say 'not a single winning regular season in 4 years isnt much of a good start'

 

[ISUKyro]

Still be Gene Cheezwiz...........
And to be honest here; we can question CPR all we want - but please let me know who you think we would ever have a chance at the take us to a better place than were we are now? This is our guy and we are pretty damn lucky to have him if you ask me.

Don't get me wrong I'm very bummed out that we just can't get past 3 conference wins. I'm still willing to give CPR many more years simply in pure fear of the fact that it could be (many of have lived through) much worse.

 

[swarthmoreCY]

If you're going to play that game, you could say 'not a single winning regular season in 4 years isnt much of a good start'

That has already been played in this game, but anyways, I would disagree. You are forgetting where we were starting from. This alone tells me CPR is off to a good start.

 

[alarson]

That has already been played in this game, but anyways, I would disagree. You are forgetting where we were starting from. This alone tells me CPR is off to a good start.

Nope, im not forgetting. I think we're making progress as a program as a whole, though offensively we are not.

 

[leroycyclone]

I sure hope the executives in Dallas are working on recruiting a few cupcakes into the conference. The nine game conference schedule works against ISU until other conferences pony up and add that ninth conference game.

 

[CycloneVet]

Bottom line the conference is loaded top to bottom. The last 2 weeks the offense actually showed what is possible when you have a smart qb. I think SR is gonna be a top 5 qb when he is done unless he gets beat out by someone better which could also happen. I like the kid a lot but it did seem he was a little gun shy at times back there tonight, seemed to take off a little too quickly but then again I wasnt seeing the things he was seeing.

 

[Luth4Cy]

Bottom line the conference is loaded top to bottom. The last 2 weeks the offense actually showed what is possible when you have a smart qb. I think SR is gonna be a top 5 qb when he is done unless he gets beat out by someone better which could also happen. I like the kid a lot but it did seem he was a little gun shy at times back there tonight, seemed to take off a little too quickly but then again I wasnt seeing the things he was seeing.

Top 5 QB? Top 5 in the country, conference, on the team, in school history?

 

[Aclone]

I'm not sure you can quite call the program "his" yet, when most of the seniors were recruited by the previous staff. Even most of the '09 signing class was initially recruited by CPR's predecessor--and that includes Washington, Watson and Broomfield, IIRC. CPR's first full class was the '10 group, which started with Farniok and all of those OL guys--who are currently redshirt sophs.

Still, I think that after four years, you can see the progress as better talent starts to trickle upward into the program. It's just unfortunate that so many guys were hurt late in the year.

 

[twojman]

Top 5 QB? Top 5 in the country, conference, on the team, in school history?

I'll take top 5 in the conference. Right now we do not even have one in the top 12-14. OU has two better then ISU while OSU has 3.

 

[Wesley]

The Tavon Austin 'catch' for 75 yards was a big deal. If ISU has a healthy secondary, that play never happens. Maybe a 30 yard gain but no TD and perhaps WVU has to settle for a field goal?

Hate to say this but AJ on the play turned his head to communicate with the defender back of him as the ball was snapped. He was one step late to get in position and Tavon was off to the races. If he had his head turned to the play at that second, we may have had another outcome.

 

[swiacy]

Red-shirting the entire freshman class is very telling. CPR is systematically building the program as it should be. I remember when Earle Bruce went 3-8 his first three years and then 8-3 his final three before leaving for the OSU. (side note: Bruce's middle 8-3 bunch were 2nd in the nation statistically and did not go to a bowl). IMO, CPR has done more than Bruce did in his rebuilding phase and from now forward will benefit from "his" recruiting. Their is an old saying in coaching "you can't make sugar out of s**t", and until you start getting the players, you won't compete with the big boys. Lets just hope Iowa does not figure it out and keeps Ferentz around a little longer, like they did Fry!

 

[Rural]

Red-shirting the entire freshman class is very telling. CPR is systematically building the program as it should be. I remember when Earle Bruce went 3-8 his first three years and then 8-3 his final three before leaving for the OSU. (side note: Bruce's middle 8-3 bunch were 2nd in the nation statistically and did not go to a bowl). IMO, CPR has done more than Bruce did in his rebuilding phase and from now forward will benefit from "his" recruiting. Their is an old saying in coaching "you can't make sugar out of s**t", and until you start getting the players, you won't compete with the big boys. Lets just hope Iowa does not figure it out and keeps Ferentz around a little longer, like they did Fry!

Damn you all to hell, Woody Hayes.

The only way you could have altered the space/time arc any more was with a DeLorean.

 

[isugcs]

Red-shirting the entire freshman class is very telling. CPR is systematically building the program as it should be. I remember when Earle Bruce went 3-8 his first three years and then 8-3 his final three before leaving for the OSU. (side note: Bruce's middle 8-3 bunch were 2nd in the nation statistically and did not go to a bowl). IMO, CPR has done more than Bruce did in his rebuilding phase and from now forward will benefit from "his" recruiting. Their is an old saying in coaching "you can't make sugar out of s**t", and until you start getting the players, you won't compete with the big boys. Lets just hope Iowa does not figure it out and keeps Ferentz around a little longer, like they did Fry!

I think this is key, Iowa was stupid to give Ferentz a long contract. He's now locked in and hopefully will piddle it down his leg for the next decade.

 

[eddiepishammerd]

Hate to say this but AJ on the play turned his head to communicate with the defender back of him as the ball was snapped. He was one step late to get in position and Tavis was off to the races. If we had our head turned to the play at that second, we may have had another outcome.

You're exactly right.

 

[kingcy]

I think this is key, Iowa was stupid to give Ferentz a long contract. He's now locked in and hopefully will piddle it down his leg for the next decade.

He got the contract after winning a BCS bowl game. He also has a good agent that gets his name attached to job openings. They did what they needed to do to keep their most successfull coach in town, how did they know the lows would be this low.