Did the high expectations kill this season?

[AttackOfTheClones]

ISU's game @ 'Vegas was great for the fans, but comes at a cost
~ travel day, then post-game, players get in at 6am to Ames Sunday morning >>a practice day/prep is burned
~ turnaround and travel to god-forsaken Waco--another practice day/prep is burned
~ ISU home & home series w/ UNLV and others--gives us only 6 home games/ most seasons which drives me crazy
~ The last two Saturdays--Trice is empty w/ perfect weather

Can we please stop w/ home & homes w/ teams like Akron, Toledo, etc?

Like the awful Hawkeyes--pay a team $$$ to come into Trice to get beat.
Iowa does this every season, and refuses home & home arrangements.

They play 7 HOME GAMES every season.

 

[isufanz1]

I wish our fans followed the example of our coach by focusing on the process instead of the results. I think that's one of the things that makes Campbell so special and why we're so fortunate to have him.

When you focus on the results, you end up declaring the season a lost cause in September (like the title of this thread). A season like last year would not have been possible.

When the focus on the process, you judge the success of the season at the END of the season. By focusing on the process (i.e., continuous improvement throughout the long season), you have a much better opportunity to play in the championship game.

I was so crushed with disappointment after the Iowa and Baylor games that I forced myself to avoid this website for a few days after each of those games. But I felt a lot better after listening to Campbell's comments.

Hang in there folks. Our season is not over!

Honestly I am the exact opposite. I have been very understanding of 'The Process' up til now, but feel much worse after hearing CMC comments after the game and this week.

You say we should judge the success of a season at the END. Well the 'END' of last season was a Fiesta Bowl win over a good Oregon team. We have returned practically everyone from that team so the BEGINNING of this season should have been where last season ENDED. This couldn't be further from the truth and we are now staring a 7-5 season in the face. Our All-Conf QB is playing the worst football of his career (look at the PFF Story on the front page and has regressed each yr from his freshman season), our ST are an absolute disaster (as has been pointed out with us giving up the most ST Points over the last 4 yrs and causing multiple losses over the last several yrs and PFF article as well), strange play calling (under center 2Pt), and now a coaching staff that is still trotting out 'The Process' and 'Win the Margin' quotes. CMC saying 'Who can judge us?" - well coach I will tell you, your peers in the Coaching Poll, the National Media in the AP Poll can and do 'judge' you and have judged you unworthy of being considered a top team. You are what your record says you are.

I will only feel better when I see a consistent change in how we're operating offensively and ST (Defense is outstanding and has been outstanding for a few yrs). I am not saying they need to change to a run-and-shoot offense, but something has to give and soon.

 

[Pope]

Honestly I am the exact opposite. I have been very understanding of 'The Process' up til now, but feel much worse after hearing CMC comments after the game and this week.

You say we should jude the success of a season at the END. Well the 'END' of last season was a Fiesta Bowl win over a good Oregon team. We have returned practically everyone from that team so the BEGINNING of this season should have been where last season ENDED. This couldn't be further from the truth and we are now staring a 7-5 season in the face. Our All-Conf QB is playing the worst football of his career (look at the PFF Story on the front page and has regressed each yr from his freshman season), our ST are an absolute disaster (as has been pointed out with us giving up the most ST Points over the last 4 yrs and causing multiple losses over the last several yrs and PFF article as well), strange play calling (under center 2Pt), and now a coaching staff that is still trotting out 'The Process' and 'Win the Margin' quotes. CMC saying 'Who can judge us?" - well coach I will tell you, your peers in the Coaching Poll, the National Media in the AP Poll can and do 'judge' you and have judged you unworthy of being considered a top team. You are what your record says you are.

I will only feel better when I see a consistent change in how we're operating offensively and ST (Defense is outstanding and has been outstanding for a few yrs). I am not saying they need to change to a run-and-shoot offense, but something as to give and soon.

I understand what you're saying, but your comments imply what we did last year is relevant to this season. Unfortunately, I don't believe it is.

I believe each season is a process of completely starting over. Just because you climbed to the top of the mountain last season does not mean you get to start this season at the top of the mountain. You have to start at the bottom every year and make that long climb all over again. Well, we're at the bottom now, so I guess we'll see how motivated our guys are to make the long climb once again.

Just wish we didn't have to learn this lesson the hard way.

 

[NoCreativity]

The "win in the margins" stuff is starting to wear really thin for me. We've seen a consistent pattern now of horrible special teams play and coaches not putting the offense in the best position to win. That's not doing the little things to win.

Teams like Iowa "win in the margins", teams that pretend they do can't get a play called in time in the Big 12 championship, don't fumble snaps when you need a 2 point conversion to tie, don't cough the ball up on their own goaline, don't have some random special teams guy take out their own punt returner.

 

[Al_4_State]

The "win in the margins" stuff is starting to wear really thin for me. We've seen a consistent pattern now of horrible special teams play and coaches not putting the offense in the best position to win. That's not doing the little things to win.

Teams like Iowa "win in the margins", teams that pretend they do can't get a play called in time in the Big 12 championship, don't fumble snaps when you need a 2 point conversion to tie, don't cough the ball up on their own goaline, don't have some random special teams guy take out their own punt returner.

Campbell teams lose in the margins.

I think the thing this staff has really done is rather than making us good at details, is that they've brought in a whole step up in talent from what we've seen before. We're absolute dog **** at the little details, but for the first time ever we have more talent than most of the teams we play. Which is a HUGE credit to this staff, it's just not the thing they preach or get credit for.

 

[CyBobby]

ISU's game @ 'Vegas was great for the fans, but comes at a cost
~ travel day, then post-game, players get in at 6am to Ames Sunday morning >>a practice day/prep is burned
~ turnaround and travel to god-forsaken Waco--another practice day/prep is burned
~ ISU home & home series w/ UNLV and others--gives us only 6 home games/ most seasons which drives me crazy
~ The last two Saturdays--Trice is empty w/ perfect weather

Can we please stop w/ home & homes w/ teams like Akron, Toledo, etc?

Like the awful Hawkeyes--pay a team $$$ to come into Trice to get beat.
Iowa does this every season, and refuses home & home arrangements.

They play 7 HOME GAMES every season.

We can't Play Seven Home Games every year because WE ARE NOT IOWA....

 

[CyBobby]

Honestly I am the exact opposite. I have been very understanding of 'The Process' up til now, but feel much worse after hearing CMC comments after the game and this week.

You say we should jude the success of a season at the END. Well the 'END' of last season was a Fiesta Bowl win over a good Oregon team. We have returned practically everyone from that team so the BEGINNING of this season should have been where last season ENDED. This couldn't be further from the truth and we are now staring a 7-5 season in the face. Our All-Conf QB is playing the worst football of his career (look at the PFF Story on the front page and has regressed each yr from his freshman season), our ST are an absolute disaster (as has been pointed out with us giving up the most ST Points over the last 4 yrs and causing multiple losses over the last several yrs and PFF article as well), strange play calling (under center 2Pt), and now a coaching staff that is still trotting out 'The Process' and 'Win the Margin' quotes. CMC saying 'Who can judge us?" - well coach I will tell you, your peers in the Coaching Poll, the National Media in the AP Poll can and do 'judge' you and have judged you unworthy of being considered a top team. You are what your record says you are.

I will only feel better when I see a consistent change in how we're operating offensively and ST (Defense is outstanding and has been outstanding for a few yrs). I am not saying they need to change to a run-and-shoot offense, but something has to give and soon.

I will feel better when....WE BEAT IOWA IN JACK TRICE STADIUM.....The great ISU fanbase DESERVES A BETTER TEAM THAN A 2 Win and 2 Loss team at this point in the season IMHO!

 

[isufanz1]

I understand what you're saying, but your comments imply what we did last year is relevant to this season. Unfortunately, I don't believe it is.

I believe each season is a process of completely starting over. Just because you climbed to the top of the mountain last season does not mean you get to start this season at the top of the mountain. You have to start at the bottom every year and make that long climb all over again. Well, we're at the bottom now, so I guess we'll see how motivated our guys are to make the long climb once again.

Just wish we didn't have to learn this lesson the hard way.

Pope - 19 times out of 20 I would agree with you that each season is a process of starting over and building. The reason for that is generally a team loses several key players from the previous season and the 'new' players/starters need to gel with the returners into a cohesive unit. I truly believe this year was one of the exception years - every single key player returned (20 of 22 starters and all key skill positions). Conf Off POY, Conf Def POY, all of our All-Conf players. Given this there should have been no need to 'gel'; these guys have been playing together for 2/3+ yrs now.

We were ranked pre-season Top 10 for this very reason. The same situation can be said of Oregon, but unlike our favorite team, Oregon built off their impressive season with their bushel of returners and are now #3 while we are wallowing unranked with ugly losses (ugly meaning how we lost).

The pressure/expectations has clearly gotten to CMC from his post game presser (he clearly wanted to just explode) to the comments this week. Unfortunately we will probably never get a situation like we had coming into this season again -20/22 starters returning, Def POY, Off POY, and coming off a NY6 bowl stomping.

 

[jbhtexas]

I wish our fans followed the example of our coach by focusing on the process instead of the results. I think that's one of the things that makes Campbell so special and why we're so fortunate to have him.

When you focus on the results, you end up declaring the season a lost cause in September (like the title of this thread). A season like last year would not have been possible.

When the focus on the process, you judge the success of the season at the END of the season. By focusing on the process (i.e., continuous improvement throughout the long season), you have a much better opportunity to play in the championship game.

I was so crushed with disappointment after the Iowa and Baylor games that I forced myself to avoid this website for a few days after each of those games. But I felt a lot better after listening to Campbell's comments.

Hang in there folks. Our season is not over!

If ISU wants to be the football standard-bearer for the the Big 12, which is now a position that needs to be filled due to the impending departure of OU, then results have to start being a focus. The media basically put ISU in the position to take this role this season, and the team has so far wet the bed with poor offensive/special teams performances against UNI, Iowa, and BU, resulting in two losses. It's not a good look, and good looks matter now with the impending renegotiation of TV deals.

What happens if ISU wins out this year? That would likely eliminate the Big 12 from any chance to be in the CFP, because 2-loss teams from the Big 12 don't go to the CFP. So yes, process-wise ISU can have still have a great season, but it doesn't really help the Big 12, and the Big 12 money pays ISU's AD bills. ISU doesn't exist in a vacuum. ISU needs to start representing well in the pre-conference games.

In any case, a process that in year six results in mediocre special teams and an offense that struggles to score TDs is concerning in its own right.

 

[stewart092284]

Exactly. Trusting the process and following the process is certainly a good starting point and coaching point...

but as Campbell himself says, even while talking about the process he admits its a results driven industry etc. So its not like hes unaware of that...

and also, in order for the product of Iowa State football to grow - be it ticket sales, recruiting, viewership etc - at the same time all of that to take the next step is dependent on results. We are where we are because we have built the process and respected the process etc... to take the next step IMO relies more on results than what has occurred before.

Its not meaning to say throw out the process part, not at all. But that can take you to the mountain which we are, to continue to climb we have to now get the results.

 

[Pope]

Pope - 19 times out of 20 I would agree with you that each season is a process of starting over and building. The reason for that is generally a team loses several key players from the previous season and the 'new' players/starters need to gel with the returners into a cohesive unit. I truly believe this year was one of the exception years - every single key player returned (20 of 22 starters and all key skill positions). Conf Off POY, Conf Def POY, all of our All-Conf players. Given this there should have been no need to 'gel'; these guys have been playing together for 2/3+ yrs now.

We were ranked pre-season Top 10 for this very reason. The same situation can be said of Oregon, but unlike our favorite team, Oregon built off their impressive season with their bushel of returners and are now #3 while we are wallowing unranked with ugly losses (ugly meaning how we lost).

The pressure/expectations has clearly gotten to CMC from his post game presser (he clearly wanted to just explode) to the comments this week. Unfortunately we will probably never get a situation like we had coming into this season again -20/22 starters returning, Def POY, Off POY, and coming off a NY6 bowl stomping.

I don't think Oregon is a fair comparison because I don't believe their season last year was impressive as you say. Their record was 4-3 with a season ending embarrassment. Based on Oregon standards, that's a disappointing season, so they entered this year hungry and eager to prove something.

We, on the other hand, had just finished the best season in ISU history and had everyone coming back. Our players are 18-23 year old humans, and when all they hear during the off season is how they belong at the top of the mountain, it's almost impossible to maintain the same high level of fire and passion that it took to climb the mountain. On top of that, they're under incredible pressure to perform at such a high level that it's difficult to play the way they did when they made that amazing ascent up the mountain.

Now that our guys have crashed back to reality, I'm optimistic we'll see much more improved play the remainder of the season. Unfortunately, our disappointing start means our margin for error is very small the rest of the way. However, we had the same small margin of error the last couple of seasons and they turned out pretty good, so I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Keep the faith. We have a really special coach and he and his team will learn from this.

 

[atlantacyclone]

It’s usually about this time that the Cyclones suddenly make everyone pissed that they wet the bed. Of course playing KU won’t tell us anything …

 

[Halincandenza]

Campbell seems to reevaluate and tweak things he is doing but for some reason he remains consistently stubborn about not having a full time STs coach despite the fact that they have issues every year. I wonder what is driving the stubbornness on this issue?

 

[Gunnerclone]

Exactly. Trusting the process and following the process is certainly a good starting point and coaching point...

but as Campbell himself says, even while talking about the process he admits its a results driven industry etc. So its not like hes unaware of that...

and also, in order for the product of Iowa State football to grow - be it ticket sales, recruiting, viewership etc - at the same time all of that to take the next step is dependent on results. We are where we are because we have built the process and respected the process etc... to take the next step IMO relies more on results than what has occurred before.

Its not meaning to say throw out the process part, not at all. But that can take you to the mountain which we are, to continue to climb we have to now get the results.

This is why CMC will leave ISU sooner than anyone thinks. He can’t grow to his full potential as a coach at ISU.

 

[stewart092284]

This is why CMC will leave ISU sooner than anyone thinks. He can’t grow to his full potential as a coach at ISU.

See. I don't agree... what's his full potential? Making 8 million dollars? Winning national championships? Having top 15 recruiting classes?

Sure. Those may be likely beyond what he can do at Iowa State.


If however its more about building young men, competing for league championships or upper half conference titles, improving recruiting, making enough where he and assistants know they are valued with a great fanbase...

then yes, yes he can achieve that here.


and thus far he does not seem like he's just chasing the money because he would have left by now

 

[awd4cy]

Honestly I am the exact opposite. I have been very understanding of 'The Process' up til now, but feel much worse after hearing CMC comments after the game and this week.

You say we should jude the success of a season at the END. Well the 'END' of last season was a Fiesta Bowl win over a good Oregon team. We have returned practically everyone from that team so the BEGINNING of this season should have been where last season ENDED. This couldn't be further from the truth and we are now staring a 7-5 season in the face. Our All-Conf QB is playing the worst football of his career (look at the PFF Story on the front page and has regressed each yr from his freshman season), our ST are an absolute disaster (as has been pointed out with us giving up the most ST Points over the last 4 yrs and causing multiple losses over the last several yrs and PFF article as well), strange play calling (under center 2Pt), and now a coaching staff that is still trotting out 'The Process' and 'Win the Margin' quotes. CMC saying 'Who can judge us?" - well coach I will tell you, your peers in the Coaching Poll, the National Media in the AP Poll can and do 'judge' you and have judged you unworthy of being considered a top team. You are what your record says you are.

I will only feel better when I see a consistent change in how we're operating offensively and ST (Defense is outstanding and has been outstanding for a few yrs). I am not saying they need to change to a run-and-shoot offense, but something has to give and soon.

My fear is, what happens if Heacock decides to leave or retire? I’m thinking Campbell suddenly doesn’t look so great unless he finds another elite Defensive Coordinator.

 

[MyronDamMixon]

We can't Play Seven Home Games every year because WE ARE little BRO....

FIFY

 

[quasistellar]

My fear is, what happens if Heacock decides to leave or retire? I’m thinking Campbell suddenly doesn’t look so great unless he finds another elite Defensive Coordinator.

That actually has me more scared than anything. I think without Heacock the last few years are 6-6 or sub .500 type years. The defense has been carrying the offense for a while now. Sure, the O has moments, but the D has had to save their (and ST) ass time and time again.

 

[UNIGuy4Cy]

You can't hide your special teams. That's it, thats the story of the season so far.

 

[NoCreativity]

I think I'm a little tired of "The Process" talk. That's fine for the first 3 or 4 years when you're building your program and hes done a phenomenal job of that.

There is no "process" when you have 20 of 22 starters back. Players and coaches know what they need to do to be successful. At this point it's a matter of cleaning up the constant mistakes that make is look like a JV team at times.