Hoke wouldn't have seriously looked at ISU?? He went to SDSU for God's sake, which in most circles would be looked at as a step DOWN. I heard that he didn't even have his own office at Ball St. If ISU wanted him, they could STILL have him. I have doubts about him, though, since a lot of his success came off of one good player.
These people hating on Pollard, I would like to know what you think he did wrong. Setting season ticket sales records? All of the facilities work? Chizik had a good resume, so I don't see where this is Pollard's fault. I for one am glad that he's in charge and working on this hire.
I worded my comments about Hoke wrong. I didn't think he would have looked at ISU until I read he took the SDSU job. There's no way in hell ISU could still 'have' him. He knew ISU was opening up before he took the SDSU job. In his opinion, he felt SDSU would be a better fit (plus the bird in hand proverb). You tell me where you think it would be easier to turn a program around at: SDSU or ISU? If your goal is to move to a top 50 program, you'll take the job that gives you the best chance to show your wares. ISU is a tough job. Not because we the fans or the administration don't support it. It's because it's in Iowa with another DI school so you are already at a recruiting disadvantage. Then look at the schedule. You point to me which Big 12 programs you foresee as be demonstrably worse over the next 5 years. KU? KSU? Seriously, the Big 12 is loaded right now, and ISU is two or three steps behind the next worst.
As far as Pollard goes, he has done some good things. My biggest concerns are two fold. First, the performance of two major revenue sports under his watch. Second, the fact that the entire athletic department is leveraged to the point that a poor hire here (ie. someone that doesn't spark excitement) could put ISU in a position financially that would be very difficult to come back from.
With that being said, I bet there is a great coaching candidate out there that knows everything I posted in my first paragraph yet wants to prove his worth. Someone that knows that Dan McCarney was almost a legend here (a FG away in reality) that feels he can get ISU over that hump. Chizik might have been that man. We'll never know. However, we can hope that whomever we get is that man. Let's just hope the support is there from the current athletes and fans to give him a fighting chance.
- but he certainly gets credit for the new basketball facility. Everyone also knows that Jack Trice is in DESPERATE NEED of renovation. He's got the west side done and is firing it up on the east side. Not to mention that something HAS to be done on the south side. Right now it just looks like an overglorified high school (or maybe D-IAA) stadium. Just even bowling in the bottom half of the south endzone (something I imagined when I was going there) would greatly improve the look and feel of that stadium. All of this is something that JP not only has the vision, but actual planning for. Not to mention he's got to be the best ISU AD ever at raising cash and selling tickets at a time when most people wouldn't be able to. Yes, Chizik was a bust - but you're trying to tell me that he shouldn't have gone after the best possible coach because he might not be here in a few years? Instead he should have gone after a lesser commodity? Please get your emotions in check before you continue to make asinine comments.
