Feeling a little duped right now

[scyclonekid]

After the spring game I told my dad and others, 4-5 win season. I thought we would be more competitive than this though. Injuries do effect your team, ask Georgia. I was happy we still showed up and cheered the players on yesterday.

To be honest, I really didn't think we would make a bowl till year three or four in the Rhoads era. The only reason I am losing some faith in coach is because of the offensive side of the ball with our ****** coordinator. Really hoping that changes at years end. I really hope we can muster a few more wins.

 

[AuH2O]

I was there at meet the coaches night. If you didnt think there was cause for concern about the season after that night, you werent listening. Rhoads was already beginning 'managing expectations' spin about how young the team was. Was obvious Rhoads knew we could be in for a long year.

The thing that sucks though is even with those expectations lowered, the down-ness of the big 12 should have allowed us to have a halfway ok year. Beat UNI, Beat Tulsa, then find 4 wins in a very down big 12 (KU,WVU,TCU,and KSU, for instance), and we're in a bowl this year even with our relative youth.

Rhoads has always been a very optimistic, and while during the preseason he talked about the improved athleticism he was careful to always qualify that with talk about inexperience. I thought it was quite clear that Rhoads knew a lot of players weren't ready. I too, though thought we'd get 2 wins in preseason and because of all the inexperience (esp. at QB) in the conference we could pull out 3 wins. But then again, I'm usually a bit on the optimistic side. I thought we'd go 7-5 or even 8-4 last year. I wasn't accounting for continued regression of our QBs and DL.

 

[Prone2Clone]

Beat UNI, Beat Tulsa, then find 4 wins in a very down big 12 (KU,WVU,TCU,and KSU, for instance), and we're in a bowl this year even with our relative youth.

You forgot Iowa. We shouldn't lose to that putz team at home.

 

[mt85]

I was there at meet the coaches night. If you didnt think there was cause for concern about the season after that night, you werent listening. Rhoads was already beginning 'managing expectations' spin about how young the team was. Was obvious Rhoads knew we could be in for a long year.

The thing that sucks though is even with those expectations lowered, the down-ness of the big 12 should have allowed us to have a halfway ok year. Beat UNI, Beat Tulsa, then find 4 wins in a very down big 12 (KU,WVU,TCU,and KSU, for instance), and we're in a bowl this year even with our relative youth.

The front loaded conference schedule has not helped. We have yet to play any of the four lower half teams that you mentioned. There is still hope for some wins, but the injury bug is going to make it tough.

 

[Freebird]

For all the members of the whiner club, a rebuilding year is one in which you replace a large number of starters.

Thanks for the immature name-calling.
I don't think many others around college football would agree with your definition of rebuilding. "Rebuilding" after back-to-back 6-7 seasons with horrible bowl performances? Um. Okay if you say so.....

 

[mcblogerson]

I think this thread is full of people who have no knowledge or history of ISU football.

 

[Freebird]

I think this thread is full of people who have no knowledge or history of ISU football.

I think our fan base is full of people who had hoped we had finally moved past our history of ISU football.

 

[Wesley]

Well, the rest of us knew this year would suck. We didn't expect it to be this bad though. But still, we knew this would be a down year.

Yep. This is Danny duped or Chiz duped type of a year.

 

[alarson]

The front loaded conference schedule has not helped. We have yet to play any of the four lower half teams that you mentioned. There is still hope for some wins, but the injury bug is going to make it tough.

This is true. Itd be interesting to see this board if we could win all those games, sitting at 5 wins and knowing that the UNI embarrassment and\or the Texas screwjob cost us a bowl at that point.

 

[Freebird]

This is true. Itd be interesting to see this board if we could win all those games, sitting at 5 wins and knowing that the UNI embarrassment and\or the Texas screwjob cost us a bowl at that point.

I can see this happening if we get some of our guys back from injury and the team hasn't completely packed it in mentally after the rough start.

 

[Clark]

This is true. Itd be interesting to see this board if we could win all those games, sitting at 5 wins and knowing that the UNI embarrassment and\or the Texas screwjob cost us a bowl at that point.

That would take a win over OU wouldn't it? Even as inconsistent as OU has been this year, good luck with that.

 

[CyJack13]

That would take a win over OU wouldn't it? Even as inconsistent as OU has been this year, good luck with that.

No it would take wins over KU, K-State, TCU and West Virginia though.

 

[Yellow Snow]

That would take a win over OU wouldn't it? Even as inconsistent as OU has been this year, good luck with that.

No, what he is saying is win KSU, TCU, Kansas, and WVU and we'd be sitting at 5-7 (losing to OU)... longing for the UNI game back. Or a meteor to hit the officials from the Texas game.

 

[mikem]

What are we down from? Is our ceiling 6-6?

Seriously, is this 21's alt screen name?

 

[Clark]

That would take a win over OU wouldn't it? Even as inconsistent as OU has been this year, good luck with that.

No it would take wins over KU, K-State, TCU and West Virginia though.

My bad, I keep forgetting ISU has played one less game than most of the other teams in the country.

 

[norcalcy]

I think our fan base is full of people who had hoped we had finally moved past our history of ISU football.

One of these days we all have to move past that history and look at things objectively. Sure, we can't recruit a bunch of 4* and 5* guys. Lots of programs can say that (even relatively successful ones like Oregon State, Boise State etc.) But there is absolutely no reason we can't teach, coach and develop mid level players to be in a position to succeed (ala K State and others mentioned before). Regardless of history, and any "irrational" expectations this year, people are alarmed at what they have seen. They are alarmed at an offense that can't get out of its own way and a defense that is leaking oil all over the field from wear and tear with each passing week. I don't feel duped, I am somewhat surprised that this coach, who is a pretty smart guy, is in this position at this point in his tenure. I am rooting for him to turn it around so I can start rooting for the product on the field again.

Objectively, we should start each and every year with a feeling we can compete in the Big XII conference and actually win the damn thing once in a great while. There will be up years and down years but none of it should have anything to do with our "history". History doesn't seem to be bothering Baylor these days.

 

[mikem]

To compete in a BCS league like the B12 you need some future NFL players. I don't see more than 1-2 out there and that's being generous. It probably takes 4-5 (total, not in each class) future NFL'ers to get to around .500 as we have in the past.

The top teams in the league probably have 8+ in their starting line ups.

Obviously we'll never be loaded with 4/5 star athletes but we need to at least get the type of players that Iowa has been successful with. Tall, reasonably athletic guys with big frames. They have developed those types into NFL OL, TE's, DL, LB's and safeties. Amd they've had a fair amount of success with players like that. You can find lots of 3 star athletes that can fall into that category but typically they have at least a few other BSC offers.

A little perspective, though.

CPR got the job in December, and had just a few weeks to hold together, and add to, Chizik's recruiting class. Then with a fairly easy schedule, they make the bowl game, but what happened then? All of the realignment talk.

They never really got to use the Nebraska "I'm so proud" speech on the recruiting trail, because we were going to lose
our spot in a bcs conference. The same thing happened again the very next year.

It's already a difficult place to recruit to. Being in a North/South conference as the outlier ensures this. But those first three recruiting classes suffered from things that weren't all the coaches faults.

I agree that there need to be changes. But it seems that the vast majority of the talent in this program is in its first two years, either redshirting, or playing too soon. I think it's a little too soon to give up.

 

[CycloneWanderer]

One thing to note is that with youth comes hesitance. Sometimes it is difficult for younger players to show their speed because they, while being athletically able to play fast, don't because they are not recognizing and reacting quick enough to plays.

 

[SpokaneCY]

They were all so omniscient and predicted a down year though brah. The level of hypocrisy on this board is so damn high.

I remember scoffing at the blue-skyers and the 8+ win season predictions. Seem to remember the 4-5 win group being a little grim but realistic expecting growth through the year with a chance of a goodly step up next year.

Don't EVER remember anyone from the coaching staff spouting off on high expectations but do recall clearly the unified theme of best team speed ever and replacing lots of talent from prior year.

 

[SpokaneCY]

I can see this happening if we get some of our guys back from injury and the team hasn't completely packed it in mentally after the rough start.

So you can see us winning 4 B12 games in a row? Have we ever won 4 B12 games in a row? Have we ever won 4 big12 games in a SEASON?