Even after losing so many players I'm still thinking next year is a bowl team.
I'll expect a slow start since '21 couldn't come out swinging.
I'll expect a slow start since '21 couldn't come out swinging.
Football optimism going forward - Kool-aid thread
- Thread starter State2015
- Start date
I think there's probably enough media bias against Iowa State where some of the lousy/lazy types will see us losing Hall, Rose, Purdy, etc, and assume we're set up for a major step backward. I think we'll get pegged at 6 or 7 in the Big 12 - behind Tech or WV but probably not both.
This and exactly this.
I am definitely not projecting we will finish 8th or 9th (I think we will finish 7th or higher).
The narrative will be that a program “like ISU” won’t be able to recover from losing the players we are.
Media will chew that up.
If we go 7/6 or 8/5 (or better) I think that will show we’re now reloading rather than rebuilding. I still worry about the OL and DL where depth is so important but it seems we’re in good shape otherwise.
Is Texas back?? lol
I think we will be picked 5th. Behind OU, OSU, Bay, and Tex. Media just doesn't pay enough attention and doesn't really think enough about turnover in roster and schedules.
Agree with the OP our schedule was sneaky difficult, both in timing and home/away. We caught a lot of teams after their bye week (incl Tech, who had just let go of their coach and was starting a new QB - good time to have 2 weeks to prep!)
The one advantage that they had with the bowl game was a little more time and notice. It's obvious that the 3 best LBs after Rose were Hummel, Vance and Vaughn. They needed to find a way to get those three on the field and not just replace Rose with Horne.
The other major starter loss that I remember was Will McDonald being out for TT. Maybe not out, but he played really limited snaps if I recall. That hurt us big time.
We are getting there. No better proof of this than the 2019 Orlando game vs the 2021 Orlando game. Played two big time programs with tremendous talent, the 2019 team looked like they didn't belong on the same field, but the 2021 was right in it and could have won if not for a few horrendous errors.
The many talented players we are losing this year are being replaced with higher ceiling type guys. The lack of experience is going to ding us up a bit next year, but the competitiveness will still be there. Who knows, a few bounces go our way that didn't go our way this year and we may be looking at a 7 or 8 win type season.
As disappointing as this year and the finish to this year was, the future is bright
I love winning 7-9 games a year. I just want that one really specially season, that 10 win plus season that multiple schools similar to ISU have done in the modern era. Oregon State(1998), KSU, Wake Forrest, Northwestern, Washington State (Ryan Leaf years), Boston College, Maryland (2001) etc...When will it be our turn?
For us to get there, need to somehow improve that offensive line and we need deep threats or the ability to hit on the long ball.
The other challenge is our competition in our league is pretty darn good.
For us to get there, need to somehow improve that offensive line and we need deep threats or the ability to hit on the long ball.
The other challenge is our competition in our league is pretty darn good.
Texas with Ewers will definitely be ahead of us in the preseason. I would guess we'll be picked somewhere around 7th-8th. I doubt any of the media or coaches do enough research to look beyond our personnel losses. Even from an internal perspective, there is a lot of hope involved to get us to the top half of the conference.
QB: Dekkers isn't totally unproven, but he's had very limited snaps in non-garbage time. He has a different skill set than Purdy, but the coaches and media have a lot of respect for Purdy and will expect a decent drop off.
RB: Lose 2 time OPY in the conference. Brock hasn't exactly lit it up in backup snaps. Pretty much no one has seen Silas or Sanders. Maybe we can expect those 3 to combine for 1200 yards, but that's pretty optimistic.
WR: Getting Hutchinson back was huge. Noel had a good finish to the year. A healthy Shaw is at least a solid piece. I do not think that they will really miss Milton, Scates, Anderson. We've not really heard if Wilson is coming back. Still, we need a step forward from Noel, Porter, Bitter, Jackson. I do think that Gaines will play right away and this is a position that I feel will be a clear improvement over 21.
TE: Kolar and Allen are huge losses. We've heard the hype on Dean, Hanika, Moore. Now they get a chance to prove it. We know what we have at F with Rus, so that's a good starting point. Still, there's no doubt that they move to more of a conventional type offense and less multiple TE sets. I do think that Shaw could eventually play the Kolar position and do OK there.
OL: I think our talent is definitely improving. Looks to me like they build around Downing at Center. Solid at Guard with Hufford and Simmons. Miller played OK at LT eventually in the bowl game against a really good DL. If Remsburg can get back healthy at RT, we might have a solid OL. They have the JUCO Neal to add depth and competition and plenty of younger players that are going to push the starters. This OL will be better in 22. How much better is the question. I'm not really sold on where they place guys, but there's no question the talent is improving.
DL: Getting McDonald back is huge. And, I have zero concerns about NG with Lee and Singleton. Not to mention Brown and Orange. My issue is the other spot. I could see Blake Peterson having a Zack Petersen type season. But who else is there? They're really going to miss Enyi. No Robertson, no Suttle, no Cordarrius Bailey. Does Onyedim compete for playing time? Will we finally see Johnny Wilson? I do have a feeling that Joey Petersen is going to bulk up and make some waves.
LB: Rose was awesome and Hummel was really good too. We're going to miss them. But getting Vance back was huge and Vaughn has proven he can play Will. If Reeder is as good as advertised, maybe this position doesn't take a huge step back. With the 3 TRFR showing up this month, it will be really interesting to see what the 2 deep looks like in the fall. Also, Zenzen is going to make a push and then there's Mendeszoon and Marshall. This position is going to be stronger than most people realize.
DB: Most people from the outside won't agree, but I actually think that we could be better here. The question for me will be where Anthony Johnson plays. If he plays Safety, we have an elite group there. Crazy to say, but Freyler replacing Young is a push. He's not the hitter Isheem was, but overall I think he may be a better player. McDonald has already proven to be a solid starter. At CB, if we are starting Purchase and Tampa, that is probably a step back from having Johnson at one corner, but they are raw and should get better. Personally, I'd rather keep Johnson at CB and start Morgan at Safety.
I probably shouldn;t say antyhing but I'm so optimistic that I think we might (MIGHT) exceed this year's win total. I think 8 might be possible if everything goes right. but since it rarely does I do think next year's team is certainly a bowl team and I'll explain why by position:
QB: Dekkers has the ability to stretch the field. Will there be inconsistencies? Heck yes. Especially early. But that's an added dimension.
RB: To state the obvious losing Breece hurts. But I think we have really good, capable depth there with Sanders, Silas and Brock. Maybe not individually as good but collecively I think are more than capable and maybe one will really step up.
WR: Getting Hutchinson is huge. Gaines obviously could get interesting. Shaw if he's healthy is alright. Noel and Hutchinson though gives us two very promising options. I also think there's some youngsters who might have ability. Daniel Jackson was playing more and more as the season went on.
TE: This is my biggest question on offense. Sure we have Dean and other young guys and I guess you can put Rus here. But this is a big question ATM.
OL: Downing, Simmons and Hufford inside is pretty decent. Elite? no. Remsburg if he's healthy is good enough to start - Miller, IDK, time will tell. We need to settle on a scheme and find ways (Draws, screens, roll outs, etc) to help the big guys when they are strugglign though rather than asking them to continue to run into a brick wall.
D-Line: Interior wise I think is really good. Even discounting the young guys coming in - Lee, Singleton and Brown and Onyedim are all good. Getting McDonald back is huge. Getting some other ends to step up will be big but I think we're going to be good to go here.
LB: Bigger question. I know we got the Delaware transfer - Reeding? - and that helps but overall, this is the spot defensively I am not 100% on right now.
CB: We need better play from people not named Anthony Johnson. I know Purchase was young. And Tampa was young.. But we have to be better there.
Safety: Weird in losing young and Eisworth but man, I feel good here. Freyler looked really good, I thought McDonald looked good when he gothis chances. And IDK how good he is but if a guy like Malik Verdon can step up - at his size.. man those are some physically imposing safeties. And King should be back as well, right? Maybe having these guys at safety give us a little bit of time in sorting out the LB situation.
Special Teams: I mean, yeah. Some certain questins here unless I've missed Mevis coming back news.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
but we dont have to go to - Waco, Lubbock, Morgantown or Manhattan. 4 tricky road games are now home games that in some ways have as much to do with the travel getting there as the actual team you are playing while there.
Doing to still water - not easy but they did just lose their DC.
Oklahoma will have a first year HC and has to come here.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Am I predicting a BIg 12 title right now? No I am not. There are too many real questions and things yet to be determined on this team to go that far.
But IMO its a more favorable schedule in terms of where we travel and while the guys leaving are amazing Cyclones and will certainly be missed, I honestly think if we can figure out who the new leaders on the team are -
I don't think there's any chance we are not bowling. I have a ton of faith in the young guys with the flashes they've shown and the opinions of the staff on their ability. I think its a team that if it can turn a few plays here or there in its favor is capable of reaching 8 wins and matching 7 in the regular season.
Semo, Kansas and Ohio - Should be wins
West Virginia, Texas Tech at home - I'd say are "probable" wins cause we took entire halves off and almost won both on the road
Baylor, Iowa, Kansas State, Texas, Oklahoma and Okie State - if we manage to win those 5, is it crazy to think we can win 1-2 more against those programs? To win 2 there we'd be 2-5 against those 7.
So yeah, I think we can go bowling, win 7 games and maybe more. I'm all in on this program and the future - though I guess its technically the present now
QB: Dekkers has the ability to stretch the field. Will there be inconsistencies? Heck yes. Especially early. But that's an added dimension.
RB: To state the obvious losing Breece hurts. But I think we have really good, capable depth there with Sanders, Silas and Brock. Maybe not individually as good but collecively I think are more than capable and maybe one will really step up.
WR: Getting Hutchinson is huge. Gaines obviously could get interesting. Shaw if he's healthy is alright. Noel and Hutchinson though gives us two very promising options. I also think there's some youngsters who might have ability. Daniel Jackson was playing more and more as the season went on.
TE: This is my biggest question on offense. Sure we have Dean and other young guys and I guess you can put Rus here. But this is a big question ATM.
OL: Downing, Simmons and Hufford inside is pretty decent. Elite? no. Remsburg if he's healthy is good enough to start - Miller, IDK, time will tell. We need to settle on a scheme and find ways (Draws, screens, roll outs, etc) to help the big guys when they are strugglign though rather than asking them to continue to run into a brick wall.
D-Line: Interior wise I think is really good. Even discounting the young guys coming in - Lee, Singleton and Brown and Onyedim are all good. Getting McDonald back is huge. Getting some other ends to step up will be big but I think we're going to be good to go here.
LB: Bigger question. I know we got the Delaware transfer - Reeding? - and that helps but overall, this is the spot defensively I am not 100% on right now.
CB: We need better play from people not named Anthony Johnson. I know Purchase was young. And Tampa was young.. But we have to be better there.
Safety: Weird in losing young and Eisworth but man, I feel good here. Freyler looked really good, I thought McDonald looked good when he gothis chances. And IDK how good he is but if a guy like Malik Verdon can step up - at his size.. man those are some physically imposing safeties. And King should be back as well, right? Maybe having these guys at safety give us a little bit of time in sorting out the LB situation.
Special Teams: I mean, yeah. Some certain questins here unless I've missed Mevis coming back news.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
but we dont have to go to - Waco, Lubbock, Morgantown or Manhattan. 4 tricky road games are now home games that in some ways have as much to do with the travel getting there as the actual team you are playing while there.
Doing to still water - not easy but they did just lose their DC.
Oklahoma will have a first year HC and has to come here.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Am I predicting a BIg 12 title right now? No I am not. There are too many real questions and things yet to be determined on this team to go that far.
But IMO its a more favorable schedule in terms of where we travel and while the guys leaving are amazing Cyclones and will certainly be missed, I honestly think if we can figure out who the new leaders on the team are -
I don't think there's any chance we are not bowling. I have a ton of faith in the young guys with the flashes they've shown and the opinions of the staff on their ability. I think its a team that if it can turn a few plays here or there in its favor is capable of reaching 8 wins and matching 7 in the regular season.
Semo, Kansas and Ohio - Should be wins
West Virginia, Texas Tech at home - I'd say are "probable" wins cause we took entire halves off and almost won both on the road
Baylor, Iowa, Kansas State, Texas, Oklahoma and Okie State - if we manage to win those 5, is it crazy to think we can win 1-2 more against those programs? To win 2 there we'd be 2-5 against those 7.
So yeah, I think we can go bowling, win 7 games and maybe more. I'm all in on this program and the future - though I guess its technically the present now
Agree on all of this but one minor point is that King is in the transfer portal for the Safeties
With all the DBs in the transfer portal I am hoping that one of them changes their mind and stays. Experience is going to be needed next year.
On Defense, I was most concerned with Linebacker holes being left but with O'Rein Vance coming back, and Vaughn and Reeder as most probable to fill in the other two spots at LB, that concern is lessened greatly. We've had pretty good look into the future at the other positions. A few unknowns, as to where Anthony Johnson will line up, and who will play opposite Will. Not too worried about the Defense for next season.
There are still quite a few questions on Offense, as always the O-line. Then TEs, RBs, and QB will all be new blood, we have vague ideas how they may perform, but just guesses really.
There are still quite a few questions on Offense, as always the O-line. Then TEs, RBs, and QB will all be new blood, we have vague ideas how they may perform, but just guesses really.
for ****’s sake. The media respects our program a lot better than our fans do. There’s no way we are picked 8 or 9.
As others have mentioned, I do like how our schedule lines up next year. Any year we get Kansas as an away game, plus 5 home conference games, yes please. We get the teams we maybe fighting for that 3-5 spot at home, Baylor, KSU, TT, WV, ...and OU.
Easy to get up for Texas and OsU on the road. Kansas is Kansas, that leaves TCU on the road as a possible let down game.
Easy to get up for Texas and OsU on the road. Kansas is Kansas, that leaves TCU on the road as a possible let down game.
We should have enough pieces in place to finish in the top half of the league in 2022, not win it, but at least go 5-4. The question will be have the coaches learn from their mistakes and become more aggressive on both sides of the ball?
What new offensive plays can they game plan in like a screen or counter to keep the defense at home, will we finally throw the ball down field and stop allowing the opponents DB's from creeping up.
On defense are we actually going to start playing in the first quarter for road games or continue to wait until halftime down by three scores before we become aggressive and stunt and blitz the QB instead of allowing him to get comfortable in the pocket, and then pick us to death.
The talent should be there, will aggressive coaching also be, or more of this laid-back style that we saw all of this past year.
What new offensive plays can they game plan in like a screen or counter to keep the defense at home, will we finally throw the ball down field and stop allowing the opponents DB's from creeping up.
On defense are we actually going to start playing in the first quarter for road games or continue to wait until halftime down by three scores before we become aggressive and stunt and blitz the QB instead of allowing him to get comfortable in the pocket, and then pick us to death.
The talent should be there, will aggressive coaching also be, or more of this laid-back style that we saw all of this past year.
Just because you didn't like it doesn't mean the tactic of bend, don't break was "their mistake." It seemed to pay off in several of the previous years including the best record in ISU history in 2020.
I never mentioned the bend, don't break process. I called the staff out for sitting back and letting a QB get into rhythm, in the first quarter, like we did at TT, Baylor and WV. We came out playing a base defense, instead of attacking, and all three quarterbacks lite us up. I question why we are aggressive at home and not on the road in getting after the QB, especially, with as many returning starters as we had this past year on the defensive side of the ball.
I'm optimistic that if Campbell stays for a long time we average just around 8 wins per regular season, probably a bit below. If he's here to 2031 I'd guess we have about 75-80 between now and then, plus bowl victories. 3-4 of those in top 3 spots in the Big 12, a couple where we squeak out or don't get bowl bids.
I'm not from the every body gets a ribbon era or every body needs to be mentioned. Does anyone not think Silas won't be our next great back?
