Football Optimism Moving Forward

What I really loved after like 4-5 years of Matt Campbell was jut not worrying about the Clones. Is someone big gonna leave the program in the offseason, or is the Heacock gonna leave, or are they just going to go back to sucking at football? At some point I hit a place where I knew they'd win games and always compete with whoever lined up across from them. I stopped following the offseason news closely. Didn't feel the need to know about everything that was going on. I'll miss that, but hopefully Rogers continues that place of well being for me.

I was hoping they'd go for a defensive minded guy, so Rogers fit the bill for me. DEfense and running the ball still wins at all levels. Also we're not accustomed to building through the transfer portal... as in losing a lot of key guys to transferring and needing to replace. This change will create a situation where the roster gets shaken up, but that can also be a positive and quite frankly an interesting proposition for a change. Not pulling my hair out... just yet.
 
What I really loved after like 4-5 years of Matt Campbell was jut not worrying about the Clones. Is someone big gonna leave the program in the offseason, or is the Heacock gonna leave, or are they just going to go back to sucking at football? At some point I hit a place where I knew they'd win games and always compete with whoever lined up across from them. I stopped following the offseason news closely. Didn't feel the need to know about everything that was going on. I'll miss that, but hopefully Rogers continues that place of well being for me.

I was hoping they'd go for a defensive minded guy, so Rogers fit the bill for me. DEfense and running the ball still wins at all levels. Also we're not accustomed to building through the transfer portal... as in losing a lot of key guys to transferring and needing to replace. This change will create a situation where the roster gets shaken up, but that can also be a positive and quite frankly an interesting proposition for a change. Not pulling my hair out... just yet.

It was an amazing thing to go into a game that we should win...and win easily! I didn't get to experience that much as a Cyclone football fan! Not that every Saturday was perfect...but that was a new feeling to me! I hope Coach Rogers can keep that level of program going!
 
It was an amazing thing to go into a game that we should win...and win easily! I didn't get to experience that much as a Cyclone football fan! Not that every Saturday was perfect...but that was a new feeling to me! I hope Coach Rogers can keep that level of program going!
Id be curious to look back from 2017 on and see just how many conference games ISU won by 14+ points, or even 21+. Felt that most years ISU would hammer one or 2 bad BG12 teams, and seemed to whoop on a pretty solid team as well.
 
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60 Minutes had a segment on Curt Cignetti last night. It was pretty good. Watch it & see what he did at the IU Basketball game when he was announced. :) I liked him a lot more after watching it.


 
I think we’re all pretty bummed about how the last week played out, but I’m a glass half full guy and there are real reasons for optimism moving forward:
  1. We’re on an even playing field with our peers.
    In the past we had to battle Texas, OU, Nebraska, A&M, and Mizzou, all programs with much bigger historical profiles. And during that same run K State, Oklahoma State, and Baylor were all rolling. Today, outside of Texas Tech and maybe BYU, we are recruiting against teams that are truly on our level.
  2. Our name carries weight now, especially in the Midwest.
    Kids who are 18 to 22 years old know Iowa State as a consistent top 25ish program. When Campbell took over, today’s high school seniors were about eight years old. All they have ever seen is ISU being solid and nationally relevant.
  3. Our facilities are legitimately impressive.
    We have the second largest stadium in the Big 12, an upgraded football complex, and we are far removed from the days of practicing at Lied Rec. By conference standards we are in a really strong spot.
  4. $13-15 million dollars in NIL is real firepower.
    No, we are not playing in the Penn State or SEC money tier, but we have never recruited head to head with those schools anyway. We now have enough resources to consistently attract and retain the level of talent needed to compete for Big 12 titles.
  5. The defense needed a reset.
    Big 12 offenses adjusted, and the 3-3-5 was not going to be the long term answer. A change was overdue, and I am excited to see what Coach Rodgers does with a fresh defensive vision.
I am all in on Coach Jimmy Rodgers. Hopefully he keeps a few key pieces, builds a tough roster, and brings new energy to the program.

You are either with us or against us. Roll Clones!!
Well said! I’m excited about a new defensive scheme
 
How did OSU average close to 45,000? The games I saw, the stands looked more like a Class 2A high school football game.
 
In most cases, Miller (NDSU) and Gronkowski (SDSU) yards per attempt and yards per completion were higher for versus Rocco.

Washington State QB this year was much lower though (probably why Rogers is bringing in a new offensive staff).

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Using 2022-2023 to compare the three schools (post Breece Hall, with Rogers at SDSU, and Roehl and NDSU) on rushing stats:

2022
NDSU: 265.7/game (6.1/cary)
SDSU: 184.6/game (4.9/carry)
ISU: 108/game (3.3/carry)

2023
NDSU: 237/game (5.8/carry)
SDSU: 227.7/game (6.3/carry)
ISU: 119.9/game (4.1/carry)

Then only Rogers..

2024
SDSU: 236.1/game (6.1/carry)
ISU: 160/game (4.4/carry)

2025
Wazzu: 117.6/game (3.5/carry)
ISU: 174/game (4.4/carry)
 
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I believe that Iowa State Cyclone football is entering the level up phase. I see Coach Jimmy Rogers taking the Cyclones to the next level. I believe the new Cyclones are going to be DAWG nasty- to the point teams will dread playing them. How many coaches on the new staff have played on and coached on National Championship teams? These guys know how to win conference/national championships- something Coach Campbell promised he would bring to Ames, but never could quite accomplish. I have confidence in AD Pollard and his nose for coaches. I am going to ride this sentiment until proven otherwise.
 
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I was really impressed by our new DC yesterday
Same, Bobbit seems like a winner. He took over HC duties and looked like he'd been doing it for years.

I'll miss Heacock, but Bobbit is going to bring in more QB pressure and JTS will appreciate the pressure sacks as opposed to hoping for coverage sacks.

LBs should be easy for Bobbit to recruit if they look at his system. Hopefully #0 Palano transfers here. His LBs really impressed me yesterday.
 
I believe that Iowa State Cyclone football is entering the level up phase. I see Coach Jimmy Rogers taking the Cyclones to the next level. I believe the new Cyclones are going to be DAWG nasty- to the point teams will dread playing them. How many coaches on the new staff have played on and coached on National Championship teams? These guys know how to win conference/national championships- something Coach Campbell promised he would bring to Ames, but never could quite accomplish. I have confidence in AD Pollard and his nose for coaches. I am going to ride this sentiment until proven otherwise.
I think he's learned over the years. I have a hard time believing that Jamie is going to hire another coordinator as a head coach.

Also wasn't the Chizik coaching search done by some kind of third party? Maybe we determined that was a waste of money lol
 
I think he's learned over the years. I have a hard time believing that Jamie is going to hire another coordinator as a head coach.

Also wasn't the Chizik coaching search done by some kind of third party? Maybe we determined that was a waste of money lol
He didn't do his homework on Chizik, he went after a name. Chizik was known for his Tampa 2 defense in the SEC. But here is the thing about the SEC he coached in, while the offenses had talent, the schemes were very archaic. When Chizik got to the Big 12 with the new spread offenses, his defenses at Texas got LIT. Vince Young bailed Texas out a lot while Chizik was there.
 
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This is the first season schools like Iowa State will have decent rev share to use in the portal, 4 or 5 times as much as ever before, and we know that reality means there will be more entries nationwide because of it. Optimistically, if you ever have a year where you have to fill the largest hole in a roster you have ever had, the first year where you have real money to do so looking at the largest potential player pool ever is not the worst time. Many schools will be spending much of their rev share trying to just hold their rosters together. Iowa State can be out trying to build one to compete right away.
 
Me too! Not because we were bad but watching a QB pick us apart with no pressure with a three man rush. And at the same time our offense is clicking. So annoying. I know you cant blame it on a three man rush but it’s easy for an armchair quarterback like me.
 
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