Program trending......

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swiacy

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Apr 9, 2009
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Just read a comment by CyBobby regarding Nebraska's program and an opinion that ISU would never be very good in football. I, on the other hand, remain optimistic even though I am of the same age. I have attended games in which ISU beat Nebraska in Ames and Lincoln and the Johnny Majors tie. I started attending games during the Clay Stapleton era. During the period of time from the 50's till now, ISU has had two coaches that built the program to the point that they were consistently competitive at a high level - Johnny Majors and Earle Bruce. And Clay Stapleton got close. Majors and Bruce were the real deal and proved it as they furthered their careers. Campbell has some things that remind me of Majors: youth, recruiting ability and connections. There is no reason that ISU can not reach the level of success that KSU has attained, its all about the right coach.
 

1100011CS

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Oct 5, 2007
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Just read a comment by CyBobby regarding Nebraska's program and an opinion that ISU would never be very good in football. I, on the other hand, remain optimistic even though I am of the same age. I have attended games in which ISU beat Nebraska in Ames and Lincoln and the Johnny Majors tie. I started attending games during the Clay Stapleton era. During the period of time from the 50's till now, ISU has had two coaches that built the program to the point that they were consistently competitive at a high level - Johnny Majors and Earle Bruce. And Clay Stapleton got close. Majors and Bruce were the real deal and proved it as they furthered their careers. Campbell has some things that remind me of Majors: youth, recruiting ability and connections. There is no reason that ISU can not reach the level of success that KSU has attained, its all about the right coach.

Your first mistake
 

Cyclad

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Apr 12, 2006
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Just read a comment by CyBobby regarding Nebraska's program and an opinion that ISU would never be very good in football. I, on the other hand, remain optimistic even though I am of the same age. I have attended games in which ISU beat Nebraska in Ames and Lincoln and the Johnny Majors tie. I started attending games during the Clay Stapleton era. During the period of time from the 50's till now, ISU has had two coaches that built the program to the point that they were consistently competitive at a high level - Johnny Majors and Earle Bruce. And Clay Stapleton got close. Majors and Bruce were the real deal and proved it as they furthered their careers. Campbell has some things that remind me of Majors: youth, recruiting ability and connections. There is no reason that ISU can not reach the level of success that KSU has attained, its all about the right coach.
I agree.
One question I struggle with -" is it harder or easier now than in the Majors/Bruce era?"
I think it is harder now. College football is the biggest it's ever been, definitely national, but with some areas of strong regional bias. I am sure you noticed the Dallas papers list of the top 10 big 12 quarterbacks. Every school had a representative except ISU. They picked the second team OU QB ahead of Park. It is also much more about $ as ever before. Plus the "haves" are getting 24/7 glorification from ESPN and the networks, whereas our only mention sometimes is making somebodiesbottom 10 list. Also, population demographics continue to work against us, and favor the south.
Impossible .... no. Easy .... no.
Is Campbell the right guy? I think YES.
 

norcalcy

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Oct 20, 2010
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I'm going to vote it's easier now than it was back in the day. Back in the 70's/80's we struggeled to get games televised. Only the "haves" played Saturday afternoon games on ABC. We might get one of those regional slots every other year. There was no early 11:00 window or late night west coast action. ESPN and all sports networks changed all that. Now every game (except UNI) is on some kind of national network. Parents of players can see every game now. Hell, ISU struggled to get the Register to cover the program back in the day. Thanks to new media, that kind of bias doesn't matter any more. ISU has its best chance ever to move up the football pecking order right now.
 

knowlesjam

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Oct 21, 2012
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Nebbie fans, while certainly living in the past, are pretty knowledgeable about this year's team and that it could go either way. They already have had a couple of injuries on the defense that will impact their performance, along with a couple of defections (including the Keyshawn Johnson withdrawal). There is very real worry that they are stuck in a 7-9 win rut. There are the elite teams out there and Nebbie is not one...obviously, neither are we. But moving up to the level that Nebbie is currently at...definitely attainable by ISU.
 

MeowingCows

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Jun 1, 2015
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Here's my worry:

Campbell gets us to a bowl with five wins and immediately leaves for a higher profile job taking the entire staff with him. You want continuity? Figure out a way $$$$$$$ to keep this staff in town until they REALLY prove something.
Good luck with that. He'd have to win a Natty to get high-profile programs calling on him after season 2 of Power 5 coaching.
 

knowlesjam

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Oct 21, 2012
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I am still waiting for the Cyclones to get into this type of rut.
After the past few years, this type of rut would be more like a peak for us. But look at the scores these past few years...it's not like we are that far away. What I repeatedly tire of is the complete rebuild every year of the O and D-lines. Skilled players out the ears (relatively)...lineman...nope.
 

isu81

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Mar 6, 2013
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I agree.
One question I struggle with -" is it harder or easier now than in the Majors/Bruce era?"
I think it is harder now. College football is the biggest it's ever been, definitely national, but with some areas of strong regional bias. I am sure you noticed the Dallas papers list of the top 10 big 12 quarterbacks. Every school had a representative except ISU. They picked the second team OU QB ahead of Park. It is also much more about $ as ever before. Plus the "haves" are getting 24/7 glorification from ESPN and the networks, whereas our only mention sometimes is making somebodiesbottom 10 list. Also, population demographics continue to work against us, and favor the south.
Impossible .... no. Easy .... no.
Is Campbell the right guy? I think YES.
It's easier now due to scholarship limits and the depth of high school talent across the country. In those days, there were half the number of good players and the 'haves" took them all. Maybe 30-40 guys in recruiting classes. Left nothing for the "have-nots". Now, between scholarship limits and broader base of recruits, there's enough to go around.
 
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CYCLNST8

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Hey- disagree and thumbs down all you want; the cold hard truth is that there is a real stigma attached to Cyclone Football. Ames is where coaches go to die. Can Jack Trice Stadium become a destination job? Sure, but it would take a looong run to bring any sense of security. Look at what the vampire has done for purple Kansas. Three years of Ron Prince and everyone believes Kansas State will head straight back to the gutter when the wizard finally calls it quits.

History has also shown that you don't even need to be far above average in Ames for a promotion. Earl Bruce topped out with a couple of 8 win seasons. Gene? Five triumphs in two years and he was SEC ready.

All things must pass, however. If the Cubs can do it, so can Cyclone football. The magical season will happen. Sustaining that success will be very tough though.
 

CyValley

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Feb 29, 2008
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After the past few years, this type of rut would be more like a peak for us. But look at the scores these past few years...it's not like we are that far away. What I repeatedly tire of is the complete rebuild every year of the O and D-lines. Skilled players out the ears (relatively)...lineman...nope.

This is why it was exciting to hear from CMC at Big 12 media days that the 2017 (incoming) OLine class is the best group he and staff have ever recruited. Layer upon layer, year after year.

We've got two excellent kids committed for 2018 (Iowans, no less), add Joey Ramos and we've got another great layer to add next year.
 
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CyValley

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Hey- disagree and thumbs down all you want; the cold hard truth is that there is a real stigma attached to Cyclone Football. Ames is where coaches go to die. . . .

Not one of us possesses the cold, hard truth. We possess speculations, we have guesses.

My guesses:

CMC's motivation for coming to Ames was not to watch his career die. He was not overwhelmed by stigma, he saw a dynamic possibility.

CMC said money was not what he was after in choosing to move on from Toledo, it was the place, the people that lured him (and, I believe him, or why choose iSu when he could have easily chosen another job for more money?)

Purest of speculation, but, just from watching CMC, absorbing his language, his words since we first got to know him, my instinct tells me he's here, in part, to achieve what not one of his predecessors has been able to do: Go where no Cyclone football coach has gone before, win a conference championship and an invitation to a showcase January bowl game.

At iSu, win games, he'll be far, far from a low-paid coach. Big 12 money and a full stadium will ensure that. His staff will be handsomely paid, too.

My guess, CMC is driven to achieve at iSu what other coaches do not have the guts to attempt. Iowa State University of Science & Technology is terrific academically (and lovely to behold ;-) its athletic fans are never-say-day; it's AD is 100 percent committed, supportive and savvy; Ames is a great university community in which to raise his young family.

IF CMC chooses to leave, my guess is it won't be any time soon. Iowa State University isn't merely a place where he wants to be; to achieve his goals, it is a place he must be.

Of course, this is no more than my speculation. Not one of us is lucky enough to know the truths that lurk subterranean in CMC's mind, so guessing is all that we can do.
 

CYCLNST8

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And my guess is he saw Iowa State as one helluva resume builder if he could overachieve for a few seasons.

Another worry of mine that hasn't been mentioned in the thread so far is the perceived volatility of our conference. That would scare away a lot of candidates. I like what Campbell is doing so far and we're lucky to have him. Let's see what this fall brings us. First and foremost I want to see UNI get curb stomped. We'll find out pretty quickly where this program is headed after the first three games.
 

madguy30

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Nov 15, 2011
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Coaching is always fickle, and seems to be more so today than ever. The way for ISU to reach K-State's level is consistency and luck.

I personally don't need amazing seasons every year; get to a bowl game, and occasionally pull off some sort of 8-9 win season.

If CMC goes 3-9 again this year the optimism and talk of 'trending' will likely fall off.
 

MeowingCows

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And my guess is he saw Iowa State as one helluva resume builder if he could overachieve for a few seasons.

Another worry of mine that hasn't been mentioned in the thread so far is the perceived volatility of our conference. That would scare away a lot of candidates. I like what Campbell is doing so far and we're lucky to have him. Let's see what this fall brings us. First and foremost I want to see UNI get curb stomped. We'll find out pretty quickly where this program is headed after the first three games.
Which hasn't occurred yet...

If he won 6 games last year and 8 this year, then yeah, I'd be on poacher watch. Given that he won 3 last year, if he wins 5 this year there won't be big names knocking on his door yet.
 

bosco

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Dec 21, 2008
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Not one of us possesses the cold, hard truth. We possess speculations, we have guesses.

My guesses:

CMC's motivation for coming to Ames was not to watch his career die. He was not overwhelmed by stigma, he saw a dynamic possibility.

CMC said money was not what he was after in choosing to move on from Toledo, it was the place, the people that lured him (and, I believe him, or why choose iSu when he could have easily chosen another job for more money?)

Purest of speculation, but, just from watching CMC, absorbing his language, his words since we first got to know him, my instinct tells me he's here, in part, to achieve what not one of his predecessors has been able to do: Go where no Cyclone football coach has gone before, win a conference championship and an invitation to a showcase January bowl game.

At iSu, win games, he'll be far, far from a low-paid coach. Big 12 money and a full stadium will ensure that. His staff will be handsomely paid, too.

My guess, CMC is driven to achieve at iSu what other coaches do not have the guts to attempt. Iowa State University of Science & Technology is terrific academically (and lovely to behold ;-) its athletic fans are never-say-day; it's AD is 100 percent committed, supportive and savvy; Ames is a great university community in which to raise his young family.

IF CMC chooses to leave, my guess is it won't be any time soon. Iowa State University isn't merely a place where he wants to be; to achieve his goals, it is a place he must be.

Of course, this is no more than my speculation. Not one of us is lucky enough to know the truths that lurk subterranean in CMC's mind, so guessing is all that we can do.
My guess is that obviously he felt he could win here but the level of success didn't have to be that high which I sure Pollard told him that. Any marginal improvement in the first couple of years then make a bowl game. We fans are like man dying of thirst in a desert. If MC brought us a cup of stinky muddy water we would bow down to him for such a gift.
 

t-noah

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Feb 2, 2007
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I'd like to think that we could be a 6-7 win/team every year, with a realistic chance to do even better most years. Not saying anything earth shattering here but we have to more consistently get close to that 6 win mark, start going to Bowls, etc. Our tradition can change, and I think we have the right coaching staff to do it.
We have the facilities, ISU is a great school and place to be, IMO. If the current staff has success, and then decides to move on, we will just have to try to hire that next coach that can keep us there or go beyond. The culture change has to include the fans belief also, but we need to see the results on the field for sure.