Talk to me about Jim Walden

[1UNI2ISU]

In those early years, what were his scholarship limitations for Walden? Were they not able to fill all of the scholarships they had?

Old, terrible and now gone NCAA rule that you could only bring in 25 scholarship players in a year so if you got behind and walked into a bad situation you had no way of ever catching up. The rule only lasted 4 years but it was the 4 years that killed Jim Walden.

With the resources and stuff he was given, he never really had a chance.

When he lost to UNI in 92 he said something to the effect of 'Of course they beat me, they've got better players and better facilities.' That was also an historically good UNI team which didn't help, one freak injury from a national title. Got beat by Tressel in the Semi-Finals.

 

[Frak]

Now that I think about it, Tradewinds is where we went, not Whiskey River. haha... I just remembered a dark old main bar.

To be fair he wasn't wrong for many years. But look at the facilities improvements since he said that quote. Gene Smith started it, without the financial backing. JP combined VanDeVelde and Smith, balance sheet AND money raiser wrapped up in one. Without JP I think we are still in the muck. Credit to Jishke for caring about sports to start, and then Geoffrey hiring JP.

I agree. A lot of credit goes to Jishke and Geoffrey for actually standing up to the academics and showing that a good FB program can be a real asset to the university. Without their support, Gene Smith and Pollard would have never gained traction.

 

[BleedCycloneRed]

Besides OU and Nebraska there are 3 other games that stand out: 91 a 23-22 win at Mizzou behind 3rd string QB Kevin Caldwell, the 91 snow game against Colorado where if you got to the game you were able to come in and the crazy game at home with KU where both teams managed to blow 20 point leads and we lost. That game featured the good ol' fumblerooski.[/QUOTE]


I recall being at that "crazy game with KU" and the fumblerooski (a play on which ISU scored going into the north end zone). KU was ahead 28-7 before ISU score forty (40) straight points to grab a 47-28, lead, only to give up 21 points in the 4th quarter and lose. I think ISU has to hold the NCAA record for most consecutive points scored during a football game in a lost cause. How do you score 40 straights points in a football game and lose. That was the Walden era.

 

[Cypwr]

Old, terrible and now gone NCAA rule that you could only bring in 25 scholarship players in a year so if you got behind and walked into a bad situation you had no way of ever catching up. The rule only lasted 4 years but it was the 4 years that killed Jim Walden.

With the resources and stuff he was given, he never really had a chance.

When he lost to UNI in 92 he said something to the effect of 'Of course they beat me, they've got better players and better facilities.' That was also an historically good UNI team which didn't help, one freak injury from a national title. Got beat by Tressel in the Semi-Finals.

Back then UNI also had more scholarship players then ISU because they could split the scholarship up like you can currently do in the minor sports like Wrestling.

 

[Cyburbbalz]

Walden was a fun guy and seemed to be a decent coach considering the situation he inherited. I was at a summer camp and he told us a dirty joke. As a 6th grader, this made him cool in my book.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

Back then UNI also had more scholarship players then ISU because they could split the scholarship up like you can currently do in the minor sports like Wrestling.

Still can in FCS. You can split your 63 between 85 guys.

 

[MeanDean]

Was hesitant to open this thread expecting lots of negativity towards Walden. Surprised to find it's largely positive. Or at least sympathetic to the situation he was forced to deal with. Way to go CF!

 

[HTOWN Cyclone]

Anyone know who the streaker was? Is he on this board?

Paul Davis
Was in my fraternity after I graduated

 

[c.y.c.l.o.n.e.s]

Clarifying a couple of things about the number of scholarships that Walden had to work with. Criner left him with a big mess but NCAA sanctions were only part of it. Read here about the mess that was Criner's final two years.

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-11-16-sp-7786-story.html

But Walden himself said the penalties weren't the biggest problem. Attrition, suspensions and a poor job of recruiting by Criner left him way short on players and NCAA scholarship limits made it impossible for him to catch up. He was very vocal about it. Read here to see what he had to say.
https://oklahoman.com/article/2245943/a-vocal-minority-theres-no-silencing-iowa-states-walden

 

[Cloneman89]

My whole Cyclone experience was watching Coach Walden battle against the AD, the garbage facilities and the whining academics. CJW made it worse by being an affable guy the students loved. He tried and tried - the weak admin and the Board of Regents ( specifically the Hok supporters) refused to upgrade the field. It was clearly stated by the Regents that ISU should become a vassal of Iowa. CJW never had a chance. Rumor was they told him about the scoli issue on the plane after he had left Wazu. Nice!

 

[Tornado man]

But Walden himself said the penalties weren't the biggest problem. Attrition, suspensions and a poor job of recruiting by Criner left him way short on players and NCAA scholarship limits made it impossible for him to catch up. He was very vocal about it. Read here to see what he had to say.
https://oklahoman.com/article/2245943/a-vocal-minority-theres-no-silencing-iowa-states-walden

Well that sounds nice - until you notice that Walden's best years were with Criner's players, and his smaller roster.
When he accumulated his own "talent" - Walden's record got worse. He was an awful coach.

 

[sapstud]

Besides OU and Nebraska there are 3 other games that stand out: 91 a 23-22 win at Mizzou behind 3rd string QB Kevin Caldwell, the 91 snow game against Colorado where if you got to the game you were able to come in and the crazy game at home with KU where both teams managed to blow 20 point leads and we lost. That game featured the good ol' fumblerooski.

I recall being at that "crazy game with KU" and the fumblerooski (a play on which ISU scored going into the north end zone). KU was ahead 28-7 before ISU score forty (40) straight points to grab a 47-28, lead, only to give up 21 points in the 4th quarter and lose. I think ISU has to hold the NCAA record for most consecutive points scored during a football game in a lost cause. How do you score 40 straights points in a football game and lose. That was the Walden era.[/QUOTE]

On that day against Kansas the offense put up over 600 yards of offense against a top 5 Kansas defense that had Dana Stubblefield(SF) and Gilbert Brown(GB) at defensive tackles.

 

[SEIOWA CLONE]

ISU really made just horrible choices by hiring coaches Criner and Walden, at ISU that screwed the program over for a least a decade.
The BOR was into its, "let make everything the U of I, at Ames time, they sold of WOI to pay the states debts. Fry had turned around EIU and was going to Rose Bowls, and ISU football was left to rot on the side of the road. Administration that did not care, BOR wanted to enrich EIU, horrible football on the field, and the lost decade of fans were made.

As someone growing up in the 70's, it was hard to go through the 80's, with everything that was going on at ISU.
Worst time period in the history of ISU athletics at least for football.

 

[madguy30]

ISU really made just horrible choices by hiring coaches Criner and Walden, at ISU that screwed the program over for a least a decade.
The BOR was into its, "let make everything the U of I, at Ames time, they sold of WOI to pay the states debts. Fry had turned around EIU and was going to Rose Bowls, and ISU football was left to rot on the side of the road. Administration that did not care, BOR wanted to enrich EIU, horrible football on the field, and the lost decade of fans were made.

As someone growing up in the 70's, it was hard to go through the 80's, with everything that was going on at ISU.
Worst time period in the history of ISU athletics at least for football.

And oddly the 90's were worse record-wise, but lots of that likely had to do with what was left after the 80s.

 

[cyclones500]

ISU really made just horrible choices by hiring coaches Criner and Walden, at ISU that screwed the program over for a least a decade.

I can never remember this -- who else was ISU considering at the time of the Criner and Walden hires? I remember in retrospect missing out on Cooper after Bruce left, but not who else was considered other than Duncan, and definitely no clear recollection about the next 2 decisions.

 

[SEIOWA CLONE]

I can never remember this -- who else was ISU considering at the time of the Criner and Walden hires? I remember in retrospect missing out on Cooper after Bruce left, but not who else was considered other than Duncan, and definitely no clear recollection about the next 2 decisions.

I believe Jim Cooper was at Tulsa at the time, then went on to Ohio State wanted the job in the mid 80's. The rumor was that Bill Snyder also wanted the job before he took the KSU job.

Looking up the record, during the 90's, ISU never had a season where we won more than 4 games, we also had a zero win and a one win season in there. Plus this was towards the end of the 15 game losing streak to Iowa.

The 80's we were average, but the 90's we were horrible for the most part.

 

[ENGR 79]

First, Jim was an extremely likable, funny, and charismatic coach. On the flip side, I can remember multiple times his offense getting stuffed on first and second downs, then having the QB punt on 3rd down deep in our own territory, avoiding a return by the defense.

 

[jsb]

First, Jim was an extremely likable, funny, and charismatic coach. On the flip side, I can remember multiple times his offense getting stuffed on first and second downs, then having the QB punt on 3rd down deep in our own territory, avoiding a return by the defense.

to be fair that happened a lot with McCarney.

 

[Rabbuk]

First, Jim was an extremely likable, funny, and charismatic coach. On the flip side, I can remember multiple times his offense getting stuffed on first and second downs, then having the QB punt on 3rd down deep in our own territory, avoiding a return by the defense.

Sounds like the 90s bears

 

[Messi]

i wonder if we'll have threads similar to this regarding Paul Rhoads in 20 years?