ISU’s 2-biggest failings are a consistent running game, and defense IMO. The gentleman who pointed out ISU’s inability to score 40 points on what were some of the absolute worst defense’s in the country is very true for sure.
But I feel compelled to defend A-clone as I would certainly choose to look at things with a modicum of hope as opposed to bitter pessimism. Which of course can always be called realism, but if it reaps the same fruit what’s the diff? Given all things (intelligence-ability) being equal I would always choose to be around someone who tries to look at things objectively but with a positive attitude.Being around the latter makes you want to jump!
Back on track………….Every year is a different year, every month a different month and every game a different game really. Obviously I'm a huge Iowa fan and a Big 10 fan first and foremost. But I am also c-football junkie and have always been a fan of the whole college landscape and in particular the Big 12 and SEC as a result. (Frame of reference, sorry) Let me give you a couple case studies to help you see how fickle things are. 1st off, you guys always play us to the nines (No I'm not going into a super bowl mantra, but follow me) Next year Iowa returns a lot of talent and may even be ranked pre-season. However that isn't always a recipe for success for Iowa. Why?!?!? Because they are over ranked??? That's the easy answer and it's much more subtle than that I think as they are hardly the only team that does better being over looked. Furthermore if we come into Ames next year with a really good football team, ranked about 20th I fully expect to be about a 10 point fav.!!!!! Stupid!!!! No matter how good we are or how bad you may be that game historically goes to the wire and talent has very little to do with it. We will have to be very fortunate to win that game & I sincerely mean that. If ISU goes 2-10 again and we end up 11-1 I still expect that one game to be very difficult. Now, why is that?!?!
More & more I think talent is the least important equation to winning at anything. Effort, attitude and momentum are paramount. What happens if you guys lose a tough game to Iowa in IC, but you're still feeling OK about it.(tell the truth you were) Then you head out to UNLV, sleep walk yet pull that out and then com back and crush KU as you were. Whole different season. Now bare in mind I'm not pimping ISU's talent. I think you're D is slow, and very poor tacklers, who aren't very physical out side of possibly Banks and LJ. But the point being, wins in those 2 games change your "stars" so-to-speak. I don't use Iowa as a win, because for what ever reason Iowa doesn't intimidate or excite you guys enough anymore to be a catalyst to a good season. Some teams just struggle with other teams and vice versa. You guys struggle with almost everyone in the BIG 12 and it's not because they are so dominating. As many of you have noted the North really is heinous right now and it's best team, Mizzou, plays absolutely no D at all. I, as had many of the compatriots on the Hawkeye Lounge (gave up my membership so I don't know what they think now) had really thought GC was changing that mind set, but this year was a major step back, so why?!?!?!
It's my opinion that it really comes down to defense and a running game (and the attitude that comes with them) for you guys. Iowa has had a lot of problems over the years (some real, some imagined by our enemies and our own) defense however has not be one of them. The reasons for that are good or bad, we have always put our athletes on D! I also think KF and staff are just better at identifying defensive talent IMHO. We are typically fast, athletic and physical on D (though I think that had been missing a tick the past 2 years) and when we get torched we give up 27 or 30 points, on a rare ocassion 35 or 38, not 40 or 50! Now many of you think this is because of the conference we play in but that isn't reality. I saw someone who seemed to believe that we "clogged" our field with water, to slow down ISU's speed and I'm here to tell you Iowa's wasn't afraid of ISU being faster and anyone who thinks that might be drinking Big 12 Kool-aid.
Which I mention because you guys have to get your best athletes over their 1st and foremost and then infuse the attitude that says I’m going to punch you in the mouth. And if you get past me I’m going to run you down and then punch you in the mouth.
People say Iowa struggles with spread teams, yet you guys and others have lamented not being able to punch it in, in the red zone and that is how we play. We are tough to run by because we tackle well, and we typically have enough speed to run people down if they get a gap. We don’t give up easy TD’s and we absolutely brutalize people all the way down the field (more so this year than the last 2) and it wears on them.
Now a dominant running game would help with all this and that has been fleeting the past couple years as well, so that is another are that needs immediately addressed. The QB and WR talent IMO is pretty good, and I think, "Stressing" think the O-line is serviceable. Many of you may not know (as I said I'm a junkie) but the Big 12 landscape will change a bit next year. OU loses their 3 best Wideouts and ALL 5-O-linemen. It's not impossible that Bradford goes Pro as I think he is a 3rd year Soph, but unlikely I’ll agree, but all the same they won't score points next year like thi past year. Their D however returns most everyone (good or bad) so I would expect them to get back to running a bit more and playing bang up D every game. Texas is more of the same, McCoy could definitely go Pro and they lose Shippley and Crosby along with 4- O-lineman but return most of their D. TT loses Morris, likely Crabtree and Harrell along with 3, O-linemen.
This post has gone on too long so I'll end it abruptly. My premise was to show how quickly the c-football landscape can change and you have to build a system and a mantra if you will, and it is my belief that it should start with D and running first and foremost, despite the popularity of the "spread"!
ISU needs to repair their attitude and image first then they can win football games. Not just beat Iowa but actually win some meaningful football games. You beating us and then losing 8 games, just frustrates us both. LOL...............sorry for the length!
Chad
