Think injuries are an excuse? Check out Missouri

[AdamJGray]

After almost every conference game we play, I usually think the team we play against has a better gameplan and more fundamentally sound players.

Ok that is fair. I feel that way a lot when looking at our offense.

The first 4 years though, I feel that our defensive game plan is generally pretty fantastic. Last year we held every opponent under their scoring average. Since Rhoads is a defensive coach, that is to be expected that its been a strength for this team (not this year of course.)

No doubt there needs to be something done about the offense. I won't argue that. I do maintain though, that it looks worse this year due to the enormous amount of injuries on the line. Our skill talent at on offense is at an all time high across the board. But when you can't consistently block, your going to struggle.

 

[CycloneErik]

Technically, if you take yesterday's game into account, Donnie Duncan has a higher winning percentage by less than one tenth of a percentage point. Please note that Donnie Duncan inherited Earle Bruce's program, which had gone 24-11 the previous 3 years versus Paul Rhoads who inherited a program which had gone 9-27 the previous 3.

If we were to lose out, he drops below Jim Criner.

I still think we get another win, but it still has him regressing to the mean.

 

[GMan]

If we were to lose out, he drops below Jim Criner.

I still think we get another win, but it still has him regressing to the mean.

Oh, well in that case Rhoads should be fired.

 

[Wesley]

I knew as well that we'd have issues with inexperience. Losing our best players has obviously caused major problems with the defense, but essentially, you're giving the staff a pass for this season because of the injuries. That's where my dissatisfaction with your message lies.

We gave Rhoads the keys last season by way of a 10 year contract extension. I'm expecting that at the end of this season, he'll use the same exact justification for keeping Messingham as our OC and making few if any changes to the staff in general.

We have yet to even sniff the middle of the Big 12 pack, and it's year 5 of the Rhoads Administration. Is that what you would consider to be 'not in bad shape'?

How can we possibly run the same horrid offense next year. it will take the defense a couple of years to be good again.

 

[Wesley]

If we were to lose out, he drops below Jim Criner.

I still think we get another win, but it still has him regressing to the mean.

Would he still be ahead of Walden? At the rate he is currently building, Danny mac's program will look like a runaway freight train.

 

[Aclone]

I agree Adam but they have had their share of injuries this year including the loss of Franklin and are in the drivers seat. The killer is we were bad when the first team was in there, beaten by UNI and Iowa.

You mean, before the first quarter of the UNI game, when Farniok was hurt? Or, are you counting before Richardson was hurt?

And we still don't know when Lichtenberg was injured.

 

[dirtyninety]

injuries or no.....Mizzou sat on the ball with like two timeouts and 30 seconds or so on thier 35 yard line. I think they had two timeouts and the Gamecocks might have had one or zero. They didn't even try. They just ran out the clock to play overtime while the fans were booing. Say what you want about fans in general....but they knew more about football in that instance than Pinkel. McCarney ball for sure. Hell, chunk up a hail mary. Pass interference or a catch wins that game for you with a long field goal. worst case you get a 40 yard interception which is just like a punt. Pinkel sucks. Cowardly coaching sucks. CPR generally plays for every second which I enjoy over McCarney ball.

 

[CycloneErik]

Would he still be ahead of Walden? At the rate he is currently building, Danny mac's program will look like a runaway freight train.

Significantly ahead, with a chance to go either direction.

If Rhoads can stop the bleeding, he can get it done. It's a tough road, but it's possible.

 

[F5cy]

My main frustration is with the offense just like everyone else - I don't think we are a team that will ever push the elites of the conference for the crown, but I do expect we can compete against 2/3 of our conference year in and year out for 4-5-6th place. I read things all season and pre-season long about how we have new offensive wrinkles etc.. and healthy offensive line or not, we have to go out there and run plays.

"That's why during his Monday press conference, I asked Rhoads to put on his defensive coordinator cap for a minute. My question: If you’re an opposing defensive coordinator, is this the most difficult offense to prepare for that you’ve had at Iowa State? “I think we are getting there. The uniqueness of some of the plays. The uniqueness of the Pistol offense,â€￾ Rhoads said. “As big of a piece in that is the tight end. If teams can forget about the tight end, they have got a leg up.â€￾" source: Notebook: The offense is ?getting there? | News | Football | Cyclone Fanatic


I'm not sure about anyone else here, but I think the reverse we tried in Saturday's game was about as 'unique' as things have gotten for us recently. Sure, we had a backup in the 2nd half, but he should know the playbook just as well, yes?

On the bright side, my former complaint about our guys not even running to the first down sticks was remedied this weekend. Our receivers actually ran their routes to the markers and had opportunities to catch first downs, whereas in previous games, they've stopped 2 yards short. See, i'm not just trying to be a stick in the mud. Just saying how I see things right now.

 

[Aclone]

How can we possibly run the same horrid offense next year. it will take the defense a couple of years to be good again.

That's kind of the point of the OP. Or, hasn't it soaked into your head yet just how many offensive linemen are injured? Or any of the other positions?

And I think that the defense can be vastly improved next season. Especially if they sign a couple of the JC players that are out there.

 

[UNIGuy4Cy]

You mean, before the first quarter of the UNI game, when Farniok was hurt? Or, are you counting before Richardson was hurt?

And we still don't know when Lichtenberg was injured.

Unless SR or Farniok could tackle David Johnson then yes.

 

[Palmer]

excuses excuses. The season was going down the tubes before injuries set in.

The UNI loss alone qualifies this season as ****.

 

[SpokaneCY]

What the hell is with everyone's insane obsession with year 5?

While Chizik was an awful coach, he was a good recruiter (possibly for illegal reasons). After year 4 all those players are gone and Rhoads is left to the players he's recruited. As a first time head coach, Rhoads had to learn how to build a team and how to recruit to probably the most difficult BCS job in football. Thus we aren't seeing many upperclassmen on the field now. However, recruiting started to pick up for Rhoads and has been steadily getting better with each season. I don't know much about ISU recruiting history but last year's class was probably our best ever.

Yet still last. Like the year before and the year before that. If you make the argument that last years class, while still LAST in the league, has the most talent of any other ISU class you may have less resistance.

 

[SpokaneCY]

Given that Rhoads has a better winning percentage at ISU than every coach except Earl Bruce since WW2, I would say Rhoads is an above average coach at least in terms of ISU.

Like claiming to be worlds tallest midget.

 

[GMan]

Like claiming to be worlds tallest midget.

ISU football against the rest of the league is like midgets against giants. Time to drop the program.

 

[JUKEBOX]

ISU football against the rest of the league is like midgets against giants. Time to drop the program.

You should change your name to EasilyFlusteredMan. :wink:

 

[UNIGuy4Cy]

It took me two days after that loss to Baylor to swallow my pride, for the first time since Rhoads arrived, and admit we are a really bad football team.

 

[jdoggivjc]

It is true the MU fans were calling for Pinkel's head, but MU fans will be what they will be. I would suggest if ISU had pulled off an 8-win season in year 3 or year 4, there would be much, much less negativity this year. 8 wins, and perhaps even 9-wins were in reach last year, if not for the perrenially terrible offense. The opportunity was there, and it was blown.

This is so hypocritical. What makes you think that deep down ISU fans are any different than Missouri fans? Flip-flop the two programs, everything from their recent success to their ability to leave the Big 12, and ISU fans are probably just as annoying as Missouri fans are. The fact that you say "MU fans will be what they will be" means you completely have your cardinal shades on if you believe that ISU fans can't and won't be just as annoying.

 

[stateofmind]

I'm pretty sure there isn't one fan happy about our offense.
Most everybody knew the D was going to be shaky at best this year, add to it an inept offense and it just emphasizes the holes.
We suck this year, but I see enough in EVERY game that makes me believe we are fine, especially if we can keep the recruits that have verballed.
We CAN'T fire Rhoads, and I'm guessing 95% wouldn't want that. I'm guessing 99% want Messingham relieved of his duties.
Why must you naysayers ruin every thread trying to convince the rest of us to give up like you?
Why must the rainbow and sunshine feel the need to convince the whiners to stop whining?
Many of us will continue to support ISU no matter who our coach is, and there is no doubt in my mind that Rhoads is the guy for the next 5-10 years.

 

[mustangcy]

I love it...make a great comparison (which I literally made to a Mizzou fan just yesterday) and get bashed because certain posters insist on being ****** bags. Frankly, the comparison to Mizzou last year is almost perfect in terms of situations. No, you can't go game for game...no, ISU is not going to be as good as Mizzou this year nor was Mizzou as bad as we are this year but the comparison of two teams that were young AND got hit by an epic injury bug is spot on.