Troll alert, troll alert , troll alert. Why have there been so many posts on a garbage thread like this?:SLEEP:
This program is in trouble, CPR's in over his head
- Thread starter Wilson
- Start date
Troll alert, troll alert , troll alert. Why have there been so many posts on a garbage thread like this?:SLEEP:
Our offense is pathetic and predictable. We are the easiest team to prepare for week in, week out. We try to man up and play straight nose football with insufficient talent. We run the same style offense as almost everyone else in the conference, so the defenses are very familiar with it.
Year 5. How are we differentiating ourselves? Oh, right. We go shotgun, but put the back behind the QB now instead of on his flank. Brilliant.
Do we ever use motion to make a defense tip its hand? Can we blitz without the O seeing it coming a mile away? How much ISU football do you need to see before you recognize poor coaching? Shouldn't teams get better as the season goes along, if the coaching is good?
We are in real trouble folks. I know people don't want to knock the affable local guy, but c'mon. Look at the bowl game flops, and yes, that includes a Minnesota w/out Decker. Look at the conference record.
CPR is a good man and a great influence on young men. If we are being honest and grading the coaching, over the years here, I would have a hard time offering anything more than a C-.
I've had this same thought several times. Last year truly was set up for 8 wins, but our offensive woes prevented us from getting over the hump. Even a win in the bowl game would have bought us quite a bit more good will, but the way we lost just lets air out of the balloon.
Things feel like they are coming apart because we cannot, for the life of us, get pretty basic things figured out on offense. Despite seeing some real skill players out there, the OL can't even play adequate, basic football, and appears snakebitten with injuries. The Defense is going through growing pains building up again for a better 2014, but cannot get any help from an offense that appears to have stalled out at around worst or second worst in the conference and ~90th nationally. Even the special teams play has been improved, but the offense just continues to fart in the elevator.
Im going to sound like a Rhoads appologist and I am far from it BUT for some perspective:
You are correct, CPR's first two classes are the upperclassmen that are in the program and should be ready to play. When Rhoads arrived on campus what exactly did he have to sell recruits?
Iowa State wasnt exactly coming off of a good stretch of football. Chizik was 5-19 over two years and Danny Mac was 18-18 his last three years (including 4-8 in his last year). That means over a 3 year period ISU was 9-27 and over 5 years their record was 23-37. Not exactly much to sell from a program or history standpoint. The one and only thing is that ISU's record against Iowa was about .500 since the streak was broken.
CPR couldnt really sell himself, I mean ISU was his first HC job so if anything that was likely used against him by other coaches.
Poor facilities in comparison with other schools at the time of his hire (video board and new FB only built since he got here)
Location- Probably low on the list but if you are a 3rd or 4 teir recruit and you have the opportunity to play in Iowa or stay in TX, FL or closer to home, ISU is a hard sell.
Add the conference realignment in yr two and the fact that many talking heads were calling for ISU to the WAC/MAC etc.
There were very few "positives" to sell to new recruits other than get in on the ground floor and you have a chance to play right away etc.
I personally think that CPR has improved the skill position talent on this team dramatically since they arrived. CPR says every year that the closer you are to the ball the harder it is to play early in your career. To much size and strength needed especially when you are a 2-3 star guy.
Most of the skill guys are underclassmen and were brought in when ISU had won games against Nebby, TX etc and CPR had the momentum and his passion to sell as well as the atmoshpere at Jack Trice etc.
Im as POd as the next guy but I honestly believe that next year will be a 6 win bowl game (or better) and the next year will be the breakout season.
If we are sitting here in 2015 at 3-3 or worse then I am all for making a change at the top. Until then I will try to remember how young this team is and how far the program has come since Chizzdick
It could be that it goes deeper than year 5. CPR is now playing "his players" or at least most of the players that he recruited, and we cant even beat Puni from cedar falls.
The concern is that if Rhoads recruits don't pan out, we will be in last place for a long time, that's the fear I hear most often from my friends.
Sure the defense played well. Good job D. Had Nebraska not coughed up the ball 8 times in that game in what may be recalled by most Nebraska fans as one of the worst games Nebraska has played in the history of their program... ISU doesn't win that game. Are you trying to argue that fact? Are you trying to claim that Nebraska played to their standard level of play in that game? ISU scored 9 points and won because the Nebraska offense had an epic meltdown. Let's be realistic here.
To play devil's advocate, your post could actually provide ammunition for Rhoads' early termination. Better to ax him now when we have some good recruits in the program than to let him spiral downward to the bottom.
Frankly, Pollard is in a unique (and difficult) spot. IMO, he must sit down with Rhoads and demand a plan for correcting systemic failures--namely the offensive scheme--that are so glaring even the message board gurus can see them. He must judge (and it will be subjective) whether Rhoads can right the ship. Can he fix the offense. Can he make hard decisions to fire assistant coaches. If not, then better to start over, IMO.
I know some think Rhoads deserves benefit of the doubt. I think the window for that benefit is over. Now he must be judged (fairly but rigorously) on current results and his plan for moving forward.
Frankly, I'm glad I don't have to make this decision.
Frankly, Pollard is in a unique (and difficult) spot. IMO, he must sit down with Rhoads and demand a plan for correcting systemic failures--namely the offensive scheme--that are so glaring even the message board gurus can see them. He must judge (and it will be subjective) whether Rhoads can right the ship. Can he fix the offense. Can he make hard decisions to fire assistant coaches. If not, then better to start over, IMO.
I know some think Rhoads deserves benefit of the doubt. I think the window for that benefit is over. Now he must be judged (fairly but rigorously) on current results and his plan for moving forward.
Frankly, I'm glad I don't have to make this decision.
Even if Pollard believes that Rhoads cannot get the job done, and deserves to be fired, it isn't going to happen. 22 months ago we gave him a 10 year contract. We were so fearful that he may leave, that we committed for a long, long time. Even crashing ticket sales will not be able to financially justify a firing for the next few years. Donors might be willing to pony up 3-4 million for a buyout. But they're not going to buyout 10 year contracts. Like it or not, Rhoads is here for a while.
I don't think we are ever going to be better than mediocre. And the only man who can get us to mediocre 3 years out of every 4 is Paul Rhoads.
This is 100% dead *** wrong. A good HC get MORE out of his assistants in addition to his players. The football landscape is littered with former standout coordinators who've compete cratered when they left he womb.
So I guess we just sit back and pray. Does Pollard have any leverage at all? I'm worried that Rhoads will ride his terrible offensive scheme to the bottom of the toilet.
