Will not get excited till after the first game.

[KMAC_ATTACK]

I have been a fan since 1971. In more than 40 years of following ISU, I have learned that the first game says a lot for what to expect for the rest of the year. Last year we played UNI, a team that give fewer scholarships and has a very small recruiting budget compared to ours. Facilities also should not compare. We should not lose to UNI. Their leading rusher had something 220 yards and our QB was sacked 6 times. UNI dominated both lines of scrimmage. Their DL dominated our OL and their OL did the same with our DL. After the Iowa game Coach Rhodes said that we did not see Rohach in the Iowa game because he was not ready. If Rohach was not ready for the Iowa game then he was not ready for the UNI game. It appears we had one scholarship QB prepared for the UNI game. If that is true then why did Richardson have 22 rushing attempts (a terrible coaching decision). I know 6 of those were sacks, but why put your QB at risk early in the season against a non league opponent. Richardson hurt his ankle and was not effective the rest of the year. ISU was greatly outcoached by UNI last year. UNI knew how to attack ISU, and ISU was clueless attacking UNI. I have a lot of concerns. The OL could be good this year, but they have had 3 different OL coaches, each with different techniques, in 3 years. Our QB's have primarily had their best games against Kansas and WV. I want to see them play effectively against top talent in the league. The defense has a lot of holes to fill and the front 7 will continue to be undersized and have difficulty stopping teams with power rushing offenses. Since the spring there has been a lot of positive hype and news. I will wait to get excited until after I watch the first game.

Cyborg...i can agree with your position of not overreacting - i have a different opinion on the impacts of changes and outlooks.

1. It was perfectly obvious that there was serious mishappenings on the sidelines and im sure in meetings with philosophy between CPR and Coach K. That said, the linemans reactions to his accepting of a position at Arkansas was received in a manner that is unusual in todays game. Typically the words after a move is that of wishing good luck not relief. So that to me is a sign that our linemans head will be in a better place to start the season and game.

2. When is the last time that we placed multiple guys on the all big 12 teams? Probably never in your 40 years of watching ISU football. That to me bodes well for us in the grand scheme of developing players. Our OL is in a position it has not been maybe ever in not only the quality of player but also the depth.

3. Development of players as the season went along is a huge in my mind. Bondrage, Rohach, Richardson, Bibbs, Wimberly, OL as a whole....this teams offensive skill exceeded its coaching. Under this new regime i expect it to eclipse last years accomplishments early in the season. The defensive coaches have always been kicked in the groin because the offense could not sustain drives and ball control. Thus they were defending short fields and on the field too much. IF this offense can sustain drives and not turn it over, the defense will be better - regardless of players lost.

I will hold my expectations as once again this team plays a very difficult schedule. However, i posted about this in the game some 5-6 years ago when ISU was playing at KU and Mangino was the coach. That teams offense played some incredible team ball and if you ever watch one of those games - watch the wr block for the running plays - it was beautiful! If our team has that on offense this year - it will be incredibly fun to watch football come fall!!!!!

 

[clonedude]

Actually, I thought ISU played very well against UNI. Few penalties. Few turnovers. Pretty good offense.

The difference was being 1) ISU forced to attempt FG when close to the goal line 2) an unstoppable UNI running back that got better the closer he got to the goal line.

I beg to differ..... sorry.

You might need to watch this to refresh your memory. It wouldn't be a bad idea to show this to the ISU team this year before we hit the field against NDSU too possibly? Remind them to strap it up and come out with a chip on their shoulder. It was about as ugly as it could have been. UNI could have almost named the score. Remember they gave up on our 1 yd line at the end or it would have been 35-20 instead of 28-20.

[video=youtube;5IRNhqDQqj4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IRNhqDQqj4[/video]

 

[Luth4Cy]

I'll be interested to see the OL play after all of the Klenakis comments. CPR must not have thought he was that bad - Klenakis didn't get fired, but instead left for Louisville...

Or just a tendency to give coaches a chance to improve. He not only was ready to give Klenakis a second season, but he also did give Mess a second season as OC after a disappointing first season.

 

[FanatiClone]

Or just a tendency to give coaches a chance to improve. He not only was ready to give Klenakis a second season, but he also did give Mess a second season as OC after a disappointing first season.

Agree with you. Hard to fire a guy you just hired the same year. Especially with monuments of inefficiency throughout the rest of the program. Very glad Klenakis left of his own accord.

 

[madguy30]

....there's been plenty of games in a variety of weeks that got me excited for the next one....and it usually doesn't end well. As a matter of fact...when was the last time anyone felt comfortable about ISU playing well for 2 consecutive games?

Even the times they played well the week before in the past few seasons...they struggled to beat really bad KU teams the week after.

The NDSU game is a reason for excitement if ISU wins something like 42-7 with a limited playbook, because they actually dominate someone.

 

[cylove]

Just enjoy it for what it is. Some fans act like they are shocked when Iowa State struggles in football. I'm 35 and they've struggled more than they haven't seen I've been alive. I refuse to make myself miserable before I have to.

This. I was around for Earle Bruce, but was too young to appreciate it.

Since then, even the "good" Iowa State teams had the handicap of mccarney's ability to "coach" his team to come from ahead losses.

This staff, for all of the **** they seem to be taking, at least when we have lost games, it has mostly because we got run over. There have been maybe 6 games in 5 years that I have thought that they came out completely unprepared to play.

 

[lakesbison]

....there's been plenty of games in a variety of weeks that got me excited for the next one....and it usually doesn't end well. As a matter of fact...when was the last time anyone felt comfortable about ISU playing well for 2 consecutive games?

Even the times they played well the week before in the past few seasons...they struggled to beat really bad KU teams the week after.

The NDSU game is a reason for excitement if ISU wins something like 42-7 with a limited playbook, because they actually dominate someone.

42-7?? Hahaha. Wait. Hahahaha!

 

[klamath632]

I will always get excited before the season begins, but I can easily not get excited after the first few plays.

FIFY

 

[Beyerball]

One thing to keep in mind is that I actually think the ndsu game will be fairly low scoring. Fans might be expecting an offensive explosion by isu but it ain't happening this game...ndsu is a run first team who loves to grind it out and control the clock. It will be critical for our offense to be efficient and score when we have the opportunity too. Our defense needs to grow up in a hurry. I can see this game going by very fast with a 4th qtr score of like 14-10.

 

[lakesbison]

Beyer ball is smart. Slow Ball control offense won't allow for a shootout .

24-17 either way is more likely