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Comparing ISU to Utah

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OPButtrey

Well-Known Member
Nov 21, 2010
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I think there are some similarities between ISU and Utah. Both schools are in less populous states and compete against another in-state school that has a better football tradition. Both schools rely on a nearby large state for recruits - ISU relies on TX while Utah relies on CA. Both schools are also competing with several other big-time programs in those larger states.

However, Utah is currently ranked 6th in the AP and we are who we are. Utah began their climb even before they received an invite to the PAC. I think it's evident that coaching is a major factor but from looking at both rosters there also is a difference in recruiting strategy.

Utah has 42 in-state players and ISU has 49.
Utah has 40 CA players while ISU has 21 from TX.
Utah has 30 JUCO & transfers while ISU has 16.

This seems to suggest that the recruiting model used for our Basketball program can also work for Football. I hope our next coach continues to bring in more JUCOs & transfers and focuses a little less on Iowa HS kids.
 
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OPButtrey said:
I think there are some similarities between ISU and Utah. Both schools are in less populous states and compete against another in-state school that has a better football tradition. Both schools rely on a nearby large state for recruits - ISU relies on TX while Utah relies on CA. Both schools are also competing with several other big-time programs in those larger states.

However, Utah is currently ranked 6th in the AP and we are who we are. Utah began their climb even before they received an invite to the PAC. I think it's evident that coaching is a major factor but from looking at both rosters there also is a difference in recruiting strategy.

Utah has 42 in-state players and ISU has 49.
Utah has 40 CA players while ISU has 21 from TX.
Utah has 30 JUCO & transfers while ISU has 16.

This seems to suggest that the recruiting model used for our Basketball program can also work for Football. I hope our next coach continues to bring in more JUCOs & transfers and focuses a little less on Iowa HS kids.
Click to expand...

So we have too many in state players, too many from Texas, not enough from California, and not enough jucos. Check. How about their staff?
 
ISU needs to be closer to 30 jucos, and they need to stop scheduling non-con teams with a pulse. Sad, but true.
 
OPButtrey said:
I think there are some similarities between ISU and Utah. Both schools are in less populous states and compete against another in-state school that has a better football tradition. Both schools rely on a nearby large state for recruits - ISU relies on TX while Utah relies on CA. Both schools are also competing with several other big-time programs in those larger states.

However, Utah is currently ranked 6th in the AP and we are who we are. Utah began their climb even before they received an invite to the PAC. I think it's evident that coaching is a major factor but from looking at both rosters there also is a difference in recruiting strategy.

Utah has 42 in-state players and ISU has 49.
Utah has 40 CA players while ISU has 21 from TX.
Utah has 30 JUCO & transfers while ISU has 16.

This seems to suggest that the recruiting model used for our Basketball program can also work for Football. I hope our next coach continues to bring in more JUCOs & transfers and focuses a little less on Iowa HS kids.
Click to expand...

great post. made some real interesting points
 
I was actually thinking about this watching their last game on TV. Small state, just recently moved up from mid major status, not a lot of P5 tradition. BYU casts a long shadow in state. And they ate killing it. Of course they did hire Urban Meyer a while back, so I guess we have another example of the impotence of the right coaching hire.
 
JohnnyFive said:
I don't know an exact number, but Id like to get more. It's worked well for the KState's and Utah's of the world.
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Agree that hat we could probably use some more JUCO's, but let's not forget CA and KS have some pretty good JUCO football schools. Makes it a little easier for Utah and KSU.

We need to find our Urban Meyer, let him use us as stepping stone, and then find another great coach like whittinham that stays for a while.

Hard for me to believe we have 49 Iowa kids on scholly. Really?
 
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aeroclone said:
I was actually thinking about this watching their last game on TV. Small state, just recently moved up from mid major status, not a lot of P5 tradition. BYU casts a long shadow in state. And they ate killing it. Of course they did hire Urban Meyer a while back, so I guess we have another example of the impotence of the right coaching hire.
Click to expand...

But Urban just used Utah as a stepping stone. Oh, the horror...
 
aeroclone said:
I was actually thinking about this watching their last game on TV. Small state, just recently moved up from mid major status, not a lot of P5 tradition. BYU casts a long shadow in state. And they ate killing it. Of course they did hire Urban Meyer a while back, so I guess we have another example of the impotence of the right coaching hire.
Click to expand...

I'm guessing that's not the word you meant.
 
Another stat. Their crowd Saturday night was around 48,000 (capacity) for a game with a fellow top 25 team. Amazing that we get 61,500, even if is only for two games. Had around 56K for Kansas. If our program had a pulse, we probably would get that many for this weekend. Props to Cyclone fans.
 
Doesn't Utah get quite a few players from south Pacific island nations? That would be another difference in their recruiting strategy.
 
cygrads said:
Doesn't Utah get quite a few players from south Pacific island nations? That would be another difference in their recruiting strategy.
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Yes, I think the Utes get a few Samoans / various pacific islands, but doubtful as many as BYU.
 
CycloneWarning said:
Agree that hat we could probably use some more JUCO's, but let's not forget CA and KS have some pretty good JUCO football schools. Makes it a little easier for Utah and KSU.

We need to find our Urban Meyer, let him use us as stepping stone, and then find another great coach like whittinham that stays for a while.

Hard for me to believe we have 49 Iowa kids on scholly. Really?
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I love giving Iowa kids scholarships, and even though I'll probably get flamed for this, that number is pretty bad. We just don't have the population to compete with Texas ~26 million people to Iowa ~3 million. You don't need to be a statistician to know you will get more studs out of 26 kids than 3 kids.
 
BWRhasnoAC said:
I love giving Iowa kids scholarships, and even though I'll probably get flamed for this, that number is pretty bad. We just don't have the population to compete with Texas ~26 million people to Iowa ~3 million. You don't need to be a statistician to know you will get more studs out of 26 kids than 3 kids.
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Iowa 3.11 million, Utah 2.94 million
 
Well they hired a really good up and coming coach out of the MAC that was formerly under Louis Holtz. He brought a guy named Dan Mullen with him and they had a vision for what their team and specifically their offense would look like. Developed a #1 overall pick at QB and won the Fiesta Bowl. What do ya say
 
cygrads said:
Doesn't Utah get quite a few players from south Pacific island nations? That would be another difference in their recruiting strategy.
Click to expand...

Utah has 33 players of Polynesian decent on their roster this year, BYU has 25. That's one thing that Utah has the ISU doesn't have a chance at. Whether you want to say it or not, our big beef eatin midwestern boys are still not as strong on the O and D lines as Samoan and Tongan players.

There are still many similarities between the two schools and their pros and cons. It would be nice to see some improvement at least. I still say we go to a more run based offense. Work the clock, short dink and dime passes, it won't be pretty, but it also won't be something that the other schools practice and play against every day either. Most teams in the Big12 are built to stop the spread, wide open passing offenses...throw in a power run team, keep our defense off the field as much as possible.

I know...dreaming, but it's my dream dangit
 
Use ISU's ag ties to get recruits from India, Pakistan, and Korea like BYU uses ties from the LDS missions to recruit Samoans. :jimlad:
 
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