2016 prediction

Ok, don't want a bunch of whiners in here complaining about talking about 2016 right now, if you don't want to post about it, then don't.

2016 Schedule: vs. UNI, @ Iowa, vs. SJSU, 5 home 4 away Big 12 games.

--> Look at how much experience we will have back on defense! If you don't think Paul Rhoads will get another year you are crazy. He WILL be back - like it or not. Next year he will be coaching for his job.

--> We will need players on the offensive line to step up (ie Scoggins, Bryan Larson, Nick Severs, Jacob Dunning, Shawn Curtis and hopefully a few JUCOS).

--> We have alot of players waiting in the wings that 'could' make a positive impact next year:

I am going to bet we make a bowl next year and possibly win 7 games. It will depend on our OL and Lanning being efficient in the run/pass game. Our defense will be one of the best in the Big 12 next year - book it! (barring health).

I would love to talk about next year, as long as that talk doesn't include CPR as our head coach.

My predictions:
1. A bunch of fans will be saying the same things about CPR coaching for his job at this time next year.
2. ISU beats UNI, SJSU, KU, and another conference game for 4 wins.
3. Several of the OL players that need to step up play, but are ineffective and we don't improve much on offense.
4. Most of the players that are "waiting in the wings" because they haven't proven good enough to play on a 3 win team this year don't end up making much of a contribution.
5. A bowl game/7 wins: I can't imagine a fan could think that after seeing the last two years.
6. All this experience we bring back on defense currently ranks 115th in the nation in YPG. Some of that is our schedule, some of it is our complete lack of speed in the back 7, some of that is because our corners play 10 yards off the line no matter the situation.

If you think this is pessimistic, you're right. We've won 8 games in 3 years. I hope we have a new coach in a month, but CPR will likely be back until season ticket sales start to suffer.
 
Last year I joined the call for CPR to be fired after the debacle at Kansas. This season, I'm undecided. Certainly not because he's earned the right to stay, goodness knows he certainly deserves to be let go. However, by a combination of dumb luck (the number of head coach openings around the CF world), an improved recruiting tack (JUCO's who actually contribute), and the high cost of buyout, he has stumbled into a situation where it may not be worthwhile to let him go. The best 7-8 up and coming coaches probably won't be available this year.

To give credit where due, one of those things (JUCO recruiting) is something CPR has control over. Better late than never, eh? It does look like we have a formula for some measure of success (ie, a fighting chance for 6 wins) moving forward if the coaching staff is willing to do the obvious - - - continue with the big QB & run first, slow it down, KSU-type strategy. We should be hitting the JUCO trail for 5-7 impact players per season, and we should be known for a tough defense up front. We should be the team in the Big XII that does things differently, not trying to recruit the 3rd and 4th string "fast" players from TX only.

The other factor is if Paul can keep the coaching staff together, thinking especially of Blaney and Ayeni.

So, IF (and these are big if's) we keep pursuing the above, I think CPR "probably should" be retained for another year [slight gag] even though he sure doesn't deserve to be retained. All of this "new" strategy SHOULD have been implemented 3-4 years ago, right after Herman left. I do think they need to win at least 1 of the 2 remaining games however to sell hope to the masses.
 
Regardless of how much experience we have there, our defense is still going to get burned game in and game out. The experience is there, but the coaching and some of the raw talent is missing. And, it's the Big 12, there will still be dominant offenses playing against us every other week or so.
 
We will be 12-0 in the first half and 0-12 in the second. Since we will have a large enough lead from the first half I will say 2-3 wins.
 
We will be 12-0 in the first half and 0-12 in the second. Since we will have a large enough lead from the first half I will say 2-3 wins.

When's the last time we had even a halftime lead over Oklahoma?

I know we were up 6-3 in Norman at the end of the first quarter in 2011 (but down 23-6 at halftime)

We were tied 10-10 at halftime in 2013 before the Paul Rhoads Halftime Adjustments factored in and we lost 48-10.
 
When's the last time we had even a halftime lead over Oklahoma?

I know we were up 6-3 in Norman at the end of the first quarter in 2011 (but down 23-6 at halftime)

We were tied 10-10 at halftime in 2013 before the Paul Rhoads Halftime Adjustments factored in and we lost 48-10.
My guess 2007 when we were up 7-0 in Ames.
 
With Rhoads back next year I would predict 2-4 wins. If we win 4 games, Rhoads will be claimed "coach of the year" by all his supporters. 4-5 wins is now considered a successful season for most ISU fans these days. Its pitiful & a complete embarrassment. If we dont win more than 7 games a season, the coach should be put in the hot seat for getting fired. ISU will never again have a winning season with Paul as the coach - mark my words. He should be coaching a 4a highschool team instead.
 

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