Blythe is waived

[Clones85']

Couldn't care less what you call the group that sees Todd for who he is.

He's simply not an NFL caliber receiver. At least today. Perhaps his eyes will open, he'll get a coach that will ride his tail and he'll become what he could be.

But today? Nope.

I didn't mention anything about him in the NFL. It is the people that try to downplay him at ISU. The guy did some pretty unreal things at ISU and people don't appreciate it b/c they expected him to be an All American. That is just wrong. He had 4 times more TD in ONE GAME than our top two WR's this year have had in their careers.

I just don't understand how people can take a guy who set all these records at Iowa State, and did it with a below average QB, and be critical b/c he didn't live up to their expectations.

 

[mplscyclone]

Couldn't care less what you call the group that sees Todd for who he is.

He's simply not an NFL caliber receiver. At least today. Perhaps his eyes will open, he'll get a coach that will ride his tail and he'll become what he could be.

But today? Nope.

Exactly. His problem is that no one ever pushed him. He was a star in High School and a star in college. The coaching staff here didn't push him to be his best; they were happy with where he was at.

I wouldn't place all the blame on him, but when you've always been considered good, a lot of athletes don't have that internal drive to become the best and see holes in their game.

If a coach tells him something that would help them develop, they take it personally.

I don't know all of the details, but I'm sure Blythe was always told he was doing fine, no one pushed him, and he didn't push himself. He was a good college WR, the best we've had in a while, but he just didn't have the drive to become an NFL talent.

I wouldn't write him off completley, but he's more of a possesion receiver and I can't think of a developmental league that he could participate in that would help him get to the NFL, as he isn't built for the AFL.

 

[ISUFan22]

I didn't mention anything about him in the NFL. It is the people that try to downplay him at ISU. The guy did some pretty unreal things at ISU and people don't appreciate it b/c they expected him to be an All American. That is just wrong. He had 4 times more TD in ONE GAME than our top two WR's this year have had in their careers.

I just don't understand how people can take a guy who set all these records at Iowa State, and did it with a below average QB, and be critical b/c he didn't live up to their expectations.

Hmm, some hypocrisy here. Meyer did some amazing things here too, yet he's below average and Todd isn't?

Both guys could have, and should have, been much better. I firmly believe both got comfortable, the staff allowed it and we saw it on the field.

Yes, Todd was a very good collegiate receiver. Not once did I discount that. However, I'm not sure I consider him great. In ISU standards, probably. In national standards? Not quite.

It's very easy to see what Todd fell short in doing when watching a couple ISU games.

 

[ISUFan22]

Exactly. His problem is that no one ever pushed him. He was a star in High School and a star in college. The coaching staff here didn't push him to be his best; they were happy with where he was at.

I wouldn't place all the blame on him, but when you've always been considered good, a lot of athletes don't have that internal drive to become the best and see holes in their game.

Right. I have little doubt we'd be having a very difference conversation about him had he played under the current staff for more years than he did under the former staff.

I also think he could have taken it more upon himself to get better. In the end, he is the one that is likely to miss out on some big bucks.

 

[Clones85']

Hmm, some hypocrisy here. Meyer did some amazing things here too, yet he's below average and Todd isn't?

Both guys could have, and should have, been much better. I firmly believe both got comfortable, the staff allowed it and we saw it on the field.

Yes, Todd was a very good collegiate receiver. Not once did I discount that. However, I'm not sure I consider him great. In ISU standards, probably. In national standards? Not quite.

It's very easy to see what Todd fell short in doing when watching a couple ISU games.

If you don't know the difference between a player of Meyer's caliber and Blythe's caliber, than let me know and I will stop arguing with you right now.

I have had this same argument with you before ISUFan22. You like to downplay Blythe as a Cyclone b/c he didn't block. You even make the claim that Hamilton is a better WR than Blythe (mainly b/c he is a better blocker). That is all I need to hear to know that I shouldn't waste my time arguing with you

 

[ISUFan22]

Todd's inability to block is just one part of it. How about his lack of crisp route-running? Him virtually being a one-dimensional receiver?

How often do you hear people saying Todd is a possession receiver? A guy that will routinely go across the middle? Make key blocks for ya? Sell the play even when he's not going to get the ball?

You don't. Those things are huge in what level of quality a receiver is.

 

[BryceC]

I think the only reason people get down on Blythe (myself included) is that I think he had the ability to be an All-Conference type player. For an abundance of reasons already stated that never happened. Both he and Meyer accomplished a lot of great things in a Cyclone uniform based on our record books, but on a national or even Big 12 level they were not great amongst their peers as their careers wore on. And I really don't think that is really debateable.

I also think that he is a victim of the Mac hype machine that really pumped him up into sounding like he is one of the best players in the nation.

 

[Clones85']

Todd's inability to block is just one part of it. How about his lack of crisp route-running? Him virtually being a one-dimensional receiver?

How often do you hear people saying Todd is a possession receiver? A guy that will routinely go across the middle? Make key blocks for ya? Sell the play even when he's not going to get the ball?

You don't. Those things are huge in what level of quality a receiver is.

His lack of route running caught him 176 passes and 31 TD's.

Listen you obviously are pretty set in your ways. I will just say ask this. Do you remember Blythe running in's or posts, catching the ball, getting drilled, holding onto the ball, and getting up? You should because he did it many times.

I am not saying that Todd was the greatest blocker in the world but he is not nearly as bad as you make him out to be. Go back and watch the Toledo game last year. How bout the Nebraska game. He had some key blocks in that game

 

[jdoggivjc]

I wouldn't call Todd injury prone at all. He had the pancreas issue, which is not a football injury. The only other one that I can recall was his ACL before the sophomore season.

He simply didn't develop beyond that year and failed to do the little things right.

I know the guy had mono- I don't know if that's the pancreas problem you're referring to. That being said, mono's not an injury-prone either. Then again, if he focused more on football prep and less on playing suckface...

 

[DaddyMac]

His lack of route running caught him 176 passes and 31 TD's.

Listen you obviously are pretty set in your ways. I will just say ask this. Do you remember Blythe running in's or posts, catching the ball, getting drilled, holding onto the ball, and getting up? You should because he did it many times.

I am not saying that Todd was the greatest blocker in the world but he is not nearly as bad as you make him out to be. Go back and watch the Toledo game last year. How bout the Nebraska game. He had some key blocks in that game

Todd's size garnered him those stats.

His route running was marginally better than mine. His cuts had more curves than Carmen Electra.

He was a fine receiver who was bigger and stronger than most of the defenders playing him. And he could hold on to the ball well. But I would submit that if his route running was better, his stats could have been much, much better.

 

[ISUFan22]

I saw mild improvements in both route running and some blocking last season. Which goes toward my point I've made many times - I feel we'd be having a very different chat about Todd had be been with this staff more than just one season.

 

[Clones85']

I think the only reason people get down on Blythe (myself included) is that I think he had the ability to be an All-Conference type player. For an abundance of reasons already stated that never happened. Both he and Meyer accomplished a lot of great things in a Cyclone uniform based on our record books, but on a national or even Big 12 level they were not great amongst their peers as their careers wore on. And I really don't think that is really debateable.

I also think that he is a victim of the Mac hype machine that really pumped him up into sounding like he is one of the best players in the nation.

He had almost 1900 yds, 18 TD's and averaged 20 yds a reception after his sophomore year. I don't think Mac's hype machine had anything to do with it.

His junior year the o line was so bad that Meyer couldn't get him the ball. Last year Meyer was so gun shy that he couldn't get him the ball

 

[ISUFan22]

I know the guy had mono

Mono, yes - thanks.

 

[jdoggivjc]

Todd's inability to block is just one part of it. How about his lack of crisp route-running? Him virtually being a one-dimensional receiver?

How often do you hear people saying Todd is a possession receiver? A guy that will routinely go across the middle? Make key blocks for ya? Sell the play even when he's not going to get the ball?

You don't. Those things are huge in what level of quality a receiver is.

Don't forget that Todd's also never going to be confused with someone that can run. Any given advantage that he would have had over the corner that was going to cover him simply because he plays offense is gone because he can't run clean routs nor can he run in general.

 

[jdoggivjc]

He had almost 1900 yds, 18 TD's and averaged 20 yds a reception after his sophomore year. I don't think Mac's hype machine had anything to do with it.

His junior year the o line was so bad that Meyer couldn't get him the ball. Last year Meyer was so gun shy that he couldn't get him the ball

And yet you forget to mention all those plays that Blythe took off ON THE FIELD when the ball wasn't going to be thrown in his direction. That and you fail to mention all those times he gave up on a play when he'd have to lay out side-to-side in order to make the play. If the ball wasn't thrown in a 3' wide x 8' tall box the guy gave up on the play.

 

[ISUFan22]

Todd's job was always safe, from the moment he stepped foot on the field for the first time to when he left. It was a known fact - no doubt at all.

The biggest benefit for our team and individual receivers this fall - not one single person's job is safe. Including Hamilton and Sumrall. We have some very nice young talent that reportedly has been shining in practice. This will only make each player better.

Todd was never really pushed like that. Complacency goes a long way toward taking a person with phenomenal potential and making them just average or good - instead of great.

 

[jdoggivjc]

Todd's job was always safe, from the moment he stepped foot on the field for the first time to when he left. It was a known fact - no doubt at all.

The biggest benefit for our team and individual receivers this fall - not one single person's job is safe. Including Hamilton and Sumrall. We have some very nice young talent that reportedly has been shining in practice. This will only make each player better.

Todd was never really pushed like that. Complacency goes a long way toward taking a person with phenomenal potential and making them just average or good - instead of great.

I honestly think one of the best things that has happened to the Iowa State offense in a really long time is that Blythe has moved on. The other thing is that he took Meyer with him...

 

[ISUFan22]

It's not that we needed these guys gone, I liked their talent in many regards.

But we need their attitude gone. I'm not saying their attitudes were poor, but they played under a different staff with very different rules. One of the biggest factors in improving from last year to this year will be attrition.

 

[DaddyMac]

Alright - this discussion has run it's course and is getting a little testy.

Some think Todd's play/effort/skills were adequate, some don't. And Brett is getting drug in as well.

Regardless, they both were fine players for ISU. The both played four years, never left the program, never got in any notable trouble that I can recall, and never put themselves or the program in a bad light.

 

[BryceC]

Clones85' - I don't think anybody is saying he was terrible. I think people are expressing disappointment in that he could have been much better. He was a very solid ISU WR. However, in my mind, and I could be completely wrong, he just never really blew me away with the exception of a few games. The A&M game was amazing. The CU game was amazing last season. The OT's against Toledo were great. Todd was also plagued by inconsistency throughout his career including the 2005 season which was his only All-Conference year.

How much of that was his fault is debateable, but I don't think it's all the O-Line's fault or Meyer's fault as you make it out to be. Some games he was great and I'll never forget him for that. Some games he was almost non-existent, but ultimately he was never as good as he probably could have been and he will likely never play a down in the NFL. He had a great career as a Cyclone but it will ultimately be forgotten by the masses as the team never won a lot and he never really made a name for himself as a great player nationally.