For those who are on the ledge...

[cyclone4L]

Hi.
Today sucked.
You may be able to argue that this one hurt more than a Baylor A$$ Kicking of old for one simple fact: we were the better team.
In both our losses, I believe that we were the better team. Yet, here we are sitting 2-2.

I am not writing this post to sob about how we are the better team and should be 4-0 or complain about a specific aspect of the game. I am here to offer a little perspective.

My fandom started in the Rhoads era, so my knowledge of the subject may be limited. However, I believe the subject holds true throughout the history of Iowa State no matter who the coach may be.

The subject: Why do we lose?

There is a famous line from Anna Karenina (which happens to be the opening line): "Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way."

This line holds true for football as well... Great football teams are all alike. They play sound defense. They don't turn the ball over. They have good lines. They play solid special teams. Yet, bad football teams are bad in their own way. Either the quarterback sucks, the defense is terrible, awful coaching/playcalling, etc.

In the Rhoads era (and I can assume other eras), we were bad in a TON of aspects. Bad defense, undisciplined players, inability to run the ball, bad QB Play, but worst of all... There was such a large talent gap between our guys and any one else in the Big 12.
We had so many issues; it was almost impossible to conceive how the team could ever make a bowl, let alone compete in the conference.

Seriously, we shouldn't have won some (a lot) of the games that we won.

Here's where the perspective comes in... When we b*tched about Rhoads/other eras teams after a loss, we would fight amongst ourselves ALL of the reasons why we lost. Now, it's different. There are only a few areas that we really need to address in this program to be a contender. It probably won't happen this season, but we could (hopefully) see improvement for the near future.

The main issue that we solved is there is no talent gap between us and the teams in the Big 12. Yes, Oklahoma and Texas have more talent, but that's obvious. We have more talent than KSU, Tech, KU and we are on par with WVU. The only player that had talent like the guys that we are bringing in the Rhoads Era was Allen Lazard. We never got any RB close to Breece, never got a QB close to Brock, DE to McDonald and TE to Kolar, LET ALONE ON THE SAME TEAM.

I follow recruiting. You know I follow recruiting. The 2021 class (Jaylin Noel's class) and the 2022 class (the current one) are probably ISUs best classes we've pulled in. 2020 is SOLID (Dekkers, SIngleton, Tampa, Zenzen, Pedersen, Jackson) looks to be solid as well.

The main issue with ISU for the history of the program is we never had the guys to compete with the big boys. Now we do...
We have the D, we have the offensive weapons. Secure the line and figure out special teams and I think we will win A LOT of games.

 

[KCyclone2010]

We lost, they were the better team. Plain and simple. Coaches need to do better.

 

[FilthyShadow]

2 Quarters with no adjustments on D. Then shutdown after halftime! why can't this occur earlier?

 

[KennyPratt42]

We've likely seen the best of the Campbell tenure, the peak was making and the performance in the Fiesta Bowl. Unfortunately the Campbell era will likely be the best in my lifetime (I'm in my mid 30s). There's very little reason to get excited about the big picture in relation to Iowa St. football. At least we have 7 to 9 win talent now which is the best we've had in the history of the program, with the lone possible exception being some of the teams in the 70s.

 

[cyclone1209]

2 Quarters with no adjustments on D. Then shutdown after halftime! why can't this occur earlier?

I thought D in the second half was really, really solid. Finally got more of a pass rush and played with attitude.

But the special teams woes, and the offense turning so many drives into just field goals - won't help us win. The play I can't get over was the tipped pass from Brock that just wound up in a baylor guy's hands. That was a drive WE HAD to get 7, wasn't there in the cards today.

Brock is not playing with Brock level confidence we have been accustomed to.

 

[Thomasrickj]

The bottom line is our special teams is one of the the worst in the nation and it’s enough to cost us when things get close.

 

[cyclone4L]

The bottom line is our special teams is one of the the worst in the nation and it’s enough to cost us when things get close.

Even if we were decent in that aspect of the game, we win this game, the CyHawk and Louisiana last year.

 

[Cy Hard]

I find it super funny you mf’ers think this is some super low moment. Live through the 80’s Clones and tell me about it. I’m as disappointed as the next dude but it’s ******* laughable that this is some super low point.

 

[cyclone4L]

I find it super funny you mf’ers think this is some super low moment. Live through the 80’s Clones and tell me about it. I’m as disappointed as the next dude but it’s ******* laughable that this is some super low point.

Agreed. This is the point of the post. It's a few BAD issues that are causing us to lose games, not several.

 

[cyclone1209]

I find it super funny you mf’ers think this is some super low moment. Live through the 80’s Clones and tell me about it. I’m as disappointed as the next dude but it’s ******* laughable that this is some super low point.

When I look at QB I can't help but think about the 49ers and a transition in their era.
The organization was sticking with Joe Montana because he was the man who brought them to the dance, so many wins and championships.

But they had a guy on the bench named Steve Young, and eventually made the switch to him because he was an undeniable special talent.

I can't help but think we have a similar situation maybe with Brock Purdy and Hunter Dekkers. Brock brought us to the best era of ISU football ever. But he's been the mayor of struggle city lately. I think if we falter at all in getting td's against Kansas we will have to consider a switch. This defense is too special to piss away. Yes I will agree today's loss was more about ST play, but the offense left many points on the field in settling for field goals.

How many plays did Brock just immediately turtle and take a sack, there could have been some tries down the field. His misfires to breece and Hutch were drive killers. All the while Hunter Dekkers is 6"3, massive arm, and can run. We've all seen it. He provided a big spark at the end of Iowa.

I'm not calling for a switch now, but if we struggle at all against KU I think it needs to be considered at the very least.

 

[Tpups21]

I still think a new offensive coordinator is needed to take that next step. Just not sold on Manning. Too conservative and predictable. Zero creativity.

 

[Acylum]

2 Quarters with no adjustments on D. Then shutdown after halftime! why can't this occur earlier?

Exactly. For all the praise heaped on Heacock, I don’t understand why we have to make so many adjustments at halftime or why we can’t make those same adjustments earlier. Also, it’d be ******* nice to get a 3rd down stop now and then.

 

[CyFanInChiLand]

When I look at QB I can't help but think about the 49ers and a transition in their era.
The organization was sticking with Joe Montana because he was the man who brought them to the dance, so many wins and championships.

But they had a guy on the bench named Steve Young, and eventually made the switch to him because he was an undeniable special talent.

I can't help but think we have a similar situation maybe with Brock Purdy and Hunter Dekkers. Brock brought us to the best era of ISU football ever. But he's been the mayor of struggle city lately. I think if we falter at all in getting td's against Kansas we will have to consider a switch. This defense is too special to piss away. Yes I will agree today's loss was more about ST play, but the offense left many points on the field in settling for field goals.

How many plays did Brock just immediately turtle and take a sack, there could have been some tries down the field. His misfires to breece and Hutch were drive killers. All the while Hunter Dekkers is 6"3, massive arm, and can run. We've all seen it. He provided a big spark at the end of Iowa.

I'm not calling for a switch now, but if we struggle at all against KU I think it needs to be considered at the very least.

Youre obviously looking at Dekkers through some cardinal colored glasses. Iowa was in a very base defense just trying to keep receivers in front of them. Brock is the guy who gives us the best chance to win, thats really not even questionable in the coaches mind. They're not sitting him.

Remember Nebraska had the same mentality with McCaffery last year. He then got his chance and turns out there is a big difference between spot minutes and teams actually game planning for you.

 

[cycloneML]

We lost, they were the better team. Plain and simple. Coaches need to do better.

They looked bigger faster stronger tougher and more athletic

 

[cyIclSoneU]

I find it super funny you mf’ers think this is some super low moment. Live through the 80’s Clones and tell me about it. I’m as disappointed as the next dude but it’s ******* laughable that this is some super low point.

I'm so sick of people saying this as if it makes it better. "If you are mad you should remember we used to absolutely suck!" We were #7 in preseason rankings with Big 12 title and dark horse CFP hopes; now we are 2-2 and about to be unranked. We get to be p***ed off if we feel like it. That said, no this is not the lowest point in Cyclone football history, nor is anyone actually saying that anyway.

 

[BryceC]

Quite simply all of the "win the margins" stuff is nothing but smoke at this point. We lose games because we continuously make disastrous mistakes. We win games because we have good talent.

Like others have said, I've lived through some really lean years of ISU football so I'm incredibly happy with the program. But the fact is, we had justifiably high hopes for this team and for all intents and purposes 4 games in it's likely none of it will be achieved and that sucks. I honestly feel bad for the guys that came back, because obviously this isn't what they came back for. I'm not mad about the game, because just like the 4 turnovers versus Iowa if you absolutely suck on special teams, you're going to lose. It's kind of like when you have a little kid, and they are throwing a fit and you're just calmly telling them to chill out, and they do something like run their head into the countertop or something. You're not happy that they hurt themselves, but you're not particularly bothered by it either.

 

[huntt26]

We've likely seen the best of the Campbell tenure, the peak was making and the performance in the Fiesta Bowl. Unfortunately the Campbell era will likely be the best in my lifetime (I'm in my mid 30s). There's very little reason to get excited about the big picture in relation to Iowa St. football. At least we have 7 to 9 win talent now which is the best we've had in the history of the program, with the lone possible exception being some of the teams in the 70s.

What peaks are better than a Fiesta Bowl (New Years Six) win? The only other that I can think of are a conference championship game victory or a playoff appearance/win/national championship . All I’m saying is if that is the peak, then that’s pretty damn good. Regarding big picture, I believe the peak of New Years Six win and winning the conference (especially the new look big 12) are absolutely obtainable under Campbell if he stays here. Yes, it stinks these likely won’t happen this year when it was essentially an expectation though.

 

[royhobbs]

Still time to right the ship and make the Big 12 Title game. No one is blowing away the Big 12 at this time. Oklahoma is beatable as are all of the teams left on the schedule. We need to play better. Go Cyclones.

 

[Lineup]

I am sorry but our offense game plan is high school level at best

 

[brett108]

Hi.
Today sucked.
You may be able to argue that this one hurt more than a Baylor A$$ Kicking of old for one simple fact: we were the better team.
In both our losses, I believe that we were the better team. Yet, here we are sitting 2-2.

I am not writing this post to sob about how we are the better team and should be 4-0 or complain about a specific aspect of the game. I am here to offer a little perspective.

My fandom started in the Rhoads era, so my knowledge of the subject may be limited. However, I believe the subject holds true throughout the history of Iowa State no matter who the coach may be.

The subject: Why do we lose?

There is a famous line from Anna Karenina (which happens to be the opening line): "Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way."

This line holds true for football as well... Great football teams are all alike. They play sound defense. They don't turn the ball over. They have good lines. They play solid special teams. Yet, bad football teams are bad in their own way. Either the quarterback sucks, the defense is terrible, awful coaching/playcalling, etc.

In the Rhoads era (and I can assume other eras), we were bad in a TON of aspects. Bad defense, undisciplined players, inability to run the ball, bad QB Play, but worst of all... There was such a large talent gap between our guys and any one else in the Big 12.
We had so many issues; it was almost impossible to conceive how the team could ever make a bowl, let alone compete in the conference.

Seriously, we shouldn't have won some (a lot) of the games that we won.

Here's where the perspective comes in... When we b*tched about Rhoads/other eras teams after a loss, we would fight amongst ourselves ALL of the reasons why we lost. Now, it's different. There are only a few areas that we really need to address in this program to be a contender. It probably won't happen this season, but we could (hopefully) see improvement for the near future.

The main issue that we solved is there is no talent gap between us and the teams in the Big 12. Yes, Oklahoma and Texas have more talent, but that's obvious. We have more talent than KSU, Tech, KU and we are on par with WVU. The only player that had talent like the guys that we are bringing in the Rhoads Era was Allen Lazard. We never got any RB close to Breece, never got a QB close to Brock, DE to McDonald and TE to Kolar, LET ALONE ON THE SAME TEAM.

I follow recruiting. You know I follow recruiting. The 2021 class (Jaylin Noel's class) and the 2022 class (the current one) are probably ISUs best classes we've pulled in. 2020 is SOLID (Dekkers, SIngleton, Tampa, Zenzen, Pedersen, Jackson) looks to be solid as well.

The main issue with ISU for the history of the program is we never had the guys to compete with the big boys. Now we do...
We have the D, we have the offensive weapons. Secure the line and figure out special teams and I think we will win A LOT of games.

Special teams are part of the game. This is the one area that Ferentz beats the crap out of Campbell in. I’m sorry you can’t be that bad in one area of the game and expect to win close games. So no that huge mismatch made us the worse team yesterday.