I don't know that we "pride ourself on it", so much as that's what we're forced to do, since it's tough to get a lot of top recruits to play football here.
and pope is gone because...
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I don't know that we "pride ourself on it", so much as that's what we're forced to do, since it's tough to get a lot of top recruits to play football here.
No doubt, I just think about situations this year. For instance the pass to Woody against TCU, if we are throwing the ball to a running back, Woody is not the right person for that. In that situation it hits him in the hands and then hip pad and he drops it. Against WV, Woody does not play at all during the game, comes in and fumbles (or nearly fumbles) the ball in the redzone. I just never thought the right players were used in the right situations.
That's not the point though. You suggested Pope was fired because of lack of a 1,000 yard rusher. His firing probably had nothing to do with using a running back by committee approach, since we've done it for several years and Rhoads is just now choosing to fire him.
He was fired because there was little to no development of the backs once they got to ISU. How can James White be a captain and prominent rusher in the past, and completely disappear this year? I know it is hard to divide time between Wimberly, SJ, Woody, White, Nealy...but don't you think that they should get utilized somewhere? Hard to believe how much bench time those guys each saw this year.
That was an issue all around the offense this year though. Gary and West both disappeared a lot at receiver. There were some injuries that hurt some guys, but if I remember correctly Lichtenberg was playing horrible on the line and beat out by underclassmen well before his injury. It's also been said multiple times on this board that a running backs coach is basically a recruiter. Pope hasn't been a great recruiter. It's a much more plausible explanation that he is being fired for that then it is him being fired for lack of production.
Our struggles in TX lately could be b/c of how we handles JB. I can't remember if it was his Dad or Uncle but they were a HC in TX and could spread the world how we treated JB (rumored to be shown the door).
I have never heard that JB was asked to leave. I sure didn't want him as a starting QB unless his passing skills improved a lot, but he was a good kid, went to school and did everything the right way. He even came back for a game in Ames this year.
As for Pope, he would always yank a guy out of the game at strange times. Someone would get a 5 yard game, and he would be on the sideline. The only guy that he consistently stuck with what AW, and that ended when he was hurt.
Those guys sure were fun to watch, but I don't really remember them helping the D back then. Nor did it really help our win/loss totals.
Pope is gone because our running backs didn't develop over the past 3 years, and because of how terribly they ran the early part of the season. Only person that hit the hole hard was Wimberley and he wasn't developed here. Bad, rotation management(probably Mess' crap), and lackluster recruiting.
As a team we rushed for 1726 yards this year. 442 of those came from our QB. Those are pathetic numbers, and yes I know the o-line wasn't good early season, but there were holes. I played line, don't tell me those backs never had a chance to head down field. Wimberley made it to the holes, then Nealy was getting there, and then Shontrelle. You had to run hard, they obviously weren't prepared in practice.
As a team we rushed for 1726 yards this year. 442 of those came from our QB. Those are pathetic numbers, and yes I know the o-line wasn't good early season, but there were holes. I played line, don't tell me those backs never had a chance to head down field. Wimberley made it to the holes, then Nealy was getting there, and then Shontrelle. You had to run hard, they obviously weren't prepared in practice.
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Or he said, "You better not fire my friend Messingham or I will quit" and Rhoads said "Okay."
Seriously, I don't think Rhoads fired these guys lightly. When you see them at the CF Recruitment Day Party, they are are very cohesive unit that clearly enjoys being together. The level of personal relationship that these guys seem to have is pretty incredible for a career in which you move around so much.
However, something needed to happen and most of the arrows pointed toward Messingham. And I suspect that Rhoads already has a new OC in mind who will want to bring his own RB coach.
However, something needed to happen and most of the arrows pointed toward Messingham. And I suspect that Rhoads already has a new OC in mind who will want to bring his own RB coach.
I stated that too, and your right. But I think the development of the under the radar guys only strengthens our blue collar mentality. And in turn that pushes guys harder that come in a little more touted. Its a good thing man
Did anyone else notice that in the 2012 WVU game, a Woody fumble cost us the game; and in the 2013 WVU game, we won in spite of a Woody fumble?
Not to bang on Woody, he's a great guy, just an observation. His heart had to be ready to leap out of his chest for about 3-4 seconds before he realized we recovered!
I think it has to do with the lack of acquiring a back with star power in the big 12. We have been missing somebody that the defense would really have to scheme around like the davis brothers or Enis. the kind of guy the defense has to focus on to keep under a hundred yards. I hope standard or Mister are waiting in the wings to be that guy.
you must have forgotten the jimlad. you may not have liked our win loss record back then but they definitely helped it.