Best and Worst Surprises so far this season

[Baffan]

If something similar to this has already been posted I apologize but I am curious to see what people think are the best and worst surprises our team has shown this year.

This excludes not winning as many games as most people thought cause I think that surprised most people. I should exclude the fact that we seems to find a different way to beat ourselves in every game we have had a chance in.

For me: Best is our O-line. I expected them to not be able to do anything at all this season besides get pushed around. I feel they have exceeded my expectations and although obliviously aren't a fantastic O-line but have done a better job than anyone expected them to.

Worst: The quarterback position. I thought with Meyer in the QB position we wouldn't have to worry about that spot but I think in quite a few games he has hurt us almost as much as our special teams.
Oh yea special teams is has to tie for worst surprise for me. I never would have thought they would have been this horrible.

 

[sodakjoe]

Best Surprise: That our team still plays with heart, even though they know the season isn't going their way.

Worst Surprise: That we couldn't hang more than 3 on Texas...ugh

 

[jumbopackage]

Best Surprise: The will of our team isn't broke being 1-8. Last year it seemed that we were pretty much adrift once we got into the Big 12. This year, we are still steering the ship, even though we are having to steer upwind.

Worst Surprise: Special teams. We would have at LEAST one more win, and probably 2 or 3 more if it wasn't for this.

 

[bos]

Best Surprise: I will agree with the idea of our team not backing down. It seem there is more will in this losing team than there was with Senecas team back when we got blown out by Oklahoma.

Worst Surprise: Special teams, realization of what we lack in talent in some positions

 

[chrishull14]

The Best: 3 legit runningbacks

The Worst: I don't think we can call what we do Special Teams. In fact, what we do on the field when we aren't playing offense or defense is so shameful that it would be an insult to the phrase Special Teams.

 

[ketelmeister]

Biggest surprise: Offensive Line-they were to be the weakest part of our team, and are not one of the strong points
Biggest disappointment: Turnovers from Meyer. If he would have played at a higher level without the turnovers, the season would look markedly different.
Other dis: Shaggy: Iowa game high, then what happened?

 

[Cyclone62]

Best Surprise: The team hasn't gone belly up, and keeps fighting.

Worst Surprise: They still can't win, even with being the most resiliant team I can remember in my short life. Or, that it would take 9 games to get a Defensive TD.

Note: My worst surprise is in direct correlation with how the team continues to play. I figured we'd be in this spot right now, but not that we'd actually play as close and hard as we have without a win.

 

[ISUAlum2002]

Best: As previously mentioned, 3 running backs who are fighting for the starting position. Unlike recent years where if one particular back was not injured, he would be starting no matter what. Others only started and got meaningful carries out of necessity.

Runner-Up: The offensive line play. McFarland is going to make our offense a Texas Tech type offense. Just watch, you can see it in his development of the line already.

Worst: The god-awful red zone offense. Good grief....freaking horrible. Rivaled only by our very un-special teams play. Why in the world is RJ Sumrall not back there to return punts? We know for a freaking fact that Blythe is not going to catch a punt and run with it, and other teams know it too.

 

[price26]

Best Surprise: The offensive line, a large majority of having 3 legit running backs is dependent on the improvement of the offensive line this season.

Worst (Tie): I agree with ISUAlum2002, the red-zone performance and the special teams performance are a tie. Culbertson's inability to knock down kicks and is due to the fact that our offense hasn't been able to finish drives and score some touchdowns.