Bowl or Bust

[Section110]

There are more than a few good mid-major coaches and not that many BCS head coaching jobs that open up every year. I thought it was pretty much known that if we had waited a couple more days we could have had Brian Kelly, who was about as good as it got for a mid-major head coach at that time. I'm confident there are good mid-majors who would jump at the ISU job and probably at least 7 plus million for a 5 year deal. Also a sharp a.d. that really knows football can find a diamond in the rough perhaps flying under the radar.

Look, Pollard made an outstanding hire in basketball by bringing in Hoiberg. Clearly that has paid off. In fact, I would argue that when you consider Hoiberg's lack of head coaching experience at the time it was probably one of the gutsiest hires I've seen made even though he knew the Cyclone faithful would be on board with it because he is the Mayor after all.

Anyways, it's clear that has worked out. However, your last comment sort of makes me scratch my head because he hired CPR and that hasn't worked out so I guess I would question having 100% faith in Pollard to find the right guy when he has already struck out once with his choice for football (assuming CPR fails to turn it around this year).

I actually agree with Stormin in this case. If Pollard has to replace Rhoads it will not be easy. I think he is correct in saying that a lot of mid-major coaches are starting to hold out for job offers from schools they feel like would give them a better chance to succeed. Would it be impossible to find one willing to take the ISU job? No, absolutely not, but it would probably have to be a guy who is somewhat under the radar of other major programs and is willing to take a big chance.

For those reasons, I actually think Leach would be a good hire like someone else mentioned above (if he were interested). He has a unique system that he could bring to Iowa State. He's proven it can work in the B12. I think that's an integral part in being successful at ISU. Build your own unique brand of football and focus on recruiting talent specifically for it. It's too hard to compete with the big boys trying to go about things the traditional way. Plus he has recruiting connections in Texas.

 

[Stormin]

Look, Pollard made an outstanding hire in basketball by bringing in Hoiberg. Clearly that has paid off. In fact, I would argue that when you consider Hoiberg's lack of head coaching experience at the time it was probably one of the gutsiest hires I've seen made even though he knew the Cyclone faithful would be on board with it because he is the Mayor after all.

Anyways, it's clear that has worked out. However, your last comment sort of makes me scratch my head because he hired CPR and that hasn't worked out so I guess I would question having 100% faith in Pollard to find the right guy when he has already struck out once with his choice for football (assuming CPR fails to turn it around this year).

I actually agree with Stormin in this case. If Pollard has to replace Rhoads it will not be easy. I think he is correct in saying that a lot of mid-major coaches are starting to hold out for job offers from schools they feel like would give them a better chance to succeed. Would it be impossible to find one willing to take the ISU job? No, absolutely not, but it would probably have to be a guy who is somewhat under the radar of other major programs and is willing to take a big chance.

For those reasons, I actually think Leach would be a good hire like someone else mentioned above (if he were interested). He has a unique system that he could bring to Iowa State. He's proven it can work in the B12. I think that's an integral part in being successful at ISU. Build your own unique brand of football and focus on recruiting talent specifically for it. It's too hard to compete with the big boys trying to go about things the traditional way. Plus he has recruiting connections in Texas.

Mike Leach is having his struggles at Washington State.

And this fall will give us the answer of whether CPR is the right guy or not. The first 4 years were actually decent for Iowa State. The last 2 were not. The 2nd year now with almost a whole new staff. We will see how it all turns out.

 

[Section110]

Mike Leach is having his struggles at Washington State.

And this fall will give us the answer of whether CPR is the right guy or not. The first 4 years were actually decent for Iowa State. The last 2 were not. The 2nd year now with almost a whole new staff. We will see how it all turns out.

He is struggling at Washington State, but they did have the #1 ranked passing offense last year. They had a horrible rushing offense and a bad defense, but still at least he has them good at what he knows. He has proven he can win in the B12 with his system. I guess that's why I think it would be worth the chance. Plus it would be easier for him to use his recruiting ties in Texas to get players to come to ISU than it probably is for him to get them to go all the way to Washington.

He's an offensive minded coach with a radical system. That's no secret. When he can put a serviceable defense on the field it can win games though. It certainly can attract talented offensive weapons. That's probably my biggest gripe with CPR. He was a defensive minded coach when he was brought in and aside from Knott/Kline his defenses at ISU have been downright terrible. That's hard for me to understand.

 

[CyFan61]

It was different back in 2006. DMac had been fairly successful in prior years. We had some good candidates for the Head Coaching job. In 2009, the list of candidates was not as good. Gene Chizik's failure changed the whole perception of the Iowa State job.

Look at the list of candidates that wanted the Kansas job. David Beaty was hired.

http://www.kansas.com/sports/college/big-12/university-of-kansas/article16392773.html

This is an interesting argument. It's not that Paul Rhoads has done well enough to deserve keeping the job. It's that Rhoads has done so poorly and tanked the program so badly that no one good will even want to take it, so we might as well stick with him.

 

[CYCLNST8]

"No decent coach would want the Iowa State job" is bull****. We brought Mangino in as a coordinator for ******'s sake. Harbaugh interviewed before his run at Stanford. Chizick was a sexy hire. Are we gonna lure in a Pete Caroll or Urban Meyer? No- but any up-and-comer with something to prove isn't going to turn their nose up at our facilities, AD, & dedicated fan base.

Rhoads is essentially McCarney 2.0 We need to find our next Earl Bruce.

 

[Skidoosh]

"No decent coach would want the Iowa State job" is bull****. We brought Mangino in as a coordinator for ******'s sake. Harbaugh interviewed before his run at Stanford. Chizick was a sexy hire. Are we gonna lure in a Pete Caroll or Urban Meyer? No- but any up-and-comer with something to prove isn't going to turn their nose up at our facilities, AD, & dedicated fan base.

Rhoads is essentially McCarney 2.0 We need to find our next Earl Bruce.

Didn't Earle Bruce say the worst thing he ever did was leave ISU?

#BringBackEarle

*edit* LOL JK that was some other coach. ignore my stupidity please.

 

[Skidoosh]

I thought this was pretty funny (on Earle Bruce's stint at ISU):

He came close to dismissal at Iowa State, but then turned that struggling program around with three consecutive 8-3 records. "And the NCAA didn't even think about investigating him," said Gil Brandt, Dallas Cowboys vice president-personnel development, and a close friend of Bruce.
Said Lou McCullough, a former OSU assistant coach and later Bruce's athletic director at Iowa State: "Earle would have to be in the top five (coaches) in America. To go 8-3, 8-3, 8-3 at Iowa State, that's like Northwestern winning the Big Ten."

 

[Stormin]

This is an interesting argument. It's not that Paul Rhoads has done well enough to deserve keeping the job. It's that Rhoads has done so poorly and tanked the program so badly that no one good will even want to take it, so we might as well stick with him.

Such a stupid post. Look at who applied for the job in 2008 after Chizik left. It was Chizik who changed the whole perception of the Iowa State job. Chizik, at the time he applied for the Iowa State job, was regarded as the Top Assistant Coach in America. Chizik was in hot demand. It was considered a coup that Pollard was able to get Chizik. And Pollard chose Chizik over the likes of Brian Kelley and Jim Harbaugh. Chizik failed completely. Chizik was damn lucky that Auburn came calling and offered him a job. No one else was offering him.

The perception of the Iowa State job changed in the 2 years under Chizik. It is now considered to be one of the most difficult coaching jobs in the nation. And coaches know that.

 

[Skidoosh]

Such a stupid post. Look at who applied for the job in 2008 after Chizik left. It was Chizik who changed the whole perception of the Iowa State job. Chizik, at the time he applied for the Iowa State job, was regarded as the Top Assistant Coach in America. Chizik was in hot demand. It was considered a coup that Pollard was able to get Chizik. And Pollard chose Chizik over the likes of Brian Kelley and Jim Harbaugh. Chizik failed completely. Chizik was damn lucky that Auburn came calling and offered him a job. No one else was offering him.

The perception of the Iowa State job changed in the 2 years under Chizik. It is now considered to be one of the most difficult coaching jobs in the nation. And coaches know that.

I'd argue that it's always been known as one of the most difficult coaching jobs in the nation. See above post.

 

[Stormin]

I'd argue that it's always been known as one of the most difficult coaching jobs in the nation. See above post.

DMac did have some decent success. And remember that when Chizik and CPR were hired we had North and South Divisions in the Big 12 where you avoided playing Texas and Oklahoma, 2 out of every 4 years. Plus you had 4 non-conference games back then.

 

[RustShack]

CPR has had success, then he made the mistske of hiring Mess. He fixed that mistake, and you will see the results this year.

 

[CYKOFAN]

Such a stupid post. Look at who applied for the job in 2008 after Chizik left. It was Chizik who changed the whole perception of the Iowa State job. Chizik, at the time he applied for the Iowa State job, was regarded as the Top Assistant Coach in America. Chizik was in hot demand. It was considered a coup that Pollard was able to get Chizik. And Pollard chose Chizik over the likes of Brian Kelley and Jim Harbaugh. Chizik failed completely. Chizik was damn lucky that Auburn came calling and offered him a job. No one else was offering him.

The perception of the Iowa State job changed in the 2 years under Chizik. It is now considered to be one of the most difficult coaching jobs in the nation. And coaches know that.

Don't agree. Outside the year Auburn bought a national title with Cam, Chiz failed there too, and hasn't been hired since. Chiz wasn't liked by his players and just failed as a head coach period. I didn't get the impression JP looked too far beyond CPR when Chiz left as he seemed completely sold on him. I have no doubt we'd get good mid-major candidates if CPR has to go.

 

[Stormin]

Don't agree. Outside the year Auburn bought a national title with Cam, Chiz failed there too, and hasn't been hired since. Chiz wasn't liked by his players and just failed as a head coach period. I didn't get the impression JP looked too far beyond CPR when Chiz left as he seemed completely sold on him. I have no doubt we'd get good mid-major candidates if CPR has to go.

Do some research and see who the other candidates were when CPR was hired. Look at the list of applicants that applied for Kansas just this past fall.

 

[RustShack]

Hoiberg is a candidate for a lot of jobs, doesn't mean he's actually an option.

 

[BryceC]

DMac did have some decent success. And remember that when Chizik and CPR were hired we had North and South Divisions in the Big 12 where you avoided playing Texas and Oklahoma, 2 out of every 4 years. Plus you had 4 non-conference games back then.

Mac tanked the program through poor recruiting and was fired for it. If that isn't a terrible situation for any coach I don't know what is.

Our fan support, facilities, and budget are astronomically better than they were after Mac or chiz. Now I could be wrong but I think ISU could attract a prospect mid major coach (like Bohl) or a retread coach like Leath.

Hiring anybody at ISU is a roll of the dice. Retaining anybody usually the same.

 

[deadeyededric]

CPR has had success, then he made the mistske of hiring Mess. He fixed that mistake, and you will see the results this year.

I agree! Our defense has been outstanding the last two years.

 

[RustShack]

I agree! Our defense has been outstanding the last two years.

It was hurt, and inexperienced. And if wasn't as talented as previous years on top of that. It's back to how it should be this year.

 

[Wesley]

I am predicting 4-6 wins. I base that on the new players we have that will be playing this year. Much better prospects and depth for the Defensive Line, especially the DT's. Jordan Harris at MLB, he has moved to No. 1 on the Depth Chart. Lots of players coming back from injuries that missed major parts of last year and in many cases the whole season. A Sr. QB and returning starter who seems to have some talent. Sheer numbers of players on the Offensive Line that have starting experience. Many were injured last year. And the further development of Lazard and Montgomery along with the return from injury by Bundrage at WR. Plus, I am enthused by our young RB's, especially Mike Warren.

This is not the same team as last year. Not even close. Lots of players lost to injuries that did not play. And several players that RS last year that will be playing this year. When you have returning starters moving down the depth chart and replaced there should be improvement.

Projecting a 30 point defense and a 24 point offense this year.

 

[CYKOFAN]

Look, Pollard made an outstanding hire in basketball by bringing in Hoiberg. Clearly that has paid off. In fact, I would argue that when you consider Hoiberg's lack of head coaching experience at the time it was probably one of the gutsiest hires I've seen made even though he knew the Cyclone faithful would be on board with it because he is the Mayor after all.

Anyways, it's clear that has worked out. However, your last comment sort of makes me scratch my head because he hired CPR and that hasn't worked out so I guess I would question having 100% faith in Pollard to find the right guy when he has already struck out once with his choice for football (assuming CPR fails to turn it around this year).

I actually agree with Stormin in this case. If Pollard has to replace Rhoads it will not be easy. I think he is correct in saying that a lot of mid-major coaches are starting to hold out for job offers from schools they feel like would give them a better chance to succeed. Would it be impossible to find one willing to take the ISU job? No, absolutely not, but it would probably have to be a guy who is somewhat under the radar of other major programs and is willing to take a big chance.

For those reasons, I actually think Leach would be a good hire like someone else mentioned above (if he were interested). He has a unique system that he could bring to Iowa State. He's proven it can work in the B12. I think that's an integral part in being successful at ISU. Build your own unique brand of football and focus on recruiting talent specifically for it. It's too hard to compete with the big boys trying to go about things the traditional way. Plus he has recruiting connections in Texas.

I don't disagree and if CPR doesn't work out that will be both of JPs' football hires that didn't cut it. And no I don't have a lot of confidence that JP can find that diamond in the rough or under the radar mid major. JP has no football background and would need a ton of help in the next hire, many ad.s wouldn;t get a 3rd chance. But some on here seem to want us to believe we're a terrible program and have no hope of getting anybody better than CPR, so be happy with sub-mediocrity. Its' almost as if they're more loyal to CPR than ISU, and I'm not buying it. I'm not giving up on CPR yet, but another bad year and I'm confident we can find somebody better.

 

[CYKOFAN]

Do some research and see who the other candidates were when CPR was hired. Look at the list of applicants that applied for Kansas just this past fall.

Like I said, I got the impression JP was immediately smitten by CPR so hard to say how hard he looked or if he was even ready to look since the Chiz departure was so sudden. And I've said our a.d may have to be sharp enough to find that under the radar guy, though I obviously think more good mid-majors would take the ISU job than you do. But I wouldn't make fun of KU right now, their first year guy pounded our 6th year guy.