Bowl or Bust
- Thread starter Haverhill
- Start date
And hire who last year? And that last sentence... Is just stupid...if it's not that difficult, why have we not succeeded doing that in the past 100 years?
I think this fan base would become ecstatic if the football program became a consistent 6-7 win every year program, with an 8 or 9-win season sprinkled in from time to time.
Last edited:
I guess we have to ask "What are our expectations for this program?".
Based on history alone, winning 5 or 6 games would be a good season for ISU. Our history is pretty bad. So, the question becomes..... is that ok with everyone?
What should a head coach be expected to win at a program that has what Iowa State does, and for what Iowa State can afford to pay it's head coach and his assistants?
I still think 6 wins should be the basement every year. Win at least 6 games every year, and maybe up to 9 in some years where everything works out right for you.... like no injuries, ball bounces your way more often than not, etc. 5 wins or less should be considered a bad year IMO.
With that being said, I think 5 wins could be acceptable next year as long as we look like a football team out there and are giving great effort. If guys are improving, learning the fundamentals, and look like a "smart" team out there that knows what it's doing, then fine.
My fear though, is since we only won 2 games last year, anything better than that will come across as "improvement". That is BS IMO. Winning 3 or 4 next year won't cut it IMO. The ONLY reason anyone would be accepting 3 or 4 wins is because of the depths to which Rhoads has sunk this program to. If we were coming off a 6 win season, everyone would be ticked off winning 3 or 4 games next year. Rhoads should not get a "discount" because he's had such a horrible program for several years that 3 or 4 wins now seems "good". That's BS!
Based on history alone, winning 5 or 6 games would be a good season for ISU. Our history is pretty bad. So, the question becomes..... is that ok with everyone?
What should a head coach be expected to win at a program that has what Iowa State does, and for what Iowa State can afford to pay it's head coach and his assistants?
I still think 6 wins should be the basement every year. Win at least 6 games every year, and maybe up to 9 in some years where everything works out right for you.... like no injuries, ball bounces your way more often than not, etc. 5 wins or less should be considered a bad year IMO.
With that being said, I think 5 wins could be acceptable next year as long as we look like a football team out there and are giving great effort. If guys are improving, learning the fundamentals, and look like a "smart" team out there that knows what it's doing, then fine.
My fear though, is since we only won 2 games last year, anything better than that will come across as "improvement". That is BS IMO. Winning 3 or 4 next year won't cut it IMO. The ONLY reason anyone would be accepting 3 or 4 wins is because of the depths to which Rhoads has sunk this program to. If we were coming off a 6 win season, everyone would be ticked off winning 3 or 4 games next year. Rhoads should not get a "discount" because he's had such a horrible program for several years that 3 or 4 wins now seems "good". That's BS!
One thing I would take into consideration is the Big 12 record not just the overall record. If ISU goes 3-9 (0-9) or 4-8 (1-8.) That is not enough improvement IMO. The non conference games will be important if ISU wants to have any type of chance at a bowl game playing against the teams later in the season that we do. But given the fact Paul Rhoads has never won more than 3 conference games and is coming off an 0-9 conference season...If I were the AD I would want to see AT LEAST 2 conference wins, ideally I would expect 3 minimum, but having a such a terrible year last year lowers the bar a little. If ISU wins 0 or only 1, that is just not cutting it in the Big 12 and it's time to find someone who can win in this conference.
Was being (half) facetious but I think that is more or less how JP will handle it. If Rhoads gets to 5-7 he'll be back in 2016. 4-8 and he should go but there's a chance he saves himself. 3-9 or worse and it's an easy call. And if he gets to a bowl game I think he buys himself two more years regardless of how 2016 goes.
In terms of bust, has JP ever fired anyone?
McDermont left for Creighton
Sanderson to PenST
Maybe my memory just isn't working tonight. Was DannyMac the closest he came to firing someone? (thinking Mac left on his own, but the writing was on the all if he didn't)
McDermont left for Creighton
Sanderson to PenST
Maybe my memory just isn't working tonight. Was DannyMac the closest he came to firing someone? (thinking Mac left on his own, but the writing was on the all if he didn't)
For those of you who say he stays with 5, what if ISU starts 5-0, and ends on a 7 game losing streak?
It is damn easy to do that at ISU. We have done it all the time. We have consistently gotten to 8 wins every year........Never mind the 1990's when we totaled 24 wins for the entire decade.
It's about how you finish. Like I said earlier, if it's five wins or less, improvement better be shown that it is on the uptrend at the end of the season, rather than to start like that and regress.
Agree. This schedule is extremely back loaded, and if ISU gets to 5 or 6 wins, a majority of the wins will come in those g first 5 games. If ISU wins only 5, chances are they will have lost at least 6 of their last 7. IMO, it's bowl or bust for CPR this season.
I think the key is exceeding last year's win total in the first five games of the 2015 season.
Agree again. I do believe confidence has hurt this team quite a bit the last few years. Get some confidence in this team, and who knows what will happen. However, I won't be happy if they win 4 or 5 of their first 5, and lose 6 or 7 of their last 7.
The confidence for last season basically went out the window when North Dakota State broke off that 80-yard touchdown run.
He needs to get to a bowl game to save his job. Can his *** if he loses to UNI in the opener though. Basically, don't f up the opener CPR, that should be your #1 focus.
Why do you keep citing the 1990s as the norm for Iowa State? Good grief. All I want is a crappy late December bowl game, not a National Title.