Coach Campbell's favorite ISU Football team vs MY Favorite Campbell Coached ISU Football team(s).

[cc1091]

I've often heard that this year's team is Coach Campbell's favorite team of the Iowa State teams he has coached. I have wondered what he really means by this?
Because for me:
- this team isn't as fun as the 2017 squad where Kyle Kempt emerged from nowhere into a leadership role as the rest of the team resolved to play as a unit.
- this team isn't as solid on offense or defense as the post Noland 2018 squad.
- this team hasn't shown signs of incredible growth during the season like the 2016, 2017, and 2018 squads.

I'm sure I can go deep into my praise and criticisms for multiple parts of this team, but the point is that I don't feel like this team plays with a sense of urgency with respect to the talent level they have on the field. They seem to muddle to the level of their opponent and never show consistency. So for me, someone who wasn't expecting a 7 or 8 win season, the season has still been a disappointment to me. I hope in the Kansas State game they are able to figure out how to play with that near elite capability they sometimes show. I also hope they find a way to deliver the knockout punch that has been missing (and has allowed many lesser teams to get back into the football game).

Damn I miss Butler and Montgomery...

 

[jsb]

I think we have to guard against letting our expectations determine our enjoyment of the team.

A lot of us had high expectations for this season and we have not met those. That's disappointing and maddening. But it doesn't mean that we shouldn't enjoy this season. And it doesn't mean that this season has been a failure. I also think that it is silly to say something like "this team plays down to their opponent". That is not exclusive to this year (if it is even true). See last year's Baylor and Kansas State game (and ******* Drake). The 2017 team did the same thing.

What I appreciate about this year is even though we've lost a bunch of games that we could have easily won and that a 1 or 2 loss season just about happened, we managed to still win at least 7 games. That's a sign of a GOOD program.

When we were all predicting 10 wins this summer, I sort of thought that it wasn't out of the realm of possibility (and very Iowa Stateish) that we'd completely regress and win 4 or 5. That is what has happened over our history.

 

[ISUEmbassy]

As great as Butler and Montgomery are/were, I think our offense is much more well rounded and OL play is significantly better this year. Seems like we take a lot less negative yardage plays this year too.

 

[Doc]

I think he just likes the creativity with the TEs.

 

[tyler24]

Campbells teams will always have close games as long as he is here. His style isn't going to blow people out, especially if we start running it like I expect. We will have games where we kick a teams ass, but only win by like 10. Look at WV last year. Enjoy the moment, ISU hasn't had many moments like we're currently having.

 

[CloneFan4]

I think a lot of us really let the media hype go to our heads, per usual.

Its exciting to be the sexy dark horse "Big 12 Champion" or "final four" pick, but a lot of us need to keep our expectations grounded and not OD on the kool aid.

Outside the Offensive line, this is still a really young team. If we can keep the momentum going with that unit, next year's occasional Big 12 Championship pick will have more weight than this year's.

 

[FinalFourCy]

I think a lot of us really let the media hype go to our heads, per usual.

Its exciting to be the sexy dark horse "Big 12 Champion" or "final four" pick, but a lot of us need to keep our expectations grounded and not OD on the kool aid.

Outside the Offensive line, this is still a really young team. If we can keep the momentum going with that unit, next year's occasional Big 12 Championship pick will have more weight than this year's.

Disagree. It wasn’t kool aid. This team is very much the team that garnered the hype, if not better in some ways.

A missed opportunity, but hopefully they can finish with a very good 9-4 record.

 

[burn587]

- this team isn't as solid on offense or defense as the post Noland 2018 squad.

You are rejecting reality and substituting your own with this statement. ISU averaged 30.88 points per game in 2018 starting with the Okie State game. We are averaging 35.64 ppg this year. Total offense in the 2018 Purdy era was 402.77 yards per game, and in 2019 478.9 ypg.

The defense has dropped off somewhat with allowing slightly more yards per game and about 3 more points a game. It seems mainly to be a product of an inexperienced and banged up secondary. Going into the season I would’ve never guessed we missed Peavy and Payne more than Montgomery and Butler.

The main reason people are probably feeling disappointed is that we expected this team to be at least this good and hoped that they’d be a championship level team, so they met expectations instead of exceeding them. The 2017 team wasn’t expected to be jack **** so making a bowl would’ve exceeded expectations and the big wins over TCU and OU made the season an overwhelming success. 2018 was really a very similar year that slightly exceeded expectations but the breakout of Purdy and the promise of his potential made it seem better than it may have been.

 

[madguy30]

The lines have experience but it's still a young team and sometimes there's not that much growth...although being the more physical team vs. someone like Texas is growth for the program since that was a previous issue.

I think the OP is blocking out games in 2017 and 2018 late in the season when the team really wasn't very sharp.

Yesterday wasn't great but it was a win and this is better than getting excited for any win whatsoever.

 

[Mr Janny]

Disagree. It wasn’t kool aid. This team is very much the team that garnered the hype, if not better in some ways.

A missed opportunity, but hopefully they can finish with a very good 9-4 record.

A 9 win season has occurred only 1 other time in the last 100+ years for the Cyclones. If we get to 9 wins, I will be ecstatic. We're in the middle of arguably the most successful period in ISU football history. Given our tradition, there is zero reason for any Cyclone fan to hang their head this year.

 

[CyCrazy]

I think a lot of us really let the media hype go to our heads, per usual.

Its exciting to be the sexy dark horse "Big 12 Champion" or "final four" pick, but a lot of us need to keep our expectations grounded and not OD on the kool aid.

Outside the Offensive line, this is still a really young team. If we can keep the momentum going with that unit, next year's occasional Big 12 Championship pick will have more weight than this year's.

No, we should have been in the Big 12 title game. Not hype we should not have lost to BU, or OSU, and frankly OU. But here we are that isn't false hope. Your line of thinking is asinine. This isn't the same ole ISU from when I was in school and Mac and company

 

[CyCrazy]

A 9 win season has occurred only 1 other time in the last 100+ years for the Cyclones. If we get to 9 wins, I will be ecstatic. We're in the middle of arguably the most successful period in ISU football history. Given our tradition, there is zero reason for any Cyclone fan to hang their head this year.

Agree, it should of and more than likely could have been more. None the less it has been a damn good year.

 

[Cyched]

Agree, it should of and more than likely could have been more. None the less it has been a damn good year.

A lot of what-ifs, but still a great time to be a Cyclone football fan.

If we keep consistently making the 7-8 win mark, the 9-10 seasons will eventually come.

 

[madguy30]

Agree, it should of and more than likely could have been more. None the less it has been a damn good year.

A couple of the losses were stupid...but at least it's been a rarity to watch a game over the last 3 years and ISU not have a legit chance to win the game.

 

[FinalFourCy]

A 9 win season has occurred only 1 other time in the last 100+ years for the Cyclones. If we get to 9 wins, I will be ecstatic. We're in the middle of arguably the most successful period in ISU football history. Given our tradition, there is zero reason for any Cyclone fan to hang their head this year.

Neat.

Given our “tradition”, it’s an even bigger missed opportunity.

When is it ever time time to be hanging one’s head?

 

[CloneFan4]

No, we should have been in the Big 12 title game. Not hype we should not have lost to BU, or OSU, and frankly OU. But here we are that isn't false hope. Your line of thinking is asinine. This isn't the same ole ISU from when I was in school and Mac and company

Is it asinine to concede that young players are prone to make the kind of mistakes that cost us those four games this year? The level of expectations some of you place on a group heavy with second year players is ridiculous.

Taken straight from Matt Campbell's mouth "It is always going to be difficult here." Bottom line is we were lacking experience and gave away the kind of mistakes young teams make. Winning in the margins is exactly what's going to propel us from being a good team to a great team.

It isnt asinine to show patience with this years team.

 

[BoxsterCy]

Really want to get the 8th win next weekend so the only three years in a row with 8's isn't the Earl Bruce ones so many years ago. Granted, those were 11/12 game seasons back than and I think those would be 9* game winners in 12/13 games but still, been a long time getting back to here.


* Lost two bowl bowl games that could have gotten us to 9 but still a game less than now.

 

[Urbandale2013]

I predicted 10-2 to start the year and yeah we won’t hit that but it’s still been a great year. It’s a bit disappointing that we haven’t improved record wise but I think overall this team is a better team. Defense took a small step back. But that was a loss of experience likely. Offense is better even without Montgomery and Butler. No reason to look down on this year.

 

[cyfanatic]

A 9 win season has occurred only 1 other time in the last 100+ years for the Cyclones. If we get to 9 wins, I will be ecstatic. We're in the middle of arguably the most successful period in ISU football history. Given our tradition, there is zero reason for any Cyclone fan to hang their head this year.

AGREE! Drove me crazy this past summer when people on the site were saying 10 wins and some said 10 wins easy! 10 wins will never come easy for this program and that is OK! Can 10 wins happen some year...sure but it won't be easy! The close losses this year hurt bad but it should be proof of how difficult 10 wins will be for this program to accomplish! This has been a fun season for sure...and a joy to watch (even if frustrating at times)! The high expectations are great though...shows how far Coach Campbell has brought this program! Go STATE!!

 

[Doc]

I think a lot of us really let the media hype go to our heads, per usual.

Its exciting to be the sexy dark horse "Big 12 Champion" or "final four" pick, but a lot of us need to keep our expectations grounded and not OD on the kool aid.

Outside the Offensive line, this is still a really young team. If we can keep the momentum going with that unit, next year's occasional Big 12 Championship pick will have more weight than this year's.

They could’ve won the B12 title this year. For the first time in my life, I think we had a team that could do it. They just didn’t, and that’s okay. Most teams who could win titles don’t.