We get no pressure, force few mistakes, and have given up way too many (backbreaking) third and longs from scrambles or giving QBs 7+ seconds to sit in the pocket. Just because the unit is good doesn't mean there aren't areas that could see improvement.
Do you want Campbell gone?
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We get no pressure, force few mistakes, and have given up way too many (backbreaking) third and longs from scrambles or giving QBs 7+ seconds to sit in the pocket. Just because the unit is good doesn't mean there aren't areas that could see improvement.
By far the biggest gains are possible on offense.
The defense is successful because of the low risk approach they take. It’s the scheme and strategy that makes them good. They aren’t that talented outside of 3-4 players.
It’s a fools errand to focus on the defense improving to make us better. We’re already very good and nearly maxing out how much the talent on that side can help us win
If the offense and ST could become just below average, which any decent level of coaching can achieve, we’ll win several games
If the offense doesn’t improve, and the defense takes more risks, we have less odds of winning another game
Ultimately scoring is what dictates what the defense needs to do. If the offense isn't scoring you simply can't say "well, we've only given up 10 points if the offense doesn't score more we've done our job". I think if you asked Heacock if he was satisfied with a lack of QB pressure, sacks, and turnovers these last few games he'd say no. Well why is that? Our 3 man front has had trouble generating pressure for most of his tenure (sans McDonald) and he's varied very little from his base defense these last few games.
Time to dial it up a notch.
I think it's definitely time to dial it up a notch in all facets but our defense has still been very good. As we stand, we're a top 10 defense, but as you said, it could even be better. I'd love to see more blitzes from our LBs and also Freyler. Get the some pressure on the QB and make him make a throw into our 7-8 guys that are in coverage.
In theory it's the offense by a mile. No disagreement there if "things improve". The problem is, if you were being blatantly honest, is do you really THINK the offense can improve with the problems we've seen at OL, the schematic issues that seem to be rooted in Campbell and his philosophy, and a complete inability to run the ball (in large part due to one)? And we haven't even begun to play the best teams on our schedule. The odds of this unit becoming drastically better, this year, are very low.
We have a lot more talent than 3-4 guys on defense. We've also shown an ability to make big plays, and more of them, when Heacock is more aggressive and varied in his approach. Sometimes it results in more yards (yielded), but the field position impacts of sacks and TOs more than make up for that. Go back and watch the UNI tape; we were infinitely more aggressive. These last two games we went base defense and what happened? Virtually no big plays.
So the takeaway is the defense has shown it is capable of making more big plays. The offense has yet to show much of anything in the capability department. One is actual, one is theory, with the latter having SEVERAL handicaps for it to overcome.
Well said. Our defense is solid most of the time. Statistically, it is a good scoring defense.
It is not an elite defense. My eyes cannot roll enough seeing Cyclone fans (and CW) that keep pushing this silly narrative.
Someone said on Twitter and I agree, he's earned the right to try and fix this. But he'd better get on it. QUICKLY.
I get that but historically, the Big 12 as a whole is a lot stronger than the B1G west
even with how the Big 12 is performing so far, the Big Ten West still sucks
CW mentioned this on his postgame reactions, and I understand there are virtually no similarities, but when we limped past Akron in 2017, the 3-3-5 was born. If Campbell is willing to admit that the current offensive gameplan just doesnt work, then revamp it and find one that does. I dont expect us to go straight air raid, but we have to throw it more. Make the defense defend more of the field. We did that for one drive Saturday, and in 2 plays and 48 seconds we had gone 72 yards and scored a touchdown.
For Campbell to stay, for the record, hes not going anywhere(yet). But he has to be willing to adapt. I have lost a lot of faith in him this year fwiw due to what seems like ignorance when it comes to the offense, but i do believe we have recruited talent that is not being used, specifically at the TE and WR position. Just my thoughts on the situation. I was completely over CMC Saturday and have calmed down to a more realistic thought process lol
For Campbell to stay, for the record, hes not going anywhere(yet). But he has to be willing to adapt. I have lost a lot of faith in him this year fwiw due to what seems like ignorance when it comes to the offense, but i do believe we have recruited talent that is not being used, specifically at the TE and WR position. Just my thoughts on the situation. I was completely over CMC Saturday and have calmed down to a more realistic thought process lol
Vertical, deception/misdirection, pace, utilize the middle of the field. Simply picking up the pace and utilizing more misdirection would open up a lot of things for us. The defense gets comfortable as they have time to rest and reset before the next snap on virtually every play we run. I think that played a factor in the ease with which we scored in the Ohio game.
More of that, please.
2 - 17 in the last 19 one possession ball games. I like Matt, but man, it's the same damn game on repeat. That defense is going to stop caring sooner than the last game of the year like they did last year, and it is going to get ugly.
Let's talk about the defense when it's even approaching a problem. They are on the field forever and don't give up **** for points. I think there should be a ban on derogatory talk of the defense until the offense scores 20 points against a non-FCS team.
Yeah, here's where I'm at:
He is and should be completely safe no matter what happens this season. After that, if things don't go well in 2023, the seats going to be and should be hot. I happen to think the odds of a bad remainder of 2023 and like a 5 or 6 win 2024 aren't very high. I think there are two logical ways it could go which is the same the rest of this year and also just the same in 2024 or marginally better this year (think 4-6 wins) followed by a pretty good 2024 all because something clicks on the offensive side. I do not see him hiring a new OC for next year no matter what happens because I think he's going to keep control. Now, that doesn't mean that it won't change slightly or even drastically because we saw a completely different offensive identity early in his tenure. The thing that really halts any of my optimism that good things happen is that he's had two off-seasons to recognize and change these issues and nothing outside of a meaningless OC change has happened.
ISU’s defense is stout and not the reason the team is struggling. However, the defense plays a “bend, but don’t break” style. The squad is not opportunistic and does not create turnovers. Hence, opposing teams can put together long drives as long as they’re patient. The defense also struggles with mobile/running QBs as containment is very difficult when you only rush three.
Take away the Pick-6 and the punt return and it's 16 points against the FCS team.
Campbell thinks he's protecting his defense with what he's doing offensively but in reality he's taking the defensive margin from near zero to true zero. You can't rely on being perfect every play, it's not sustainable.
I think we had a top 10 SP+ defense last year and are 11th this year. Can we just not talk about the deficiencies of a really, really good defensive staff.
We have to have the biggest spreads between offense and defense ratings in the country right? That’s what really pisses me off. We don’t need much from the offense, like #75 would be great and lead to pretty good success.
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