Food for thought and reason for hope...

[cyclonenum1]

From 1990 through 1994 (4 full seasons) the ISU FB program was 14-28-2. During that same stretch, the LSU FB program was a very similar 17-27...less than a decade later, LSU was the National Champion (for 2003 season).

If you have the appropriate commitment from the university administration and the athletic administration; the right coaches; and the support of the fan base ($ and attendance) anything is possible. I BELIEVE WE HAVE ALL OF THE ELEMENTS IN PLACE AND THAT IT CAN HAPPEN AT ISU!

 

[isuno1fan]

Don't forget having a ridiculous amount of HS talent in the state. Something Iowa will never be able to compete with Louisiana for.

 

[cyclonenum1]

Don't forget having a ridiculous amount of HS talent in the state. Something Iowa will never be able to compete with Louisiana for.

LA certainly has more FB talent than IA in the HS ranks even though the states are fairly similar in population.

However, assuming that has always been the case, why did LSU fair so poorly from 90-94 (and in fact for the entire decade of the 90s...they had only 3 winning seasons)?

It's easy to look at LSU now (2 National Championships this decade in 03 and 07) and say they are a "perrenial" power or they have a "tradition" when the reality is that just a few short years ago they were roughly on the same level as ISU.

My point is simple, LSU hired a Chancellor that was committed to athletic excellence and was willing to fund it (Emmert). They also hired a coach that knew how to build a program (Saban). They upgraded facilities and asked more of the fans. I see ISU as doing all of these things now with Geoffroy, Pollard, and Chizik. Just my opinion.