Speed....

[KMAC_ATTACK]

One thing that is regardless of stars is speed. If you look at our commits so far, that is one thing that i think Chizik and his staff really understand they need to compete with the Big 12....

Look at our current commits besides OL and DL: all our recruits are in the 4.4, 4.5 or 4.6 range....thats improving our team speed which is one area that really shows up when you watch the game.

It shows up on Offense in that our receivers need separation so our qb don't have to throw the ball into a 5 gallon bucket size window.....

On defense, we need to have team speed to continue to fly to the ball and make plays. I'm hoping a few of these recruits and definitely a couple of the redshirt guys from last year are ready to make the leap because we need playmakers.

That said, i see Chizik and his staff are addressing the recruiting by targeting athletes more then anything. They could care less if they're recruiting class is ranked 70th by rivals, if the guys coming in are athletes, they're taking the position that they can teach the game - they can coach!!!!

The one aspect i love about that line of thinking is: Athletes can overcome a mistake, if you don't have the physical ability to adapt and overcome, the mental aspect can only take you so far, you have to have athletes.

Keep it up Chiz, you get recruits coming to Ames that are athletes, i feel comfortable that you and your staff will round them into playmakers....

 

[ajk4st8]

I bet if you look around on EVERY teams recruiting board... most all of their guys run between 4.4 - 4.6.

 

[isuno1fan]

I bet if you look around on EVERY teams recruiting board... most all of their guys run between 4.4 - 4.6.

Pretty accurate statement as I have done this.

 

[dinger]

i think thats the point KMAC is trying to make...our speed will now be comparable and competitive with the rest of the nation. we too have 4.4, 4.5 or 4.6 speed instead of 4.5, 4.6, 4.7 or even 4.6, 4.7, 4.8.

 

[NoHawk4Life]

Im pretty that the acurracy of these sites is a little off... I know from personal experience when I was coming up through the system... they alter the times/stats a bit to leave people wanting to look more into it or to subscribe to their website or club... so it is the best thing to see that we are going after speed, cause that is the only thing you cant teach... and that is what we need more than anything is guys who have the potential to be "big time" play makers...

 

[cyclonenum1]

Speed is, hands down, the most critical component in having a successful big-time college FB program. Chizik has seen this at Auburn and Texas and he understands it. What shocks me is how we still have some of our Cyclone brethren arguing that speed is nice to have but not the most important thing.

 

[jdoggivjc]

Speed is, hands down, the most critical component in having a successful big-time college FB program. Chizik has seen this at Auburn and Texas and he understands it. What shocks me is how we still have some of our Cyclone brethren arguing that speed is nice to have but not the most important thing.

Especially AFTER Chizik said it IS the most important thing...

 

[isuno1fan]

Speed in pads can be significantly different than running a 40 as well.

Here's hoping we are lightening quick/fast though!

 

[The_Architect]

Speed was the reason App State beat Michigan. If you watched that game you saw undersized but blazing fast WR's beat a team full of bigger, stronger players.

Heck, even look at T. Tech. With the exception of Crabtree, they usually have diminutive (comparatively) WR's compared to everyone else. They will take the speed guys without optimum size over tall and slower any day.

 

[dinger]

Speed was the reason App State beat Michigan. If you watched that game you saw undersized but blazing fast WR's beat a team full of bigger, stronger players.

Heck, even look at T. Tech. With the exception of Crabtree, they usually have diminutive (comparatively) WR's compared to everyone else. They will take the speed guys without optimum size over tall and slower any day.

see wes welker. that guy is a quick little booger

 

[Omaha Cy]

One glaring weakness for the clones this season was players(blythe/robinson/etc) not having the speed to turn short gains into long ones. especially in the passing game. Seemed Blythe would always get tripped up in a one on situation after it looked like he might break free. Of course another problem was the complete ineffectiveness of the WR blocking attempts to spring a reciever as well on a quick pass.

I noticed many times how Mizzou/KU ran the same sort of passing plays ISU did...difference was they had better downfield blocking(from other wr's) and guys with more play making ability.

 

[djcubby]

Speed is, hands down, the most critical component in having a successful big-time college FB program. Chizik has seen this at Auburn and Texas and he understands it. What shocks me is how we still have some of our Cyclone brethren arguing that speed is nice to have but not the most important thing.

You can even take a look at the Pro Bowlers in the NFL, Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs, Dwight Freeney, Randy Moss...etc. All of those guys may not be the biggest or strongest, but the thing that sets them apart is their speed.

 

[mwitt]

You can even take a look at the Pro Bowlers in the NFL, Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs, Dwight Freeney, Randy Moss...etc. All of those guys may not be the biggest or strongest, but the thing that sets them apart is their speed.

There's also a lot of fast guys who aren't very good in the NFL. Speed is something that our team has definitely lacked at Iowa State, and it appears we're improving in that department. Hopefully we are. But speed doesn't make a football player. I hope we're bringing in guys who can both run and play.

 

[ISUCLONES15]

One glaring weakness for the clones this season was players(blythe/robinson/etc) not having the speed to turn short gains into long ones. especially in the passing game.

I agree that Blythe did not have the speed to break the long ones, but Alexander Robinson? That guy is one of the fastest guys we have on our team and the fastest RB we have had in the backfield in a long time.

 

[Stormin]

I saw the highlight reel of RB Shane Turner. That guy seemed to have some pretty good jets. Only 5-9 170, but real elusive and returned some kicks. I think he would be a good get. We need a speed RB in this class.

 

[The_Architect]

THere is a difference between speed and elusiveness. Elusiveness is what we lack. JJ Moses wasn't that fast at full speed (relatively) but his ability to make guys and miss and accelerate was second to none.

 

[mwitt]

THere is a difference between speed and elusiveness. Elusiveness is what we lack. JJ Moses was that fast at full speed (relatively) but his ability to make guys and miss and accelerate was second to none.

That's a very good point. There were a couple guys we brought in last year that were supposed to be burners that a lot of posters on this board got excited about, and we never saw it on the field.

 

[FLYBOY1979]

Did you see the C.M. and Purdue game last night? The CM kid catches the ball in the flat and runs 80 yards for the score, 41 - 41 with 1 minute to play. SPEED and 2
moves and a score. Speed Kills!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[cyclonenum1]

There's also a lot of fast guys who aren't very good in the NFL. Speed is something that our team has definitely lacked at Iowa State, and it appears we're improving in that department. Hopefully we are. But speed doesn't make a football player. I hope we're bringing in guys who can both run and play.

I beg to differ...if you are in the NFL you are a good FB player...do you realize the level of play in the NFL? I see LSU on a regular basis and just went to a Saints game and the level of play in the NFL is so much greater than CFB that it is scary.

I hope our staff is bringing in guys that both have speed and are FB players but if I have to pick between a fast guy that is less of a "FB player" and a slow guy that is more of a "FB player"...I would pick the former (the fast guy) every time!

 

[cyclonenum1]

THere is a difference between speed and elusiveness. Elusiveness is what we lack. JJ Moses wasn't that fast at full speed (relatively) but his ability to make guys and miss and accelerate was second to none.

You are correct. But elusiveness is much harder to find than speed and, in my opinion, is over rated. The key component is having an offensive scheme that can get these speed guys into open space so they can use their speed. If a guy has to rely on his own elusiveness to get into space it is not going to work on a regular basis (witness Reggie Bush with the Saints this year).