Rhoads...
- Thread starter Birky
- Start date
this is so true. No one is winning consistently at ISU, and if they do they are going to go elsewhere. DM should have taken the TCU opportunity when they showed interest in him. You simply cannot win there over a long period of time. Any coach who has won there has bolted to greener pastures
On a serious note, they need to figure out who they are and stick with it. McCarney knew who/what he was and stuck with it. The second half of NT was like playing ISU redux.
I'd like to see them get competitive outside the Iowa series. Do they go coordinator again? I wouldn't, I'd look for executive experience that can bring a package. Al Golden would be high up there. And like Iowa they need to sharply increase their pay for assistants. I've always like the idea of a package for the 3 coordinators, with the HC getting just more pay. Say $4 million for all 3, $1/$1/$2 and raises go to all three in proportion. Would it work? F'd if I know, I'm not a CEO.
They'll probably go after Cumbie, which I think is a mistake. I'd be interested in Cristobal, the game starts/ends at the line, but also at the top of my list would be Tressel. He would build it in to a mediocre program at least, which would be a vast improvement.
I'd like to see them get competitive outside the Iowa series. Do they go coordinator again? I wouldn't, I'd look for executive experience that can bring a package. Al Golden would be high up there. And like Iowa they need to sharply increase their pay for assistants. I've always like the idea of a package for the 3 coordinators, with the HC getting just more pay. Say $4 million for all 3, $1/$1/$2 and raises go to all three in proportion. Would it work? F'd if I know, I'm not a CEO.
They'll probably go after Cumbie, which I think is a mistake. I'd be interested in Cristobal, the game starts/ends at the line, but also at the top of my list would be Tressel. He would build it in to a mediocre program at least, which would be a vast improvement.
I wonder if isu even has the funds to fire PR if they wanted; he got many more miles out of the Ok St victory than anyone should and I think isu is in too deep to let him go at this point. I'm not sure PR is covering his own butt, rather probably working with Pollard in an attempt to cover all butts.
I heard that Mangino ate Rhoads leftover chicken that he had left in the coaches locker room refrigerator.
I think those situation are completely different, because before the firing of Davis Iowa was very successful and that was not the case at ISU in football prior to DMac.....Davis did not turn the program around he more so just kept it going, while Dmac was the exception at ISU where as he is/was the only person to ever have any remote/sustained success at ISU. So when we fired Davis and things went south it was different than what Iowa was used to, where as at ISU after they got greedy and fired Dmac things went back to that status quo (normal)
He was at Temple, even though they are ranked now, it has to be at least equal, right? Plus the Big 12.
He built Temple, they were putrid, but I think the defense-averse B12 might concern him. How to build a top-notch D out of, well, very little and have it compete in a league that almost entirely refuses to play it.
This latter part is a good point, I wouldn't be surprised if Pollard was involved.
What's Rhoads' contract?
Edit: http://espn.go.com/college-football...ease-details-paul-rhoads-20-million-extension
Looks like 10 years, $20M. Says what he'd pay them if he left, but not vice versa. This is from about this exact time last year: http://www.desmoinesregister.com/st...out-2-6-record-of-the-football-team/18368473/
"That still needs to be paid for, and remember that Rhoads' buyout through the 2021 duration of his contract is $750,000 per year. That's around $5.3 million right now, payable within 60 days of termination."
So that is about $4.5M remaining, I don't see how they will swing that.
Has he received any of his bonuses?
Whats the big deal in Ames? They won't pay top dollar for a coach, and it probably wouldn't make any difference if they did. You hit on it JRHawk - They need to just save their money, keep loading up on jucos, and enjoy their claim to fame tailgating. Everything will be fine.
I'm not joking when I say this. ISU should just hire a Paul Johnson disciple and run the flexbone. It would give them an identity and a bit of a recruiting niche.
Yeah they got to do something different. Trying to out gun other big 12 schools with similar offense won't work. Look at KState and different offense they run dependent on solid running qb like Klein and waters last few years. Even teams like Iowa and Wisconsin in big ten compete certain years because they are dependent on power running game and defense knowing the OSU's and michigans get the better athletes.
I know that will be a popular opinion, but I don't think it will factor in the decision at all. Rhoads needs to wins some games or he's gone. I think he needs to win 3 more games. I'm pretty sure that would satisfy Pollard. I'm not so sure President Leath is on the same page.
It pretty much comes down to recruiting and development of those recruits. Something Rhoads hasn't done. To run a spread offense that doesn't work well, keeps the defense on the field, and a defense that wears down by the 4th quarter, it doesn't make sense. Rhoads recruits junior college players because he's desperate and yet it gives him less time to develop them. If ISU keeps Rhoads, it's only going to get worse and harder to turn the program around for the next coach.
This whole mess is on the fans and the AD. Pollard was an idiot to extend Pollard after nothing more than being competitive with the Hawks and that ONE big upset over Okie State back a few years. Rhoads has nothing else to brag about.
The fans are at fault for supporting such a putrid product. Is ISU football nothing more than a social event? Why would you financially support such poor entertainment?
ISU, and specifically that douche Pollard, deserve each other. Being the beneficiary of the tv contract is the only reason Pollard has his job yet. He does NOT have a good track record with hiring head coaches.
FWIW... I think the ISU president should be more involved and give Pollard a list for needed improvements.
The fans are at fault for supporting such a putrid product. Is ISU football nothing more than a social event? Why would you financially support such poor entertainment?
ISU, and specifically that douche Pollard, deserve each other. Being the beneficiary of the tv contract is the only reason Pollard has his job yet. He does NOT have a good track record with hiring head coaches.
FWIW... I think the ISU president should be more involved and give Pollard a list for needed improvements.
The ignorance in this thread is truly mind-boggling. But amusing as hell. And God know, I need a reason to smile.
The only thing "ignorant" when the subject of ISU football arises is how in hell can this particular fan base be so clueless in regards to their willingness to accept such a lousy product for their entertainment dollar.
They are fed this continual line of crap about how success is just around the corner. Improve the facilities and top level recruits will come. Win against the Hawks and every win after that is frosting on the cake.
Fire the only coach in the last decade to bring some semblance of respectability. Hire the hometown boy because he has passion. How'd that work out?
So LC... there's no ignorance from Hawk fans here. Sounds more to me like objective observation about a truly dreadful University.
They are fed this continual line of crap about how success is just around the corner. Improve the facilities and top level recruits will come. Win against the Hawks and every win after that is frosting on the cake.
Fire the only coach in the last decade to bring some semblance of respectability. Hire the hometown boy because he has passion. How'd that work out?
So LC... there's no ignorance from Hawk fans here. Sounds more to me like objective observation about a truly dreadful University.
I can only imagine what the threads on CyFan are like. That entire site is like a microcosm of Internet stereotypes. It makes this site look like a Mensa convention.
They should re-hire Dan. He loved ISU and he is a great guy (IMHO). Lets face it - ISU is never going to be good. Dan could probably get them back to winning 5 - maybe 6 games on a fairly consistent level. Get them to a bowl every few years and that is about all you should expect if your an ISU fan. The landscape of college football has changed and it ain't ever going back - even if Nebraska doesn't understand it.
And we now have a winner.... finally.
The single most important facet to glean from the men's basketball hire is that it is the isu president, rather than just the AD, making athletic hiring decisions in Ames. Pollard has already had two opportunities to find the right person for this position and failed miserably on both hires. Conventional wisdom, especially seeing Leath's involvement in the basketball hire, suggests that Pollard will not be acting alone on any replacement for Paul Rhoads.
The real question is whether Rhoads makes it to the end of this season. It is a matter of record that when faced with very similar circumstances in 2006, the isu AD felt it necessary to fire the coach prior to the completion of the year to allow sufficient time to search and hire the 'best' candidate (Chizik) for isu's head coaching position. A short eight years later and the improvement is remarkable!
No, I used the word "ignorance" in its correct sense. Doesn't mean anybody is stupid. Just means a lack of information.
Problem is for ISU is season still has over a month left and you have these openings that are already a better option than ISU- USC, S. Carolina, Miami, Maryland (consider location and under armour ties), Illinois potentially. I'd even say Central Florida maybe a better job with location, recruiting grounds, easier conference to win in than being head coach in Ames.
Big ten may also have couple of schools who may have openings to like Purdue, Rutgers & Indiana.
Big ten may also have couple of schools who may have openings to like Purdue, Rutgers & Indiana.
They won't rehire Dan, and even if offered he should absolutely reject it.
But, I think you miss something important in your thoughts - they need to get back to that level in order to hit any higher level. They aren't likely to go from 2 wins to 9, but 5/6 to 9 is simply a few good bounces of the ball. A 2 win to 9 win team means the players were good, but something disastrous happened, which has been evident at bigger/better programs. If they can find someone to get back to mediocrity, someone who can build a solid foundation, then maybe they can take that next step every few years. Bowl game attendance is a huge part of that, imo, they need to get to consistent bowling, even if in Idaho.
All good points. However... The caliber of coaches those schools will be looking at aren't even in the same stratosphere as who ISU will be, with the exception of maybe Purdue and Rutgers. ISU likely ends up with another bad hire, regardless of who makes that hire.
Stated correctly, there is no possible way that Dan McCarney ever agrees to work for any institution associated with J. Pollard.
Dan McCarney does not need to prove himself to anyone concerning his ability to lead and coach football teams. On the other hand, the illustrious AD at isu has hired two football coaches, at least three basketball coaches, two wrestling coaches... the list continues and the results are there for anyone who cares to see. At least Pollard got lucky with isu legacy Fred Hoiberg... talk about spitting in a proverbial ocean.
I echo both sentiments. 1) ISU needs to find someone who can get them to some stability. For ISU in the last few decades, stability is 4-5 wins per season. Sorry, but it's true. Earl Bruce's last year was the last year before Fry came, so that seems like a good cutoff for "modern" history. It's at least a fair comparison to their closest rival/competition (Iowa-and, like it or not, our two programs are compared constantly). During that time (specifically, I'm looking at 1979-2014 which is the data I have), ISU's winning percentage is .376-that's 4.5 wins per year on a 12-game schedule. Run-up-the-middle DMC's record was .397. Ra-Ra-Rhoads' record through last year is .387. Hmm, not that far off, is it?
I think the variable here is that Rhoads' record has fallen off. 3 wins in 2013, 2 last year, and only 2 so far this year. That's a pattern of decline. But it's not that far off from the program's recent average. In this sport, with so few games per season, it's a razor's edge between 2/3 wins and 4/5. Texas is looking better right now, but that's still winnable and gets you to three, with two conference wins this year. If Lanning's offense can hold the ball longer, that will allow ISU's defense, which I think has some OK talent, to hold up better, making them more competitive. It's concerning that Mangino, who can do so well at Kansas in the same conference, couldn't lead this offense any better. ISU really isn't far below their standard. And Rhoads has shown he can get to that 5-7 win area and reach a couple bowl games, so I wouldn't be so hasty to ditch him.
2) All that said, to improve as a program, consistent bowl games are a must. It shouldn't be that hard for anyone in today's game. Do what you have to do. It's not the most honorable, but go the K-State route: get as many talented JUCOs and transfers as you can, schedule as many cupcake home non-cons as you can, and get to a bowl game. Every coach will tell you that the extra practices are crucial for young player development. That's what's needed to lay a foundation that can subsequently be used as a springboard for greater things.
Yes, I recognize it's all very easy for me to say online. A lot of smart and capable people have failed to do this in all of ISU's history. But don't think it's impossible. Case 1A and 1B both reside in the Big 12. Snyder at KSU is 1A, and Baylor is 1B. If those programs can be spun into gold, so can Iowa State. You just need the right coach. Who is that? Darned if I know, but Pollard better hope he/Leath do, cause despite as much resiliency he's shown in making so many coaching mistakes and staying on board, if Rhoads is indeed fired this has to be the Last Chance Saloon for him.
I have a feeling Rhoads is at ISU one more season. One of the reasons is they have done so well selling tickets even with a losing team, another is there are going to be a ton of job openings, there are already a crazy amount, and I don't think they will want to do a coaching search when so many other schools will have more to offer. Also, Pollard loves him some Paul Rhoads and he will figure out some way to spin it that the team is improving. I think Iowa State can win one or two more games because Texas isn't great, KState is down and West Virginia is beatable. If they win one more i think he stays. Oh yeah, and Pollard is cheap
I think part of the problem has been ISU's desire to try and match the high powered passing offenses in the Big 12. That is not going to happen at Iowa State because of the recruiting base. Look at the successful teams in the upper midwest. They are all football teams who play physical football on both sides of the ball and try to build off a strong running game on offense.
Fair.
I'm saying they are stupid. Coming from somebody who posts regularly on this board, accusing another board of being generally stupid, (no doubt they have some great posters) is the equivalent of Lou Holtz accusing another coach of being shady. That board is the absolute worst, or at least it still was a year or two ago.
Is it because of the moderators? It's not like the fans are genetically different than fans of other schools. That board is...yeah, it's a board.
I never go to Cyclone Fanatic, so I don't know about that board.
I was not referring to the comments here that belong on the rivalry board. I was referring to things like, for instance, the idea that the buyout precludes a decision to let Rhoads go. Believe me, it isn't even a significant factor. Hell, the AD is saving enough from the MBB basketball coaching change to cover it, and -- as is always the case at any major college football program -- there are enough big donors who dislike the coach to come up with the buyout money if that were to be necessary. Moreover, you have to take into consideration the assumed difference in donations and ticket sales if Rhoads goes or stays. In short, if Rhoads is retained, it will NOT be because ISU can't afford to pay his buyout.
Whatever else you say about Jamie Pollard, the guy is a CPA. He understands budget numbers.
Another point -- and some posters recognize this -- is that ISU isn't all that horrible this year. This year's team probably could beat several of Mac's bowl teams. (Warning to posters who think it makes no difference whether you play Ohio State or Ohio U, a reference to schedule strength follows). ISU took Iowa to the wire and should have won at Toledo, and both teams are unbeaten. So are TCU and Baylor. Texas Tech's only losses are to TCU, Baylor and Oklahoma. Next week we play at OU, which is a top ten team, and the week after that we host Okie State, which probably will be in the top ten. In short, we're looking at a five-game stretch in which 4 of the opponents are in (or near) the top ten and the fifth is Texas.
Yet another point.....comparisons to Baylor aren't reasonable; it's a private school with a huge budget that sits smack in the middle of the richest talent pool in America. Comparisons to Kansas State are more reasonable, but not as valid as they were during much of Mac's regime. Snyder may be the best coach in America. He did an unbelievable job at Manhattan. But look at the teams he played when he was building the program, and look at the academics of his recruits, and look at how the university essentially put everything else on the back burner in order to pour resources into football. Finally, look at the KU football program profile compared to that of the Iowa football program.
These aren't excuses. They're explanations/reasons. They don't excuse the fact ISU football has never had a period of true excellence. But whether you're a Cyclone fan or a Cyclone hater, it isn't realistic to ignore these realities.
I don't feel reading all of that. Chances are I would have agreed with 90% of it, and the rest would have irritated me.
I did read the first couple of sentences. Good job not going to CyFan. I'm thinking I should take a peak. It is likely pure gold.
I did read the first couple of sentences. Good job not going to CyFan. I'm thinking I should take a peak. It is likely pure gold.
Point 1: Bogus. You had us on the ropes in the first half, but you let us off when you punted on fourth and 1. You simply laid all your momentum on the field and walked away. We dominated you in the second half, it just took until the end for the scoreboard to reflect the on-field reality. Completely shut down by our defense and ground away by our offense.
Point 2: Bogus. Those are nothing but excuses. Washington State has been to the Rose Bowl. So have Indiana and Purdue. Iowa is in a bowl game most every year. Nebraska was made into a power for a long time and no one lives there. Wisconsin was brought from laughingstock to dominant. Colorado used to be tough and was voted joint national champs one year. Utah is finding its feet in the PAC-12. Flipping Boise State is the darling of the non-power schools, and is viewed as hip and fun and a rising power. How long should I continue? Which of these schools is in the middle of rich recruiting soil? Heck, Navy wins more games and is more relevant than you, and you have nothing like the obstacles they overcome.
And money? Spare me. You're in a major football conference. You say Rhoads' buyout is no problem but then say money is a problem.
If those teams can do it, so can Iowa State. You just lack identity and the right coach. Think you can't get one? Yes, you can. Young up and comers would love the chance to prove their worth at a Power 5 school so they can earn a top gig. Is it ideal to be someone's stepping stone? No. Can you afford to be picky? No. Let the rising stars use you, but use their services to raise the stature of your program. The logic behind the Chizik hire was correct, it just turned out that Chizik wasn't actually a good coach.
