Doin' The Herky Turkey.

It took a little bit for this one to sink in. I had to que up the Juicy Wiggle and do the Herky Turkey.  You put your left wing out and you shake it all about. Doin' The Herky Turkey.  

ISU gave up 2 blocked punts and had 3 turnovers on the road and still won.  Iowa State ran their normal script and did everything they could to lose this game and give Iowa a chance to wiggle it out.  The first half was the most frustrating half of football I can remember.  Yet,  Iowa's offense is worse than I had expected.   It is going to be a long year for the hawkeyes (intentional lowercase).   If Petras is their best QB, it sucks to be a Hawkeye.   But, this year for more reasons than one.  

Thoughts from the game: 

• The 99 yard drive: 21 plays, 11 minutes and 49 seconds will go down in Iowa State history in the same vein as "The Run" by Seneca Wallace.   
• Iowa offense is really bad:  Iowa has not generated more than 200 yards of offense in their last 4 games.   Iowa fan is going to have a tough year, and drink more than average. 
• Iowa's defense is good not great:  Iowa State generated 313 yards of offense.   And Iowa State's offense was on the field for 38:15 ~ 63% of the game almost 2/3rd's of the time.  Good not Great. 
• There were crazy calls, like the unsportsman penalty called on Iowa State after they stopped Iowa on 4th down was crazy.  Normal procedure is to provide a warning.   The umps decided to wave that warning and go straight to penalty and tack on another 5 yarder for a total of 20 yards to put Iowa into gifted field goal position to tie the game.   I can only say, "home town call."  
• Tory Taylor is a really good punter.  Prediction: Taylor is a first team "All American".  Taylor will the opportunity to showcase his talent.    Iowa is going to be punting a lot this year.  Taylor's totals: 6 punts 304 yards and ave. 50.7 yards. The best Iowa producer.

Who had the worst day in the Big Ten?  

• Nebraska v Georgia Southern 42-45 (loss) - Scott Frost has since been fired. 
• Northwestern v. Duke 23-31 (loss) - I didn't even know Duke had a football program. 
• No. 19 Wisconsin v. Washington State  14-17 (loss)  - lots of turnovers and penalties. 
• Iowa v. Iowa State 7-10 loss - Petras can't hit an open receiver, unless they are 8 feet tall. 

Every team in the Big Ten East is 2-0.   In the west Minnesota could become an dark horse for the Championship.   In the Big Twelve 7 of the 10 teams are 2-0.   West Virginia, Texas, and Baylor all posted a loss for week 2.    No. 9 Baylor lost a close on to BYU 20-26 on the road.  Baylor is our 4th opponent of the season, not to look too far ahead.   Texas lost a close one to Alabama, they may have turned the corner in Austin. 

Final thought.  Iowa State has traditionally had problems with Special Teams for as long as I can remember.   Under Campbell the place kicking has improved, but we have slid in other areas.   Like allowing two punts to be blocked in the same game.   We shouldn't have 2 blocked punts all year.  I'm confident that Campbell will address it.   Because you can bet the Big 12 teams are going to watch this film and lick their chops thinking they can come after us on every punt, and they will. 

Have you seen my baseball?

It is Hate Week entire state of Iowa.  Iowa State is 1-0, next up is our two toothed cousins from the East Side.   Traveling east to Iowa City every other year (where there are rumored black and gold satanic rituals), is like visiting your weird cousin's house where you know they live differently, it is uncomfortable, and a little embarrassing. You visit anyway because the parents make you. Meanwhile the question in the back of your mind is, “do they really worship the black and gold of Satan and all of his empty promises?”

Iowa State did what they were supposed to with their opening game of the season against SEMO. Dominate and make this a ho hum win against an opponent they should have controlled with rag doll ease, and did. 1-0 Iowa State looked very good in the first game of the season. 

The hawks (intentional lower case) had another pedestrian outing against a lesser opponent in South Dakota. The hawks, struggled with their season opener and the Cyclones rolled.  Watching a game with not one but two safeties are scored by your defense and that is the difference in the game is like watching a game of soccer where you don't really care who wins but your forced to go because it is a sponsored corporate outing by your employer.  

Question One: Have you seen my baseball? The hawks final score was 7-3 against South Dakota State, a true fall classic. 7-3 is a baseball score. The hawks did not even score a touchdown and their entire team had 166 total yards. That must have been fun to watch.   Sort of like watching my grandfather plow the field with his old John Deere Model 60 tractor, slow and methodical but loud and stinky.   

Question Two: Is Spencer Petras Iowa’s starting pitcher or their starting quarterback? Petras, ended the game 11/25 with 109 yards.  With a final score of 7-3, I would say he had a solid Earned Run Average of 3, but that really falls on the defense – more to come on the defense. 

Question Three:  Can the hawks continue to rely on the Black Magic of their defense.     Defense keeps games close and always gives you chance – the hawk’s operating model.  However, winning the game against a lesser opponent by scoring two safeties in a game is not exactly ticket busting for sales or a fan favorite. We know Iowa generally has a very good defense, and this year they appear strong again.  But, do we really know that and believe that  based on a win against South Dakota State?  The Commish predicts the Iowa defense will keep the game close but get exposed at a critical time this year.   I'm feeling the defensive secondary could be an area the Iowa State Cyclones pick on during week 2. 

Question Four: Is Iowa’s punter really the best player on their team? Tory Taylor registered 479 yards on 10 punts against South Dakota State.  7 of those were within the 20-yard line and 5 where behind the 10-yard line. If this game becomes a game of field position the special teams it favors the hawks.   It is difficult if every drive you have to move the ball 80+ yards to score points. 

Final Question Five:  Does offense or Defense win Championships?   Commish opinion: neither.  

Iowa has excelled in close games and in particular during the final 5 minutes throughout the Cy/hawk Series.    The hawks have registered low turnovers, few mistakes, and good defense at the right time.   Iowa State has not fared well in these categories, at least not against the East Side McCoys.   If the game comes down to a nail biter in the final 5 minutes it becomes a coin flip with 50/50 odds.    However, if Iowa State jumps out to a lead and Iowa is forced to play catch-up.   I like the Cyclones chances and believe Iowa State will see multiple quarterbacks in the game.   The real winner of this game is the one that makes the fewest mistakes.  You heard it here first Xavier Hutchinson is the MVP of the game and Iowa State moves on victorious.   And Iowa Fan went Waaa Waaa Waaa all the way home. 

Season Opener - SEMO !!!

We are off and running with another football season. Campbell has struggled in September in his tenure with Iowa State. However, this year we finally find out who to blame. Is this a Campbell preparedness issue or is this a Jamie Pollard scheduling issue? SEMO (Southeast Missouri State) is a different type of opener that Iowa State has faced in the past. UNI, Louisiana, and our good friends on the other side of Iowa, all led to season opening losses for the Cyclones. 

SEMO has a solid runner who returns this year from a 1,000 yd rushing season last year. SEMO also has a senior heavy defense. But make no mistake, Jamie Pollard scheduled what should be an easy warm up test for the Turkey Jerky next week in Iowa City.  Although, Iowa State has come out of the blocks in the past with close one score games. Commish Prediction 1: Iowa State handles this one like George Clooney on the singles circuit, cool and quiet. Let’s hope we avoid a Charlie Sheen singles scene that keeps us on the edge of our seat with high drama. 

There are a couple of big questions. Question 1: Is left-handed slinger Hunter Dekker the real deal? Commish Prediction 2: Yes, yes, and yes. Is he Brock Purdy? No. We can’t expect him to pick up where Purdy left off, but the production shouldn’t fall much.

Question 2: Is Jirel Brock in the same ballpark as Breece Hall? Commish Prediction 3: No. Campbell has traditionally stocked the shelves in the running back room with future NFL players. Campbell likes to go with the safe bet early and give his younger backs time to develop and step in for multiple years in the backfield, in October. Commish Prediction 4: Brock starts the September games and a new name jumps to the forefront in October.

Question 3: How good is Xavier Hutchinson going to be this year? The answer starts with how well Dekker and Hutchinson gel. Is it the quarterback who makes the receiver or the receiver who makes the quarterback. Commish Prediction 5: Receiver makes the quarterback look like a veteran (at least for the SEMO game). 

Question 4: Who will step up and be the lead man on the defense? Another staple of Iowa State Campbell-led teams is a linebacker who plugs the middle and logs double digit tackles like an NBA basketball player. Commish Prediction 6: Someone will – I don’t know who that is. Iowa State has slowly been building toward Running Back and Linebacker University under Campbell. This year will be no different. 

Final Prediction: Iowa State wins this game. First half, ISU will go into the locker room with a close, tight score. The Cyclones finish the 4th quarter with a double-digit victory. Stock the Busch Light and enjoy a couple cold ones during the game.  Forever True!    

Cheez It Bowl Difference

Clemson had a down year and went 10-3.   Clemson has won 2 National titles in the past 5 years.   Players want to go to Clemson and play for Dabo Swinney (Clemson Head Coach)  so they can win National Championships.   I expected that Clemson would have better talent because of this fact.   However Iowa State played them tight.   The score was 6-3 at halftime, and it was anybody's game at that point.   

There were 2 primary reasons Iowa State lost.   1.  Both teams had an interception.   But the Iowa State Interception was a pick 6, which resulted in a touchdown - The Key Difference.   Iowa State's interception we eventually turned over on downs.   2.  Clemson had 128 yards rushing and Iowa State had 66.  They nearly doubled us on the ground.   I would say we missed our All American Running Back Breece Hall just a touch in the game.   

All and All, I was looking to this game as a barometer of where the program stands.   Clemson has been a consistent BCS playoff team for the past 5 plus years.   We played they tight and hung with one of the very best programs in College football.   We should be proud, this is a better outcome than I expected.   Now it is next man up and on to next year. 

Only Two Time Consensus All Americans

Mark this one up to a little Iowa State Football trivia.  I should have known this.   Both are Running Backs.   Drumroll:  Breece Hall and Troy Davis.   2-Time ISU All Americans

Breece Hall 2020, 2021

Troy Davis 1995, 1996

Is it just me or did they have really huge shoulder pads back in the 90's?   Since there are only 2 Two-Time Consensus All Americans from Iowa State and they were both Running Backs, does that make Iowa State Running Back U (University)? 

Jaguars fire Meyer

The Jacksonville Jaguars fire Urban Meyer.   They just paid him leave after not even completing a full year on the job. Jaguars Fire Urban Meyer  Although Meyer's personality caught up to him in the pros he had a very successful college coaching career.  Meyer had 2 National Championships at Florida and 1 National Championship at Ohio State.   But he never had any experience coaching in the pros, this is credited for part of his downfall at Jacksonville. 

Why do we care Cyclone fans, well Matt Campbell's name has been raised multiple times in the past fewer years concerning open coaching positions.   Including open positions in the NFL.   It is rumored Campbell turned down a 8 year $68.5 million dollar deal.  Campbell Never Offered Lions Job  I have said, many times Matt Campbell may leave but I don't think he will do it for the NFL and I don't think he is a good fit for the NFL.   

This should relieve some of the talk about Campbell leaving Iowa State to take another job in the NFL.  Thank you Urban Meyer, I believe the NFL big wigs will be slow to hire a college coach anytime soon.  Unless, they are some sort of Quarterback whisperer, perhaps like Lincoln Riley.   But, the list of college coaches making the jump to the pros has been a historically short list at best. 

Most Valuable College Football Programs.

I saw this graphic on the Twitter Machine, and it got me to thinking.  Which Conferences have the most teams in the Top 25.  I'm counting the new look SEC and New Look Big 12 i mind, not current affiliation. 

• SEC: 12 teams out of 16 total in conference
• Big 10: 7 teams out of 14 total in conference
• PAC 12: 3 teams out of 12 total in conference
• ACC: 2 teams out of 14 total in conference
• Big 12: 0 (nil) out of 14 total 
• Independent: 1 (Notre Dame- loosely tied to ACC) 

How Many of these schools are located in large Metro areas???  I decided to cut it at top 50 metro areas. 

• Ohio State: Columbus, OH - #14
• USC: Los Angeles - #2
• Washington: Seattle - #18

You could clearly argue some of these schools pull from larger metro areas.  But, I find it interesting that the vast majority of these schools are outside of major metro areas. 

• Texas from Dallas
• Michigan from Detroit
• Georgia from Atlanta
• Penn State from Philadelphia and Pittsburgh
• Oregon from Portland and Seattle
• Etc.  

My main point is I believe college sports are separating the haves and the have nots.   I will begin exploring the Transfer Portal and Name, Image, Likeness monies as I look forward to how these issues will continue shape and impact college sports.