Evolution

In the annual wild, drama-filled game against the Cowboys, it was great to see the offense nudge towards what the team can (potentially) do well and away from what it has shown it can't do in a consistent way.

The move towards the pass is natural (and obvious) but is most admirable as it goes against human nature. Change is hard for humans. The CSJ staff has dozens of habits that should be changed, but remain a constant in our lives. We applaud anyone who recognizes that change is needed- and actually follows through.

While the Cyclones aren't world beaters, there are a solid five games left on the schedule that could be considered coin flips. Opportunity awaits.

Change Or Maintain?

 We normals watch games differently from experts. We might have some idea of what the original design of a given play was, and can infer some idea of where a play succeeds or fails. But only a team's staff can accurately evaluate performance.

Through three games, the Iowa State offense is one of the worst in Power 5, and is the worst in total offense. Run blocking is atrocious. Only the staff can determine if that situation is going to improve or if a change in philosophy is warranted.

CMC found some success in his first five years by being a ground-first, ball control offense when most of the league was still running the spread and trying to score 60 each week. But now most of the league is looking to run, and Iowa State's offensive style is no longer the outlier. 

Go to the pass to set up the run? Stop running inside and get the ball to talent in space? Or keep trying to improve the zone blocking performance and try to "ground and pound"?

Others have sited the change in defensive philosophy after the 2017 Akron game, and that shift has changed football at every level. Abandoning areas where you are struggling and going all in on what you are (marginally) better at has merit.

The next few games will be interesting.

Not Enough, Again

There were several seasons in the late 1980's and 1990's when the margin between Iowa State and Oklahoma wasn't very big. The Cyclones would keep the game close (see '89, '92, '95, '98, and of course the win in '90)- but OU would find a way to win.

The TOE series is the same way. 

The series is much more competitive than the record over the last 20 games (7-13), but the TOE is so often just enough better to get the trophy. 

We hope the Cyclones can get a win or two in the series before the GoBlas are promoted to The Super Duper League and the football series ends forever.

Optimistic Start

Saturday was a lovely change of pace in the usually challenging series with UNI- an early lead revealed an Iowa State team that was shockingly better in all three phases of the game compared to the Panthers. A nice surprise all around.

Which brings us to the GoBlas. An argument can be made that outside of the 2016 debacle, CMC's crew has outplayed the TOE in the last five games, with only last year's win to show for it. It is the height of irony that a team that couldn't get out of its own way for most of the season (and tried to give the game away in the first quarter) strung together the most unlikely possession in Cyclone Football history: 21 plays, 99 3/4 yards, 11:49 off the clock for the winning TD. 

Hopefully all three units can avoid the killer mistake and find a way to beat a very talented but offensively flawed GoBla team.

Just Win, Baby.