Friday, October 26, 2007

Tough break

It seems like the past few months, all Iowa State fans have heard about the breaks the football team hasn’t been able to get. On Wednesday night, another went against the Cyclones, this time in basketball. Lucca Staiger, a freshman guard from Germany, was ruled ineligible for the 2007-08 basketball season. Talking with Staiger this morning, you could tell the news was shocking to him.
“I still don't really understand what the point is of this whole situation because I don't feel like I did anything wrong," Staiger said.
The situation is definitely an odd one. Staiger, who played three years with the Ehingen Club in Germany, was part of a team that had two of its players paid. Staiger and at least one other player has been ruled ineligible for now.
What is tough to take in about this situation is what happens to the six-foot, five-inch, 220 pound guard. I spent some time around the Cyclone basketball team this summer. Staiger was a guy I saw a lot of. Whether it was in the weight room or in the gym, he was defiantly a guy coach Greg McDermott was looking at for the guard position.
I remember running in Staiger along with freshman Clayton Vette and a number of other guys on the team. He was in the first row with some other basketball players after the Iowa vs. Iowa State football game cheering them on as Bret Culbertson was being carried off the field. Anyone could tell he just wanted to be a part of the team.
For now it looks like that’ll have to wait.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

A little help?

In todays Daily, I wrote about the versatility of wide receiver Marquis Hamilton. The guy is catching passes, running the ball, hitting on special teams and almost threw a pass to Bret Meyer in the Cyclone’s game with Oklahoma. What a lot of fans don’t realize is that while Hamilton is out and about on special teams, he’s not the only starter. Senior wide receiver Todd Blythe is back in punt returns, Alvin Bowen is constantly roaming around, and Allen Bell is going after opponents full speed. Special teams was a problem coach Gene Chizik has been trying to fix all year. Alex Sandvig was having trouble handling punt returns, so he put in Blythe. They had trouble making tackles, he inserted Bowen. Now, what happens with kicker Bret Culbertson? Culbertson has made 8 of 14 field goal attempts on the season and Chizik said he has no one else. Earlier in the season he talked about how limited the Cyclones were in terms of depth. I think we’re really starting to see what he means by that now.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Close doesnt count

Fans were happy to see a close game and reporters were happy to write about a good game. The only people upset about Saturday's Oklahoma vs. Iowa State football game, the Cyclones.
During coach Gene Chizik's Monday press conference, the Cyclone's coach talked about missed field goals, dropped passes, and bad penalites. He said he's not into moral victories.
There were a lot of big positives that came out of Saturday's game. Iowa State's defense help the Sooners to zero points in first half, but an ever bigger thing could have happened that afternoon, a Cyclone's win.

Saturday, October 20, 2007

Oklahoma vs. Iowa State, fourth quarter

Oklahoma interception in the end zone. Does Iowa Sate have another stop in them? The Cyclones had their shots. Meyer was not able to connect on a mass to Sumrall in the end zone. I’ve got to head down to Jacobson soon to do interviews. Check out a recap on the game at the Daily’s web site. www.iowastatedaily.com
Oklahoma 14, Iowa State 7.

Oklahoma vs. Iowa State, fourth quarter

Another play reviewed. An Iowa State catch that brought the ball down to the 30-yard line. The refs have spent more time watching t.v. during today's game then a five year old during Saturday morning cartoons.

Oklahoma vs. Iowa State, fourth quarter

Another fourth down attempt? The Cyclones have the ball on the Sooner’s 35 yard line and are short one yard. Down by seven with 12:02 remaining in the game, Chizik called a timeout. Should he for it or is there enough time still?
Oklahoma 14, Iowa State 7.

Oklahoma at Iowa State, fourth quarter

After three quarters, who would have thought Iowa State would be in tied with Oklahoma? At this point during the 56-3 loss to Texas, most fans were watching the remainder of the game from home or had already started thinking about Wesley Johnson’s jump shot.
Brown and DeMarco Murray continue to run the ball well. Oklahoma is starting to move the ball well but Bradford can’t get off a deep pass. A few drops mixed in with several over and under throw passes have stopped the Sooner’s from reaching the end zone.
Oklahoma 7, Iowa State 7.

Oklahoma vs. Iowa State, third quarter

More breaks. After Kurtis Taylor recovers a Sooner fumble, referees reviewed a 10-yard catch by Marquis Hamilton. The play was no overturned and now the Cyclones are marching.
Oklahoma 7, Iowa State 7.

Oklahoma vs. Iowa State, third quarter

Now I know what Chizk meant by wanting your eyes poked out or your nose cut of when he was talking about Oklahoma. All three of Oklahoma’s running backs have run the ball efficiently to start the second half. Sooner sophomore running back Chris Brown just finished off a drive with an 8-yard touchdown run. After the extra point it’s tied. Besides a 30-yard pass by Meyer to open the third quarter, fans have been pretty quiet. I’m beginning to wonder if the momentum they had going into the locker room has worn off.
Oklahoma 7, Iowa State 7.

Oklahoma vs. Iowa State, halftime

Broadcaster Larry Cotlar who is sitting behind me put it the best. The scoreboard is about the only thing right. Fans looking at it though might think that’s wrong as Iowa State holds a 7-0 lead over Oklahoma at the half.
After Allen Bell returned an interception, Iowa State failed to convert on another fourth down attempt but pinned the Sooner’s deep into the Cyclone territory.
Referees took about 10 minutes to figure out play clock issues after it failed to run during the Sooner’s final possession.
To top off the confusion, Chizik decided to call a timeout with four seconds remaining in the half so he could watch Bradford take a knee. Maybe he wanted another opportunity to give the crowd to cheer.
Knox football fans have had more to cheer about this season.
Even if everything else is wrong, at least the score is right and fans are cheering.
Oklahoma 0, Iowa State 7.

Oklahoma vs. Iowa State, 2nd Quarter

This time it was Chizik taking chances. With a fourth down on the Sooner’s 28 yard line Iowa State went for it. The result was a six-yard scramble by Meyer.
The Cyclones came up with nothing on the drive though when kicker Bret Culbertson’s field goal attempt was wide right on a 35-yard attempt.
4:20 remaining in the half and the Sooners have the ball. With so many things going Iowa State’s way, will it stay this way?

Oklahoma vs. Iowa State, 2nd Quarter

In Nebraska, coach Gene Chizik told reporters if you want to win on the road you’ve got to take chances. Today it was Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops taking chances going for it on fourth down. After scrambling, Bradford came up short and turned the ball over to the Cyclones. The Sooner’s were definitely in field goal territory but Stoops decided it was time to take a chance.
You wonder if it’s a matter of time before Bradford starts connecting on some of these passes. He had one-on-one coverage with wide receiver Malcom Kelly in the end zone but overthrew him.
Iowa State has the ball again and are trying to build on their lead.
Oklahoma 0, Iowa State 7.

Oklahoma vs. Iowa State, 2nd Quarter

Forget the moral victories Iowa State’s been winning. The Cyclones have a 7-0 lead over the Sooner’s at the end of the first quarter.
Bradford looks rattled and hasn’t put together a consistent drive yet.
Scales has run the ball well, including a two-yard touchdown. He has 27 yards rushing so far and none of them have been easy.
After being 30 point underdogs, any type of a lead for the Cyclones has to be huge.

Oklahoma vs. Iowa State, 1st Quarter

How about Iowa State’s secondary? Chris Brown comes out of nowhere to break up a deep pass by Sooner quarterback Sam Bradford and keeps the Sooner’s out of the end zone.
Definately doesn't look like the defense that gave up 56 points to Texas.
Bradford has had some open looks but has been unable to put together a consistent drive.
Oklahoma 0, Iowa State 7

Oklahoma vs. Iowa State, 1st Quarter

It’s early but everything is clicking for the Cyclones. Alvin Bowen forced a fumble on the Sooners. After the ball sat on the field untouched for about five seconds, Rashawn Parker recovered it for Iowa State.
Running back Jason Scales ran through the Sooner defense for a two-yard touchdown.
Can the defense keep it up?
Oklahoma 0, Iowa State 7.

Oklahome vs. Iowa State, 1st Quarter

After watching Colt McCoy throw a touchdown pass for the first offensive play of the Texas vs. Iowa State game, fans had to be happy to see the Cyclone force the Sooners to a three and out in the first quarter.
Some nice tackling and with guys like Todd Blythe and Alvin Bowen playing special teams, the Cyclone’s are looking much better on kickoff and punt coverage.
The Cyclone’s offense is still trying to click. Quarterback Bret Meyer has made a couple of nice plays with a pitch to Jason Scales and a first down draw.
Oklahoma 0, Iowa State o.

Oklahoma at Iowa State

Typically when the gates open at Jack Trice Stadium Saturday, a swarm of students come running through the gates to secure seats. The athletic department opens the stadium up an hour and a half prior to kickoff. For the Cyclone’s 11:30 a.m. matchup with No. 5 Oklahoma, I could almost single handedly count the amount of fans that came through save seats.
Maybe it’s another early morning game. Maybe it’s the fact that another rising BCS team is in town. Maybe it’s because there is almost more Sooner fans in town than Iowa State fans. Oklahoma fans had their own tent set up outside of Jack Trice Stadium.
The real question is how many fans are going to be running away from their seats at the end of the game. During the Cyclone’s 56-3 loss to Texas, traffic was stopped outside of Jack Trice Stadium during the third quarter with fans trying to get home.

Friday, October 19, 2007

Coach Mac's first loss

Life is full of those creepy coincidences. Last night I found myself eating at Old Chicago in Ames. Off in the corner, my eyes were going back and forth between the Indians and Red Sox baseball game and the South Florida and Rutgers game. When I really started thinking about it, I remembered just less than a year ago when I was sitting in almost the same spot at the restaurant watching Dan McCarney resign as the Cyclone’s coach. This time I was watching the former Iowa State coach lead the Bulls defensive line to an almost perfect season.
Sure the Bull’s 30-27 loss for their first defeat on the season was depressing for them. Through the course of the season I’ve talked to McCarney numerous times. From topics ranging from the annual Iowa/Iowa State game to when the Bulls first put themselves on the map when they upset Auburn on the road, I’ve learned he’s a glass is half full kind of guy. He’s always made himself available to Iowa media whether it’s about current coach Gene Chizik or former players like Troy Davis or Todd Blythe.
It’s not easy asking someone about their old job, let alone listening to them talk about it but McCarney has never been someone to shy away from it.
So when people ask me if I think he’s going to be ok after a loss like that, I always think back to what he’s finished up saying to me after just about every conversation I’ve had with him.
“I sure do miss Iowa State,” he says. “I had a great time there and I’ll never forget it.”
After how he left Ames, it sounds like he’s doing fine no matter what he does.
***
I"ll be blogging from the press box during the Oklahoma vs. Iowa State game tomorrow so check it out.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Keeping the faith?

For a 1-6 team, there is a lot of media coming to Ames when the Sooner’s visit the Cyclones at Jack Trice Stadium Saturday. In fact, more media credentials have been issued for this game than when coach Gene Chizik’s former team, the Texas Longhorns came to town.
It’ll be a season high attendance in the press box, but what about in the stands? After the rough start and a 56-3 loss to Texas last Saturday, are you giving up hope on the Cyclones? Have you cashed in on your season tickets?
I’ll be blogging during the game from the press box so check it out.

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Guessing Games

Media passes can only take us so far. One place they won’t take us, the practice field. I would do anything to spend one day on Iowa State’s practice field.
I would love to watch Bret Culbertson kick field goals.
I would love to watch Phillip Bates throw passes in practice.
I would really love to see J.J. Bass in practice because I want to know what happened. The junior college transfer from El-Camino Community College burst into the Cyclone’s season with a 133 yard rushing effort against Kent State. After that, he’s virtually disappeared. After a 134 yard game in Toledo, Bass didn’t play in Nebraska. Coach Gene Chizik didn’t make any mention of it until his weekly radio show at Applebees with John Walters. There, he called it a shoulder injury.
Since then, he’s run the ball a combined 18 times against Texas Tech and Texas.
Maybe Jason Scales is Chizik’s new running back. The point is, we just don’t know. Scales, who has carried the ball 72 times for 274 yards this season, has been listed at the top of the Cyclone’s depth chart since the Nebraska game.
Chizik made it clear from day one he was going to be careful about what he releases in terms of injury reports. While it may help confuse opponents, it leaves many questions up in the air.
Is Jason Scales his running back or is J.J. Bass just hurt?
Would Austen Arnaud really be playing if he wasn’t hurt?
Boy, would I really love to be at practice this week.

Monday, October 15, 2007

Whose it going to be?

No matter how much he doesn’t want to admit, Coach Gene Chizik has a quarterback controversy brewing on his team.
After a mixed performance Saturday from his senior quarterback Bret Meyer, Chizik spent the majority of his Monday morning answering the questions over whether Meyer or backup Austen Arnaud would be taking the snaps for the remainder of the season.
He’s sticking to what he’s said all year; he’s going to go with the guy that give him the best chance to win. But at some point does he have to think about who is going to give him the best chance to win next year or even the year after?
Arnaud’s gotten some mop up duty against Northern Iowa and Texas but the red shirt freshman still hasn’t taken off the training wheels.
What do you think? Are you waiting for the Ames native or do you want to see Meyer ride out his season as the starter?
If you think that questions tough, wait till we get to Phillip Bates.

Saturday, October 13, 2007

Nebraska 56, Iowa State 3

So how bad was it today? Not only did the Cyclones suffer their worst since 1997 when Nebraska defeated Iowa State 77-14, fans couldn’t stand watching it. Who would have thought it would have been smarter to stay till the end of the game to avoid traffic? With 11 minutes to play in the fourth quarter, from the press box I could see cars at a standstill waiting to move.
To put it into even more perspective, after the game, I went down to the visiting locker room to talk to Longhorns Coach Mack Brown and quarterback Colt McCoy. Usually when a team like Texas comes in and wins, reporters from other outlets around the state are typically down there to get a few quick thoughts. Nothing. Besides one other reporter, I was surrounded by a herd of Texas newspaper reporters and camera crews. Besides doing interviews in the middle of a hallway, it was practically a home game for them. They made themselves at home not only on the field but throughout the Jacobson Building.
I guess when your pulling out 56-3 victories on the road you could probably feel comfortable in the feeding tank of a shark with meat tied around your neck.

Texas at Iowa State, 4th Quarter

The paid attendance at today’s game was 52,060. Most of them have come and gone, if they were actually here. It’s 49-3 Texas and the Longhorns are running out the clock. I’m getting ready to head down to do interviews. Read a recap on the Daily’s web site. www.iowastatedaily.com.

Texas at Iowa State, 4th Quarter

He’s back. After making his collegiate debut five weeks ago, Cyclones backup quarterback Austen Arnaud replaced Bret Meyer. Arnaud, who made his debut in week two of the Cyclones season against the Northern Iowa Panthers, led Iowa State to a three and out. The fourth quarter just started, are we going to see more of the freshman?

Texas at Iowa State, 3rd Quarter

Are fans waiting around for moral support or the possible emergence of Cyclone’s backup quarterback Austen Arnaud. Earlier in the week, a reporter asked Chizik about possibly using some of the younger players in late game situations like this. Chizik said he was going to use the team that gave him the best chance to win. With 7:00 minutes remaining the third quarter and ISU down 42-3, why not give a guy like Arnaud some more playing time?

Texas at Iowa State, 3rd Quarter

Right about now, Texas quarterback Colt McCoy is looking more comfortable than my dad sitting on a sofa during a Sunday afternoon. He’s completed 20-of-24 pass attempts for 274 yards and four touchdowns. He’s weaved in and out of Iowa State defenders and just guided the Longhorns downfield for 70 yards and a touchdown. Texas 35, Iowa State 3.

Texas at Iowa State, Half-Time

It’s halftime and the most exciting part of today’s game has been watching Todd Blythe complete a pass to quarterback Bret Meyer. We’ve seen the Longhorn’s backup quarterback, Bret Culbertson miss a field goal, and Colt McCoy reach the end zone on Texas’ first offensive possession of the game. Most of the fans have cleared out of Jack Trice Stadium since half-time. They don’t seem to care, do you? Texas 28, Iowa State 3.

Texas at Iowa State, 2nd Quarter

Are there injuries or does Coach Brown just see the writing on the ball of a possibly huge win. Backup quarterback John Chiles is already in the game in the second quarter. He’s not Vince Young but he shows shades of him with quickness and good decision making. He’s made a few nice pitches and run for a couple of strong gains. Texas 14, Iowa State, 3.

Texas at Iowa State, 2nd Quarter

Against Nebraska, Chizik used a fake punt by Michael Brandtner. Today, he used a halfback pass from Blythe to Meyer for a 21 yard gain. After the game in Nebraska, Chizik said you need to take risks on the road. At this point in the season against an opponent like Texas, maybe you need to treat it like a road game. The Cyclones are marching in the red zone. Texas 14, Iowa State 0.

Texas at Iowa State, 1st Quarter

It’s early but things aren’t going any way for the Cyclones. Longhorns quarterback is 1-1 in passing with a 58 yard touchdown pass. Kicker Bret Culbertson missed a field goal attempt wide right to put the Cyclones on the scoreboard. 4:27 remaining in the first quarter, Texas 7, Iowa State 0. How many mistakes can the Cyclones make and stay in this game?

We meet again

We had our first Gene Chizik/Mack Brown sighting. Just after the offense came out to the field for warm-ups, the two met at the 50-yard line. For about 10 minutes, the two shook hands, hugged, and talked. But Brown wasn’t the only one greeting Chizik. A parade of players came over to greet their former defensive coordinator. The meeting seemed pleasant but will the rest of the day. I’ll be blogging from the press box must of the game to keep fans updated.

The meeting

It’s like waiting for Shaquille O’Neil and Kobe Bryant to meet after half court before the first Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers game. Photographers have their cameras waited to click the shot of Gene Chizik and Mack Brown before the game. Reporters are watching from the press box waiting for the first exchange. It’s the first meeting between these two ever. On Wednesday, Chizik talked about how excited he was for this game. Iowa State’s season is draining and dying, but are you still excited?

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

An inside source

Walking into the Jacobson Building Monday morning, I knew it was coming. Sitting in the front row of Gene Chizik’s weekly Monday press conference, it didn’t take long for the Mack Brown questions to come. How much of being a former coach is going to help your team? Do you have any insight that you can provide about your team? More amazing then the same type of question being asked ten different times, probably eight by me, was the answer that Chizik gave.
“I know the players,” Chizik said a former defensive coordinator for the Texas Longhorns. “I know who’s capable of doing what, so I think that’s a little bit of something we can give to our players.”
Amazing! I’ve been in locker rooms, press conferences, dugouts, on the field, whatever, before games. Going into it, I expected the typical, “we’ve just got to play our game,” speech.
“I think we’ve got to step on him because he knows how to act and how they react,” said sophomore linebacker Jesse Smith.
The big question is how big of a difference can it really make? A hitter may know a 90 MPH fastball is coming but you still have to hit it. They knew the passing game was coming against Texas Tech but still lost 42-17.
“We’re going to look over the game plan the same as we would look over for any other team,” said junior wide receiver Euseph Messiah. “For him to have connections over there doesn’t hurt.”

Monday, October 8, 2007

Say what?

There are two questions it seems like every reporter is asking Iowa State football players these days.
1.) Are you guys watching how Coach McCarney is doing?
2.) Do these upsets give you hope?
The Cyclone’s season has already reached the destination point where the answer, “we don’t consider ourselves under dogs,” answer is no longer reasonable. Most players are realistic and Coach Chizik is honest. Monday he said everything would have to go right to in order for the Cyclones to pull off an upset Saturday at Jack Trice Stadium. Sitting 1-5 and near the bottom of the Big 12 North Division, a win against anyone is rapidly turning into an upset.
And fans thought the sky was falling after the Longhorns dropped two in a row? Imagine how they would feel if their team lost to a Cyclones team whose lone win of the season came at the hands of the Hawkeyes who suddenly don’t look like as great of a team as most people thought.
After Appalachian State defeated Michigan, the questions began. Now, we’ve watched Notre Dame start off 0-5, Stanford beat USC, and South Florida (McCarney’s team) travel to Auburn and win.
“There is absolutely no doubt that you can win or lose every game you have left bad on the way things are going,” said Texas coach Mack Brown during his weekly press conference Monday.
Do you think the Cyclones have an upset brewing on their schedule?
They have plenty of opportunities coming up over the next three games.
Saturday: Texas
October 20: Oklahoma
October 27: at Missouri
Take your pick. If not, you can always count on McCarney’s Bulls, or are their wins even upsets anymore?

Sunday, October 7, 2007

Long Day

Could things get any worse for the Iowa State football team right now? First they suffer a 42-17 defeat in Texas Tech. The Red Raiders led the entire game, almost threw for 200 more yards than the Cyclones, and held ISU to a season low 287 total yards of offense. The team didn’t arrive back into Ames until almost 6 a.m. They are in the midst of the longest losing streak in Coach Gene Chizik’s career. It’s always hard to follow a team that’s going through a losing season. Next up: defending national champion Texas Longhorns. How much longer are you going to be watching?

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

He who hesitates.....

Let’s be honest, life really isn’t getting much easier for Cyclone’s coach Gene Chizik. He’s never been though a stretch of games like this.
At Texas and Auburn, his teams were either mounting historic comeback wins against USC or closing the deal. Now, he’s watching his team blow 11 point leads in Toledo in Nebraska.
No one said it was going to be easy but we’re at the halfway mark of the season and you can see it’s starting to drain. At his Monday press conferences, we’re used to seeing an upbeat, the glass is half full kind of guy. This Monday, it took him awhile but Chizik finally opened up to reporters.
When he did, he brought up one of the most interesting things he’s said all season. Asked if he could pinpoint one thing that’s led to his team’s four losses this season, the first year coach said one thing, turnovers.
Opponents this season have scored 51 points off 15 Iowa State turnovers this season.
“I think they play a huge role in why we’re 1-4,” Chizik said.
To show just how big of a role, he said he has sat his team down and watched every single turnover this season. Every interception, every fumble, they have watched every single mistake.
On a young team you wonder if that takes a toll on them. I asked Chizik if he thought if it was now becoming a mental situation for them.
He didn’t think so. He doesn’t think they’re hesitating but he made it clear they know what’s causing them to lose games.
While they might not be worried after every run, every catch, or