Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbooks) - 2007 SEASON IN REVIEW: Gene Chizik's first year in Ames was anything but successful, although the Cyclones' head coach prefers to look at the glass as being half full. "A year ago I obviously answered a lot of questions and they were all really hypotheticals for me because I really didn't know what we had. I didn't know what our
football team was going to be like on Saturdays. Everything was an educated guess."
The season was lost from the outset as ISU dropped eight of its first nine games, including a run of futility that included six consecutive defeats, five against Big 12 foes. Something positive happened late in the season though, as the Cyclones won back-to-back games versus Kansas State and Colorado. The euphoria was short-lived, however, as a 45-7 shellacking at the hands of the Kansas Jayhawks put the wraps on a season that saw Chizik's club go just 3-9, 2-6 in conference.
Despite the obvious rough start to his tenure at Iowa State, the second-year head coach is optimistic about the program's future. "We're excited. We really are. We feel like the foundation has been laid for what we're trying to do down the road. I think we saw some improvement at the end of the year in our football team."
2008 ANALYSIS:
OFFENSE: Putting points on the board was a huge problem for the Cyclones last season, finishing 111th in the country with an average of only 18.2 ppg. The offense accounted for just 123.7 ypg on the ground and another 203.3 ypg through the air. Bret Meyer had been the team's QB the last few years but he is gone, leaving the job to one of two sophomores, Austen Arnaud or Phillip Bates. Neither has really distinguished himself this summer, but both have the size and skill to handle the job. Whomever gets the starting nod come the season opener against South Dakota State on August 28th, he will have the benefit of throwing to senior R.J. Sumrall, who hauled in a team-best 54 balls for 434 yards in '07. Another intriguing option down field is 6-3 junior Marquis Hamilton as he tallied 45 receptions for 534 yards and a TD last year.
The ISU ground attack boasts the return of senior Jason Scales. While a bit on the short side at just 5-9, Scales tips 'em at more than 210 pounds and runs with both power and quickness. He averaged just 3.4 ypc last season, but found the end zone three times and bigger things are certainly expected of him this time around. Coach Chizik is excited about the potential his team has shown, citing an improved offensive line which should help put the team in a position to succeed more times than not. "The offensive line has been solid and they are getting used to playing together, which takes time." Said Chizik after a recent scrimmage.
DEFENSE: While the offense was having trouble moving the football and scoring points last year, the defense couldn't stop the opposition from doing either, yielding 31.8 points and nearly 400 total yards per game. The Cyclones did manage a decent effort against the run (136.1 ypg), but the loss of both starting DTs and two LBs means there could be a significant adjustment period before the unit starts to perform at the level necessary to keep the team in games, particularly against the caliber of opponents the Cyclones will face week in and week out in the rough-and-tumble Big 12.
Chizik is a former defensive coordinator at both Texas and Auburn and he hopes to get his defense up to par right away, and he believes it all starts up front. "We lost two interior guys, one to the NFL and one that was a four-year player for us. You can't substitute for experience and that concerns me." Defensive ends Rashawn Parker and Kurtis Taylor will attack the offense off the edge, while Jesse Smith returns to his LB spot after recording 79 tackles a year ago.
The secondary appears to the strength of the ISU defense as all four starters are back, including junior FS James Smith who logged 79 stops in '07. Despite their experience, the defensive backfield was largely responsible for allowing more than 254 passing ypg last season, ranking the Cyclones 91st in the nation.
SPECIAL TEAMS: The loss of consistent kicker Bret Culbertson means Chizik will need to find a new leg on which to rely. Expect the battle between youngsters Zach Guyer and Grant Mahoney to continue right up to the start of the season, and either could develop into a solid option if they adjust to the college game quickly. Punter Mike Brandtner averaged 40.2 ypp in 2007 and he is back for his junior year, offering some stability in the kicking game. Sumrall and DB Allen Bell could both shag kicks and each has the potential to be a threat with the ball in his hands.
OUTLOOK: The Cyclones once again face a daunting task as the Big 12 slate offers very little in the way of relief. Winnable games to open the season are plentiful, although it is unlikely the team will be 4-0 heading into the conference opener against Kansas on October 4th. There is no Texas, Oklahoma or Texas Tech on the docket, but there are few patsies and another sub par season is probably the reality for this young team. Chizik has the Cyclones headed in the right direction as evidenced by the solid recruiting job he did this past off season, but it is going to take time and patience, the latter of which those in Ames have been running short on in recent years.
