The Iowa State Cyclones fell to a 3-9 record last season, missing out on a bowl game and learning that the Big 12, with nine games against conference opponents, simply doesn’t provide very many weekends off. The Cyclones were able to beat Kansas and West Virginia in conference games, but if Iowa State is going to improve this season, it will have to beat some teams that are slightly better in terms of talent and general quality.
Strengths
The Cyclones are strong on the edges. They have playmaking receivers who, in the pass-happy world of the Big 12, are good enough to gain separation from defensive backs. Iowa State was able to get into shootouts with Texas Tech and West Virginia, winning the one against West Virginia. The offense was also able to score 38 points against Tulsa, 34 against Kansas, and 30 against Texas. The offense got shut down a few times during the Big 12 season last year, but on most days, it was able to score in the 20s or better.
What’s going to help the team this year is the addition of Mark Mangino to the coaching staff. Mangino is very familiar with the Big 12, having been an offensive coordinator at Oklahoma and the head coach at Kansas. Mangino led Kansas to a terrific 2007 season and a berth in the 2008 Orange Bowl, in which the Jayhawks defeated Virginia Tech to cap off one of the best seasons in school history. Mangino is an excellent playcaller, and if he’s able to mentor Iowa State’s quarterbacks as well as he possibly can, this team might be able to scratch out a .500 season despite playing in a very tough league.
Weaknesses
The Cyclones’ entire defense is slow, not overly powerful, and generally lacking in talent. Some of the Big 12’s best offenses went wild against Iowa State last season, with Baylor scoring 71 points against ISU, Oklahoma State going for 58, Oklahoma going for 48, and Texas Tech scoring 42, all in regulation time. The Cyclones know that the Big 12 is a passing conference, and so the secondary has to get a lot better this year just for Iowa State to have a chance. The pass rush and the ability of the linebackers to drop into pass coverage must also improve if ISU is going to be able to bounce back from last season, when very little if anything went right.
Quarterback is also a problem. Sam Richardson has some experience, but he’s a slow quarterback. None of the players competing for this job are smooth and fluid with their reactions and reads. Having good receivers doesn’t matter much if the quarterback can’t get them the ball on time.
Schedule
The Cyclones play nine against the Big 12, so it will be hard for them to win more than twice, Kansas being the one win ISU can reasonably count on. Iowa on the road will be hard. Even North Dakota State at home will be a challenge. This is a rough slate of games.
Outlook
The Cyclones are going to be horrible at quarterback, and it seems that Mangino will not be able to have the answers to such a profound lack of ability at football’s most important position. This team is not going to reach four wins.
Pick: Under 3.5 at +115
