Coach Rhoads has emphasized the theme leading into and during Fall camp how much team chemistry and the overall culture has improved as though that was the main cause of their problems over the last two seasons. The Register's Randy Peterson has written a couple articles perpetuating the notion that had Iowa State not had so many divisions in the locker room, they wouldn't have lost so many games.
Truth is, Iowa State had a 5-19 record the last two seasons because of a weak running attack caused by a flawed recruiting philosophy leading to a total O-line rebuild complicated by an inordinate amount of leg injuries.
Couple that with inserting D-linemen into the mix who are not physically or mentally ready to play and wins were always going to be very hard to come by in 2013 and 2014.
The bad "chemistry" or losing "culture" was a symptom and result of losing, not the cause of it.
It Should surprise no one that finger pointing, divisions, and cliques resulted from a team that didn't have the proper personnel in the trenches to win Big 12 games.
I have no doubt team chemistry will improve this season as the win count improves, but that will be due to the O-line developing into a more effective run-blocking unit while better players will occupy the interior of the D-Line. My guess is a much happier atmosphere in the locker room celebrating an opening night victory that hasn't occurred for far too long.
Truth is, Iowa State had a 5-19 record the last two seasons because of a weak running attack caused by a flawed recruiting philosophy leading to a total O-line rebuild complicated by an inordinate amount of leg injuries.
Couple that with inserting D-linemen into the mix who are not physically or mentally ready to play and wins were always going to be very hard to come by in 2013 and 2014.
The bad "chemistry" or losing "culture" was a symptom and result of losing, not the cause of it.
It Should surprise no one that finger pointing, divisions, and cliques resulted from a team that didn't have the proper personnel in the trenches to win Big 12 games.
I have no doubt team chemistry will improve this season as the win count improves, but that will be due to the O-line developing into a more effective run-blocking unit while better players will occupy the interior of the D-Line. My guess is a much happier atmosphere in the locker room celebrating an opening night victory that hasn't occurred for far too long.
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