What a Mess

By now most of you have heard Iowa State Football Coach Gene Chizik has moved on and taken over at Auburn. The man who went 5-19 over two years in the Big 12 (including a 0-8 conference record in 2008 without playing Oklahoma, Texas or Texas Tech) is taking over a program that will contend in-state with Nick Saban's Crimson Tide program that in two years has reached top five status. A quick look at his days in Ames...

2007--Lost his first two games as head coach to Kent State and Northern Iowa before upsetting Iowa 15-13. Finished strong winning two of the last three.

2008-- Won the first two over South Dakota State and Kent State before losing to in-state rival Iowa. Went on to lose every remaining game. In the middle of the season lost back-up quarterback Philip Bates. Chizik called him a quitter which the father objected to. At the end of the season demoted each of his coordinators as well as firing two coaches. Whether that was brought on by pressure within the administration or a move on his own is of question.

Chizik came in changing what little tradition the Cyclones had amassed. The Cy logo had changed, uniforms changed, colors changed. New enthusiasm for the program came with the changes while seats were being filled and money filtering in for improvements to a very bland stadium.

Iowa State AD, Jamie Pollard encouraged the changes as he too wanted to encourage a new age for Cyclone Athletics. Now he is faced with generating new enthusiasm at a school that is being labled as one no one can win at. Among the early names on the list may include Buffalo Head Coach Turner Gill, former Cyclone Offensive Coordinator Steve Loney, and former Minnesota Head Coach Glen Mason.

Loney definitely would take pride in being the Cyclone Head Coach, but he is associated with the Dan McCarney era and Pollard would have to swallow some pride to bring him back. Gill has Big 12 ties dating to his days as a player and coach at Nebraska, but there are better jobs for Gill, even if he has to wait another year or two. Mason has a proven track record of taking poorer programs and getting them to post-season play. He has shown success at Kansas and Minnesota.

Mason may be the best choice available for Pollard. Recruiting is badly hurt and many current Cyclones may look for better options. It will take anyone over two years to begin to right the program. But what Pollard may need to look for is the next Tim Brewster. A man who can bring the Cyclone fans jilted by Chizik's departure back to the program and have the charisma needed to make people want to be a part of the program. The next coach needs to have solid coordinators. People who are looking to make a name and to show their worth as the next head coach of a Division I program.

Pollard has to make the right choice. If he doesn't, he won't have to worry about the next one.