Record since 2016 (post-Tre)

[tgate]

What is ISUs record since Tre graduated?

 

[MadBird]

By my figgerin', 29-24 since Tre. For the record, 33-24 before Tre. 23-5 in 14 & 15.

 

[Virginia Redbird]

By my figgerin', 29-24 since Tre. For the record, 33-24 before Tre. 23-5 in 14 & 15.

If MadBird's numbers are correct the Redbirds have just been a bit better than a .500 team other than the years Tre was under center. I don't know if those are just regular-season games or include playoff games but I think it shows the importance of the QB position to a football team.

 

[Total Red]

"I think it shows the importance of the QB position to a football team" +2

 

[MadBird]

If MadBird's numbers are correct the Redbirds have just been a bit better than a .500 team other than the years Tre was under center. I don't know if those are just regular-season games or include playoff games but I think it shows the importance of the QB position to a football team.

All games.

 

[redbirds2000]

By my figgerin', 29-24 since Tre. For the record, 33-24 before Tre. 23-5 in 14 & 15.

We caught lightening in a bottle. We may never see that type of talent on both sides of the ball at the same time again.

 

[topiarydan]

I do believe we can build a National Champ with a majority of high school recruits (and only a couple of JUCOs and/or FBS transfers). NDState has done it perennially with the states of MN, ND, SD and NE for years.

 

[StLRedbird]

WL records for ISU football coaches in the DI era...

Years	Head Coach	Seasons	W	L	T	Win Pct
1977-80	Charlie Cowdrey	4	12	31	1	.284
1981-87	Bob Otolski	7	30	40	3	.426
1988-95	Jim Heacock	8	37	49	2	.432
1996-99	Todd Berry	4	24	24	0	.500
2000-08	Denver Johnson	9	48	54	0	.471
2009-	Brock Spack	11	84	50	0	.627

Spack's Win Pct ex-Tre is .575 (61-45). Doesn't include Spring '21, but the pct wouldn't change much.

 

[Virginia Redbird]

WL records for ISU football coaches in the DI era...

Years	Head Coach	Seasons	W	L	T	Win Pct
1977-80	Charlie Cowdrey	4	12	31	1	.284
1981-87	Bob Otolski	7	30	40	3	.426
1988-95	Jim Heacock	8	37	49	2	.432
1996-99	Todd Berry	4	24	24	0	.500
2000-08	Denver Johnson	9	48	54	0	.471
2009-	Brock Spack	11	84	50	0	.627

Spack's Win Pct ex-Tre is .575 (61-45). Doesn't include Spring '21, but the pct wouldn't change much.

Interesting that no other coach has a winning percentage overall above .500. I would make an educated guess that if Berry had stayed longer he would be over .500. I think it should be said that I don't think anyone is saying Coach Spack has not been great for the program and brought the Birds consistent success. The next step though is to win Championships. It is the unhappy reality for coaches that when they build a successful program the fan base is elated at first. Then the tough thing is to take the next step. That is where Coach Spack is now. Is he a little better than .500 coach that will get the team into the playoffs and every few years make a run but eventually crash out or does he get the team over the hump to lift the national championship trophy? Success breeds high expectations. Maybe too high in some cases. My own opinion is that if the Birds had better QB play they may well have gotten over the hump. In today's game, I don't think great defense and a solid running attack is going to win a Championship all alone. Spack is the only ISU Coach with a winning career record since 1977. No doubt he has been great for the program. The next challenge is a national championship. Not certain at this point he can take the Birds to that level. We will see...

 

[fourthandshort]

WL records for ISU football coaches in the DI era...

Years	Head Coach	Seasons	W	L	T	Win Pct
1977-80	Charlie Cowdrey	4	12	31	1	.284
1981-87	Bob Otolski	7	30	40	3	.426
1988-95	Jim Heacock	8	37	49	2	.432
1996-99	Todd Berry	4	24	24	0	.500
2000-08	Denver Johnson	9	48	54	0	.471
2009-	Brock Spack	11	84	50	0	.627

Spack's Win Pct ex-Tre is .575 (61-45). Doesn't include Spring '21, but the pct wouldn't change much.

If records were adjusted based on strength of schedule, Spacks record would stand out even more. The MVFC has clearly been the strongest conference since 2010 ... even excluding NDSU, the MVFC has the best playoff record of any conference ... only Colonial is kind of close when we exclude NDSU. Ive posted these playoff game comparisons before .. it aint close at all when including NDSU of course. And during that time NDSU has knocked 7 very good MVFC teams out of the playoffs or those teams could arguably gone further.

Spack is our guy, but he needs to adapt some and recognize our achilles heel ... the QB position and pass game. If i were a great up and comer OC, i would love to join a program who could promise me a good run game and defense .... but only if i knew i were allowed to be truly in charge. I can see heading into Q4, Spack want to assert himself since the wind and losses are his alone. But aside from that, give the OC the reins once he understands your general philosophy.

I think this is how we go from top 8-16 regularly to top 4-8 more often.

 

[Redbird15]

I do believe we can build a National Champ with a majority of high school recruits (and only a couple of JUCOs and/or FBS transfers). NDState has done it perennially with the states of MN, ND, SD and NE for years.

NDS is has a very unique roster over the years seeing quite a variety of kids especially GA/FL/WIS/Minn LOL how are they getting FL kids to come up north ! Um indoor facilities !

 

[MadBird]

NDS is has a very unique roster over the years seeing quite a variety of kids especially GA/FL/WIS/Minn LOL how are they getting FL kids to come up north ! Um indoor facilities !

The Dakota schools, including DII schools, seem to be able to get kids from California, Arizona and other southern states. Not sure what the attraction is. We've had our share of Florida kids. And Texas.

 

[redbirdfan04]

Picking apart the records is fun but here is what I know, ISU football football under Spack has been great to watch as a fan. The IPF would add to the recruiting pitch but what happens if we build it and then lose? Spack won't be around much longer and it is hard to find a coach at the FCS level that will stay long. Most have a few successful seasons and run to the next pay check. Under Spack even some of the games we have lost have been some of the best memories I have as a fan. When we look back in another 10 years I think we will appreciate Coach Spack even more than we do now. On a side note Utah has some really great young coaches, it will be interesting to see if our new AD will be able to influence some of them to Normal.

 

[Redbirdwarrior]

I have not read all of this, but it is important to note that the MVFC is the SEC of FCS. ISU has been essentially the Texas A&M of FCS while under spack. I think he would be straight murdering teams in the OVC or other less stacked conferences. Being in there with NDSU, UNI, SDSU, SIU is no joke.

 

[MadBird]

Just to be clear, I'm not sure what tgate's "motives" were to ask the question in the first place, but I just put the numbers out there. I've seen them all - plus Gerry Hart and Larry Bitcon - and there's no one, maybe other than Todd Barry, I'd rather have than Coach Spack.

Would be nice if he could line up another Matt Brown or Tre or even Jeff Kolbe. Maybe that guy's already with us.

 

[Virginia Redbird]

I am finding this discussion an interesting one. Success just breeds this type of attitude. If you have a history of mediocre or horrible play then get a coach that brings regular winning seasons the fan base is at first elated. Then the team gets to the playoffs, an area where they only thought other teams lived. They get their hopes built up and then crash out with a loss. Now simply a winning season is not enough, the fan base wants championships. It can get to an extreme such as Alabama where the fan base expects a National Championship each and every year. Saban has come pretty close to delivering in Tuscaloosa. Spack is a victim of his own success. It happens. The fanbase is now used to winning seasons. Just that way it is.

 

[redbirdfan04]

Just to be clear, I'm not sure what tgate's "motives" were to ask the question in the first place, but I just put the numbers out there. I've seen them all - plus Gerry Hart and Larry Bitcon - and there's no one, maybe other than Todd Barry, I'd rather have than Coach Spack.

Would be nice if he could line up another Matt Brown or Tre or even Jeff Kolbe. Maybe that guy's already with us.

Looking back at how Berry coached I can only guess what would happen if he would have stayed. He was not very successful when he left here. One winning season after he left not so good. Not sure that means anything and going to a Military academy is nuts in my opinion. Also he really loved the trick play. I can imagine how this board would light him up after too many failed trick plays that cost us games! I will say taking a hot garbage ISU program and getting them to where he did so quick is impressive. He also struck lightining in a bottle with his RBs and QBs.

 

[TIMMY]

Berry was a good coach at ISU but he always thought he was the smartest guy in the room. When he got to Army he dumped the triple option and went pro set. 5-35! It's taken Army years to recover but Jeff Monken has brought them back to respectability with his flexbone. Thinking you could win with undersized kids trying to man up in a pro offense was just dumb.

 

[StLRedbird]

My recollection may be off, but Berry was adept at plugging holes via transfer. I don't think that's even a thing at West Point. Spack was described as having caught lightning in a bottle, but I think that's a better description of what Berry did here. At the end, his offenses always seemed like coiled springs, ready to jump out at you. But having Kevin Glenn under center will do that for you. I wonder if Glenn would get a sniff in the NFL draft if he played in to today's MVFC.