Below is list of the three questions that I think the Cyclones have to answer in order to pull off the victory at A&M later this week, before you even get into breaking down the team and the Xs and Os.
1. How healthy is this team?/ Who is going to sit out?
I think it should be better than the previous week. I heard from an unnamed source today that A-Rob is expected to go, which is a big plus, but Arnaud is still iffy. Having A-Rob back would be a big plus for this offense. My concern with having Arnaud out, is that there's a good amount of film on Tiller, in that a week of preparation could expose some weaknesses. Either way, having at least one guy back is better than last week, and who knows? Maybe Arnaud finds a way to get on the field afterall. I'd hope with another week, that the flu situation on the team has passed - or at least the worst of it has.
2. Can the team perform at a high level after an emotional win?
This is one of the biggest challenges a coaching staff. The Cyclones are getting a little more attention now in a positive way. They have exceeded most fan's expectations at this point. It might be easy to fall into that trap of letting up a little. Feeling like "you've made it". I hope that the players are still hungry, and the staff can get on the guys if they are showing signs of letting up. The Cyclones are going to have to be gritty to win games, and you can't lose your edge.
3. Can the kicking game make the needed adjustments to be effective?
On the call-in show, Coach Rhoads talked about the idea of moving the holder a yard or two back. Honestly, I think the problem has varied game by game. With K-State and Kansas, I feel like there were some low kicks. Didn't always see a ton of penetration on the line. Those blocks against Nebraska were all Suh though: he completley dominated the line, even swim moving to the inside of the protection. At the same time, this team can't afford to leave points on the field and expect to win, especially on the road. I can handle some misses and blocks from 50+ yards out, but the missing the PATs are hard to swallow. I don't know the answer, but I hope they can.
What are your thoughts? Anything that I haven't covered that you are concerned about?
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