As a lifelong Cyclone, it disgusts me to see the number of bandwagon ISU fans out there, especially after a tough loss like the Missouri game. Even more upsetting than that is the hot and cold support that Coach Mac must experience.

Anyone who calls for his job, especially after a year like this, hasn’t been following ISU football long enough. Remember Donnie Duncan? Remember Jim Walden?

Mac is slowly but surely building a respectable football program at Iowa State. Yes, he has been here 10 years. But to expect a miraculous turnaround for the ISU football program is ludicrous. You have to remember where Iowa State came from and what competition the program faces.

The Big 12 is arguably the toughest football conference in the nation. Mac has the smallest athletic budget in the Big 12 at the disposal of his program. And, perhaps most importantly, Iowa State will never be able to recruit the quality of athlete that Oklahoma, Texas or Nebraska can pull in year after year. That’s an undeniable fact.

We don’t have the tradition that those schools have. Mac does the very best with the athletes that Iowa State can draw. To say otherwise is ridiculous. Look at the success of walk-on athletes at Iowa State.

ISU fans should be excited about the level of success that this young team was able to achieve. You won’t find too many people who expected a bowl game this year.

Don’t forget that 60 of the 85 scholarship players on this team are freshmen or sophomores. There is a lot to be excited for. So, to the true ISU fans, I say get excited for three more years of Meyer, Blythe and the rest of the Cyclones.

To the bandwagon fans, I say get off and stay off. You’re not healthy for a program seeking to gain respect.

Garrett Pedersen

Alumnus

Waterloo