While it wasn't exactly the spite hite many were hoping for, we now know for sure that the Ames-to-Auburn pipeline runs in both directions. A week after Gene Chizik carefully wrapped his five wins and moved them to Auburn, Iowa State hired Tommy Tuberville's defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads to replace him.The move hasn't been officially announced yet, but it has been confirmed by ISU officials. Paul Rhoads will be paid $1.15 million a year over five years with the usual pile of incentives. His hiring comes after rumors of Terry Bowden and Mike Stoops were floating throughout Cycloneland. After hearing about name coaches who might have been interested in becoming the head Clone, you wonder if Rhoads is a sexy enough hire to placate the fans.
Then again, Rhoads just finished his first season at Auburn, where his efforts were wasted behind a kittenish offense. The Tigers finished 15th in scoring defense and 27th in yards allowed but only got a 5-7 record to show for it. Before that, Rhoads was the defensive coordinator at Pitt for eight seasons, a job he got after four seasons coaching Iowa State's linebackers and secondary. But that's not the most important qualification he brings.
The most important qualification Rhoads has may well be his family ties. Rhoads is a native of Ankeny, Iowa, a Des Moines suburb which is barely twenty minutes from Ames. It isn't hard to understand why that's important in the wake of Chizik leaving Ames after two seasons. It's no secret any longer that Chizik didn't love Iowa State and didn't understand Iowa in general. Bringing back a native son, even if he's never been a head coach before, lessens the likelihood that Iowa State will be going through this again in three years.
The Rhoads hire also proves that Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard is growing into his job. He's now hired two football coaches, as well as new coaches for the two other huge men's sports at ISU: basketball and wrestling. He now has either an Iowa native or a former Cyclone athlete in all three positions. That's how a school like Iowa State has to think. Home-grown talent is probably going to stick around, even if no one else understands why.
Now it's up to Rhoads to produce, of course. His name has been around as one of those up-and-coming assistant coaches for a few years now. If he can work his Iowa ties and considerable charisma, well, it's not like you can't win in the Big 12 North.
