Matt Campbell
Matt Campbell has changed the culture and his footprint is all over the success of the Iowa State football program since taking over as head coach prior to the 2016 season.
Campbell, who owns the best winning percentage in school history, initiated his rebuilding plan and laid the foundation by imploring his team to “Trust The Process.” His team listened, sparking Iowa State to one of its most fruitful periods in the history of the program.
National rankings and bowl berths have become the norm thanks to Campbell’s leadership. The three-time Big 12 Coach of the Year (2017, 2018, 2020) has led the Cyclones to four-straight bowl games, a school record, yearly appearances in the national rankings and the most wins in school history (32) over the last four seasons.
In 2020, Campbell led the Cyclones to a first-place finish in the final Big 12 regular-season standings, a spot in the Big 12 Championship game and a New Year’s Six bowl game, all program firsts.
Campbell’s recent four-year run at ISU has caught the nation’s attention with its drastic improvement, placing Iowa State football into the national rankings and the college football spotlight. Iowa State has appeared in the College Football Playoff Rankings in each of the last four seasons, earning its highest ranking in school history at No. 6 in 2020.
Campbell, who has fostered a player-driven atmosphere with his contagious personality, owns 34.6 percent of Iowa State’s all-time victories over ranked teams, defeating nine opponents ranked in the nation’s top-25 since 2017, tying for ninth nationally during that span.
Records have been shattered in the Campbell era on offense and defense, including total offense (444.3 in 2019) and sacks (33 in 2018). His teams play with precision on both sides of the ball, boasting a defense ranked in the top-three in the Big 12 in scoring defense in each of the last four seasons and two of the top-three scoring offenses in school history in 2019 (32.2) and 2020 (32.9).
Campbell is the first and only coach in Iowa State history to defeat every team in the league at least once during his Cyclone tenure and produced four of Iowa State’s five winning seasons in Big 12 Conference history (1996-present).
Iowa State has finished third or better in the Big 12 in each of the last three seasons.
The Cyclones played as a ranked team for a school-record 10 times in 2020 and Campbell recorded his 26th victory vs. Big 12 competition, already ranking second all-time in school history.
Since 2017, Iowa State has recorded 24 Big 12 wins, the second-best total in the league during that span.
2020
The 2020 campaign will go down as one of the greatest in the history of Iowa State football. The Cyclones surged as the frontrunner for the Big 12 title with a 37-30 win over No. 18 Oklahoma in October, their first win over the Sooners in Ames in 60 years, and never let up.
By season’s end, Iowa State was in sole possession of first place in the final regular-season conference standings (8-1) for the first time in school history, earning a rematch against Oklahoma in its first-ever Big 12 Championship game.
The historic regular season earned the Cyclones their first-ever New Year’s Six bowl berth, defeating No. 25 Oregon, 34-17, in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl.
The victory over the Ducks, Campbell’s second bowl win at ISU, gave the Cyclones their ninth victory on the year, tying the school record for wins in a season (1906, 2000).
Campbell was honored as the Big 12 Coach of the Year for the third time in four years and was a finalist for national coach of the year by all four of the major coaching awards: Eddie Robinson, Bobby Dodd, Bear Bryant and George Munger.
The national media paid attention during the season. Iowa State cracked the top-10 in the AP poll for the first time since 2002 and achieved its highest ranking in school history at No. 6 in the fourth College Football Playoff rankings.
Iowa State, which played as a ranked team a school-record 10 times, ended the season ranked in the final AP poll (#9) for just the third time ever (1976, 2000).
Campbell continued his excellence against ranked opponents, knocking off a trio of rated teams (Oklahoma, Texas, Oregon) for only the second time in the Cyclone annals. It marked the first time an Iowa State team defeated both Oklahoma and Texas in the same season.
Iowa State had incredible balance on offense and defense, ranking in the top-three in the Big 12 in both scoring offense (32.9, 3rd) and scoring defense (21.4, 2nd). The offense scored 30+ points in seven of nine Big 12 games and set a school mark with 31 rushing touchdowns. The defense was second in the league and 21st nationally in total defense (340.4) and first in the Big 12 and eighth nationally in rushing defense (103.1).
Iowa State players were rewarded for its breakout season with a school-record and Big 12-best nine players earning All-Big 12 First Team recognition.
The Cyclones also had a school-record four All-Americans in RB Breece Hall, TE Charlie Kolar, DE JaQuan Bailey and LB Mike Rose. Hall, who was the nation’s leading rusher (1,572) and second nationally in rushing touchdowns (21), was the first Cyclone unanimous All-American in school history, earning first team All-America accolades from the AP, FWAA, AFCA, Walter Camp and Sporting News.
2019
Iowa State’s offense was the most prolific in the history of the program in 2019, helping the Cyclones finish tied for third in the Big 12 with a 7-6 overall record and a 5-4 league mark.
School records fell in the following offensive categories in 2019: total offense (5,776), passing offense (4,047), yards per play (6.45) and points scored (418). Ten times during the season the Cyclones generated over 400 yards of total offense and eight times Iowa State had more total yards than its opponent.
A win over No. 22 Texas (23-21) on a last-second, walk-off field goal was a signature win during the season, as the Cyclones appeared in the College Football Playoff rankings for the third-straight season.
The offense was led by All-Big 12 QB Brock Purdy, who broke virtually every school passing record, including passing yards (3,982), total offense (4,231), completions (312) and passing touchdowns (27).
Kolar was his favorite target, earning Second-Team All-America honors by the FWAA and Academic All-America accolades.
2018
The 2018 Iowa State football team once again captured the imagination of college football fans by proving the 2017 campaign wasn’t a fluke.
Despite a 1-3 beginning to the season, Campbell kept the Cyclones on the right path by making an amazing turnaround with a five-game winning streak, tying the best single-season conference victory string in school history en route earning Big 12 Co-Coach of the Year accolades.
The Cyclones had six conference victories, second-best in school history, and also proved to be a tough out at home, ending the season on a six-game winning streak at MidAmerican Energy Field at Jack Trice Stadium, tying the school record (six) for most season victories in the stadium.
Iowa State wrapped up its second-straight bowl berth with a spot in the Valero Alamo Bowl, finishing the regular season with an 8-4 mark and tying for third in the Big 12 standings (6-3).
The Cyclones appeared in all six College Football Playoff rankings behind a stingy defense and Purdy as a true freshman signal-caller.
Iowa State led the Big 12 in scoring defense (22.9) and rushing defense (115.0), holding all but two teams to below their season scoring average.
Purdy took over signal-calling duties in the fifth game of the season, promptly leading the Cyclones to five-straight victories and igniting the offense. Purdy had help from All-Americans David Montgomery (RB) and Hakeem Butler (WR), who both tallied over 1,000 yards from scrimmage, the first time in school history the Cyclones had a 1,000-yard rusher and 1,000-yard receiver in the same season.
Butler shattered the school record for receiving yards in a season with 1,318 yards and was named a Second-Team All-American by The Athletic.
.2017
Campbell’s 2017 squad will be remembered for breaking through.
Picked to finish ninth in the Big 12 Conference, the Cyclones capped off their outstanding 2017 campaign with a victory in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl over Memphis, just the fourth bowl win in the history of the program. He was named Big 12 Coach of the Year for his efforts.
Iowa State surged into AP Top-25 poll for the first time since 2005 thanks to a perfect 4-0 mark in the month of October where it defeated two top-5 teams in Oklahoma and TCU.
Prior to the season, Iowa State was 1-56-2 all-time vs. teams ranked in the top-5 of the AP poll, tripling its all-time career total.
The victory over Oklahoma (38-31) in Norman was Iowa State’s first-ever win over a top-5 opponent on the road and one of the school’s signature triumphs. Iowa State followed up the OU win with a 14-7 victory over No. 4 TCU three weeks later, helping the Cyclones garner their first-ever appearance in the College Football Playoff rankings.
Iowa State finished the 2017 season with an 8-5 overall record and an upper-half finish in the Big 12 at 5-4.
Three of ISU’s wins were against ranked opponents (Oklahoma, TCU, Memphis) and five were on the road, breaking or equaling school marks in both categories.
Campbell perfected a mix of an opportunistic offense and a stingy defense for the success in 2017. ISU scored over 40 points five times during the season, tying the school record for 40-point games in a season.
Defensively, the Cyclones ranked in the top-30 nationally in scoring defense (26th, 20.9) and turnover margin (16th, +10). The Cyclones broke school marks in fewest turnovers and fewest fumbles lost in a season, going nearly the entire year before losing their first fumble, tying the NCAA FBS all-time record along the way.
2016
Campbell’s work with the Cyclones in his inaugural season proved he was the right man for the job.
Inheriting a program with depleted numbers on both sides of the ball, the Cyclones displayed gradual improvement throughout the season, as ISU compiled a 3-9 overall mark and a 2-7 record in Big 12 play.
Iowa State’s offense was balanced and efficient, boasting a 1,000-yard receiver in All-Big 12 performer Allen Lazard and a rushing attack which featured three players with 500+ yards on the ground, a first in school history.
Outstanding Players
In his five years at Iowa State, Campbell has mentored eight players who have earned All-America honors, including four first-teamers in Joel Lanning, Breece Hall, Mike Rose and JaQuan Bailey.
Hall is the only unanimous All-American in school history and Kolar and Montgomery were two-time All-America selections.
Montgomery and Butler were 2019 NFL Draft picks. Montgomery was the 73rd pick overall (Chicago Bears) and Butler the No. 103 selection in the draft by the Arizona Cardinals. Kene Nwangwu was a fourth-round selection in 2021, and Lazard, who was an undrafted free agent in 2018, has made his mark as a wide receiver with the Green Bay Packers.
Campbell’s teams have annually produced historic victories. Campbell owns 40 percent (four) of Iowa State’s 10 all-time wins over ranked opponents on the road and nine of Iowa State’s 26 all-time wins over ranked opponents.
He has also has energized a fanbase. Three of the top-four season home attendance marks have occurred in the Campbell era, including a school-record 59,794 average in 2019, a season featuring three sellouts.
Campbell’s belief system is grounded in building relationships. He has been referred to as a players’ coach often. Building relationships is at the foundation of his recruiting prowess. His first four Iowa State recruiting classes rank among the best in school history, including the 2017 and 2019 groups, which both ranked in the top-50 nationally. His 2020 recruiting class was ranked 43rd in the nation by 247Sports, the third-highest-rated Cyclone group since 2000.
At Toledo
Campbell compiled a 35-15 record in four-plus seasons as the head coach at Toledo and led the Rockets to three nine-win seasons. He coached UT in three bowls and his 2015 Rocket team played in the Boca Raton Bowl after being hired at Iowa State. Campbell’s winning percentage (.700) is third-best in school history, trailing only Nick Saban (.818, 1990) and Bill Orwig (.762, 1946-47).
He was named the UT head coach in December 2011 (when Tim Beckman left), becoming the youngest head coach in the FBS by three years. Only 16 days after his promotion from offensive coordinator to head coach, Campbell led the Rockets to a 42-41 win over Air Force in the Military Bowl. Interestingly, Campbell coached the bowl game from his accustomed spot in the press box to avoid a game-day distraction. Former Cyclone assistant coach Louis Ayeni handled coaching duties on the sidelines at the bowl game.
The Military Bowl win was a springboard to many more achievements at Toledo.
Campbell’s first full season as head coach (2012) included an eight-game winning streak. The Rockets upset No. 18 Cincinnati during the win streak, moved into the nation’s Top 25 for the first time in more than a decade and were invited to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
The 2013-14 seasons included 16 wins, shares of the MAC West Division championship both years and the establishment of a nationally respected power rushing attack. Toledo ranked 14th and 12th nationally in rushing offense those seasons. The ’14 campaign ended with a 63-44 victory over Arkansas State in the GoDaddy Bowl as tailback Kareem Hunt returned from injury to rush for 271 yards and five TDs.
His 2015 Toledo team – which had to replace five offensive line starters – got the nation’s attention in September with a 16-12 upset of 18th-ranked Arkansas. Following that win, the Rockets defeated Iowa State in overtime, their second Power 5 victory in a row. The 2015 Rockets ranked 27th nationally in scoring offense and 28th in scoring defense. They ran the ball (213.2) and stopped the run (115.5) and UT earned the first College Football Playoff ranking in school history.
He was honored as the 2015 MAC Coach of the Year.
Working his way up
His transition from the field to the sidelines began with a two-year term as a graduate assistant (working with the tight ends) at Bowling Green. Those Falcon teams won the 2003 Motor City Bowl and the 2004 GMAC Bowl.
Campbell returned to his alma mater as offensive coordinator and line coach (2005-06) and Mount Union won two more national titles and registered a 29-1 record. Six players earned All-American accolades under his tutelage, including future NFL receiver Pierre Garcon.
He returned to Division I football for two years (2007-08) as Bowling Green’s offensive line coach. Then, at the age of 29, he was named run game coordinator (2009) before promotion to offensive coordinator (2010-11) at Toledo.
The Rockets were spectacular on offense during his three-year tenure there.
· The 2009 UT offense was 16th in the NCAA in total offense (437.9), 18th in passing yards (278.1) and first in fourth-down conversions (80%) despite losing its starting QB at mid-season.
· The 2010 Toledo team featured a 1,000-yard rusher and a receiver with 99 catches.
· The 2011 Rockets were eighth nationally in scoring (42.2), 10th in total offense (481.3), eighth in pass efficiency (160.4), 18th in rushing (213.6) and became the first team in school history to score at least 60 points in consecutive games. Eric Page caught 125 passes that season, second-most in the nation.
After Beckman left during bowl prep in 2011, Campbell was named interim head coach. Three days later, the interim label was dropped and his 50-game career as UT head coach was underway.
Personal
Campbell and his wife (Erica) have four young children: Katie, Izzy, Rudy and Rocco. Campbell earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Mount Union in 2002.
In 2021, Campbell agreed to a three-year extension to his contract through 2028.
Year Record as Head Coach
2011 Toledo 1-0 Military Bowl Champions
2012 Toledo 9-4 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
2013 Toledo 7-5
2014 Toledo 9-4 GoDaddy Bowl Champions
2015 Toledo 9-2 Boca Raton Bowl Champions*
2016 Iowa State 3-9
2017 Iowa State 8-5 AutoZone Liberty Bowl Champions
2018 Iowa State 8-5 Valero Alamo Bowl
2019 Iowa State 7-6 Camping World Bowl
2020 Iowa State 9-3 PlayStation Fiesta Bowl
*Did not coach in Bowl Game
TOTALS 70-43
Coaching Experience
Bowling Green, Graduate Assistant, 2003-04
Mount Union, Offensive Coordinator, 2005-06
Bowling Green, Assistant Coach, 2007-08
Toledo, Run Game Coordinator, 2009 & Offensive Coordinator, 2010-11
Toledo, Head Coach, 2012-15
Iowa State, Head Coach, 2016-
Bowl Games As Coach
Bowling Green, 2003 Motor City Bowl
Bowling Green, 2004 GMAC Bowl
Bowling Green, 2007 GMAC Bowl
Toledo, 2010 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl
Toledo, 2011 Military Bowl
Toledo, 2012 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Toledo, 2015 GoDaddy Bowl (’14 season)
Iowa State, 2017 AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Iowa State, 2018 Valero Alamo Bowl
Iowa State, 2019 Camping World Bowl
Iowa State, 2020 PlayStation Fiesta Bowl
National Championships (Division III)
Mount Union (player), 2000-2001-2002
Mount Union (offensive coordinator), 2005-2006
Conference Championships
Mount Union (player), 1999-2000-2001-2002 (Ohio Athletic)
Bowling Green (graduate assistant), 2003 (MAC West)
Mount Union (offensive coordinator), 2005-2006 (Ohio Athletic)
Bowling Green (offensive line), 2007 (MAC East)
Toledo (offensive coordinator), 2011 (MAC West)
Toledo (head coach), 2014-2015 (MAC West)
Iowa State (head coach), 2020 (Big 12 Regular Season, Conference Finalist)
Honors
Toledo, 2015 MAC Coach of the Year
Iowa State, 2017 Big 12 Coach of the Year
Iowa State, 2017 Semifinalist for the George Munger Award
Iowa State, 2017 AFCA Region 4 Coach of the Year
Iowa State, 2018 Big 12 Co-Coach of the Year
Iowa State, 2018 AFCA Region 4 Coach of the Year
Iowa State, 2018 Grant Teaff Coach of the Year
Iowa State, 2020 Big 12 Coach of the Year
The Campbell File
Birthdate: Nov. 29, 1979
Birthplace: Canton, Ohio
Hometown: Massillon, Ohio
Family: wife Erica; daughters Katie and Izzy; sons Rudy and Rocco
Education: Mount Union (2002)
Playing Experience
Mount Union (defensive end), 1999-2002. All-American and two-time conference defensive lineman of the year. Won four conference titles, three NCAA Division III national championships and went 54-1 in his four-year career. Inducted into the Mount Union Hall of Fame in 2018.
