Most of the top head coaches across college football have enjoyed the luxury of beginning their coaching career with a graduate assistant gig at a prominent Power Five school, never coaching  at anything other than Division I programs throughout their career. 

Texas head coach Tom Herman got his start as a graduate assistant at the University of Texas. Clemson’s head coach Dabo Swinney began his coaching journey at the University of Alabama. Georgia head coach Kirby Smart began his coaching career as an administrative assistant for the Bulldogs.

Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell has much humbler beginnings. In addition to beginning his career as a graduate assistant at Bowling Green, the nearly 41-year-old from Ohio got his first coordinator job at his alma mater The University of Mount Union, a Division III program that seats only 5,600 fans at home games. 

Although Campbell started his coaching career at a far less distinguished school than most of today’s household coaching names, it’s seemingly only a matter of time until he joins them at the top of the coaching ranks. 

Since taking the Iowa State job at the end of the 2015 season, Campbell has reportedly fielded interest from Florida State and even rejected an interview with the New York Jets back in 2018.

While the prospect of Campbell walking the sidelines for the New York Jets seems markedly different from his past coaching for a Division III school like Mount Union, Campbell’s experience at smaller schools is what has laid the foundation for his success at a Power Five school like Iowa State.  

When Campbell was named the head coach at Toledo at the end of 2011, he was the youngest head coach in the FBS at 32 years old and went on to compile a 34–15 record over four seasons en route to amassing the third-best winning percentage in program history. 

After leading Toledo to a 9–2 record and winning 2015 MAC coach of the year, Campbell took the reins of an Iowa State program that was historically a cellar dweller before he arrived in Ames.

When Campbell was hired prior to the 2016 season, the Iowa State head coaching job was probably one of the least attractive in college football. Due to its less-than-ideal geographic location and lack of winning tradition, drawing high-level recruits to compete with the rest of the Big 12 was a challenge not many coaches have the persistence or ability to overcome.  

Campbell’s prior experience of leading smaller schools to unprecedented success seems to be carrying over to the Cyclones, resulting in Iowa State extending his contract twice since he took over. 

Campbell has led the Cyclones to three consecutive winning records for the first time since 1976-78, has won two Big 12 Coach of the Year awards and is the first and only Iowa State head coach to defeat every team in the conference at least once during his tenure.

Sitting atop the conference at 6–1 in Big 12 play, Iowa State is in a prime position to win the Big 12 Championship this year. To accomplish this, the Cyclones desperately need a win over Texas on the road Friday. 

Going to Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium to play against Texas may seem like a tall task, but Campbell has proven his ability to put his team in the absolute best position to win, no matter the circumstances.