Matt Campbell Might Be the Best Coach Nobody Wants to Admit Is Great

I’m going to die on this hill: Matt Campbell is a top-ten coach in college football and the fact that we don’t talk about him that way is insane.

The man coaches in AMES, IOWA. Do you understand how hard it is to win in Ames? There’s nothing there. No recruiting base. No natural geographic advantage. No history of sustained success before he arrived. It’s cold as hell in November. The closest major city is Des Moines, which… no offense to Des Moines, but come on.

And yet. AND YET. Iowa State has been to a New Year’s Six bowl, won ten games multiple times, and finished in the top 15 of the AP poll under Campbell. They beat Oklahoma when Oklahoma was good. They beat Texas when Texas was good. They compete with everyone, every single year.

This year they went 10-3. Ten wins! With a roster that was ranked like 50th in the country in recruiting composite. How does that happen? Coaching. Development. Culture. All the stuff that’s hard to measure but easy to see when you watch the film.

The thing about Campbell that stands out when you study Iowa State is how SOUND they are. They don’t make mistakes. They don’t beat themselves. They execute their scheme at a high level week after week. That’s not talent — Iowa State doesn’t have more talent than most of their opponents. That’s preparation.

The defense is a masterpiece. They held opponents to under 20 points in eight games this year. The tackling is crisp. The discipline is impeccable. They don’t give up explosive plays because they’re always in position. It’s boring to watch but it’s also beautiful if you appreciate the craft.

And here’s the crazy part: Campbell keeps turning down bigger jobs.

He’s been linked to USC. To Michigan. To NFL jobs. Every offseason, some blue blood comes calling and Campbell stays in Ames. Either he’s loyal to a fault or he knows something we don’t. Maybe he likes building something from scratch. Maybe he’s happy. Maybe he knows that coaching at a pressure cooker program would suck the joy out of something he loves.

I don’t know. What I know is that Iowa State is lucky to have him. And the Big 12 is better because he’s in it.

Jake’s note: Iowa State games make me want to fall asleep but I can’t even argue with this. Campbell is legit. Boring, but legit.

If you’re a young coach trying to learn the craft, watch Iowa State film. Watch how they defend the run. Watch how they protect leads. Watch how they win games without needing superstar talent.

That’s coaching. That’s Matt Campbell.

— Mike