Matt Campbell: Iowa State football has ‘really looked inward’ after 4-8 season

ARLINGTON, Texas — Last season didn’t go as planned for the Iowa State football team.

After a promising 3-1 start, the Cyclones stumbled the rest of the way, dropping eight of their final nine contests to finish a disappointing 4-8.

It was the second-worst record in the seven seasons under Coach Matt Campbell, better only than his debut campaign in Ames (3-9).

However, instead of focusing on what went awry in 2022, Campbell, his staff and players are focusing on applying those lessons going forward.

“Since December, it’s been really fun to be with this football team and watch its growth happen,” Campbell said during Big 12 Conference football media days Thursday at AT&T Stadium. “We’ve really looked inward after a tough football season for us a year ago. That inward look (consists of) looking at the things that are really important to us when we’re at our best — our culture, process, people and certainly our purpose.”

ISU’s first losing season since 2016 also ended the Cyclones’ streak of consecutive bowl games at five. But if there’s one silver lining to take from 2022, it’s that the shared adversity from last season has made this year’s team even closer.

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“It’s easy for a team to fall apart when the season is not going as planned, but I thought our guys stayed together and motivated each other going into this season to become better so we didn’t feel that failure again,” said junior wide receiver Jaylin Noel.

Junior defensive back Beau Freyler concurs that when ISU faces adversity this fall, something inevitable during a long 12-game regular season, he and his teammates will know exactly how to respond.

“Yeah, we went through a lot of ups and downs last season — injuries with players, not getting the result Saturdays that we want,” Freyler said. “That builds strength within the team that when we go through hard times, we know what to do.”

Another positive for the 2022 Cyclones was their 3-1 record in September, equaling their best start under Campbell. This fall, ISU plays three of its first five games at home, another critical stretch for a team looking to rebound from a losing season.

“Yeah, it’s always important to build that momentum going into conference play. Being able to win those first three games (is crucial),” Noel said. “Being at home, those fans are electric. They make the atmosphere great and give us all the motivation in the world to win.”

One big change for the Cyclones in 2023 is it will be the first year for Nate Scheelhaase, an ISU assistant since 2019, as offensive coordinator. Some might see this as a big jump for Scheelhaase, a former Illinois quarterback who has previously worked with the ISU running backs and receivers. But he has the full backing of Campbell in his new role.

“He’s been in multiple offensive systems. I think Nate’s just got that special quality that draws people to him because he knows who he is,” Campbell said. “He certainly knows what he stands for and obviously, what he stands for are some of the great beliefs that I believe in. That’s not just developing great football players, but developing great men, and he’s already done a great job of that.”

Another strength for ISU last season was its defense, which led the Big 12, allowing just 243 points over 12 games, an average of 20.3 per contest. The 2022 Cyclone D also allowed just 30 touchdowns, another league best mark.

For Campbell, the continued success of his defense starts with coordinator Jon Heacock, now entering his eighth season with the Cyclones.

“Trust is so critical in this journey. Relationships, continuity and trust, it’s hard to find that,” Campbell said. “That’s what John’s meant to me.

“He’s been a steadying force every step of the way for me. I think John’s one of the great coaches in college football. What we do on defense is not really what’s special. How we do what we do on defense is what’s made us really special, and it starts with his leadership. He’s certainly been nothing short of exceptional.”

Stephen Hunt is a freelance writer based in Frisco, Texas