Iowa State expects to field a "tough" and "violent" defense in 2026

AMES — Iowa State assistant football coach Ross Watson’s shaved head is countered by a long-flowing salt-and-pepper beard.

He speaks freely and colorfully; melding the philosophical with the occasionally profane.

He’s also the only member of the Cyclones’ new defensive staff who hasn’t coached alongside head coach Jimmy Rogers at his previous stops, South Dakota State and Washington State — and that suits the heavily-tattooed former co-defensive coordinator at Toledo just fine.

“I like being one of the new guys, ‘cause I’m with the players,” said Watson, who serves as the new-look Cyclones’ SAM linebackers/nickelbacks coach and is also the defensive passing game coordinator. “I’m in the same boat they are, figuring out, ‘How do I get to the cafeteria? Where is that, you know? This week, I got to the office with no GPS, so I’m fired up about that.”

Watson and his fellow primary defensive staffers fully share that intense feeling as they dig into their collective fresh start at ISU. Watson’s keyword is “tough.” Defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbit — who also serves as the linebackers coach — demands his unit to be “rules-based and sound, and then violent.” Cornerbacks coach Mike Banks expects his group to be “the most physical, dominant group in the league,” and defensive line coach Jalon Bibbs said his gritty group “can’t care about the person across from you.”

As for the safeties?

“It’s gonna be an exciting room,” said safeties coach Pete Menage, a Rock Rapids native. “It’s a bunch of good kids (who) want to play hard, (and) are excited about Cyclone football.”

So is Watson, who shares connections with ISU’s former head coach, Matt Campbell, and its now-retired defensive coordinator, Jon Heacock. Watson, like Campbell, starred as a player at Division III powerhouse Mount Union, and got his first coaching job at his alma mater in 2006 — a few days after Campbell left. He also joined Toledo’s staff as the safeties coach in 2016 — a few days after Campbell took the head coaching job with the Cyclones.

“Campbell and I were teammates (at Mount Union),” Watson said. “Heacock recruited me in high school when he was at Youngstown State.”

So he maintains deep respect for both of them, while still speaking freely and forcefully.

“I want to outdo Matt Campbell,” Watson said of ISU’s winningest all-time head coach. “That’s a big driving factor for me. I’ve got some pettiness in me and I let that come out sometimes and I shouldn’t — (but) I say that lovingly. Like, we were teammates. We won a national championship together. … We’re competitive, and he would be the same way — he would be saying the same things. That’s what makes it exciting.”

So does the opportunity to help mold a defense at the Power Four level. And Bobbit’s track record points to the strong possibility that ISU’s transfer-laden group can be formidable from day one. In two seasons under Rogers at South Dakota State, he fielded FCS’s top defense, including during the 2023 national championship run. In one season under Rogers at Washington State, his unit ranked 15th nationally in total defense while striking for 31 sacks.

Therein lies the “violence” — but a commitment to consistency in all areas must undergird it.

“Whether you win a rep, or you lose a rep, you pop right back up and you let them know you’re gonna be bringing it the next play,” Bobbit said. “You’re not always gonna be perfect. You are not gonna win every single battle, but you’d better have the mindset that you’re going to win the next one, and that there’s a demeanor that for four quarters or whatever that may look like, you’re gonna make that (other) team quit.”

Which brings us back to Watson’s oft-used, yet powerful word: “Tough.” That merges with another word: “Talented.” Neither guarantees winning on its own, but together, it’s a difficult combination to overcome.

“Still looking for tough guys (who) love football,” Watson said. “You can’t beat that. My dad and I joke about all the time, ‘Oh, these gurus, right? Football coaching gurus.’ And I don’t know if this will (be printable), but show me your (bleeping) players. I’ll tell you (about) good. I am really good at coaching football when I’ve got good players. That’s the key.”

Comments: robgray18@icloud.com