Iowa State football notes: Charlie Kolar’s competitiveness was evident in pickleball meltdown

AMES — Iowa State tight end Charlie Kolar is an impressive person.

He’s an All-America tight end who holds a 3.99 GPA as a mechanical engineering major.

As a sophomore, he spent one of his media availabilities giving an overview of what fluid dynamics was.

But he has one short fall. He’s a sore loser.

“Charlie struggles with losing,” Iowa State linebacker Mike Rose said. “He’s been getting a little better but whether it’s pool or pickleball or anything, you have to tell him to grow up a little bit sometimes.”

Quarterback Brock Purdy said Kolar has broken multiple pool sticks and has been known to throw the cue ball.

It’s that competitiveness that ISU football coach Matt Campbell loves in Kolar. It’s also that competitiveness that Campbell likes to take a few jabs at.

“I’d like to roast Charlie for a while right now because I know he gives me a lot when he’s up here,” Campbell said. “But for Charlie, what is so impressive about Chuck is he’s as high-end of a competitor as I’ve been around.

“My favorite story is it’s him, and (Greg) Eisworth playing me and Mike Rose in pickleball on my driveway. Now, I am undefeated, so I’m going to state that right now. We get down to the last point and you would think we are literally fourth-and-1 on the 1-yard line. Now remember, we won — me and Mike. We beat them. Make sure that makes whatever (story) this is going into. But his (Kolar’s) reaction for an hour was he was so mad and he wanted to play another round. But we weren’t playing another round because I had won. That was it.”

Rose added that he Campbell and were actually losing by “six, seven or eight points” before making a comeback and winning.

Sounds a little like a fishing story where the fish keeps getting bigger and bigger with each retelling of the tale. But Kolar feeds off of his competitiveness.

“The moral of the story is he’s an elite competitor,” Campbell said. “Whatever Charlie puts his mind to, he’s really successful and he wants to be the best. If it’s school, he wants to be the best. If it’s on the football field, he wants to be the best. If it’s in the weight room, he wants to be the best.

“That’s what’s really impressive to me — the staying power he has that when he goes after something, he’s all in and he’s doing everything in his power to be the best. Other than pickleball.”

Iowa State’s linebacker depth

Iowa State has dealt with a couple injuries at linebacker this season. Middle linebacker O’Rien Vance missed two games earlier this season and field-side linebacker Rose missed the West Virginia game.

The Cyclones have needed the No. 2 guy on the depth chart to step up, and they have.

Gerry Vaughn, Aric Horne and even walk-on Kendall Jackson have played an important role for the Cyclones. Vaughn has 25 tackles and Horne has 15.

“I think depth is huge and those three have been great additions,” Campbell said. “There is great confidence in everything they do as football players. Those guys have been critical to our success and you’ve seen in critical moments those guys step up and make big plays.”

Iowa State injury report

Rose returned from his injury last week against Texas and essentially split reps with Vaughn.

Rose said he was dealing with a rotator cuff injury in his shoulder and he’s just building his strength back, but he feels good.

Rose made five tackles in his return and Campbell expects his role to continue to grow as he keeps getting strength and confidence back in his shoulder.

“His confidence rose as the game rose,” Campbell said. “Anybody who comes back from being out for a week, it’s always a little bit of a slow start. But from midway through the first quarter on, Mike was outstanding.

“We’re really excited about where he’s at and I think he’s really excited about where he’s at because there’s way more confidence this Monday than there was last Monday at this time. The fact he’s feeling healthy and he didn’t have a setback has put him in a really good place.”

Comments: benv43@gmail.com