Campbell promotes Tom Manning to Cyclones offensive coordinator

AMES — Tom Manning didn't envision playing under the bright lights in college as a part of a high-major program. But football was always going to be in his life plan.

'I was going through the recruiting process and I certainly was not a Big 12 player — at all,' Manning said. 'I decided to go to Mount Union at the time because of the reputation of the coaches.

'I went to Mount Union to obviously play for a championship team, but I wanted to learn how to coach football.'

Manning might not have fancied himself to be a Big 12-level player, but as of Tuesday, he's now been tasked as a play caller in the Big 12.

Iowa State coach Matt Campbell named Manning the Cyclones offensive coordinator in addition to his role as offensive line coach. Manning spent the last four seasons at Toledo instructing the offensive line and was recently the co-offensive coordinator with Rockets coach Jason Candle.

Candle was never formally offered the offensive coordinator job at Iowa State and after he spent a couple days in Ames and returned to Toledo, Campbell said the decision to make Manning the coordinator was a no-brainer.

'I think he's one of the hot names in coaching,' Campbell said of Manning. 'A great student of the game and great position coach in terms of the offensive line, but a great guy that understands scheme and what we want to do offensively here. I think that's the one nice thing you get from our staff.'

Manning becomes one of the youngest coordinators in the Big 12 at 32 years old — along with Oklahoma's Lincoln Riley — but his relationship with Campbell is rooted deep into his playing days. The two played together at Mount Union and Campbell was on staff during Manning's senior season.

The Youngstown, Ohio, native made a one-year stop as a high school coach and two years as a coordinator at Emory & Henry College before latching on at Toledo as a graduate assistant in 2009. He reunited with Campbell, who was on the Rockets' staff as the run-game coordinator before he moved to offensive coordinator in 2010.

'He's one of the reasons I got into the profession because I respected him such a great deal,' Manning said of Campbell. 'I knew the effect he had on my life and so I do think there are some very similar things characteristically that I've looked at him as a guy, 'Hey, here's a guy that's doing it right.' But I also think there are some things that I do differently. He encourages that and likes it.'

Manning fits Campbell's overall mold of a strong run game — he added he was heavily involved in play calling and strategy at Toledo — but said offensive success hinges on players, formations and plays — in that order. Manning will have to replace three starters on the offensive line, but returns quarterback Joel Lanning, receiver Allen Lazard and breakout running back Mike Warren as the foundation for his offense.

'I fell in love with Mike while we were recruiting him at Toledo,' Manning said. 'When Lou (Ayeni) left Toledo, I was praying somehow that Mike would stay with us when we were over there. He's excellent and not only Michael; I think there are a lot of running backs here that do great things. Michael has proven that he can do it at a really high level so we're excited.'

With Manning's promotion and Ayeni receiving the title of assistant head coach and running backs coach, Iowa State has a nearly completed staff. Eli Rasheed hasn't been formally announced, but is on the Cyclones staff as defensive line coach, but the only vacant positions are quarterbacks coach and defensive coordinator.

Campbell said there isn't a timeline on naming a quarterbacks coach — adding the hire has to mesh with the culture and ISU player personnel — but that a defensive coordinator is in the works to be finalized. He added the coordinator would likely also coach safeties.

'It will be somebody that I have a great familiarity with and somebody that I really trust,' Campbell said. 'Until we can dot the I's and cross the T's and in fairness to everybody involved, we'll take our time announcing it. I think we're more so a formality at this point than anything.'

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