Iowa State win a continuation of Matt Campbell’s culture build

LAWRENCE, Kan. - Matt Campbell isn't playing for next year.

The first-year Iowa State football coach told his team last week, with a postseason berth unattainable, he isn't closing the book on this year.

In the overall picture of college football, winning and losing matters. But win or lose, Campbell has stayed committed to the day-to-day task of changing a culture, and in Saturday's clunky win there was some validation for his process.

'I thought it said a lot about our kids hanging in there,” Campbell said after Iowa State's 31-24 win at Kansas. 'Obviously we didn't play our best early. If I had an answer for you I'd tell you, but I don't.

'We responded, we gave ourselves a chance on the road - which hasn't happened here in awhile and I think it's great - but the reality is now we've got to go back to work and we've got two more opportunities to continue to get the foundation of this culture the right way and where we want it to go for the future.”

An interception, missed PAT and two failed two-point conversions, 155 first-quarter yards by Kansas (1-9, 0-7) and a 14-3 deficit all threatened Iowa State's (2-8, 1-6) chance at its first conference road win in three years. But the many miscues were complemented with a few key performances.

Wide receiver Allen Lazard had 10 catches - a career-high - and 120 yards and a touchdown after two crucial first-quarter drops.

Running back David Montgomery started his second-career game and had 24 carries for 169 yards, with a long of 46. Wide receiver Deshaunte Jones had five catches, 48 yards and a touchdown while running back Kene Nwangwu had one catch for 16 yards.

The talent at the Cyclones skill positions has been apparent, but Saturday was the first time where a win wouldn't have been possible without even one of them.

'I see a young guy with a lot of potential,” Lazard said of Montgomery. 'I've seen that since camp.

'He can be a very special running back, just the way he goes about every single day, especially in practice. He goes and works hard, he runs the ball hard.”

Just as important as the influx of young talent, Campbell credited the fifth-year seniors - who have never had an opportunity to play in a bowl game.

Seniors Kane Seeley, Demond Tucker and Jomal Wiltz were Iowa State's tackling leaders. Cole Netten delivered on 23 and 37-yard field goals. Walk-on Mitchell Harger had eight carries for 58 yards and a touchdown, all on one drive. Dreams of a postseason won't come true for this group of seniors, but home games against Texas Tech and West Virginia to end the season mean something.

The seniors want to be remembered as the class that started the turnaround in Ames.

'If I can make those plays then why can't anyone else?” Harger said. 'And I want those guys to see that because I've been working, getting put in the ground for the last four years, five years, and it's all paid off.”

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