If you look at Iowa State’s football roster going into the 2024 season, one thing is clear — coach Matt Campbell and his staff know how to retain talent.
In the age of the transfer portal, the Cyclones enter the season with returning experience at just about every position. One preview magazine had Iowa State with 18 returning starters. The only team in the Big 12 that can challenge that level of retention is Oklahoma State, a team many believe can win the conference after its appearance in the Big 12 title game last year.
So, how did Campbell do it? This is not an age that lends itself to this sort of retention. It’s an old-school model in a day and time when players can transfer freely, and Name, Image, and Likeness money plays a significant role in whether players transfer.
Well, Campbell said recently that even though things are different, the Cyclones have always valued player development and retention, even before the game changed.
And even as the game has changed, Campbell knows Iowa State can’t quite play that game in the future.
“We just are not going to ever be the people that have the most money or most NIL money,” Campbell. Said. “We’ll have to be the team that develops our players better than anybody.”
That means getting it right the first time in recruiting. Many of the projected starters are multi-year players in the program. Campbell has done a solid job of hanging onto top assistant coaches like defensive coordinator Jon Heacock, who has been at ISU for nine years. Offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser is new to that job, but he’s not new to the Cyclones. This is his ninth year on staff.
This is how Iowa State competes, no matter how crazy things get in the portal. Campbell isn’t opposed to transfers — he’s taken them in and they’ve made an impact.
But, player development and retention, especially as revenue sharing takes hold in college sports, will always by ISU’s way.
“When we have been at our best we’ve been older and been able to keep our guys and get older,” Campbell said. “(It’s) just a great credit to our coaching staff right now, I think a great credit to our senior leadership. We’ve got a great locker room.”
The Cyclones have one of the most stable offenses in the conference, with nine returning starters led by quarterback Rocco Becht. He threw for 3,120 yards last season, with 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Leading rusher Abu Sama II is back along with the entire offensive line.
Defensively the Cyclones allowed 22.5 points per game last season and the unit has eight returning starters, led by safety Beau Freyler. He led ISU in tackles, had three interceptions and was All-Big 12 Honorable Mention. Linebacker Caleb Bacon should move into the starting lineup and make the defense stronger.
The Cyclones open the season Aug. 31 at home against North Dakota. The Cyclones travel to Iowa in the annual Cy-Hawk game on Sept. 7, followed by a home game with Arkansas State on Sept. 21. ISU opens conference play at Houston on Sept. 28.
In October the Cyclones host Baylor on Oct. 5, travel to West Virginia on Oct. 12 and host UCF on Oct. 19.
ISU plays five games in November, starting with back-to-back road games at Texas Tech (Nov. 2) and at Kansas (Nov. 9). A home game with Cincinnati follows on Nov. 16, and then a road trip to Utah on Nov. 23. The regular season ends at home on Nov. 30 against Kansas State.
Related: Josh Pate Predicts Iowa State vs. Oklahoma State in Big 12 Championship
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
