Matt Campbell’s coaching overhaul just hit a snag. Campbell had added longtime Iowa State defensive coordinator Jon Heacock, who was supposed to be a defensive analyst. And after Knowles’ departure, he was widely expected to help oversee the unit. However, with his latest move, he has left Happy Valley scrambling for answers.

On December 23, Heacock announced his retirement on X, a sudden move that has put Penn State and Matt Campbell on high alert. “Well, it’s the right time for this coach to hang his whistle…43 years,” the message read.

A situation like this raises a serious alarm. Jon Heacock’s impact at Iowa State was massive. He took over the Cyclones’ defense in 2016 and quickly put his stamp on it, rolling out his now-famous 3-3-5 scheme after his first season in Ames. From there, the unit became one of the most consistent defenses in the country. In nine of his ten seasons as defensive coordinator, Iowa State finished inside the top 50 nationally in scoring defense.

From 2017 to 2022, the Cyclones ranked third or better in the Big 12 in scoring defense every year, including league-best finishes in 2018 and 2022. That 2022 group was special. It became just the third defense in Big 12 history to lead the conference in all four major defensive categories. On the national stage, that same unit ranked fourth in total defense and 18th in scoring defense.

Even heading into this season, Iowa State was still elite. It allowed just 20.17 points per game, ranking 26th nationally and fifth in the Big 12. Standouts like defensive back Marcus Neal Jr. (77 tackles, two interceptions) and linebacker Kooper Ebel (67 tackles) anchored the group. That’s the level of defensive dominance Matt Campbell was hoping to bring to Happy Valley.

“I’m so thankful, grateful, and blessed to have worked alongside some of the finest players, support staff members, and coaches in America!” Heacock wrote in his letter. “I’m certainly thankful and grateful that God chose me to be the defensive coordinator at Iowa State University for 10 years. Ames, Iowa State, the team, and Cyclone Nation: man, we all did some special stuff together! Thanks to you all!”

The warning was already given!

When Matt Campbell was sorting out his partners, he could take with him to Happy Valley, Jon Heacock’s name raised a serious threat to Jim Knowles’ position. However, PSU insider Zach Seyko came up with a terrific solution to this. And if Campbell could have worked faster, then he still would have had Knowles on the campus. Jim Knowles arrived as college football’s highest-paid DC on a three-year, $3.1 million annual deal. He was fresh off creating Ohio State’s national title defense. Yet his complex 4-2-5 scheme overwhelmed Penn State’s roster.

It led to early collapses against UCLA and Iowa, where players “thought instead of playing fast,” as insiders noted. Seyko argues retention makes sense. Knowles’ brain trust could refine under pressure, especially with a full offseason to tailor recruits via the portal. Penn State’s defense struggled on third/fourth downs, but Knowles’ track record suggests potential. At 65, Jon Heacock was  supposed to bring 43 years of coaching wisdom, including nine as Iowa State’s DC under Campbell.

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And he has done it all, that’s why the retirement rumors swirled at that point. Seyko envisions Heacock as “another intelligent mind” game-planning weekly, not demoted but strategically placed to blend his 3-3-5 hybrids with Knowles’ 4-2-5. This duo could have elevated Penn State beyond their scheme’s limits. Expanding the defensive room around both yields “the best of both worlds,” per Seyko. So if Campbell could have put his focus on that area and made Knowles secure about his position, then they wouldn’t have been without a DC at this point.