Matt Campbell’s high-profile departure to Penn State didn’t leave Iowa State searching for long. The Cyclones are turning to a former national champion who guided South Dakota to the FCS National Championship game in 2023. As analyst Pete Thamel confirms that Washington State’s coach made his way to Iowa State.

“Sources: Jimmy Rogers is set to become the next coach at Iowa State.” ESPN’s Pete Thamel said on X. “He’s the first-year head coach at Washington State and won a national title at South Dakota State in 2023 as the head coach there.”

Iowa State’s insider Cyclone Larry made it clear that Matt Campbell didn’t want to leave the team unless he made sure the program was in good hands. That’s why he waited until Rogers came in. Jimmy Rogers has agreed to a six-year contract with Iowa State, coming in from Washington State, where he guided the Cougars to a 6-6 record in his single season as head coach on the Palouse.

With that, Rogers became the fourth coach in Washington State history to take their team to a bowl game in his very first season. He built a strong foundation with the team, as three of their six losses were very close games against highly ranked teams: Ole Miss, Virginia, and James Madison. Those close games show how much his ability to compete against strong opponents has improved.

Before taking over at Washington State last year, Rogers was head coach at South Dakota State for 12 years. In two seasons with the Jackrabbits, he compiled a 27-3 overall record with a 15-1 mark in conference play, quickly making his position strong among other big college football coaches. That background strengthens Iowa State’s trust in him more, as athletic director Jamie Pollard expressed high expectations for him.

“Since our initial meeting, I have stayed in close contact with him and have been very impressed with his work ethic and understanding of what it takes to be successful at Iowa State,” Jamie Pollard said. “He is a proven winner who has demonstrated throughout his career that he will fit our culture.”

During their first meeting, Rogers also expressed his deep desire to coach Iowa State, and ever since then he’s been on Pollard’s list. With his impressive record, even his college journey impressed Iowa State’s AD. He played as a linebacker for the Jackrabbits from 2005 to 2009, and in his 46 career appearances, he recorded 312 tackles, three forced fumbles, and three interceptions. Now, that’s the kind of production the program wants to see in its players.

Now, you know why Iowa State got him in with a 6-year deal. It will be interesting to see how well Rogers fills in for Iowa State’s winningest coach in the program’s history, with 72 victories. As the pressure of rebuilding might intensify.

Iowa State coaches who might follow Matt Campbell to Penn State

Matt Campbell has already been making big moves since filling in for James Franklin. First, he retained interim head coach Terry Smith with a four-year deal, and now he’s turning up Iowa State’s assistants he trusts and who might join him, too. This shift can shake things up for Jimmy Rogers, as he needs to rebuild the entire staff with the team.

First among Campbell’s list is defensive coordinator Jon Heacock, who has worked with Campbell since Toledo and has built strong defenses at Iowa State, finishing in the top 30 in scoring defense and top 55 in total yards allowed several times. Even offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser, who has risen from graduate assistant to offensive playcaller and assistant head coach, might join him, too. He has developed players like tight end Benjamin Brahmer.

Then there’s defensive line coach Eli Rasheed, who has worked with Matt Campbell since Toledo and helped him produce high-end NFL talent. But their tie runs deeper than that, as Campbell and Rasheed worked in Rockets together in 2009, and since then he has kept him around him, bringing him to Ames in 2016. So, he might make the move again. Now, let’s see how Rogers holds up his team when key staffers leave with Campbell.

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