Iowa State didn’t waste any time replacing Matt Campbell after the longtime Cyclones coach left for Penn State.
Washington State coach Jimmy Rogers, who began his coaching career at his alma mater South Dakota State, is headed back to the Midwest after one season in Pullman.
The 38-year old Rogers went 27-3 through his two years as South Dakota State’s head coach, after spending more than a decade rising up the ranks with the Jackrabbits. His two-year stint included an undefeated run to the FCS national title in his debut, then a FCS final four appearance in 2024.
Here’s how we grade the hire:
Grade: B-
Iowa State kept Matt Campbell for 10 years. It would’ve kept him for life, if it could have. Campbell departs for Penn State as the best coach in Cyclones history.
Athletic director Jamie Pollard had a clear plan to replace Campbell. Iowa State hired Rogers within minutes of losing Campbell.
Can Rogers maintain a program’s momentum? Well, he’s already done that once before. He previously replaced South Dakota State legend John Stiegelmeier. In his first season as Stiegelmeier’s heir, Rogers’ Jackrabbits went 15-0 and won the FCS national championship. Not bad, eh?
Keeping the Cyclones roaring will be a greater challenge, and, unlike Big 12 rival Texas Tech, no oil money flows into Iowa State. It’s notable that Rogers, 38, has spent just one season at the FBS level. He went 6-6 at Washington State this season.
SDSU is Rogers’ alma mater. His years playing and coaching there give him familiarity with the Midwest terrain to which he now returns. As Pollard put it, Rogers brings “a knowledge of what it takes to be good in the Midwest.”
Defense is Rogers’ identity. In that way, he feels like a natural selection to replace Campbell, under whom the Cyclones could be trusted to field one of the Big 12’s best defenses.
Rogers’ lack of Power Four experience makes this hire a gamble. His resume looks pretty sharp, but it would have been a bit more reassuring if Rogers had spent another year or two at Washington State and proven himself there.