Camp is back in session for Iowa State football as the team gets ready for its Week 0 matchup against rival Kansas State in the 2025 Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin, Ireland, on Aug. 23.
Here are four noteworthy things Cyclones head coach Matt Campbell said during his first press conference at the team’s media day on Friday, July 25.
Matt Campbell on how Rocco Becht can improve entering his third season as Iowa State football’s starting quarterback
There’s plenty of parity in the Big 12 Conference and a ton of depth at the quarterback position. Rocco Becht will certainly be in the running for top signal-caller in the Big 12, a conference that features 10 quarterbacks who threw for more than 2,400 yards last season, nine of which are returning starters.
Becht’s been long referred to as an extension of the coaching staff for his leadership skills and knowledge of the game. He aims to take an even greater vocal presence after the departures of respected leaders Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins, who are now both receiver’s for the NFL’s Houston Texans.
Last season, Becht completed 59.4% of passes for 3,505 yards and 25 touchdowns, as well as nine interceptions. On the ground, he ran for 318 yards and eight touchdowns. How can he elevate his game even higher?
“What I’m proud of him is his ability to just tackle himself, from having the ability to be a little bit more accurate in the passing game, the ability to continue to evolve,” Campbell said. “I think he already took a major step from year one and two as a great leader in our football program, and that’s probably one of Rocco’s special traits. He’s just got such great humility and leadership ability, so for him, continuing to master the offense and put us in the best plays, even though I feel he made a gigantic step a year ago in that.
“You saw Rocco play great situational football a year ago. Can he continue to evolve and be great in those moments? The consistency of doing that is hard, especially when the ball is constantly in your hand and you’ve probably got the most opportunities to succeed and sometimes you can also have the most opportunities for it to go the other way, and you’re depending on all the other 10 guys to do their job. … He’s a guy that’s relentless in his pursuit to become his best.”
Matt Campbell on having Cyclones healthy entering 2025 season, particularly on defense
Caleb Bacon, Carson Willich, Will McLaughlin, and the list seemingly goes on with regards to the injuries that Iowa State suffered last season. Despite the ailments that piled up and ravaged the Cyclones’ roster, they still managed to put together a historic 11-win campaign.
Most injuries came on the defensive side of the ball, and Campbell is pleased to see the roster has recovered and is in a good place entering the 2025 season.
“You see Bacon, (Zach) Lovett and the physicality of those body types and who those guys are. You see Willich and McLaughlin back on the football field,” Campbell said. “Just the growth they made, you’re talking about a different football team. You’re talking about a group of guys that look different. You see the growth of the defensive line, I think we added some veterans and we’ve had some talented young guys in the program that have made significant strength gains and body transformation.
“… You look at this team, especially on the defensive side of the football, there’s a great confidence right now about the growth that group has made in the offseason, whether it’s getting healthy or physical transformation from young player into a player that’s now being counted on.”
Campbell hopes they’ll have much better luck on the injury front this season, alluding to how they suffered four injuries at linebacker in a matter of eight quarters last year.
“I still say, right now, we’re in a pretty good spot going into fall camp,” Campbell said. “(Michael) Parkes, our wide receiver, was out last year. He’s not back to full strength. Other than that, really going into this thing, I think we’re in a pretty good spot. Some guys we’re maybe managing early, but I think we’re in a pretty good spot for us.”
Matt Campbell on consulting college, pro coaches for insights into playing overseas
Throughout the 2025 offseason, Campbell emphasized that the Week 0 game in Ireland is not only tough in regards to game planning for a rival and conference opponent to open the year, but also the logistical aspect in scheduling and preparing his players leading up to the game and how they manage practice, plus jetlag, upon their return.
From sleep specialists to working in tandem internally with Iowa State nutritionists and strength and conditioning coaches, Campbell has accounted for nearly every variable that may come with the trip. He’s also consulted collegiate and NFL coaches who have made similar journeys in past regular seasons.
Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman and Nebraska’s Scott Frost are among the college coaches Campbell reached out to, but he’s mostly looked to the pro level for insights.
“Really spent the bulk of my time in the National Football League, just because to me, I still think if you’ve studied the results of college ― nobody’s done this well ― there’s not been any sustainable success in the season,” Campbell said. “The game is unique in its own right, but it’s coming back from that game and what happens next that I think people have really struggled with.”
Among his NFL contacts, Campbell namedropped New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel and Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni.
“The area that they haven’t struggled per se, is in the National Football League,” Campbell said. “When you look at the National Football League, it’s a very similar model. They leave on Thursday, they get there Friday, they play the game Sunday, and then they go home. Then most of the teams have chosen ― and you get the opportunity at that level to choose when you get your bye week ― once you play (in Europe) and all those teams are choosing to play next week. Why are they making that decision? How do you prepare for that? What’s that look like? We really tried to have all hands on deck.”
Matt Campbell on ISU football’s defensive line and loaded depth at defensive end
At Big 12 Media Day, Campbell shared he was “most interested” in the development of his defensive line.
At defensive end, there are plenty of candidates vying for playing time alongside standout defensive tackle Domonique Orange. With hopes of creating more pass rush pressure, Campbell highlighted all the defensive linemen to keep an eye on for preseason and beyond.
On Ikenna Ezeogu: “If you really study the film from a year ago, Ike played good football. I think he made some of those plays. Could he have played more? Should we have got him on the field more? I think you probably could have argued that.”
On Jace Gilbert: “Last 5-6 weeks of the season of bowl prep, he played in the bowl game, actually played pretty good and had some production in the bowl game. I think this guy’s going to be a really, really talented football player. More cut, more physical, 285, 290-pound attacking kind of defensive end.”
On Cannon Butler: “He’s really had a great transition from UNI. A captain a year ago at UNI, physical football player. He’s really got his weight up, and I think he’ll be in competition.”
On Tamatoa McDonough: “It’s hard to comment on him a ton yet, because you haven’t seen him in full pads. But from a physical specimen standpoint, the way he moves, his length, even in maturity of repetition every day, it’s been impressive to watch him go to work. I got a really good feeling that he’s going to compete for major opportunities to help this football team.”
On Myles Mendeszoon: “Fifth-year senior year who’s got a great motor, who’s had some pretty positive moments for us on special teams and has had moments on defense that have been impressive.”
On Vontroy Malone: “Young man from Tulsa that was healthy and with us all spring, that I thought had a really good spring for us.”
On Trey Verdon: “The guy that’s got some wild moments already is Trey Verdon, you can’t count him out. A guy that was a real problem in spring ball for us as a young freshman and then came in here and had a whole summer to really transform his body. I think he brings some uniqueness to the table.”
On Alijah Carnell: “He’s almost 305 and a guy that can go inside and outside and do some things with his length and size.”
Eugene Rapay covers Iowa State athletics for the Des Moines Register. Contact Eugene at erapay@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @erapay5.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: The 4 most interesting things coach Matt Campbell said at Iowa State football media day
Reporting by Eugene Rapay, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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