AMES — Seth Hestness’ days of sneaking into Iowa State football games are over.
The Mason City, Iowa, native was named the Cyclones’ new tight ends coach in early January, but he spent plenty of time in Jack Trice Stadium before his appointment to head coach Jimmy Rogers’ staff.
Hestness just didn’t go about it the traditional way.
“So, my brother actually graduated from here, and I would sneak into Iowa State games with him,” Hestness said during media availability on Wednesday, Feb. 11. “Through the student section, they would all run in, so I would run in with him and all of his friends.”
His hiring marked a full-circle moment because yet again, Hestness will not have a ticket to Iowa State games, but this time, he will have a spot on the sidelines or in the press box.
From Army to Ames, Hestness is happy to be back home
Hestness’ connection to the Cyclones extends beyond just family ties.
He graduated from the same high school – Newman Catholic – as former Iowa State defensive end Shawn Moorehead, who set the all-time sack record in 2006. His mark of 18.5 career sacks stood until 2020, when JaQuan Bailey broke it with 25.5, and Will McDonald broke it again two years later with 34.
And while Hestness didn’t follow in Moorehead’s footsteps by playing at Iowa State, he did remember when the former Cyclone returned to his high school. With the Newman Catholic football team, Moorehead shared his experience as a walk-on – and how he almost quit.
Nearly 10 years later, Hestness still remembers Moorehead’s story, one of perseverance and overcoming.
It’s one of the many pieces of Iowa State football history that Hestness feels connected to.
But Hestness’ journey to the Cyclones – and back to his home state – is a bit more complex than being inspired by a former player.
He played college football at Wartburg (Division III) before taking on a minor coaching role with the Knights immediately after graduating. He spent the next three seasons as a graduate assistant at Liberty and Minnesota before moving to North Dakota State.
That’s where he met current Iowa State offensive coordinator Tyler Roehl.
Hestness’ journey didn’t end in Fargo, though. He spent the previous three seasons on three different staffs: North Dakota State, Tennessee State and Army. And then came this opportunity, one that brought him back to his home state.
“I love the state of Iowa,” Hestness said. “Growing up, being a small-town kid, people from Iowa are very blue collar, nose to the grindstone, they don’t ask for anything. …And that’s what I kind of felt when I got here. You feel the community buy-in and try to help you, and that’s what Iowans are all about.”
Offensive coordinator Tyler Roehl trusts Iowa State’s tight ends with Hestness
With a new head coach and more new players than returners, there is a lot of unfamiliarity surrounding the Iowa State football program.
But there is a bit of a head start for Hestness, who spent a couple of seasons working with Roehl. Not only do both coaches boast North Dakota State experience on their resumes, but they share an affinity for the same position group: tight ends.
“I still want to have a large hand in coaching the tight ends, but any moment that I’m not able to be in there, I have the utmost trust that he’s going to go and get it done,” said Roehl about Hestness.
Roehl returns to Iowa State after a stint with the Detroit Lions, where he spent a season coaching tight ends. Naturally, the Cyclones’ offensive coordinator will want to have a hand in the tight ends’ development, since that’s where his roots lie.
But he also understands how valuable an asset Hestness is, and why he is the right person for the job.
“He’s an avid learner,” Roehl continued. “He’s got great energy about him. He’s a great teacher. So, (we’re) very fortunate to have him, because he understands how I want to work each and every day. …He’s almost an extension of me, so that’s just paramount for us in this transition.”
The Cyclones are months away from playing games, and time will tell if this new coaching staff is able to achieve its goals.
But for Hestness – who grew up just over an hour outside of Ames – he can already check one thing off his coaching bucket list.
“This is a dream come true for me, being back in Iowa,” Hestness said.
Alyssa Hertel is the college sports recruiting reporter for the Des Moines Register. Contact Alyssa at ahertel@dmreg.com or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State football TE coach Seth Hestness relishing homecoming
Reporting by Alyssa Hertel, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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