Iowa State football coach Matt Campbell’s ties to the state of Ohio are no secret and they’ve been significant in helping the Cyclones get a foothold within the state during his tenure.
Ben Minich, a three-star ATH recruit out of West Chester, is the latest Ohio native to take a visit to Ames. Considered the No. 39 player in Ohio, Michich also holds offers from Akron, Army Kent State, Miami (OH), Navy, Toledo, Vanderbilt and a handful of Ivy League schools.
“I think that goes really deep,” Minich said of Campbell’s Ohio connections. “He’s a Browns fan, too. I think that connection is really big – he likes recruiting guys from Ohio. All of the schools with Ohio coaches play a big part in recruiting. I think it’s really good for us.”
Minich was in town over the weekend, while Iowa State hosted an open practice.
The Lakota West product plays at the same school that Cyclones’ defensive back Malik Verdon played at for one season.
“I got to stay with Malik and see first-hand how they treated me and how they treated each other,” Minich said. “It was like brotherly love. It was a great time.”
That was something that stood out to Minich.
“Their culture,” Minich said. “Everyone says they have a culture, but Iowa State – those guys are really living it, I feel like. I think that was one of the main things I took away. All of those guys are a family.”
Iowa State currently has six players on its roster from Ohio.
If everything falls the Cyclones’ way, Minich could be the seventh.
“It was really nice,” Minich said. “I really liked the coaches and the energy they had – the vibe they were giving off.”
Minich said his recruitment is still 100 percent open, however, he wishes to commit to a school prior to the start of his senior football season this fall.
