Dec 28, 2024; Orlando, FL, USA; Iowa State Cyclones head coach Matt Campbell celebrates after beating Miami Hurricanes in the Pop Tarts bowl at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
AMES — Amid another round of sweeping changes to college football’s landscape, one constant remains for Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell: He’s not a big fan of spring football games.
“My philosophy on that changed a long time ago,” said Campbell, who has fielded his team for a spring game in name only a handful of times — including last year — in his 10-season tenure in Ames. “Everybody’s just catching up to me.”
So don’t bank on the Cyclones opening up Jack Trice Stadium in late April for a showcase of drills and practice reps. The 15 practices afforded teams are simply too valuable, Campbell said, to turn one of them into a de facto dog-and-pony show. Especially now, with new scholarship limits set to be in place this fall, and the spring transfer portal opening on April 16, more and more coaches are following Campbell’s lead with regard to spring games.
ESPN reported Monday that 19 Power 4 programs have canceled their spring games this season to both take advantage of full -practice time while also working in rest and recovery windows. Campbell said those stand front and center in his mind, too, but he’s less concerned about portal implications vis-a-vis spring games.
“I’m not scared about people recruiting our guys,” said Campbell, whose team is coming off its first 11-win season and a Pop-Tarts Bowl triumph over Miami (Fla.). “Shoot, they’ve been recruiting them for the last four years (and) our guys just keep staying.”
So the beat goes on for ISU, even as a record five former players were invited to last month’s NFL Combine — and four produced prodigious results, while former safety Malik Verdon continued to return to full health as in invitee.
Former receivers Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins excelled in various speed, agility and strength-based measures, as did former cornerback Darien Porter and one-and-done transfer offensive tackle Jalen Travis. Count soon-to-be third-year starting quarterback Rocco Becht as one of the least surprised by his former teammates lofty numbers.
“I totally believed those guys were gonna pop off,” Becht said. “We all expected that from them but it’s awesome to see the world finally able to see those guys at work and see what they’re able to do.”
Those high-profile departures leave glaring voids in terms of production, particularly at receiver, but Becht’s convinced a mix of lesser-known returning players, a couple of portal additions, and incoming freshman can fill them quickly.
“It’s probably the most talent that we’ve had in that room top-to-bottom — the most depth,” Becht said. “So I’m excited to see all those guys collab with each other and go at and compete in spring ball.”
Spring practices begin in earnest on March 25 and as players finish up offseason workouts, Campbell and his staff are focusing on strategically shaping the spring schedule, not worrying about ceremonial games at the end of it.
“I think this year’s unique because we play so early in the year (against Kansas State in the Aug. 23 Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin, Ireland),” Campbell said. “We’ve got to be really smart about what that looks like and I’d say today I’m leaning on practicing and not having a spring game.”
Campbell then joked that he’ll probably get lit up on social media for his stance on such events, but he’s fine with that.
“I’ve always had a unique thought oil that,” he said. “And believe me, there are some years where I think it’s awesome. I think it’s awesome to open up the stadium if it’s a young team that needs to play in front of some sort of a crowd, I think that’s big. But I think we’ll make those decisions kind of based on what this team needs, and I don’t know if I can tell you right now what this team needs until we get back out on the practice field and really evaluate our football team.”
SHIFTING GEARS
Campbell said former wide receivers Beni Ngoyi and Kai Black are settling in nicely as their roles change.
Ngoyi, a 6-4 200-pound sophomore, was switched to defensive back before the Pop-Tarts Bowl and has gained important reps at cornerback.
“I think in the last practice (before the bowl game) here, he had a huge interception on a two-minute drill,” Campbell said of Ngoyi. “Beni played really good corner in high school (and) I think his last year in a half, some of his most impressive reps were at corner.”
Black, a 6-3 sophomore, has bulked up to around 240 pounds and could become an outside receiving threat while also potentially joining a well-stocked tight ends room.
“He’s a big body who’s always been kind of trying to keep the weight off,” Campbell said. “We’ve allowed him to go at it and put the weight on and we’ll see where he rolls.”
