***Official portal tracker thread***

[mgordon]

My point is coaches know him.

And my second is, if you want to go to NE because they "have a head start" go right ahead.

They also have a list of guys they were recruiting for 2027 that if they think can play at Iowa State will be who they go after first.

 

[GP4ISU]

So the incoming coach who's never stayed anywhere more than two years is being Deified on here and we're trashing the coach who stuck it out for 10 years and won us a Fiesta Bowl. Got it.

We gotta realize this is the new normal. While it’s possible Jimmy has great success and wants to stay forever, the reality is if he wins, he’s going to deeper pockets. Same with players; our best ones are typically gonna erected via bigger bags of cash than we have. Our process (excuse that word) is stability with coach, recruit and develop high school kids, and fill in needs with portal from the Washington St and SD States of the world.

 

[demoncore1031]

Yep. I thought the same thing. I thought Campbell really cared about ISU and he might be more selective about who he takes to Pedo St and maybe advise them to give the new guy a chance. But I suppose the lure of a potentially large bag o money is too much to resist.

We don't really know a lot of what is going on behind closed doors. I'm sure the players at least listened to what Rogers had to say. Maybe Campbell has reached out to some of them and asked them to go to Penn State, and maybe some have entered the portal and assumed Campbell will make them an offer. Some of these kids are not really Penn State level players, we'll see where they end up.

 

[throwittoblythe]

Also from Ben. His comments have a lot of weight and wisdom.

For me, Bruns is the most trustworthy source on the CF/IE team. This kind of commentary from him makes me think he was not a big fan of how Campbell ran the program. If there’s more there, I hope it’s shared with the fan base.

Was Campbell a genuinely good person? Or was he smart enough to do all the right things to keep up appearances to earn good will from the fans/public?

 

[OldCurmudgeon]

Yeah I think as fans we have long over-estimated just how much the players really care about the University. Some do but most are at a school just because of the Coach and now these days also because of the $$$.

Let's be realistic. It's not the school that starts talking to the kids, developing relationships with them and their parents at a young age. The school is secondary to the coach / used car salesman that gets them to sign the dotted line for the school.

And while we're being honest, how many MC posts are there in these same forums talking about how we would run through walls for MC after a post game speech? If given the opportunity, most of us would have followed him off a damn cliff. I don't blame any of the kids for leaving, even though it makes me sad for the current state the team is in. I'm giving CJR and his staff the benefit of the doubt that they'll be able to pull a semi-competitive team out of their asses. Remember, Okie State and K-State, at the very least, are in the same boat we are.

EDIT: Add Utah to that list, since Whittingham just left for Michigan

 

[FallOf81]

I’ve learned to take a lot of this “inside reporting” with a 2 ton grain of salt.

I learned this in 2022 when it was “reported” that the staff was saying they wished they had Dekkers in 2021 instead of Purdy (seriously). And that Reeder, the LB transfer was “Mike Rose 2.0.” Those two things were light years from reality.

And how many of times was it reported (and said by Campbell himself) that “this is the most excited we’ve ever been about our OL coming into the year.”

Any reporting that we get from about the Campbell staff should be treated accordingly.

Campbell is a master at coach speaking and manipulating the script. Its as if every off season he atrended numerous Tony Robins retreats. He was a terrible in game management HC, extremely stubborn, and the defense bailed his a** out 50% or better of the time. He better have some top tier coaches around him... and a patient Penn St fan base....

 

[GP4ISU]

I would rather masturbate with a cheese grater than be a fan of Iowa or Nebraska.

Misfits!!

Attaboy! I’d actually like to like those programs. Every time I try, I run into those idiot keyboard warriors acting like they’re relevant nationally. True fact: most “huge” Iowa fans haven’t been anywhere near Kinnick.

 

[LancelotClone]

I’ve learned to take a lot of this “inside reporting” with a 2 ton grain of salt.

I learned this in 2022 when it was “reported” that the staff was saying they wished they had Dekkers in 2021 instead of Purdy (seriously). And that Reeder, the LB transfer was “Mike Rose 2.0.” Those two things were light years from reality.

And how many of times was it reported (and said by Campbell himself) that “this is the most excited we’ve ever been about our OL coming into the year.”

Any reporting that we get from about the Campbell staff should be treated accordingly.

The combination of "coach speak" and reporters who become personal friends with members of the staff puts a lot of what was reported in the past into question.

 

[flycy]

So the incoming coach who's never stayed anywhere more than two years is being Deified on here and we're trashing the coach who stuck it out for 10 years and won us a Fiesta Bowl. Got it.

He was at SDSU far longer than 2 years, just the last 2 as head coach.

 

[flycy]

As it relates to a school official leading students in prayer and selecting team bible verses and books to print on team tshirts?

It might be a lot easier if you laid out under what jurisprudence you think this is a gotcha?

Otherwise the answer is pretty obviously the establishment clause of the 1st amendment, the due process (and equal protection) clause of the 14th amendment, and if you intend to take a trip down the rabbit hole to crackpot town Article III.

Keep in mind Prohm was at Murray State pre Kennedy v Bremerton, so despite how Old Neil put her down, Lemon was very much in place. Even that is likely irrelevant because it would be much harder to disingenuously describe what Prohm did as a personal act outside his actions as a school official.

What I was responding to was the comment that this was Kentucky. Regardless of what radical jurisprudence one subscribes to the fact Murray State allowed all this without at least putting together some kind of cover-your-ass in case a complaint was made was irresponsible, and still would be post Bremerton. Or, you know, they could have just used the conservative and common approach of erring on the side of protecting itself and its students.

Again, in contrast, when Toledo got wind Campbell was praying with his team they immediately shut that **** down. This wasn’t, and still really isn’t, controversial nor esoteric.

Please stop your little schtick here, I'm tired of it.

 

[GP4ISU]

Campbell is a master at coach speaking and manipulating the script. Its as if every off season he atrended nunmerous Tony Robins retreats. He was a terrible in game management HC, extremely stubborn, and the defense bailed his a** out 50% or better of the time. He better have some top tier coaches around him... and a patient Penn St fan base....

And a soft schedule, which he has.

 

[12191987]

Please stop your little schtick here, I'm tired of it.

Just my little schtick, huh?

 

[RoseClone]

I always love the 'drunken idiots' thing as if 1) it isn't already happening and 2) every single study shows that alcohol related incidents GO DOWN when you serve in stadium.

Jamie has asked enough of the fan base to give more and more and more that it's time to shift some of that burden to people who can voluntarily choose to spend their money that way rather than strong arming the entire fan base to pony up more to get access.

How many studies have there been? I am not against sales in the stadium but curious about these studies.

 

[OldCurmudgeon]

Jimmy might have contacts but will HS football players really know what Jimmy will have to offer in the new ISU.

My nephew's son is a 28 recruit with contacts from CMC, Iowa, NE and others. He has no idea who Jimmy is.

Then I guess it's a good thing he's got two years to figure it out.

 

[MTCyclone43]

Yep, there is a reason we went from having nearly zero NFL players to what we have now. Hate what’s happening because we believed in Campbell, and it feels like a screw job now. But being realistic, it’s going to be a daunting task to get where Campbell had us. History tells us this.

When has Iowa State had a football coach that left at a time when the program has had a solid 8 year run? How many Iowa State football coaches in the last 30 years have left on there terms? I believe we will find out how much reputation Iowa State has after 10 years of Matt Campbell.

 

[FarminCy]

Holy ****.

I hope those players were either messing with your kid or just vindictive little ***** who were bitter about playing time.

If this is true I’d think he is actually very different from most self-absorbed coaches. This would veer into personality disorder level of weirdness.

Who knows if it’s completely true or not. But it had nothing to do with bitter about playing time as one will 100% be at PSU. Just waiting to be able to announce it.

 

[Yaz]

For me, Bruns is the most trustworthy source on the CF/IE team. This kind of commentary from him makes me think he was not a big fan of how Campbell ran the program. If there’s more there, I hope it’s shared with the fan base.

Was Campbell a genuinely good person? Or was he smart enough to do all the right things to keep up appearances to earn good will from the fans/public?

I love Bruns. I always value his insight. He is the real deal.

 

[David Freshman1982]

I get it, but I'm disappointed with the number of guys going portal. We may not have as much total money as most of the P2 schools, but it's not like we don't have ANY money. Have these "agents" told someone like Bacon as one example, that with all the other departures, you can probably make MORE money at ISU than somewhere else? Oh well...

 

[ConvertedCycloneFan]

I find it interesting, and maybe self-correcting at some point, that SO MANY players are entering the portal everywhere. If any player at ISU says, "I am going to enter the portal and get a check at Univ X" here is something they should think about. (or maybe just pray about)

As of late December 2025, teams like West Virginia, Purdue, Virginia, Colorado, and Houston were among those with the highest number of players entering the portal, with WVU leading with over 50 players, indicating significant roster turnover, though the exact top 5 shifts daily with new entries. (24/7 Sports)

There are a HECK of a lot of players to compete against on a very "buyers" market.

 

[madguy30]

I love Bruns. I always value his insight. He is the real deal.

I may need to read his stuff more but he seems to get right to the point and didn't mince words about his observations.

And Jay (can't recall last name) was perfect at articulating why or why not things work in a game.