Ames, IA- Cyclone fans might be singing Waiting For a Train after last night’s news, or maybe they will be yodeling In the Jailhouse Now. In case the residents of Ames are confused, the songs listed above are Jimmie Rogers songs, which the new Iowa State football coach shares a name with, though the spelling is different.
The Cyclones wasted no time inking a deal with their new head coach after it was announced that Penn State signed Matt Campbell to a deal, pending approval on Monday by the compensation committee of the school’s board of trustees, of eight years.
In his 10-year tenure with Iowa State, Campbell was named Big 12 Coach of the Year and led the Cyclones to eight winning seasons, including a Fiesta Bowl victory over Oregon in 2020 for the schools’ first top-10 finish.
Campbell collected a 72-55 record with the Cyclones, becoming the winningest coach in school history and managed to accumulate a 35-15 record at Toledo.
For Rogers, he was plucked from Washington State as he led the Cougars to six wins this season and a bowl-game berth in his first year at the helm. He made a name for himself in his 12-year career at the helm of Football Championship Subdivision’s South Dakota State, which resulted in an FCS championship in 2023 and a trip to the semifinals the next season.
“My family and I are excited to be joining the Iowa State University community and the Cyclone football program,” Rogers said. “Iowa State has been one of the nation’s top programs for the last decade and we look forward to building upon its upward trajectory. I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity that Jamie Pollard has given me to lead the Cyclones. From the administration, to the alumni and current student-athletes, this University has everything needed to compete at the highest level in college football,” he added. “I am honored to be given this opportunity and responsibility and cannot wait to get started.”
Rogers owns a 33-9 record in his three-year head coach record as he earned the Eddie Robinson Award in 2023 as the nation’s top FCS coach.