Iowa State Football Defender Sets Expectations for Self and Unit

An Iowa State Cyclones defender has set the bar high for himself and his unit.

Oct 25, 2025; Ames, Iowa, USA; BYU Cougars quarterback Bear Bachmeier (47) is tackled by Iowa State Cyclones linebacker Carson Willich (14) at Jack Trice Stadium. | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones have a lot of new faces as part of their football program that underwent a massive overhaul this offseason.

Gone after 10 years is Matt Campbell, who accepted the head coaching position with the Penn State Nittany Lions. More than 50 players entered the transfer portal, following him out of Ames to other programs around the country.

Taking his spot as head coach is Jimmy Rogers, who has virtually an entire new roster to work with for the second straight year. There aren’t many players who Cyclones fans will recognize on the roster, but one is linebacker Carson Willich.

He is one of about 20-25 players who remained with Iowa State through the coaching change. His role is going to change drastically as well, with his responsibilities at the second level of the defense being altered.

Carson Willich confident in his abilities to play in new defense

Sep 27, 2025; Ames, Iowa, USA; Arizona Wildcats tight end Sam Olson (84) is tackled by Iowa State Cyclones linebacker Carson Willich (14) during the second half at Jack Trice Stadium. | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

But his confidence remains incredibly high, setting the bar for expectations he has for himself and the defense as a whole.

"I want to be the best on this defense," Willich said, via Alec Busse of Cyclone Alert, part of the 247Sports Network (subscription required). "I want to be the best defense in the country, and with that, it takes time. You've gotta learn this stuff. Like, preparation, confidence — all that stuff comes with it."

Tasked with being a run-stuffer under former defensive coordinator Jon Heacock and aiding the defensive line against opposing running backs, Willich is going to be handling the WILL position under new defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbit.

That will create opportunities for him to be all over the field more, with the chance to make plays. It is a change that he should benefit greatly from.

Carson Willich has versatile skill set to take advantage of

Sep 28, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Iowa State Cyclones linebacker Carson Willich (14) defends against a pass attempt by Houston Cougars quarterback Donovan Smith (1) during the first half at TDECU Stadium. | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Last year, Willich performed best when in pass coverage. Out of the 196 defensive snaps he played, 92 of them were against the pass and he fared well, recording a PFF coverage grade of 67.1.

It is not a stretch to say he was the best coverage linebacker the team had, which is something the new defensive coaching staff is looking to take full advantage of. There is certainly some untapped potential there, especially as a pass rusher.

Willich recorded only 19 pass-rushing plays in 2025, according to PFF, but created four hurries in those chances.

Another year removed from the ACL injury that cost him the 2024 campaign, the arrow is pointing up for the talented linebacker. He is going to be a big part of Bobbit’s defensive game plan and is poised to break out, regaining the form he showed in 2023 as a sophomore before injuring his knee in April 2024.