Matt Campbell Being Listed As Possible UCLA Target Shouldn't Worry Iowa State

Matt Campbell has landed on the list of potential head coach targets for the UCLA Bruins.

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The Iowa State Cyclones football program has been in great hands since Matt Campbell took over as head coach ahead of the 2016 season.

Three underwhelming campaigns in a row had been had under his predecessor, Paul Rhoads. The team went 8-28 over the last three years he was at the helm, and finished under the .500 mark in six consecutive seasons. Since Campbell has taken over, things have turned around.

In his first season as head coach, the Cyclones went 3-9. Since that point, they have finished with fewer than seven victories only once, in 2022. Iowa State has been ranked at some point during seven out of its 10 campaigns with him as the leading man.

Matt Campbell has Iowa State Cyclones heading in right direction

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Campbell has done a wonderful job of getting the Cyclones on the map. However, with the success of that magnitude comes other schools looking to poach him away. It isn’t anything new, but a new round of interest is going to pop up now that the UCLA Bruins are looking for a head coach.

After starting 0-3, UCLA decided to fire head coach DeShaun Foster, who was in the position for only 15 games. A 35-10 loss to New Mexico was the last straw for the once proud program, whose name recognition is stronger than its on-field product at this point. But, there is still some allure in that Bruins brand.

That’s why it should come as no surprise that the job opening has received a “B” grade from Chris Vannini of The Athletic (subscription required). With a solid university tradition and stability, they will be aiming higher this time during their coaching search compared to when they landed on Foster. 

It was an awkward situation when Chip Kelly departed, leaving a restricted pool of candidates. That won’t be the case this time around, and Campbell has been listed among the potential people UCLA will target.

Matt Campbell listed as potential head coach target for UCLA Bruins

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“A popular name on coaching lists, Campbell has turned down a lot of interest to stay at Iowa State. He continues to build a tough program that gets the most out of its players, reaching the Big 12 championship game last year and starting 4-0 this year,” Vannini wrote.

There shouldn’t be much worry from Iowa State and its fan base about this pursuit. It is hard to envision Campbell being drawn to the Bruins unless they present him with a Godfather offer that just cannot be refused. Such as, substantially more money than the Cyclones can put together in an offer.

But that seems unlikely. The Bruins don’t have a ton of money to spend. They are way behind the other Big Ten schools when it comes to NIL spending, lacking deep pockets. Competing against the likes of Oregon, Michigan, Ohio State and USC would be brutal for a head coach who can’t keep up monetarily.

If Campbell didn’t truly entertain previous offers to leave, it is easy to see him doing the same this time around. UCLA is far away from competing for Big Ten titles. Their last conference title came in 1998, which is several years before members of the team were even born. With only three bowl appearances in the last six seasons, Campbell would be taking an unnecessary step backward, leaving an Iowa State program that he has moving in the right direction.

Also, coaches don't take a discount on an extension to aid a program, only to leave a few months later. The Cyclones shouldn't have to be on the lookout for a new head coach any time soon.