Matt Campbell Reveals Unfortunate Update on Iowa State Cyclones DB Jontez Williams

Cornerback Jontez Williams has received a brutal injury update.

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The Iowa State Cyclones defense showed up in a big way against the Arizona Wildcats this past weekend in a dominant 39-14 victory.

What made the performance all the more impressive was that the defensive unit was shorthanded going into the game. Jeremiah Cooper was dealing with an injury that head coach Matt Campbell revealed to be of the season-ending variety.

It was a tough blow, but the team rallied to take down the previously undefeated Wildcats, moving their own record to 5-0 on the season and 2-0 in the Big 12. Unfortunately, Cooper’s loss isn’t the only one the team has to overcome.

On Saturday evening, defensive backs were dropping like flies with injuries. The most significant loss was that of Jontez Williams. The third-year cornerback has been stellar for the Cyclones' defense this season, showcasing even more improvements upon his sophomore campaign in 2024.

Iowa State loses Jontez Williams to season-ending injury

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He was going to be a major piece of the puzzle to overcome the loss of Cooper. Now, Campbell and his defensive staff have to figure out how to compensate for the loss of Williams as well.

The head coach announced on Tuesday that Williams is going to be out for the year. It is another massive blow to a defense that was already without one of its most important players for the duration of the year.

Matt Campbell just announced that Jontez Williams is out for the year.

Jeremiah Cooper was lost last week for the year with a knee injury.

Iowa State secondary/defense/overall team just took a couple of massive blows days apart

— Eugene Rapay (@erapay5) September 30, 2025

Williams has been among the team’s best defenders this season. His 84.3 overall defensive grade was second on the team, behind only safety Marcus Neal Jr., who earned an 84.6 grade.

The third-year corner has shone with his tackling ability. His 86.6 tackling grade is second on the team behind backup linebacker Cael Brezina, who had a tackling grade of 87.1. Where Williams was truly elite was with his coverage ability.

Replacing Jontez Williams will be challenging for Cyclones

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His 85.5 coverage grade is by far the best mark on the team. Second place is held by safety Jamison Patton, who has a strong 78.8 coverage grade. Williams was one of five players to record at least one interception thus far.

It is going to take a complete team effort to replace the impact that Williams was having on this defense. His sure tackling and sticky coverage enabled their defensive coordinator, Jon Heacock, to get creative with the rest of his scheme, knowing he could survive being on an island in one-on-one coverage.

Without him in the lineup, the team will likely turn to Quentin Taylor Jr. to absorb more snaps as a perimeter cornerback. Campbell could also use some of his safety depth to help compensate for the loss of his top two cornerbacks.