Iowa State Football: Matt Campbell should have won Coach of the Year

Iowa State Football: 3 reasons Matt Campbell should have won Coach of the Year

AMES, IA - NOVEMBER 11: Head coach Matt Campbell of the Iowa State Cyclones looks down at the ground as he leave the field after losing 49-42 to the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Jack Trice Stadium on November 11, 2017 in Ames, Iowa. The Oklahoma State Cowboys won 49-42 over the Iowa State Cyclones. (Photo by David Purdy/Getty Images) /

3 of 4

(Photo by David Purdy/Getty Images) /

2. Best turnaround in the nation

There was a point in time where Iowa State was considered a threat to dethrone the Sooners to win the Big 12 Championship, and possibly be the first two-loss team to make the Playoff. Three losses in the final four games of the year wiped out any possibility of that happening.

Yet, taking the Clones was a three-win season in 2016 to a seven-win season in 2017 is very impressive in and of itself. Not to mention, the Big 12 was a tougher conference to play in than it was a season ago. Eight of the conference’s 10 members are playing in the postseason.

Iowa State was both the best turnaround job by any head coach in the Power Five, but also one of the biggest surprises in the country. Scott Frost with the UCF Knights was the biggest turnaround overall, but Campbell did the best job considering the circumstances.

Any coach that was pursued by nearly every major football program with a vacancy had a great run that season. Campbell showed his commitment to Iowa State by signing a new contract through 2023, for six years and $22.5 Million.

Home/Iowa State Cyclones