Where Matt Campbell could go if Iowa State football failures continue

Campbell’s best option is easy to overlook

For many, the first name to come to mind would probably be one like the Memphis Tigers, as they’re a big GO5 brand that’s previously served as a top-notch team in their conference, which is the exact description we’re looking for.

However, there is another that, when compared to a Memphis, holds a stronger combination of practicality and need. It has been more formidable since 2010, suffered a worse season in 2022, is part of a conference that’s easier to compete in, and has a longer-tenured head coach with a worse record. That team is the Northern Illinois Huskies.

NIU has been a relatively consistent football program over the course of the 21st century so far, having 17 winning seasons—six of which saw double-digit win counts—and a plethora of postseason appearances to go with them. I think we could all agree that a résumé as impressive as that one is enough for the Huskies to check the aforementioned box about being “historically and/or recently successful.” But with that said, just how far have they fallen to now be in a position where they’re waiting for a hero (Campbell) to come save them?

Well, there’s no nice way to put it: The Huskies have seen some downright terrible runs in the past few years, and the fact that I can say such a thing knowing that they won their latest Mid-American Conference title in 2021 speaks to just how terrible they’ve been.

That 2021 campaign (which held a final record of 9-5), has been the only one of their last four seasons to finish positive. That alone is rough, but what puts things over the top is the abysmal nature of the showings that bookended it.

Neither 2020 nor 2022 were anything short of cruel to Northern Illinois

The Huskies went 0-6 in 2020, and while I’ve already established that we’re taking the COVID season at less value, that still stands as just the fourth winless year they’ve ever had. A slightly superior 3-9 followed 2021, but that was nonetheless their worst full-season performance since 2007.

Eyesores this severe will undoubtedly have NIU head coach Thomas Hammock, who’s entering his fifth season in DeKalb, feeling some simmering of his own in good time. If he can’t escape his struggles, Northern Illinois could be looking to make a change at HC sooner rather than later.

That’s what ties this all back to Matt Campbell—if he’s going to be on the market in a couple of years, his career path could align perfectly with NIU’s search for the next captain of its ship.

Look, is he sure to be forced out of Iowa State if his Cyclones flop in the coming season(s)? Of course not, but it’s always smart to acknowledge when a coach appears to be getting in over his head.

Also, there’s nothing shameful about dropping to a smaller name; we’ve seen guys like Charlie Strong, Jim McElwain, and Willie Taggart do so simply because their prior circumstances were a bit larger than what they could handle. Especially if the money’s nice, he’d have nothing to lose by giving it a shot.

The outcome would be Campbell having a job that is much more his speed in regards to striking consistent excellence, along with the Huskies having their most proven HC hire in years (based on résumé at the time of acquisition). To me, that sounds like a match made in Heaven.