Matt Campbell's 2024 Iowa State Media Day press conference

all right guys uh you know really not a lot from my end you know other than just to say you know start of the practice for us practice one and two um the last two days today's a little bit of an off day and then we kind of continue to move ourselves forward um starting back in it again tomorrow but uh been a really good summer for our football team we're really excited to be back and and started obviously this time of year everybody's really excited about their football program there is a lot of work to be done for this football team and um Again part of our sport is playing the game of football so um you know there's a lot of growth that needs to happen from now till the start of the season but we look obviously look forward to those opportunities but uh appreciate all you guys do for us and and certainly open up to any questions you guys have for me raise your hand grab a mic ask start M you've had a lot of really good wide receivers tight ends pass catchers as a whole come through but when you look at Jaden almost yard receiver Jaylen what he's done 800 plus seven touchdowns you add an almost 900 yard receiving guy and Eli green and know is Alon you got Ben bramer how how deep is that room for you this year in comparison to some others where you've had obviously some great players there yeah you know I think Robie you go back to a little bit and you think about that team in 17 to 18 you know 17 you had Trevor and you had AEM and you had Allen at the same time you know in 18 you kind of you know you had AEM and obviously Charlie was emerging and some of those pass catchers out of the back field and Chase Allen um so I I think you know it's been really rewarding to watch this group come together because you're right I I think you saw mid year kind of what you had the ability to become as as guys really started to evolve into what their their true Talent has the ability to become and you know you pick up some guys in this offseason and then you got some Young Bucks you know you got Benny ngoy who you know really we felt came on internally made a great play in the bowl game and just saw some some great talent there um you know you think that tight end room I think Cooper Alexander you talk about you know as a guy that had just a phenomenal spring as a true freshman here gab burkel that's a young guy that continues to emerge in our football program um you talked about Isaiah um there is there's a lot of competition there's a competition for playing time um there's opportunity for us to continue to evolve offensively because you have the ability to create some matchups with some of those guys and then you know what can't be undersold is just how talented those top two guys are I mean you know who jayen null is what he's got the ability to put a Finishing Touch on just a phenomenal football career here at Iowa State and you've I think we've all watched his train you know kind of just transform into this great football player um you know during his time and then what Jaden Higgins has meant to our team it's been awesome and you know I've talked a lot about what Ben bramer did a year ago as a true freshman I just think his talent is certainly through the roof of what he's got the ability to become so um the great thing about all those guys as much as their talent is and I think we all know Talent is really never enough um the reality is those guys are addicted to being great they they have an un unbelievable passion to become their best I don't think any one of them are satisfied with what they've accomplished I think they all have great dreams and aspirations and I think those guys man they're Relentless workers so it's been fun to watch those guys really get better throughout the summer and and throughout the spring and it'll be fun to see what these guys have the ability to do this fall cam in terms of real confidence going into the season there's a quick follow up there where does a guy like Daniel Jackson that's been through every Crucible you can imagine fit into that group and what does he epitomize as a guy who could emerge finally after all the things he's gone through and maybe have a breakthrough season yeah you know I think Daniel's right in that in that race too you know I mean what you look at Daniel in terms of there's probably a point in the out that Oklahoma State game TCU um he makes a couple plays you know where we're kind of searching still for our identity you know and I mean if Daniel Jackson doesn't play the way he played last year at times you know we don't have some critical wins um that we were able to gain and so um you know I think Daniel's one of those guys again that epitomizes our program is you know he's been through so many ups and downs and you know unfortunately that's what football at the Collegiate level can bring and you know from injuries to just you know battles that he has had to go through and to be able to be still standing going into his senior year I think it says so much about who he is and hopefully it says a lot about what our program stands for as well with young guys in the running back room like Abu Carson and then obviously a couple newcomers what growth or progress do you need to see from that group during fall Camp you know I I think a lot of growth you know to be honest with you you know again they have unbelievable Talent um you know I think that room in general has Elite Talent to be honest with you you saw Talent last year when you watch those guys play you know you saw talent show up um you saw Carson's talent show up um you know I think some of you guys that covered our spring game Saw Dylan Lee's talent show up um you know I would say Jaylen Jackson has high-end ability and the great thing he has proven is he's a senior he's played a lot of football there's consisten see of his talent actually being a great football player and so I I think what I've watched from this young group of those other three is putting an offseason together completely changing their bodies I would say Abu Sama looks completely different today than when you saw him play his last football game at Kansas State or the bowl game Carson Hansen looks completely different today 20 pounds heavier than what you saw him a year ago um you know and so but he should you know he's a freshman in the program um those guys should physically evolve and then you know do they mentally you know grow as well do they take their game to where now it's not just talent that player is becoming a great football player that guy shows up every game in his talent he plays to what his talent has the ability to show and so I think that's the growth that group needs to make and it's no different than any young football player um you want to see that guy go from a talent driven football player to man a guy that consistently shows up and plays to his ability and I think those guys are ready for that challenge they certainly understand that challenge um and they know if we want to be the team we need to be that they need to be those kind of players for us what's next for Caleb bacon this season yeah I mean you know I think Caleb is kind of under the wing of some of the great players that we've had in this program you know I I think about Jake Hummel's you know progression from where he was in our program a guy that was you know a four team special team start and just gained was a great backup and then all of a sudden he thrust himself in and you know his last two years might have been you know the best linebacker or competing to be one of the best linebackers in the Big 12 and you know I think Caleb is one of those guys that has that same mentality you know um he was just an incredible one of the best special teams players you know two years ago on our football team and earned the right to man really find ways to get him on the field defensively had such a great spring a year ago and then man went in the football game and just made big play after big play and so I think it's it's why he's forced himself from being a two to a one and then all of a sudden now how great does he want to become I I think the great thing about Caleb is again high-end talent and yet he's a guy that can repetitively do it day in and day out um he's got a great competitive spirit I think he's got great leadership intangibles um you love that about the Mike line because that's the guy that's in the middle of the defense that at times can get people lined up that can communicate what we're trying to get accomplished I think he brings all those great leadership tools along with um you know his ability to make plays both in the pass rush game and certainly at the linebacker portion of things so um man he's a huge piece of this defense and he's going to have to play great football for us to continue to take a big step forward so he have kind of the same Pro perspective as you know Jake did too oh I would say there's there's no doubt about his ceiling is what he wants to make it you know again you know probably from a intangible standpoint you know he's he's taller longer you know rangier um got great speed and athleticism and so um you know I think a lot of the things that they look for at you know playing football past this level you know he certainly has some of those intangibles but again it's the consistency of how do you play you know to what you're capable playing and I think certainly Caleb's got those abilities when we talked at the cycl tailgate tour I think it was in Alona you mentioned just in today's ERA with the transfer portal in nil how grateful you were to retain talent and keep it here Kyle conard is a guy who's walking on paying his own way doing those things what does it mean to have a guy in the program that you know paying his own way doing that in today's ERA with the pedigree that he had coming out of high school as a kid yeah I don't know if we would be able to survive without a guy like Kyle right I mean Caleb Bacon's Journey was the same you know wasn't even on scholarship until fall Camp a year ago and I mean I think you can go down there's a good portion of our roster of guys that have started just like Kyle and you know all of a sudden have emerged as star players and I think Kyle's certainly a young man in our our program that has that kind of ability you know I I I talked about Kyle um you know even at Midway point of last season and we were really fortunate to have a great kicker in chase a year ago that that really emerged as a phenomen Al football player for us and Kyle I think Chase would tell you part of the reason why he became so good is because Kyle was pushing him every day in practice and you know we're we're super fortunate to have Kyle um there's a high-end belief factor from our coaching staff and myself because I've watched how that gu worked um but you know when you say you're grateful here for the young men that we have in our football program it doesn't matter if it's you know the starting quarterback to you know the young man that that's walked in and been a part of our program today's world of college football so unique and different that that we're really fortunate to the collection of football players that reside in our locker room right now and I am I don't take it for granted and and we're really appreciative every phase we go in and we have a a locker room that really believes in what we're trying to do and they've stayed the course with us we're grateful for it the last year with the pass rush there was ups and downs last year where have you felt like they have improved this season and does that Improvement come more from scheme from personal growth or kind of a combination of yeah well you know it's like it's like anything I I would say a little bit is you know again let's let's remember what we're measuring ourselves against right we're measuring ourselves against a collective fiveyear span where we were the top of the Big 12 and tackles for a loss in sacks and obviously you had Will McDonald Jaquan Bailey you had a lot of veterans anyar great veterans on that D line and we were really young on that D line a year ago and so we did take a step back and um you know but what I I saw emerg this off season is again in no different than the running back room and some of those other rooms you know we got older we got a little bit more veteran and I I think when what you've seen is you know there was great talent in there it's that Talent beginning to play consistently to its ability and then you add some great pieces you know Canard Snider I know I've talked about um I think Canard has got a chance to be a an extremely special football player for us had an an incredible spring um a young man that's played meaningful snaps has had big sack numbers um in college football at the division one level already um and I think comes in with a lot of confidence you know you see the emergence of you know man J.R Singleton and Dom orange and what those guys got the ability to do in some unique situations I think Tyler onedine has got a chance to be one of the great defense linemen that we've had here at Iowa State and so I think that room's emergence you know Trent Jones a young player that has gotten better and better he's got great pass rush ability and you know we talk about Ike and some of the guys in that room they got real pass rush ability um we're excited and you know whether it's scheme or whether it's players we know we need to take another step forward and how we affect the quarterback and and obviously our ability to create negative yardage plays but I don't think we've ever been on a shortage of that I just think you know the ability to mature in that area from where we were you know in 22 to where we were last year to where we need to be in 24 yep you mentioned a couple of times needing guys or guys to go from talented football players to consistent football players how generally do players get from a to be there oh well I I I again that's that is college football that's what you guys get to cover and that's what we get to coach and this isn't professional football and sometimes I think we probably all get lost in the sauce on that right like 18 to 22 year olds that journey in that evolution is you know you're trying to become consistent at craft and I think those of you that have followed our football program at least over the last seven eight years you can you can tell why a guy has is emerging to become an NFL football player man you cover that guy you come in on Saturday you come in you watch the game and that guy's a dominant football player every Saturday and you know I I think those have been the guys that have continued to go on and play in the National Football League and then there's probably guys you've covered along the way that you're like man those guys at times those guys are good players and man you know for whatever reason it's not consistently at the level that they show up and they pop off a little bit and so that is probably the real reward in coaching that we're constantly trying to find is who are those guys that number one have that talent and then who do who are the guys that have the mental and physical grit and toughness that they can show up every day and they love football so much that they can repetitively show that Talent game in and game out day in and day out through a positive through a negative um you know I think that's the fun thing about football and that's the hard thing about our sport too is you know you you say like man how do you get there man you got to be really tough you know we we talked about three things in that area you got to be you got to be curious on how do you get better um you know in our sport it's it's so there's so many factors from physically how do you get yourself there to mentally how do you get yourself there um you know and then you got to have a little bit of grit in knowing that hey they're going to be tough times you know I my favorite story of like that that question that you ask is like man Brock P's game against Baylor here and he throws three interceptions going to happen like don't want it to happen going to happen and yet that how that guy came back and played the second half of that football game and his ability to do that man that takes a little bit of mental toughness to be able to have bad things happen and unfortunately bad things are going to happen in our Sport and in the game and man do you have enough mental toughness to be able to show your talent through that so I think those are things for us that that's maturity that's what you see sometimes with a young football team is you don't have maybe the banked reps and Equity to handle you know all that comes with you and I think what you what you hope as a young man's Talent continues to mature in your program to become 20 2122 you know you see you know that grit and that Curiosity grows so much that all of a sudden that football player's got a chance to to be a really consistent and special football player over time and so um I think that's kind of really fun probably about where this team is is you know you see a little bit more mature football team you see a team that you know has certainly have banked reps and and have banked Equity from you know last year to where we are this year right now is uh Ford down lineman something you guys are still entertaining and if you are what wrinkle what does that wrinkle provide the defense yeah I I think again if those of you that have you know and those of you that have studied us enough know that you know really since since 21 we really have you know I think that that uptick of four down lineman has really grown you know I would say last year probably even to the point where 20% of our snaps last year was a four down front and so you know and you know the ability to get to that multi multiple ways not just always bringing four linemen in you know the ability to to do that uniquely and differently I think is beneficial to us so um you know I think it's hard in college football to just say we're this and I think you have to have multiplicity um you got to continue to find ways to put your players in the best situation to be successful affect the game um and so you know yeah absolutely it we'll continue to evolve that way and I I think our staff has done a great job over over the last couple years of evolution of what this defense is and sure our foundation is who we are um but we've also got this ability to be you know multiple in what we do and I think you have to be I don't think you can just sit in one thing I think when you do that it predictability can put yourself in a really tough spot when you look at the guys that you have in the DB room would you say this is the most complete group top to bottom you have and kind of going off of that what are your expectations for a group that's kind of already proven themselves yeah you know I I think the let me let me start at the back end of that question and and you know kind of follows a little bit what Travis asked too you know of what what's the expect ation I think the expectation there are a lot of guys that have proven that they can play um can you play at the level that it takes for us to play championship football right can are you can you play at the level that it takes for us to play to our best I think what the fun thing that we think is we have guys that have great ability and talent and have gotten really good game reps in at times have shown the ability to play really good football but can you play that way for 12 guaranteed games in the fall um can you put yourself in the ability to come every day and be that player I think that's the challenge to that entire defensive back room and I think what what is hugely positive again is you look at the amount of guys that have played meaningful reps in a lot of it because there was a lot of injuries a year ago um you know I think our depth got challenged a year ago so what happened is a lot of guys got quality opportunities to play and I do think when you play and you don't have success it's kind of good to go into the offseason and say okay where are my gaps and where do I have to grow and get better and I think a lot of those guys got great conversations you know you talk about you know when you talk about corner you talk about miles purchase and obviously you talk about Daren and jont TZ um I think all three of those guys played meaningful reps obviously miles has started here now going on his fourth year as a starter I think Daren Porter what he's meant to this football program maybe one of the best special teams players in the country over his course of blocking punts and what he does is the amount of special teams tackles and what he's done moving from receiver to corner I I just think daren's ability and talent is is as high as again he wants to take it and then jont TZ I would say probably one of the most driven talented players on our football team and you know you got great competition there but then you add Matthew Bess who played junior college football last year and has probably been a wow factor so far in our football program and you you had you know again Ryan Robinson who played in SEC football games as a true freshman last year on special teams and played some nickel at LSU a year ago so you got guys that have Bank reps that we were able to evaluate the film and say okay hey here's what we need you to do to take another step forward to play with that consistency that we need and then you talk safety and I think that room got challenged more than any room a year ago you know obviously we always talk about Malik and we always talk about Bo and you talk about coup but I think we got to remember man we didn't have all those guys all three of those guys playing at the same time was very minimal a year ago and so you know what happened is Jameson Patton got great opportunity to play you know taan James got great opportunity to play Drew sergis got great opportunity to play cam Smith got great opportunity to play and so it helped us evaluate those and some of those those guys had some really good plays and they had some tough plays but allowed us to go into the offseason say okay man we need you to play at a starter level next fall here's what we need you to do and so I I've been really it's been really rewarding to have some guys like a bow in that room and a miles in that room that man they've played a lot of football They Know What It Takes they've been able to show that they can consistently play the elite level and they've also had the ability to have that conversation hey when coach is challenging you to be this or this whether it's in nutrition or academics or process or how you practice every day here's what he's trying to really say at you and now those guys can follow suits so it's not just me leading the way but it's their leadership leading the way so we're really fortunate there is a lot of competition there it's going be really fun to watch how that sorts out even who are the starters who are the guys that play meaningful reps who are the guys in the critical moments of the game um and we're going to have to continue to develop and grow in in that room but uh yeah we're really excited about what that room's got the ability to potentially look at look like last season you were asked a lot about the success that the passing game had you've been asked about it a lot this off season as well but what's the importance of you guys being able to find balance offensively because you talk a lot about the importance of being able to run the ball yeah well I think again when you've looked at Iowa State's offense overtime 2017 2018 2020 one of the best offenses ever here and certainly you know right up at the top of the Big 12 it's had great balance and you know you have to have balance in college football and that doesn't mean you know that means we're going to run every time on first down and you're going to throw on third down the balance comes in terms of man when you get to the end of the football season what's the defense giving you can you have the ability within the football game to take what the defense gives you and I I think those years when we've been at our best we've had this unique ability to take what the defense gives us whether man they're going to you know they're going to play back and not try to give up the big play and our ability to run the football or man they're going to challenge us and we got to be able to make plays down the field in our passing game and so again that's where you know having all the tools to be able to take advantage of what the defense gives you is so critical and then obviously having and they have the knowledge and you know the ability to consistently do that is is big for us so yeah I think balance is huge and the ability to have all those tools and weapons at your disposal when you go into a football game and to improve the rushing attack in 2024 what kind of role does the offensive line play because in Vegas you seem to kind of F that like as much as it was on the running backs to take a step it's on the offensive line to also improve yeah again I I I think when you when you talk about those teams that I just talked about here you know you talk about high-end success of the o line you know you talk about really good offens of Alli that played statistically maybe as good as anybody in the country at that time you know and I think this group has got a big challenge if we're going to be a team that's going to compete for a conference Championship that's going to compete you know as a top team in college football I don't know if you can do that without a topend offensive line again that offens of Line's got to do the same thing they've got to be able to protect the passer in the passing game and yet they've also got to be consistent and and physically tough to dominate in the running game and so um you know I think you saw that group take a big step forward a year ago um but it's going to have to take another monu Monumental step forward if we want to be the team that we've got the ability to become coach it feels like at least externally this is the first season with expectations since that 21 team are there any lessons that you learned from that team that you're approaching this year with yeah and and and I think you you learn a ton right I I I would say um you know for me that you're constantly growing and and you know in 21 uniquely it was a very I would say unique and different team too you know you had almost 30 seniors um you had a lot of sixth and seventh year players and you were almost trying to find that perfect of man how do you get these guys to the game how do you how do you manage the individuals because you know this is the first time that we've had some of the these guys and it was just you're coming out of Co there was a lot of unique things with that and believe me I I would say there were some things that I hindsight 2020 I would have done different and I think the great thing about that is if you're willing to be humble enough and say man what went well what didn't go well how can we do it better man you're going to get that opportunity to repeat itself so you know I do I think in a lot of it was mentality you know how do you challenge this group you got a veteran group how do you help those guys you know sustain focus and get the consistency that you want want them to play and need them to play with so I think it it revolves around those things but I think it was a great Learning lesson and again expectations you know for for us that's been the fun thing about this place you know we've gone through we've we've gone through it all right is nobody thinks we've got any shot to be successful and everybody thinks you know you know we're going to be really successful so the great thing is that it's it's one nice thing about being at one place as long as we've been and the opportunity to build a football program is man you can learn and grow through the positives and NE netives along the way we got time for two more one right there and one right coach could you go in more depth about what you envision for Eli Green in his first year at Iowa State yeah I I it's I think it's hard for me to answer that question at least right now just because we haven't got to see Eli Green in terms of you know a ton of practice setting I I I think what I can certainly say from a positive standpoint is you know Eli has played a lot of football at a really high level and Eli is really competitive I think even in two practices you see his practice habits how he comes to practice every day I think you've been able to watch him in the weight room and and watch him just even over his first you know two months in our football program be extremely impressed with what his intangibles look like um I think you'll have a better idea of man what are his expectations what do you envision you know great thing about Eli from special teams to to offensive football he served a lot of different roles and and and been a really Dynamic football player in a lot of different ways so we're grateful to have him we're certainly um impressed with his football characteristics in terms of how he shows up every day his work ethics his mannerisms I think it really fits what our Locker Room's about so we're excited about that uh dating back to his high school days Abu has always been kind of a quiet guy um when you have a player like that would you prefer to coach him in a way that allows that voice to to enhance or would you prefer to let him be himself and where do you see Abu in that in that area at this point yeah you know I I think Abu is um that it's such a great question you know I I what is quiet in and maybe is his voice what he is loud in in terms of you know who he is and what his heart's about and what his mannerisms about how he goes about his Daily Business you know and so I don't think you ever want to try to change anybody you know and that's never going to be my ask of that because I think everybody can lead differently and everybody can express themselves differently I think the big thing for Abu that is the rewarding part of it is you see his talent and his ability and you know what his heart is and you know what he stands for as a human being and as a man I think the the fun thing that you do challenge Abu in is his growth as a football player because you see the spurts of Excellence how do we repeatedly get ourselves into that and I you know and you guys know covering Abu is you know Abu was a m such a multiport athlete it wasn't always just hey and probably until we got to the end of his senior year we didn't know if he was going to be a great tailback or a great Corner we just knew he was just great athlete and I think what the fun thing about Abu is is he's he's learning to become a great football player and that's the thing I really I love about him because he's also got that willingness and curiosity to ask the question of man coach how do I get better where do I need to get myself better and that part I really do appreciate about him and it goes back to what's his heart what's he about what's he stand for and so um yeah really proud of him and I I think it's a great qu question but I think his Evolution will come just as a football player continuing to learn the game continue to be you know cognizant of what's it take to become a great tailback and a great running back at this level and he's worked really hard at that this off season it's going to be really fun to watch his you know what that work looks like and what the payoff will be for him this fall So yeah thank you guys