Iowa State University football head coach Matt Campbell speaks during the Cyclones Tailgate Tour at MidAmerican Energy Recplex on Thursday, May 9, 2024 in West Des Moines, Iowa. © Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK
Pella — Each time a weight plate was added, it rattled and resonated louder.
The moans, groans, and screams required for one final push served as a percussive soundtrack for the youngsters. Matt Campbell”A tough mission: Bigger, stronger and tougher as the summer sun beats down outside the weight room at Mount Union.
“I loved this summer as a player because it was the only summer I felt like I could separate myself from the competition,” the Iowa State head football coach said during a tailgate tour stop at Tamory Hall. he said. “That’s something I talk about a lot with the kids. Everybody’s getting this block. Sometimes we think we’re the only ones participating in winter conditioning or spring practice. Everyone understands that, but not everyone uses that time the same way.
Campbell’s Cyclones will enter a period of strength and conditioning this summer, putting them on a grit-based mission similar to what their head coach did when he played for the Division III Purple Raiders from 1999 to 2002. I will work on it.
ISU returns 19 starters from last season’s team, which went 7-6 overall, 6-3 in Big 12 play and reached a bowl game for the sixth time in the last seven years. So this summer could be the stage for even more progress as the Cyclones look to fully contend for a conference title for the first time since reaching the league championship game in 2000.
“You say, ‘What’s interesting about this team?'” Campbell said. “They’re trying to figure out what it takes to take that next step. And they’re trying to create an edge and position themselves better for the next eight to 12 weeks than somebody in Lawrence, Kansas, or somebody in Stillwater, Oklahoma. How do I separate myself from the crowd so that I can have a conversation about being used? I think our kids are hungry to do that. I wanted to do it. I love that aspect of being a coach, to be honest.”
Summer strength and conditioning sessions are your last chance to add a few pounds of muscle while following a detailed and strict nutrition plan. In the fall, those efforts tend to pay off in the form of fewer injuries, increased depth, and the ability to stay fresh for four quarters. All of this results in more winning opportunities and makes a winning season even more noteworthy.
“We were very young (last season) and we’re continuing to grow. I think one of the areas where we’re seeing growth in our youth is physically,” Campbell said. “I think there’s going to be a whole other revolution as well during these 12 weeks until we get back in August. I think that’s very important for our football team. We can’t miss that step.”
However, ISU players will be able to enjoy some time off. Most of the Cyclones will return home after the spring semester and will not return until after Memorial Day weekend. They will then immediately get to work on the arduous task of summer training and build momentum for one of the most anticipated seasons in recent memory for ISU football.
“This group is still very young,” Campbell said. “And I don’t think anyone feels like they’ve arrived.”
Not even a quarterback Rocco Becht Last season, he won the Big 12 New Offensive Player of the Year award. especially Not Becht, his own sharpest critic.
“The players around me are increasing my confidence every day,” Becht said during spring practice. “That helps during the season as well.”
After all summer training is complete, the schedule for this season will be put together smoothly. Five of the Cyclones’ Big 12 games will be played at Jack Trice Stadium, with only three being actual road games. ISU will also enjoy a two-week bye week, giving coaches more flexibility in planning their season as the noise in the weight room fades and the roar of the crowd beckons.
“What I like about this schedule is we get two games and a bye, so we can change up fall camp a little bit,” Campbell said. “We know we’re going to have a five-game block and then we’ll have an opportunity to re-evaluate and then we’ll have a five-week sprint to the (possible) conference championship game. I’m really excited about it. A lot of the excitement goes back to this young team (and) what we’ve been doing. I think last year could have gone one or two ways, but a lot of young kids have had great experiences and things. I think getting the playing time and the opportunity to gain confidence was huge for us.”
