Iowa State offensive coordinator Tom Manning taking job with Indianapolis Colts

AMES, Ia. — Tom Manning, the architect behind one of the most successful offenses in Iowa State history, is leaving the Cyclones for an assistant coaching job in the NFL, the Register has learned.

Matt Campbell told the Register on Saturday that Manning is taking a job as an NFL assistant. Several sources with direct knowledge of the situation have told the Register that Manning will be going to work for the Indianapolis Colts as the tight ends coach. The Colts recently hired Frank Reich as head coach following his impressive two-year run as the offensive coordinator of Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles.

“A really good situation for him and I’m really, really happy and proud of him, to be honest with you,” Campbell told the Register. “I think it’s a really good opportunity for him. All of us have different goals and aspirations, and one of the neat things, for him, is that this was one of his goals and aspirations. And the fact that he was able to do it through the success we’ve been able to have here... That’s awesome — and awesome to our program.”

Iowa State now has two positions it needs to fill. According to a source with knowledge of the situation, Iowa State graduate assistant Jeff Myers is in the running for the offensive line job. The same source said Joe Houston, a special teams analyst for Iowa State, is a candidate for the final open assistant job.

Manning spent two seasons at Iowa State, where he helped transform the offense and was instrumental in helping Campbell make the Cyclones bowl eligible for the first time since 2012. With Manning calling the plays, Iowa State tallied the top-two passing offenses in school history in back-to-back seasons.

In 2017, Manning’s offense hit the 40-point mark five times, tying the school record. It also recorded 274 first downs, the second-best total in Iowa State history, and 47 touchdowns, third-most in school history. The Cyclones also broke the school record for fewest turnovers in a season, with 10, and ranked 14th nationally in fewest penalties per game, at 4.38.

And Manning managed to find success despite losing a starting quarterback, in Jacob Park, four games into the season. But that’s when the Cyclones began hitting their stride. Behind backup quarterback Kyle Kempt, the Cyclones went on to win four-straight games, including victories over No. 3 Oklahoma and No. 4 TCU to orchestrate one of college football's biggest turnarounds in 2017.

Manning is most known for his work with the offensive line. In 2015, he was named Football Scoop Offensive Line Coach of the Year. During his first season with the Cyclones, Manning had to replace the entire offensive line but still produced a serviceable line at times. He faced a similar task in 2017 with most of his line gone. But the offense was explosive, with running back David Montgomery rushing for 1,146 yards to complement the Cyclones' passing attack.

While Manning had a huge hand in the team's success, Campbell said there are others on staff who contributed and can help fill his void.

"The one neat thing I think about our staff is there's not one piece that's more important than any other piece," Campbell said. "I think that the really nice thing about us is there's even some really hidden talented guys underneath the full-time coaches that you look at, whether it's recruiting or whether it's coaching or GAs, man, it's literally everybody in this organization going in the same direction. I think that's what's made us really special."

Campbell said he hoped to end the search for the new assistant coach the NCAA added beginning in the 2018 season. He said he was looking for similar things in the two openings he has.

"Staying in the same wheelhouse of consistency of growth within the organization is really important to me," Campbell said.

Iowa State is built to adjust to Manning's departure. Campbell's coaching background before becoming a head coach was as an offensive line coach and offensive coordinator.

"All the positives is the head coach has been the offensive line coach and the head coach has been the offensive coordinator," Campbell said. "The neat thing is we've got really good young guys within our system that have the ability to do that."

Manning had previously worked as Campbell's offensive line coach at Toledo from 2012-15. Prior to that, he spent one season as the offensive line coach at Mount Union, where he and Campbell were teammates during their playing days.

"I like Tommy a lot," Campbell said. "We're really close friends. But to be honest with you, my first reaction is I'm really excited for him and really proud of him."