Peterson: Iowa State football is in the best shape it’s ever been in

Randy Peterson | The Des Moines Register

Show Caption Hide Caption What's different from Campbell Year One? A lot has changed since Matt Campbell came to the Big 12, not only demand for his time, but talking positively about his defense.

AMES, Ia. — The first day Dan McCarney walked into the Iowa State football office is a testament to how far the program he once led has come — his first impression wasn’t the greatest. And you wouldn’t have had the greatest first impression, either, if you'd been there.

Here’s the icky peek into a story over which we shared a laugh last week:

McCarney’s opening day on the job started with a trip to an Ames donut shop to purchase treats for his new staff. It included a phone call that momentarily pulled him away from that less-than-nutritious breakfast, and into his office — and let’s let Mac re-tell the repulsive rest:

"I set the donuts down on my secretary’s desk, then walked away to do something. When I returned — and get this — there was a mouse sitting on top of the donuts.

"True story.

"I thought, 'Man, this program’s got a long way to go.'"

It’s come a long way during the 23 years between that donut-licking rascal to Saturday’s 7 p.m. game against South Dakota State at Jack Trice Stadium.

The program Matt Campbell now leads so well is in the best shape Iowa State football has ever been. Anticipation and excitement are off the charts for a team that beat hometown Memphis in the Liberty Bowl last January.

Big 12 title game in Year No. 3?

“Don’t ever bet against Matt Campbell,” FOX television analyst Brian Baldinger warned me at Big 12 Media Days back in July.

And speaking of wagering...

“If we were a publicly traded stock, I would say 'Buy now,' because the stock may never be this low again,” the school’s proud athletics director, Jamie Pollard, told me.

Season-ticket sales are strong. Fundraising is underway for athletics department upgrades that will include a new student-athlete academic and sports nutrition center, an expansion of the Bergstrom Football Complex, improving the stadium’s north end zone entrance, and new team areas for several Olympic sports.

The cost has been pegged at $65 million to $80 million — unheard-of back when McCarney patrolled Iowa State’s sidelines.

“People always like to make things seem worse than they were, but believe it when I tell you that it’s whatever is more extreme than a night and day difference,” McCarney said.

Everything related to ISU football has improved

I’ve been around the Iowa State athletics complex for a long time. I’ve seen it evolve. I can’t recall the last time anyone saw a mouse running around the vast complex since McCarney became coach of a woeful program that went 0-10-1 in 1994.

The season attendance average at Jack Trice Stadium had dipped to what was then an all-time low of 35,460 in Jim Walden’s final Iowa State coaching season. The only buzz among fandom was a stinging buzz. Almost everything with the program was in shambles.

The athletics department budget in Walden’s final season was $10.8 million. The budget for the most recent reporting period was $66.2 million, according to the Equity in Athletics Data Analysis website.

Credit then-Iowa State athletics director Gene Smith’s vision for what the program should resemble. Credit Pollard for keeping the vision alive since coming to the school in 2005.

“Thank goodness Gene Smith saw what was in place,” McCarney said. “He knew how far behind we were — we were in the dark ages on so many things.”

Changing the culture

Every season, it seems, Cyclones football was figured to finish ahead of Kansas and behind everyone else in the conference standings. Almost every year, that preseason prediction became reality.

Last year, the Cyclones won more Big 12 games than they lost for the first time since 2000. The last time this program has seen consecutive conference winning records?

Way back in 1977 and 1978 — when Earle Bruce was the coach, and before Matt Campbell was even born.

“There’s no more sneaking up on anyone,” FOX’s Baldinger said. “Matt’s legitimately getting the talent on that team to be in the Big 12 championship game someday — and maybe sooner than you think.”

Kyle Kempt won eight games as a starter last season. David Montgomery can become the program’s first with consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons since Ennis Haywood in 2000 and 2001.

The offensive and defensive lines resemble what Power Five lines should resemble: Receiver Hakeem Butler has highlight-reel ability whenever he touches the ball; there’s finally enough defensive speed to keep up with the conference’s free-wheeling offenses.

ISU football: Best shape it’s ever been in

Campbell is a foundation guy. He knows how to build a program — that it takes more than a catchy sales pitch and a cute social media post to lure top recruits to the school. It starts with a first impression — and in his case, what recruits see when pulling into the football complex is a heck of a lot more impressive than back when McCarney ran the program.

“Iowa State football facilities have gone from half-assed to first-class,” McCarney said last week from his home in Sarasota, Florida. “When there were better high school facilities in Iowa than what we had at a big-time university — you knew you had issues.

“Now, the facilities are wonderful. Iowa State’s not taking a back seat to anyone anymore. It makes you feel good about what Matt and Jamie and the wonderful fans have accomplished.

“The baton was passed among a lot of people — and now Matt’s doing a great job with that baton. There’s a genuine commitment to excellence.”

A commitment that Campbell proudly embraces.

“One of the things that I love doing is studying this great game,” Campbell said. “I don't have a lot of hobbies, so my biggest hobby is football.

“For me, I don't know what the ceiling is. I know what the next step looks like — and that's to add consistency to the football program.”

Iowa State football in the best place it’s ever been?

No question.

Iowa State columnist Randy Peterson has been with the Register for parts of five decades. Randy writes opinion and analysis of Iowa State football and basketball. You can reach Randy at rpeterson@dmreg.com or on Twitter at @RandyPete.