Matthew Allen Campbell, born on November 29, 1979, is a coach for American college football.
He has served as the head coach at Iowa State University since 2016. Previously, Campbell was the head coach at the University of Toledo from 2011 to 2015.
He has also worked as an assistant coach at Toledo, Bowling Green, and Mount Union.
Campbell, originally from Ohio, initially attended the University of Pittsburgh before transferring to Mount Union, where he played as a defensive lineman.
Matthew Campbell’s Journey in Football
Campbell was born in Massillon, Ohio, where his father, Rick, coached football at Jackson High School.
He played football at Perry High School, where the team won three conference championships during his time there.
Initially, Campbell attended the University of Pittsburgh on an athletic scholarship in 1998 but later transferred to the University of Mount Union after a year.
At Mount Union, Campbell played as a defensive lineman from 1999 to 2002 under head coach Larry Kehres, whose teams secured three Division III championships during Campbell’s college career.
He was also honoured twice as a College Football All-American and received the Ohio Athletic Conference Defensive Lineman of the Year award.
The Coaching Career of Matthew Campbell
Matthew Campbell began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Bowling Green State University.
He then served as offensive coordinator at Mount Union, helping the team win two Division III championships.
Campbell later joined the University of Toledo, first as a coordinator and then as head coach. At just 32, he became the youngest head coach in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Campbell’s success led to his appointment as head coach at Iowa State University in 2015. Under his leadership, Iowa State achieved significant victories and earned its first major-bowl appearance in school history.
Campbell’s coaching prowess has garnered national attention, with offers from NFL teams, including the Detroit Lions. Despite these offers, Campbell remains committed to Iowa State, signing a contract extension through 2028.
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Head Coaching Record
Toledo Rockets (Mid-American Conference) (2011–2015)
- 2011: Toledo went 1–0 overall with no conference games. They won the Military Bowl.
- 2012: Toledo finished 9–4 overall and 6–2 in the conference, tying for 2nd in the West Division. They lost in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
- 2013: Toledo ended the season 7–5 overall and 5–3 in the conference, tying for 3rd in the West Division.
2014: Toledo achieved a 9–4 overall record and 7–1 in the conference, tying for 1st in the West Division. They won the GoDaddy Bowl.- 2015: Toledo went 9–2 overall and 6–2 in the conference, tying for 1st in the West Division. They were selected for the Boca Raton Bowl, but Campbell left for Iowa State before the game.
Iowa State Cyclones (Big 12 Conference) (2016–present)
- 2016: Iowa State finished 3–9 overall and 2–7 in the conference, placing 9th.
- 2017: The Cyclones achieved an 8–5 overall record and 5–4 in the conference, tying for 4th. They won the Liberty Bowl.
- 2018: Iowa State ended the season 8–5 overall and 6–3 in the conference, tying for 3rd. They lost in the Alamo Bowl.
- 2019: The Cyclones went 7–6 overall and 5–4 in the conference, tying for 3rd. They lost in the Camping World Bowl.
- 2020: Iowa State had a strong season, going 9–3 overall and 8–1 in the conference, placing 1st. They won the Fiesta Bowl and were ranked 9th in both polls.
- 2021: The Cyclones finished 7–6 overall and 5–4 in the conference, placing 4th. They lost in the Cheez-It Bowl.
- 2022: Iowa State ended the season 4–8 overall and 1–8 in the conference, placing 10th.
- 2023: The Cyclones achieved a 7–6 overall record and 6–3 in the conference, tying for 4th. They lost in the Liberty Bowl.
Overall Coaching Record
Campbell’s combined record at Toledo and Iowa State is 88 wins and 63 losses.
Campbell’s Softball Coaching and Family
During the summer of 2022, Campbell coached the Gilbert 6th grade softball team and led them to victory in the championship game, overcoming a 4–2 deficit in the third inning. He and his wife, Erica, have four children.
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