Out-DB Coach/ Recruiting Coordinator Bobby Elliot
In-TBD????
• The Most Recent Hire away from Rhoad’s staff has actually been a coach at Iowa State during three different two year stints as a secondary coach and most recently as a recruiting coordinator. Even with his short time here, Elliot had one the most polished resumes as an assistant coach with Iowa, Iowa State, and Kansas State, San Diego State, as well as Ball State. At both Iowa and Kansas State He also served as a Defensive Coodinator and was part of the staff that led KSU to there only BCS game in history. Elliot has developed Numerous All-Americans, Award Winners, and all conference selection-Most notable of those Might be Terrence Newman-Thorpe Award Winner now terrorizing Recievers with the cowboys. In his time at ISU in the early 2000s he coached all Big 12 selections Jamarcus Powers and Dustin Avey as well as leading the unit that intercepted 18 passes in 2001 and was 4th(!!!) Nationally in Pass Defense. Most Recently He has brought us Great and Exciting players like All Big 12 selections Leonard Johnson and Terran Benton, and will no doubt be best remembered for the unit’s performance in the upset of then. No 2 Oklahoma State. In one year he bought a pass defense that ranked 84th in the country all the way to 46th. Elliot was also a great recruiter during his short time here bringing us huge numbers from the hotbeds of Elite Talent in Texas. Replacing Coach Elliot will be very difficult in everyway but he cannot be blamed for heading to a prestigious school like Notre Dame. But in reality he will be very missed and we wish him luck, even if he is a Hawkeye.
• Now the hard part-Naming a Replacement. We know that West Texas A&M Assistant Secondary Coach Mike Conrad has left to become a Grad Assistant at ISU, but there’s no way he will be promoted to Elliot’s postion, But with Coach Rhoads being a DB guy himself you know he will have the position looked after well. A couple of Prospect that have been bumped up are those of Marcus Robertson-Former Cyclone and Secondary coach at the Tennessee Titans, as well as one of my favorite Cyclones of all time Ellis Hobbs, in fact Cyclone after being asked about the rumors about this position on per Twitter Hobbs Responded by saying "They say don’t believe everything you hear, but this you might want to at least give a listen" The Biggest point going against this is Rhoads has already said at a presser that the new DB coach will more then likely be the new recruiting coordinator as well, and Hobbs with already little coaching experience could have a problem with this.

He’s (kinda) Out-WR Coach Courtney Messingham
He’s In-Former Washington State OC Todd Sturdy
• As the fore mentioned WR Coach Moves up to take the OC job, it obviously leaves another huge hole in the coaching staff. Coach Messingham was well known for turning out great players like Collin Franklin, Darius Reynolds and Special teams Wiz’s like Josh Lenz and David Sims. Coach Rhoads and Jamie Pollard decided to go out to look for a replacement for the former WR coach, and in all the turnover with former Big 12 Head Coach Mike Leach taking the job at Washington State, Iowa State was able to snag there former OC Todd Sturdy. Sturdy seems almost more than qualified for the job and in this past season he led an offense that averaged 422 yds/game and averaged right around 30 points a game (ISU’s were about 390 and 22 ppg) WSU offense also ranked 9th in the Country in total passing yards with around 4100 to ISU’s 2200 and also ranked 33rd Nationally in Total Offense. In terms of personnel, Coach Sturdy Had two individuals named to the all Pac-12 teams this season in Marquiess Nelson (82 catches 1388 yds-12 TDs) and Jared Karstetter ( 60, 700, 6) as well as a third receiver who put up great numbers as well, Isaiah Barton (49, 659, 5). Sturdy’s hire brings experience and a different offensive perspective to the program, and maybe even more importantly a big voice in recruiting on the West Coast in Football hot beds like California. Above all, Sturdy’s hire as a Receiver’s coach and Passing game coordinator should bring some explosiveness to the Iowa State Offense, and if you can remember back to Jamie Pollards speech introducing CPR, "Above all, he’s an Iowan" and no one has more passion for our own state and school then Iowans themselves.

A Look At the Iowa State Coaching Carousel
He’s Out-OC Tom Herman
He’s In-Former WR Coach Courtney Messingham
• One of the biggest stories coming into the Pinstripe Bowl this season was the hiring (Poaching) of then current Offensive Coordinator Tom Herman by new Ohio State Head man Urban Meyer. As Lucrative as a job is at THE Ohio State University, many Iowa State Fans (who remember just being spurned a few years back by a former Head Coach who left for "greener" pastures) wondered how much of Herman’s Heart was really in Ames while preparing for the bowl game, and many of Coach Herman’s Critics were answered by what most consider a subpar bowl performance by the cyclone offense. Coach Herman’s offenses during this season though average about 390 yds/game and was a huge spark plug in upset wins over Iowa and Oklahoma State. However 390 yds/game was only good enough for 8th place in the High Powered Big 12 this season and in fact-Herman’s offense-although effective-has never placed higher than 8th in the Conference.
• After the bowl game, Coach Paul Rhoads announced that the search for an offensive coordinator would officially begin and he was faced with a few choices, 1. Go out and hire someone from another program, who would perhaps implement another system and hinder the progress of a young QB and offense, or 2. Promote someone deserving of the raise from inside the Cyclone Family, and he chose that. Coach Messingham had been known for one running a great special teams unit during his tenure here (Outside of the fingers crossed on FG attempts) and developing great young players such as Darius Reynolds and Josh Lenz. Coach Messsingham should prove to be a very safe choice to promote to the OC position, for consistency’s sake alone. Having a similar offensive style to run next season will be extremely beneficial for a developing Sophomore Quarterback. The Switch to Messingham’s system will not be exactly identical to the one under Coach Herman, as he has already been quoted saying that we will run some packages "Under Center" even for the sake of consistency running the football. As a big proponent of Smash Mouth Run it down your throat Football I am all for this. The Offense the season struggled to set up the play action passing game at times this season because of their inability to pound the rock. All In all, it seems like a great –safe-hire and I am excited for what it will bring to spread look we’ve been used to seeing under Coach Paul Rhoads. The Guy also rocks an awesome mustache.

Royce White's Awesome Hair

Paul Rhoads opens the NYSE

Osemele Named First Team All-American by Sports Illustrated

Tom Herman leaving Iowa State for Ohio State

Let the In-State Domination Continue..