Musings from Arledge: Matt Campbell

TrojanFireHorse12

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Matt Campbell is more likely to stay at Iowa State then go to either USC or LSU.

The guy is pretty stubborn... And idolizes Bill Snyder, another great coach, but he never won a national championship.

Also, no head coach is risk-free, so that's an odd thing to bring up as a caveat in regards to Aranda. lol

I mean, do we really need to go all the way back to Earle Bruce? be he also never won a national championship at Ohio State and Gene was fired, despite winning one at Auburn. Johnny Major is the one name that stands out, but after winning one at Pittsburgh. He was never able to give the Tennessee Volunteers that luxury, as they only got three 9 win seasons and two 10 win seasons out of him.

Personally, I think most people can acknowledge that it may be hard to win at Iowa State, but it's all about their expectations. And it just so happens, that winning more than 8 games is their ceiling. That doesn't, necessarily, mean that Matt Campbell is going to turn out like Jimmy Johnson (not saying that you did).

But if you think Matt Campbell is anything other than a first-rate football coach and a tremendous prospect for USC, you just don’t know very much about football.
He's a good coach, but let's not go overboard. I'd expect these types of declarations, if we were talking about a young Urban Meyer. Who was 17-6 at cabbage patch Bowling Green, and then 22-2 at Utah. Instead, Matt Campbell has decided to stay at Iowa State, despite having offers.

So, if that’s how you feel, do yourself a favor: let’s just see what happens, and if Mike Bohn hires Matt Campbell, put aside the disappointment that USC didn’t hire the guy you preferred, and give Matt Campbell a chance. I can’t make any guarantees, but if I had to bet, I’d bet that Matt Campbell would dominate the conference and have USC in playoff contention within just a couple of years. He’s that good.
Dominating the conference? That should be a foregone conclusion, if he has what it takes. But the real question is, can he win a national championship? And playoff contention should be a prerequisite for this fanbase, if he's as first-rate as you have claimed. Still, it's a stage he's never been to or been on in Division 1 college football, which means his leash will be short.

In either case, like I've mentioned elsewhere. I'd be very surprised to see Matt Campbell come to USC, and though truth be told. There's a possibility that all the names listed; Aranda, Fickell, or Campbell - may not be the one's getting announced as USC's next coach. So, any bets being put down, is pretty premature.

But aside all that? I just want USC to win.

Edit: Johnny Majors
 
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J4SC75

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Matt Campbell is more likely to stay at Iowa State then go to either USC or LSU.

The guy is pretty stubborn... And idolizes Bill Snyder, another great coach, but he never won a national championship.

Also, no head coach is risk-free, so that's an odd thing to bring up as a caveat in regards to Aranda. lol

I mean, do we really need to go all the way back to Earle Bruce? be he also never won a national championship at Ohio State and Gene was fired, despite winning one at Auburn. Jimmy Johnson is the one name that stands out, but after winning one at Pittsburgh. He was never able to give the Tennessee Volunteers that luxury, as they only got three 9 win seasons and two 10 win seasons out of him.

Personally, I think most people can acknowledge that it may be hard to win at Iowa State, but it's all about their expectations. And it just so happens, that winning more than 8 games is their ceiling. That doesn't, necessarily, mean that Matt Campbell is going to turn out like Jimmy Johnson (not saying that you did).


He's a good coach, but let's not go overboard. I'd expect these types of declarations, if we were talking about a young Urban Meyer. Who was 17-6 at cabbage patch Bowling Green, and then 22-2 at Utah. Instead, Matt Campbell has decided to stay at Iowa State, despite having offers.


Dominating the conference? That should be a foregone conclusion, if he has what it takes. But the real question is, can he win a national championship? And playoff contention should be a prerequisite for this fanbase, if he's as first-rate as you have claimed. Still, it's a stage he's never been to or been on in Division 1 college football, which means his leash will be short.

In either case, like I've mentioned elsewhere. I'd be very surprised to see Matt Campbell come to USC, and though truth be told. There's a possibility that all the names listed; Aranda, Fickell, or Campbell-may not be the one's getting announced as USC's next coach. So, any bets being put down, is pretty premature.

But aside all that? I just want USC to win.
You are missing Chris’ point. Also confusing Johnny Majors and Jimmy Johnson! In the last decade, Baylor and Cincinnati had great teams with good coaches. Before Campbell, Iowa State was nothing, even with some coaches who accomplished much elsewhere during their careers. He has also done it over time. Chris is just saying Matt deserves as much praise and consideration as Fickell and Aranda. Whether he wants to come to SC or not is irrelevant when the discussion is who could bring a winning team to SC. We don’t know that Fickell or Aranda want too come to SC. Chris’ bottom line - be happy with any of the three, they all have risks, but all could elevate SC to NC status.
 

Trojans_Oilers

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Thanks for doing the research for us, and great read!
Coaching hires are always a crapshoot, but I’d be excited with one of Fickell, Aranda or Campbell.
im just glad we’re doing a proper search this time, and I’m cautiously optimistic this time around.
 

CSC96

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An Iowa State alumnus acquaintance made an interesting comment last night. Loves the school … “I used to think I wanted to live in Ames, but I wouldn’t want to live in Ames now and I’m from Iowa.” I think he was saying it’s small and not much to do and he had just grown tired of it.
 

ICEnEC

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We have some hope for the first time in years. A good, thorough article on guys who might turn out to be our next HC. Why do you keep spending time and energy pissing on Clay??? You wanted him gone (we all did) and he’s gone. Let it go man.
 

Arhedge

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We have some hope for the first time in years. A good, thorough article on guys who might turn out to be our next HC. Why do you keep spending time and energy pissing on Clay??? You wanted him gone (we all did) and he’s gone. Let it go man.
Do you think I’m hurting his feelings?

Look, not only did we have to watch Clay’s clown show for many years before his firing, but we’re still watching it now. He’s not truly gone. This disastrous season — one we’re still suffering through — is on him. It’s his recruits, his systems, his coaches, his program culture. So, no, he’s not really gone yet, and I’m still unhappy with what he’s done.

I won’t write entire articles on Clay at this point, but a dig here and there? Yep, I don’t feel bad about that.

I’m glad you enjoyed the rest of the article.
 
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Alvaro Carrillo

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Looking at this season, I like that Iowa State has not been blown out and they play good defense. But they have lost at least 5 games every year, expect for one. After four years of being average, he had a great year in 2020. So the expectation was that he would finally get over the hump, only to revert back to being average this season. We need someone who can sell their vision to recruits. That record is not going to cut it. Fickell turned the culture around in Cincinnati and they are winning consistently. Aranda has put many guys in the NFL. Campbell is a fine coach, but he should be far from the number one choice.
 

usc88

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Good analysis. Campbell’s doing it with a roster of mostly 3-star recruits (as are Aranda and Fickell). Think what he could do with USC 4- and 5-star recruits.
It is nice to have an AD that is trained to be an AD.
It is not easy to find a good coach.
There are so much different factors
 

EdtheConquerer17

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If none of the main three candidates wants to come to USC, which is a strong possibility, where does USC turn?
If that does indeed happen, I hope that we're reaching out to guys like Sitake, Lanning, or Napier in a hurry.

Thankfully, I'm with the school of thought that believes an offer has been extended and accepted by one of our top candidates, or is in the process of being finalized soon.
 

J4SC75

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Looking at this season, I like that Iowa State has not been blown out and they play good defense. But they have lost at least 5 games every year, expect for one. After four years of being average, he had a great year in 2020. So the expectation was that he would finally get over the hump, only to revert back to being average this season. We need someone who can sell their vision to recruits. That record is not going to cut it. Fickell turned the culture around in Cincinnati and they are winning consistently. Aranda has put many guys in the NFL. Campbell is a fine coach, but he should be far from the number one choice.
And Campbell has sent 10 players to the NFL, none of which were the 4* and 5* kids out of high school.
 

SC93er

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I’ve probably been jaded by all of the Justin Fuente’s of the world who have proven that going to a bigger program with greater resources and access to higher-level talent doesn’t portend squat. How many Urban Meyer career trajectories have come along — as opposed to Fuente trajectories — since Meyer’s time at Utah?

I’m hopeful that Campbell’s skills at molding a team of 3-stars in Ames, Iowa can translate to resurrecting a blue-blood program of 4/5-stars in LA. I would definitely be okay with the hire if Aranda and Fickell were off the board. However, I’d wait on the prediction of Natty contention for a while.
 

CSC96

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If that does indeed happen, I hope that we're reaching out to guys like Sitake, Lanning, or Napier in a hurry.

Thankfully, I'm with the school of thought that believes an offer has been extended and accepted by one of our top candidates, or is in the process of being finalized soon.
These would not be home run hires.
 
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Maranello

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Chris,
Good closing argument, counselor. DA still firmly remains my top choice but you provided some compelling points about MC's tenure at ISU, especially vis-a-vis his predecessors and that is relevant data, not to mention a very good sample size, to boot. I certainly won't despair if MC ends up being the choice shortly and I'm sure everyone hereon will at least give the guy a chance. After all, we're all yearning for and seeking the same end result for chrissakes---a definitive return to glory and perennial national title contender.

I'll concede MC does have that eye to spot the occasional diamond-in-the-rough recruit which is indeed the same skillset as weeding out the 5* closers from the 5* posers. (Unfortunately for USC, that latter ability has been sorely lacking of late! Seems like most of the 5* recruits we've had recently hardly end up playing here, let alone living up to their HS press clippings)! Whoever the new coach is, I just hope the intangibles he brings are plentiful---ability to get buy-in from the team on his vision, motivate/incentivize players and staff (including the effective use of emotion since FB is an emotional game), and ability to think on their feet both at practice and in games.

And absolutely, keep your digs at Gomer coming! They provide comic relief and also comprise facts! I'd wager diamonds to doughnuts any of us hereon would gladly take the ducats he's receiving from severance pay in return for occasional online jabs. I literally LOL'ed at your quip about his ability to show up sober at alumni events as being a key job requirement at the time. I'm at the point now where I just want to have the new HC named and hired so that he can start the rebuilding process. FIGHT ON!
 

HRPickenstuff

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Iowa State would be the best team in the Pac12 this year. They pounded Oregon in the 2020 bowl game.
Thats was a Horrible 4-3 Oregon Team that had zero QB play, the guy transferred out of the program after thay game. That's the same Oregon that beat USC with defense only. Campbell lost to Mike Leach and WSU in 2019 he's 1-1 against the Pac 12


Iowa State is also
0-5 against Iowa
2-5 against Oklahoma
3-3 against Texas and those last 3 wins have come against the struggling texas they were 0-3 against the Herman Texas teams.


That being said Matt Campbell would be a 1000% improvement over Helton being a defense first guy. I don't think he be able to find the massive OT, DT and LB out here on the west coast. They grow on trees in Iowa and the surrounding areas. He benefits because guys want to stay home. He'd have access to better skilled players out here. His OC hire will be critical.

Matt Campbell can dominate the Pac 12 its just not an elite conference. Could he beat top 10 teams? He would have to improve dramatically to do it. For me Iowa is the key here they play smash mouth football and he is 0-5 against them. That's what it will take to beat an Alabama, Georgia or most SEC teams. Matt Campbell teams have had trouble against Smash Mouth teams. Not good. Aranda's defense proved it can play with these types of teams. Head to head Baylor and Aranda beat Iowa state this year lost to him last year 1-1 and Matt Campbell had a 6 year head start.
 
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DaFireMedic

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No matter who it is, I’m going to give the guy a chance. I’m not going to declare him a failure if the team doesn’t look impressive right out of the gate. Gotta give the guy time to build his team.

That said, I’ll be thrilled if it’s Campbell, Fickell, or Aranda.
 

GoSC27!

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Spin the numbers for or against Campbell, the guy can coach and the player’s love him. Again no guarantees with any coach. Remember when CPC was hired, a lit were discontent then. I just want to see what a real coach can do with our kids here!
Fight On!
 
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This is all playing out as expected:

In 2019, Urban Meyer tried to position himself as the next coach and USC's admin wouldn't bite.
This year, Franklin tried to make the move, but again admin passed on a coach with a significant scandal in his past.
That leaves USC with Fickell, Aranda, or Campbell. Fickell was never going to come due to his family situation. Aranda is still on the table
but it seems that Bohn favors Campbell for the same reason Arledge does.
It's been already been leaked that the announcement will be made on or around December 4 and that a deal is already in place. I believe that to be true.
There's only one coach this timeline makes sense for - Campbell - as Aranda and Fickell will not be available until after that date (most likely on Aranda's part as if OK State wins Saturday, Aranda will be playing in the Big 12 CG).
So, the leaks of Fickell and Aranda staying would naturally begin to appear (as they have no reason to be silent and will be talking to their players). That is happening.
The silence from Campbell has been deafening. I think this is the time for him to make his move, as Iowa St. is always a candidate for a downturn (and a couple of 6-6 seasons would kill Campbell's opportunity for a top job).
Therefore, I think all signs are pointing to Campbell - which would be excellent news for the Trojans and terrible news for the rest of the Pac 12.
 

SCnAZ

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Great read. I’m in with Campbell. But there are others as well. As I’ve said before, and I know others have said it as well, no matter who the coach is, you can please some of the people…….
 
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uscfanatics

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Look, not only did we have to watch Clay’s clown show for many years before his firing, but we’re still watching it now. He’s not truly gone. This disastrous season — one we’re still suffering through — is on him. It’s his recruits, his systems, his coaches, his program culture. So, no, he’s not really gone yet, and I’m still unhappy with what he’s done.
I refer to it as the clay helton stench….
Its scent is similar that of sewage
 
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TrojanFireHorse12

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You are missing Chris’ point. Also confusing Johnny Majors and Jimmy Johnson! In the last decade, Baylor and Cincinnati had great teams with good coaches. Before Campbell, Iowa State was nothing, even with some coaches who accomplished much elsewhere during their careers. He has also done it over time. Chris is just saying Matt deserves as much praise and consideration as Fickell and Aranda. Whether he wants to come to SC or not is irrelevant when the discussion is who could bring a winning team to SC. We don’t know that Fickell or Aranda want too come to SC. Chris’ bottom line - be happy with any of the three, they all have risks, but all could elevate SC to NC status.
Yes, I confused Majors and Johnson but still my argument remains. And I didn't really miss his point. Just because some coaches that left Iowa State close to 30 or 40 years ago did well at other schools. Doesn't mean that will be the case with Matt Campbell.

Looking at this season, I like that Iowa State has not been blown out and they play good defense. But they have lost at least 5 games every year, expect for one. After four years of being average, he had a great year in 2020. So the expectation was that he would finally get over the hump, only to revert back to being average this season. We need someone who can sell their vision to recruits. That record is not going to cut it. Fickell turned the culture around in Cincinnati and they are winning consistently. Aranda has put many guys in the NFL. Campbell is a fine coach, but he should be far from the number one choice.
Agreed

If that does indeed happen, I hope that we're reaching out to guys like Sitake, Lanning, or Napier in a hurry.

Thankfully, I'm with the school of thought that believes an offer has been extended and accepted by one of our top candidates, or is in the process of being finalized soon.
100%

And Campbell has sent 10 players to the NFL, none of which were the 4* and 5* kids out of high school.
Only 3 or 4 of those players are his... And one of them is a long snapper, who went undrafted, and the same with some of the others.

So, it's not exactly him, sending 10 elite players to the NFL. In comparison to Aranda or Fickell.

Thats was a Horrible 4-3 Oregon Team that had zero QB play, the guy transferred out of the program after thay game. That's the same Oregon that beat USC with defense only. Campbell lost to Mike Leach and WSU in 2019 he's 1-1 against the Pac 12


Iowa State is also
0-5 against Iowa
2-5 against Oklahoma
3-3 against Texas and those last 3 wins have come against the struggling texas they were 0-3 against the Herman Texas teams.


That being said Matt Campbell would be a 1000% improvement over Helton being a defense first guy. I don't think he be able to find the massive OT, DT and LB out here on the west coast. They grow on trees in Iowa and the surrounding areas. He benefits because guys want to stay home. He'd have access to better skilled players out here. His OC hire will be critical.

Matt Campbell can dominate the Pac 12 its just not an elite conference. Could he beat top 10 teams? He would have to improve dramatically to do it. For me Iowa is the key here they play smash mouth football and he is 0-5 against them. That's what it will take to beat an Alabama, Georgia or most SEC teams. Matt Campbell teams have had trouble against Smash Mouth teams. Not good. Aranda's defense proved it can play with these types of teams. Head to head Baylor and Aranda beat Iowa state this year lost to him last year 1-1 and Matt Campbell had a 6 year head start.
Great point and he'd have to get a realy good OL coach to get the type of O-linemen he'd want and was able to get in Iowa or in the midwest in general.
 
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yah20002

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Has Campbell lead ISU to a Big 12 championship? Don’t give me the ole “but it’s Iowa State”. He had a real good opportunity last season (2020) and, this year. Also, he won zero championships at Toledo. I get he could be a good coach, but there’s a lot of hyperbole in here about his accomplishments. He hasn’t proven to be a great coach, because those types wins championships.

If MC ends up as HC, chances are, the more sought after candidates turned down the job or, were unattainable. Even though
Campbell isn’t my top choice, you have to support the guy for accepting and taking the job.


Meyer would not be a home run hire for me, nor is he coming.
No, he isn’t coming. Sure you want to stand by that first part?
Good analysis. Campbell’s doing it with a roster of mostly 3-star recruits (as are Aranda and Fickell). Think what he could do with USC 4- and 5-star recruits.
This sounds like a no-brainer, and reasonable, but it doesn’t work that way.
 

BuTrojan

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I'm fired up Chris!

All I can say is this: If Campbell was a DC for say... LSU or Alabama... and sent 40 FIVE star recruits to the NFL.... People on this board would be all over him, and praying he comes to USC. I've been to Iowa State and Ames. There are highschools in Texas with better facilities than what Iowa State has. Campbell is a phenomenal coach, and has been a great coach for many years. Aranda is a defensive genius... Kiffin was an Offensive genius... How did that turn out in Tennessee or here? Aranda is no sure thing. I think the floor for Campbell is higher than Aranda's.
 

Bilbo.usc

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First .. happy thanksgiving to all .. second .. nice argument on behalf of Matt Campbell..i hope we are luck enough to get one of the three coaches mentioned
Last... keep the digs about Helton coming . What that jerk did to our football program should never be forgotten or forgiven
 

BuTrojan

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Has Campbell lead ISU to a Big 12 championship? Don’t give me the ole “but it’s Iowa State”. He had a real good opportunity last season (2020) and, this year. Also, he won zero championships at Toledo. I get he could be a good coach, but there’s a lot of hyperbole in here about his accomplishments. He hasn’t proven to be a great coach, because those types wins championships.

If MC ends up as HC, chances are, the more sought after candidates turned down the job or, were unattainable. Even though
Campbell isn’t my top choice, you have to support the guy for accepting and taking the job.



No, he isn’t coming. Sure you want to stand by that first part?

This sounds like a no-brainer, and reasonable, but it doesn’t work that way.
These arguments are so LAME. No coach would win BIG12 championships at Iowa State. Last I checked Aranda has won ZERO titles as a HC either. If Campbell wasn't such a high achiever he'd have numerous titles as a DC at LSU or Alabama or Ohio State. Both are great options for USC. You can't possibly argue one is better than the other unless you're being biased.
 

TrojanFireHorse12

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But that's not Campbell history, he doesn't have any Divison 1 national titles to his name. While, Aranda has a national title to his name, doesn't matter if it was as a head coach or not.

Also, if Campbell was a coordinator, then he'd be an OC not a DC - since that's his field. I'd love to see if his offense would have worked at LSU or Alabama or Ohio State in getting them a title. Plus, everyone has a bias in this argument.

I'm fired up Chris!

All I can say is this: If Campbell was a DC for say... LSU or Alabama... and sent 40 FIVE star recruits to the NFL.... People on this board would be all over him, and praying he comes to USC. I've been to Iowa State and Ames. There are highschools in Texas with better facilities than what Iowa State has. Campbell is a phenomenal coach, and has been a great coach for many years. Aranda is a defensive genius... Kiffin was an Offensive genius... How did that turn out in Tennessee or here? Aranda is no sure thing. I think the floor for Campbell is higher than Aranda's.
Campbell was never a DC...
 
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USC92

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But that's not Campbell history, he doesn't have any Divison 1 national titles to his name. While, Aranda has a national title to his name, doesn't matter if it was as a head coach or not.

Also, if Campbell was a coordinator, then he'd be an OC not a DC - since that's his field. I'd love to see if his offense would have worked at LSU or Alabama or Ohio State in getting them a title. Plus, everyone has a bias in this argument.


Campbell was never a DC...

Give it up. Nobody in the SC front office cares what you think nor should they. It appears Campbell is the guy so instead of trying to convince everyone he’s not the guy how about you support the move.
 

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