Iowa State’s legendary assistant retires after Matt Campbell leaves for Penn State

The quarterback room in Ames is suddenly staring at a full reset, because the Iowa State football team is losing the face of its offense right as the program transitions into a new era. Rocco Becht made his transfer decision official with a heartfelt goodbye message, thanking Iowa State for the opportunity and explaining he’s seeking a new challenge for next season.

He’s coming off surgery to repair a torn labrum in his non-throwing arm and is expected to be fully ready well before next year, which only raises the stakes for the Cyclones as they figure out what comes next at the most important position.

That uncertainty now sits alongside a major turning point in defense. Longtime Iowa State defensive coordinator Jon Heacock announced his retirement after 43 years in coaching, according to Bruce Feldman on X.

Feldman noted that Heacock has been widely regarded as one of the best defensive coordinators in football, and his departure marks another significant shift in the aftermath of Matt Campbell’s departure for Penn State.

pic.twitter.com/JQeoJiouIq

— JON HEACOCK (@Coach_Heacock) December 23, 2025

With Becht out and Heacock stepping away, the immediate question becomes whether Iowa State tries to bridge the gap internally or aggressively shops the portal.

The program does have young options on the roster, with true freshman Alex Manske and redshirt freshman Connor Moberly now positioned to compete, but the timing of the portal window makes it hard to ignore the temptation of a veteran addition.

On the staff side, Iowa State already made a significant offensive move by hiring Detroit Lions tight ends coach Tyler Roehl as its new offensive coordinator. Roehl is expected to remain with the Lions through the rest of the 2025 season, giving Detroit continuity during its playoff push, before he returns to Ames for a major promotion.

For Iowa State, it’s a high-variance moment: a new offensive architect coming in, the starting quarterback leaving, and a defining defensive mind walking away. The next few weeks will determine whether this becomes a clean reboot or a rocky transition.

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