Iowa State football coach Matt Campbell held his annual preseason meeting with the media today. Campbell says he likes the way this team has shaped up with mix of returning players, new players and those who have transferred in.
“In today’s world of college football is so unique and different than that we’re really fortunate to the collection of football players that reside in our locker room right now and I don’t take it for granted,” Campbell says. The Cyclones have high expectations coming off a 7-6 season. Campbell says they were younger and learned a lot. “And that takes a little bit of mental toughness to be able to have bad things happen and unfortunately, bad things are gonna happen in our sport and in the game and man, do you have enough mental toughness to be able to show your talent through that?,” he says. “So I think those are things for us that that’s maturity. That’s what you see sometimes with a young football team is you don’t have maybe the bank reps in equity to handle. You know, all that comes with you..”
He says the one good thing about the injuries and setbacks is they allowed more players to step in. “You know you see a little bit more mature football team you see a team that you know has certainly have banked reps and have banked equity from you know last year to where we are this year right now,” Campbell says. Campbell says the running backs are one area where they have put in the work in the offseason. “Those guys should physically evolve and then you know do they mentally you know grow as well, do they take their game to where now it’s not just talent that player is becoming a great football player, that guy shows up every game and his talent he plays to what his talent has the ability to show,” Campbell says.
He says sophomore Abu Samma is one example of a player who has gotten bigger during the offseason after breaking out near the end of last year. Iowa State opens the season August 31st in Ames against North Dakota.