Iowa State seems to be unable to make it higher than about No. 40 in overall recruiting rankings. Is it because of lack of interest from top recruits, or lack of targeting those recruits or something else? How do you think Iowa State increases its recruiting rankings, and do you think it needs to improve? Matt Campbell has done quite well at turning unheralded three-star recruits into all-conference players, although it is becoming much harder to find diamonds in the rough. — Andre S.
I have said this on “The Andy Staples Show” a ton, and I’ll say it here: Iowa State’s staff is among the best in the nation in recruiting. That staff took a roster that ranked No. 57 in the 247Sports Team Talent Composite and nearly won the Big 12. I’m not sure if people fully grasp what kind of accomplishment that is, and that’s the reason I’d take Campbell to be my coach over any of the up-and-coming names in the sport if I were an athletic director.
Iowa State’s 2021 class finished No. 58 overall. And the 2022 class ranks No. 42, though it has only four commitments. I understand if you’re an Iowa State fan and you’re thinking, “How can we not assemble a top-25 class after making it to the Big 12 Championship Game?”
That’s a valid question and a real concern. But the thing I’d urge everyone to always remember is that recruiting and building a program are a slow burn. It takes a lot more than one really good season to build something, and the dramatic recruiting improvement isn’t going to happen overnight.
There is no question that Iowa State has a ceiling. If you look at the 10-year period from 2011 to 2020, Iowa State’s average class ranked No. 57, with a high of No. 46 in 2019 and 2020. You have to look at what the Cyclones have done in the past to create legitimate recruiting expectations for the near future.
We already know Iowa State is a top-tier program for talent evaluation and development. The next phase, of course, is to continue to find those diamonds and gradually improve the recruiting rankings over time. The next step is to sign a top-40 class, keep winning, then sign a top-35 class, keep winning and so on. There is no overnight transformation.
I’d feel good about my team if I were an Iowa State fan right now. The hard part is remembering patience is a virtue all while praying Campbell doesn’t get hired elsewhere.
I have said this on “The Andy Staples Show” a ton, and I’ll say it here: Iowa State’s staff is among the best in the nation in recruiting. That staff took a roster that ranked No. 57 in the 247Sports Team Talent Composite and nearly won the Big 12. I’m not sure if people fully grasp what kind of accomplishment that is, and that’s the reason I’d take Campbell to be my coach over any of the up-and-coming names in the sport if I were an athletic director.
Iowa State’s 2021 class finished No. 58 overall. And the 2022 class ranks No. 42, though it has only four commitments. I understand if you’re an Iowa State fan and you’re thinking, “How can we not assemble a top-25 class after making it to the Big 12 Championship Game?”
That’s a valid question and a real concern. But the thing I’d urge everyone to always remember is that recruiting and building a program are a slow burn. It takes a lot more than one really good season to build something, and the dramatic recruiting improvement isn’t going to happen overnight.
There is no question that Iowa State has a ceiling. If you look at the 10-year period from 2011 to 2020, Iowa State’s average class ranked No. 57, with a high of No. 46 in 2019 and 2020. You have to look at what the Cyclones have done in the past to create legitimate recruiting expectations for the near future.
We already know Iowa State is a top-tier program for talent evaluation and development. The next phase, of course, is to continue to find those diamonds and gradually improve the recruiting rankings over time. The next step is to sign a top-40 class, keep winning, then sign a top-35 class, keep winning and so on. There is no overnight transformation.
I’d feel good about my team if I were an Iowa State fan right now. The hard part is remembering patience is a virtue all while praying Campbell doesn’t get hired elsewhere.
