Iowa State football will be looking for its third offensive coordinator in as many seasons.
Cyclones offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase is leaving Ames to become the passing-game coordinator for the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams, Iowa State coach Matt Campbell confirmed to the Register on Monday.
“Nate is going and will do a great job,” Campbell told the Register in a text message. “Honestly, an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. Love him and will miss him, but truly a great opportunity for him!”
The report was initially reported on social media by ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter.
Scheelhaase, widely considered one of the best young assistant coaches in college football, spent just one season as Iowa State’s offensive coordinator. He oversaw significant improvement from a group that ranked among the country’s worst prior to his arrival.
The Cyclones went from 114th in scoring offense in 2022 to 70th last year while moving from 113th in total offense to 79th last season.
Those numbers, too, obscure the improvement Iowa State made in its efficiency as an offense that often prioritized ball control.
They also do not reflect the hole the first-time coordinator and the Cyclones dug themselves out of after a dismal start to the season that evolved into an offense that helped the Cyclones back to a bowl game with seven regular-season wins after a 4-8 campaign in 2022.
Scheelhaase, 33, spent six years on Campbell’s staff prior to his promotion, serving in different capacities such as wide receivers and running backs coach. He also became the quarterbacks coach in 2023, overseeing Rocco Becht becoming a freshman All-American and the Big 12 Conference’s offensive freshman of the year.
Becht passed for more than 3,185 yards and 23 touchdowns while breaking many Iowa State freshman passing records. His 23 touchdown passes were the most for a Cyclone since Brock Purdy threw 27 in 2019.
The development of Becht is especially impressive given he was slated to be the Cyclones’ reserve quarterback. It wasn’t until May when returning starter Hunter Dekkers became involved in the state of Iowa’s gambling probe that Becht was positioned to take over the job.
Scheelhaase was a clear option for Campbell last offseason after the firing of Tom Manning, but the Cyclones may not have an obvious in-house option to replace Scheelhaase.
Noah Pauley (wide receivers) and Ryan Clanton (offensive line) have been with the Cyclones for only one year. Taylor Mouser is Iowa State’s tight ends coach, holds the assistant head coach title and has been with Campbell since 2015 at Toledo, but tight ends coach is not a position group often associated with an immediate promotion to coordinator.
Iowa State has gone a season without a denoted offensive coordinator, with Campbell opting to leave the title empty in 2018 after Manning left for the Indianapolis Colts before returning as coordinator in 2019.
Iowa State already had a vacant position on its offensive staff with the previously announced departure of running backs coach and special teams coordinator Jordan Langs.
The timing of Scheelhaase’s departure could prove difficult for Campbell, with spring practice set to begin soon for programs across the country and with the national coaching carousel mostly coming to a standstill.
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