CHEEZ-IT BOWL: CLEMSON VS IOWA STATE

December 5, 2021

Matt Campbell

Camping World Stadium

Iowa State Cyclones

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: The Cheez-It Bowl will be on December 29th. Without further ado, I wanted to bring up Coach Matt Campbell. Coach, appreciate you joining us. Excellent to have you back after being here a couple of years ago with the team. Looking forward to another trip down to Orlando.

MATT CAMPBELL: I will just say on behalf of Iowa State athletics and certainly Iowa State football and Iowa State University, we are beyond grateful to be selected to be back in this football game.

The opportunity to come back to Orlando, the first-class treatment of our football program -- and certainly our fans and our players -- was second to none. So we're honored to be able to represent certainly Iowa State football and certainly play against a football team in a program that we have the utmost respect for, and Coach Swinney, one of the best coaches in college football and one of the most first-class programs in college football. It's an honor to be able to play against them and compete against them.

With that said, I'll certainly answer any questions you guys may have.

Q. Matt, what does playing a team like Clemson, two-time National Champion, been there the last six years, mean for Iowa State and its program?

MATT CAMPBELL: I think one of the things that you're beyond grateful for when you reflect on our program and where we've continued to work to grow to is to be able to continue to play opponents in first-class programs like this to see where you're at, to continue to build your program the right way and play against people who have built it the right way. So I think it means a ton for our program and our university to compete against somebody like Coach Swinney and certainly his program.

Q. Back five years ago, whenever it was, when you recruited the three or four players that are going to play in their fifth bowl game, what did you ask them or tell them in terms of what you wanted, in terms of their loyalty over the years?

MATT CAMPBELL: I think that loyalty is a two-way street in our sport. You know that as well as anybody. I think the only thing I asked of our kids is to have great trust and faith in ourselves as coaches and the ability to come in every day and work really hard to become the best version of themselves they can be, from the day they got here until the day they left here, and I would say one of the great things that this group has done is they've been able to do that. They've been able to persevere through hard [times] and have shown up every day with a sense of purpose to get better one day at a time.

Q. In a world of happy feet from coaches, what's a show that you've been able to reciprocate with them so far on your end?

MATT CAMPBELL: I think there's been a lot of things said. I think, when you go back to my belief system, it's really been your actions speak louder than your words. I think even from my end for the last six years, I've said and followed through with the same actions. I've answered the question of everybody wanting to say or speculate other things, but my sole purpose has been in my job to focus, No. 1, on our football players. No. 2, our staff. No. 3, our fan base. No. 4, the future of our program.

Whether it's been the last week or every day in the last six years, I've woken up with a passionate action to lead our program the right way. So I really think it just comes back to your actions speak louder than your words.

I think we're in a time and a place where a lot of people say a lot of things, but I think your actions are what are indicative of who you are and what you're about.

Q. I wanted to ask, what sort of familiarity do you have with Dabo? Do you have any sort of relationship with him? What were your impressions of what he's been able to do with a program like Clemson?

MATT CAMPBELL: Coach Swinney has been a great resource for me. A couple years ago, I had the opportunity to go down to Clemson, and I think probably for a young coach that I am, I think you're always searching for people in our profession that are doing it the right way and they're leading from the heart.

I think for me it was a transformational experience for myself because of what I saw when I got to Clemson, how I think the kindness and the care and the love and the passion that Coach led with and continues to lead with, and I think that was a huge eye-opening experience of, man, you can lead a football program the right way.

So I would just say for me he's been from afar a great mentor and certainly the time that he's given to me throughout my own career, I've been greatly appreciative of.

Q. I just wanted to piggyback on your last answer to Randy. With Jamie talking on the radio show on Monday said, talking about you, that if there was a job that was the right fit for the right reasons, that might be something you would pursue. You're obviously still the coach at Iowa State. I was hoping you could just explain why Iowa State remains the best fit for you.

MATT CAMPBELL: Well, again, I would say for me building a program has always been my dream, and whether it was at the collegiate level or whether it was at the high school level, to me it doesn't matter. It's always been about people for me. It's always been, I think, about the priorities of, No. 1, my own family. No. 2, I think the people that I get to work with and for. Then No. 3, the purpose of making a difference in the lives of young people. So those are my goals and aspirations.

You know, again, I know a lot of people like to put words in my mouth or assume that they know who I am or what I'm thinking, but I think the people that are really closest to me understand my value system and really what's important to me.

Q. What have your discussions been like with the seniors and maybe the guys that are looking at being draft-eligible, about playing this game or sitting out, as we've seen players do across the country.

MATT CAMPBELL: I think those are all like really good discussions that we'll continue to have. Believe me, the early part of this past week was really kind of to get our own house in order and kind of evaluate where our seniors were going, what they were doing, and what their plans were.

I think the really great, positive thing from my end, almost to a person, is no matter what the future holds for him, I think everybody wants to work this thing out and put a great end to what has been a really great season for our kids.

So my expectation is, if there is anybody that chooses not to play, we'll probably find that out here in the next five or six days, but I would say the bulk or majority of our team will be prepared to go to this bowl game and play.

Q. Matt, how challenging is it with the early signing period with bowl games and the way they're set up to go out there and not only recruit what you need to recruit but then to also be a better team for a bowl game like this?

MATT CAMPBELL: Yeah, I think it certainly continues as things continue to speed up around us. Those are unique challenges, but those are good challenges. I think when you're in a program like ours, where we've been really fortunate to have great continuity, you have built your program the right way. I think you're built to handle the uniqueness of this time of year, whether it is the recruiting process or whether it's helping guide your seniors and juniors to the best decisions for their futures to the preparation of a tremendous bowl opponent.

I think those are all really great problems to have and certainly really good challenges, and we're certainly fortunate to be able to have those unique challenges and opportunities.

Q. Going into the same bowl and facing a storied opponent again, I wonder what are the similarities and differences with your team as you approach this particular bowl in Orlando two years later?

MATT CAMPBELL: Sure. I think the biggest thing from an Iowa State standpoint is really where we are from a cultural standpoint. I would say we're culturally stronger than we've ever been. That part is certainly reassuring and exciting.

I think the similarities of playing a phenomenal program and an elite program and being able to measure first class with what you want to build a program like us. We want to try to build a program first-class like Coach Swinney has done at Clemson. Those are just great opportunities. And those are great opportunities to continue to evaluate and continue to learn and continue to grow about who you are and what you want to become.

I think a lot of similarities and probably some differences. The more the differences are inside our own walls where we are this year in 2021 than where we were in '19.

Q. Obviously, coming down here to Orlando, what kind of opportunities for your players is it to maybe come here, especially without COVID going on as it was last year, to maybe have a little bit of fun, to relax, but also focus on this game as well?

MATT CAMPBELL: I don't know if you could go to a better place in the country than Orlando, Florida, to be able to, I guess, give your players a reward for what they've sacrificed and certainly what they've done. Obviously, I think any time you go to a bowl game it's a balancing act of the enjoyment and the bowl experience it gives you. The focus and the preparation to be able to play a finale to your season at the best of your potential.

I think one thing, we're really fortunate to be in an unbelievable place. Being there years ago, just the experience of Universal and all the things going on around it, it's certainly a tremendous opportunity for Iowa State football to be involved with this great bowl.