(Radio Iowa) – The man who’s led Iowa State’s football team for the past decade is leaving — and I-S-U has already hired his replacement. Matt Campbell met with players and coaches Friday night to tell them he’s leaving to become Penn State’s head coach. Iowa State’s new coach is 38-year-old Jimmy Rogers. Rogers led South Dakota State to the F-C-S national championship in 2023 and had a 27-and-three record in two seasons as the Jackrabbits’ head coach. He’s been head coach at Washington State this season.

I-S-U Athletics Director Jamie Pollard says Rogers is “a rising star” and “proven winner” in college athletics and has been on Pollard’s short-list ever since he met him the first time. Pollard says during that first visit, Rogers said he wanted to be the next head coach at Iowa State. Rogers has signed a six-year contract with Iowa State.

Rogers says Iowa State has had one of the nation’s top football programs for the last decade and he looks forward to building upon that upward trajectory. Rogers played linebacker for South Dakota State from 2006 through 2008 and joined the team’s coaching staff a few couple of years later. Rogers is the second coach to leave Washington State for the Iowa State job. Jim Walden left Washington State in 1986 and coached the Cyclones for eight seasons.