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USATSI

Iowa State football is making key staffing changes after finishing last place in the Big 12 during a disappointing 4-8 campaign. Offensive coordinator Tom Manning is out after serving in the role for six of the past seven seasons, according to a university release, while strength and conditioning coach Dave Andrews was let go after three years. 

The Cyclones have never been explosive offensively under Campbell, but the 2022 unit hit new lows. Iowa State ranked last in the Big 12 in total offense, scoring offense and rushing offense. The passing offense was middle of the pack due to the brilliance of receiver Xavier Hutchinson, but still ranked second-to-last in yards per attempt. 

"Decisions such as these are never easy because of the impact they have on the lives of individuals and their families, however, in order for us to move the program forward, I felt it necessary to make these changes at this time." Campbell said in a statement. "Tom and Dave are tremendous men who have had a hand in our success over the last few years, and we wish them and their families all the best in the future."

Iowa State finished just 1-8 in Big 12 play, the worst conference record since Paul Rhoads led the program to a 2-10 mark in 2014. The Cyclones finished last in the conference despite fielding the No. 1 total defense and No. 2 scoring defense in the conference, wasting an elite defense for the second straight year. 

Unlike some of the miserable Iowa State teams of the past two decades, talent and production was not the primary issue. The Cyclones lost six of their eight games by one score a year after losing five of six games by a similar margin. The only bigger losses came when Oklahoma scored a fourth-quarter touchdown to cap off a 27-13 victory, and when No. 3 TCU let out some demons in a 62-14 victory. 

Running game coordinator Nathan Scheelhaase, a former Illinois quarterback, was promoted to interim offensive coordinator. A five-year Campbell assistant, Scheelhaase, 32, could be a candidate for the full-time coordinator job. 

Despite the disappointments of the last two seasons, Campbell is still in the midst of one of the most successful periods in Iowa State history. The Cyclones finished first in the Big 12 in 2020 and earned their first trip to the Big 12 Championship Game, where they later lost to Oklahoma. Campbell put together five straight winning seasons and has a 46-42 record in Ames. He is a three-time Big 12 Coach of the Year.

The last time that any coach led Iowa State to three consecutive winning seasons was 1978. That stretch was so impressive that the coach, Earle Bruce, earned the Ohio State job for his efforts. To find the last time the program strung together five winning seasons, one has to turn the calendar back to 1927, the Cyclones' closing stint as members of the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association.