Jets Coaching Candidate of the Day: Matt Campbell

With Todd Bowles likely on the way out at the end of the season, we are going to take a look at some of the potential candidates to replace him. Whenever we do something like this, there are some typical criticisms that always pop up like, “Why profile this guy? He stinks!” and “He won’t be interested.” We aren’t just profiling the good candidates or suggesting these people are all likely to take the job. We are simply looking at people the Jets could reasonably expected to call.

Today’s candidate: Matt Campbell

Category: College Coach

Current Job: Iowa State Head Coach

Years of NFL Coaching Experience: 0

Head Coaching Experience: Toledo (2012-2015); Iowa State (2016-present)

Pros:

• 53-33 career record as a head coach.
• Three-time conference coach of the year in seven season as a head coach, including back-to-back awards in the Big XII.
• Has shown an ability to do more with less. Iowa State is one of the toughest places to win in college football’s Power Five conferences because of how difficult it is to get talent. Campbell has them in the top 25.
• Shown a willingness to make bold changes. Once totally changed his defensive scheme midseason. This year a quarterback change helped turn Iowa State’s season around.
• Known for his ability to command a locker room.
• Wildly respected despite lack of pro experience. The Patriots once tried to hire him.

Cons:

• No NFL experience.
• No experience in a high profile job.
• Not a cutting edge offensive mind.
• Relatively unknown.

The Bottom Line:

After the job he has done at Iowa State, Campbell is generating plenty of buzz for a big job such as a potential opening at Ohio State or with the Browns’ vacancy.

I’m not sure whether he will be on the Jets’ radar, but he certainly seems to have a lot of fans in the college and pro ranks. This wouldn’t be a particularly splashy option, but it could be a case of being ahead of the curve and hiring somebody good before he becomes a household name.

I couldn’t tell you with certainty how well Campbell would translate from Iowa State to the NFL, but I would keep an open mind if this was the eventual hire.

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