Campbell reaches out for some advice
BEN HUTCHENS Iowa State University beat reporter COLLEGE FOOTBALL | IOWA STATE AMES Iowa State's football season kicks off in less than a month.
On Aug.
23, the Cyclones will play Kansas State in Dublin, Ireland.
The matchup in week zero of the college football season counts as a regular season Big 12 game and should have ramifications on the conference title race.
Friday, ISU hosted its football media day featuring head coach Matt Campbell and an assortment of players.
Here are some of the nuggets that will help tide Cyclone fans over until kickoff: Campbell is asking Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots for international game advice In order for the Cyclones to play their best in Ireland and, just as importantly, play well against South Dakota, Iowa and Arkansas State in the weeks following, Campbell is turning to the experts.
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Campbell has also asked previous Aer Lingus Kickoff Game coaches Marcus Freeman (Notre Dame) and former Nebraska coach Scott Frost for advice, but views the NFL model as more of what he'd like ISU to replicate this season.
"It was really good information," Campbell said.
"So those were the guys that I kind of tried to get the most information from.
And again, just trying to pick people's brains.
And we've met with some nutrition teams.
We've met with some sports science teams, on some of those other teams as well, just to try to figure out what are the best ways to handle travel to, travel back, and how do you practice the next couple weeks to really give yourself the opportunity to be your best." What is the story of the 2025 Cyclone team so far? We won't be able to tell the full story of the 2025 Cyclone team until the season ends, whether that will come on Nov.
29 during the final Big 12 regular season game against Oklahoma State or a thrilling bowl or playoff game.
To date, through summer workouts and now that fall camp has begun, has Campbell started to get a feel for what the story of the team will be? "I think I probably said this a little bit at the end of spring ball, like, 'Are we tough enough to be good enough?' And you're going to find out," Campbell said.
In the NIL era of college football, many players are essentially professionals.
Campbell feels that way about junior tight ends Gabe Burkle and Benjamin Brahmer.
"I would say that's what Burkle and Brahmer bring, a maturity," Campbell said.
"They know how to practice.
They know what it takes to be successful.
They're already professional football players.
They'll be that someday, but they're that already in our football program." Burkle finished (a distant) third on ISU last season with 296 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Brahmer was fourth with 179 receiving yards in a season cut short after five games with a knee injury.
They possess a maturity Campbell has seen in previous Cyclones.
He compared Burkle and Brahmer's mindset to receivers Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins, both drafted by the Houston Texans in April.
"I think the one thing that Gabe Burkle and Ben Brahmer bring that Jayden and Jaylin had is, you know, I always said about Noel and Higgins, they're pros," Campbell said.
"How they eat, how they train, how they practice every day.
They were professionals way before they left Iowa State." Ben Hutchens is an Iowa State University beat writer for the Lee Enterprises network.
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