With the UNC Tar Heels looking to replace Mack Brown after the 2024 college football season, there are always going to be names that pop up, with some being more likely than others.
But the most bizarre name to continue to come up in recent days is Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell.
Matt Campbell and UNC Rumors
This week, On3‘s Andy Staples said, “Matt Campbell has been at Iowa State so long — since 2016 — that he probably missed his window as the Hot Young Head Coach during the Brock Purdy era. But Campbell has been a consistent winner at a place where it’s traditionally very difficult to win. Sound familiar? Campbell, whose roots are in Ohio, wants no part of the SEC. He may not want any part of the new Big Ten, but even if he does, the big jobs don’t appear to be opening anytime soon. He might fit right into the ACC, though.”
Also, Athlon Sports wrote, “Campbell has been mentioned for several power conference openings in recent years but has remained at Iowa State. Could North Carolina be a job of interest? Campbell is 62-50 in Ames, including a 9-3 season with a No. 9 finish in the top 25 in 2020. Prior to Iowa State, Campbell guided Toledo to a 35-15 record and posted three seasons of nine victories.“
FanSided’s Keepin it Heel, a UNC site, added, “Now, as much as I don’t particularly like this option, you’d be remiss if you didn’t at least consider him. Campbell has been extremely loyal to Iowa State, but at some point, could Campbell make the jump to another program? Who knows: maybe North Carolina’s opening could intrigue him to start a new coaching journey, looking to build on what he has been able to accomplish at Iowa State.”
An Insult to Iowa State and the Big 12
The notion that UNC is a job that any Big 12 coach would be jumping at is comical. Unless, of course, there are personal or family ties to the region. But otherwise, there’s nothing to suggest that this is a move that would make sense for Campbell, or almost any coach in the Big 12.
Heck, the ACC is the far-less stable conference than the Big 12, and the Big 12 TV money is better, with a great TV contract.
There’s very little reason to believe Matt Campbell, who has no ties to the area whatsoever, would be on UNC’s list. And anyone who is putting Matt Campbell on their UNC list clearly hasn’t followed Matt Campbell, who has turned down much better and bigger jobs than North Carolina. Also, Iowa State has a better chance to be a dominant program in the Big 12 over the next decade than UNC does being a dominant program in the ACC.
Ove the years, he’s been rumored and connected to the Notre Dame job, USC, Nebraska, Tennessee, and Florida, just to name a few. Oh, and there’s been NFL rumors and interest as well.
But time and time again, Matt Campbell has shunned the supposedly “bigger and better” jobs, and signed contract extension after contract extension.
And there’s absolutely no reason to believe that North Carolina, a comparable job, if I’m being generous, is going to be any different.
