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AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State has hired former Toledo defensive coordinator Jon Heacock to run the Cyclones defense.
First-year coach Matt Campbell announced Tuesday that Heacock, a former head coach at Youngstown State and an assistant of Campbell's with the Rockets, will be Iowa State's defensive coordinator and safeties coach next season.
Heacock was Indiana's defensive coordinator from 1997-99 and assumed the top job with Youngstown State in 2001. Heacock was with Youngstown until 2009. He later spent two years running the defense at Kent State.
The Rockets topped the Mid-American Conference at just 20.8 points allowed last season under Heacock's leadership. Toledo also led the league in rushing defense at 114 yards per game.
Heacock served as Campbell's assistant head coach the past two seasons, helping Toledo win 19 games and reach a pair of bowl games. He also spent six seasons as the defensive coordinator at Youngstown State under future Ohio State coach Jim Tressel.
"It's simple to sum up what Jon will bring to our defense; experience and passion," Campbell said. "If you see what he did in building Kent State's defense and what he did at Toledo, you know the quality of a defensive coordinator we are getting. He's also got experience as a head football coach and he is a guy that will bring a great pedigree."
Heacoack and Tom Manning, Iowa State new offensive coordinator, were among the Rockets staffers Campbell has brought to Ames.
Iowa State was eighth in the Big 12 with 32.7 points allowed per games last season, and it gave up at least 45 points four times. That was part of the reason the Cyclones fired coach Paul Rhoads after seven seasons and brought in Campbell in December.
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