Daily Staff

Iowa State has named Paul Rhoads its new head football coach.

Rhoads comes to Iowa State after spending 2008 as Auburn’s defensive coordinator. An Ankeny native, Rhoads spent 1995-99 as an assistant coach under Dan McCarney at Iowa State. He was at Pittsburgh from 2000-07 before his season at Auburn.

His hiring caps a whirlwind week for the ISU athletics department after finding out last Saturday that former-ISU coach Gene Chizik was taking the head coaching job at Auburn. Now, a former Auburn assistant will take over at Iowa State.

“During our exhaustive interview process, he was the one candidate that clearly demonstrated both extensive experience and extreme passion for and familiarity with our institution,” athletics director Jamie Pollard said in a press release on Saturday. “In addition, and most importantly, he also has a comprehensive plan for how to be successful at Iowa State. He is a great fit for our institution.”

This is Rhoads’ first head-coaching job.

“It has been a professional goal of mine to become a head coach since my dad introduced me to the game as a kid and I could not have found a more perfect place than Iowa State,” Rhoads said in the press release.

Rhoads’ last two teams have ranked No. 15 in the nation in scoring defense, and fifth in total defense. He was named the Big East Conference’s best defensive coordinator by the Sporting News two years ago.

Rhoads was reportedly offered the defensive coordinator position at Auburn in 2002 while he was at Pittsburgh.  After Rhoads refused, Auburn hired Gene Chizik as its defensive coordinator.

Rhoads will speak at a press conference at 5 p.m., and will speak to Cyclone fans at the men’s basketball game Saturday night during halftime.

His contract gives him a five-year deal worth $5.75 million, plus incentives.