When Head Coach Jimmy Rogers finalized his defensive staff, the blueprint was clear: Familiar faces, trusted voices and coaches rooted in the Washington State coaching tree. But among the wave of West Coast connections stood one exception: Ross Watson.
For Watson, the opportunity represented a chance to test himself at the highest level, even if that meant leaving behind stability and success after 10 seasons at Toledo.
“I wanna outdo Matt Campbell,” Watson said. “That’s a big driving factor for me. I got some pettiness in me, and I let that come out sometimes.”
Iowa State’s new SAM linebackers, nickel and defensive pass game coordinator arrived in Ames after six seasons as co-defensive coordinator at Toledo, where he helped build a unit that ranked No. 4 nationally during the 2024 season.
Watson’s role as the SAM linebackers coach will be central to the staff’s 4-3 defensive scheme at Iowa State, a system new defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbit confirmed the Cyclones plan to run.
The SAM, or strong-side linebacker, plays a critical role in stopping the run, aligning on the strong side of the formation, typically across from the tight end, to set the edge and force plays back inside.
The SAM, while primarily used to stop the run, will pick up coverage on tight ends, running backs and can blitz the quarterback.
Watson began his coaching career at Mount Union (Ohio), where he was a defensive backs and special teams coach.
He then worked at Nebraska on defense for three seasons.
“My wife and I met in Nebraska,” Watson said. “I’ve been taking her further away from this part of the country. And she was fired up to get back here. She wants to be in this neck of the woods.”
Watson’s wife competed for the Huskers track and field team as a sprinter. Watson, a graduate assistant at the time, remembered going up to former football coach and Athletic Director Tom Osborne’s office to ask for permission to date a student athlete.
“He goes, ‘Yeah. Thank you, sir.’ And then, ‘hey, would you sign this football for me, by the way?’” Watson said. “So I got two birds with one stone in that meeting.”
After Nebraska, Watson took a role at Florida Atlantic as the defensive backs coach. FAU was where he first worked alongside Rogers during the 2012 season.
He then coached at Youngstown State and Northern Illinois before finding a home at Toledo.
There, he began as a safeties coach before being promoted to interim defensive coordinator while retaining his safeties coach duties.
Watson fulfilled the roles of co-defensive coordinator, safeties coach and special teams coordinator for his final six seasons at Toledo.
During his 10 seasons on the Rockets staff, the team reached nine bowl games and won the MAC in 2017.
Watson’s defense finished the 2025 season ranked third nationally in total defense and ranked second nationally in passing efficiency.
“I always had a following of Iowa State,” Watson said. “If they were on, and we weren’t playing and I could watch it, I was always paying attention to what they were doing.”
