Out of all of the decisions that new ISU coach Matt Campbell has had to make in the past two weeks, there was one that he didn’t have to worry about too much. 

Campell officially announced that offensive line coach Tom Manning will serve as offensive coordinator in an interview with the Daily on Tuesday. Manning coached the offensive line at Toledo for the past four seasons and will remain the offensive line coach at Iowa State. 

“It was really easy,” Campbell said. “Between coach Manning really serving a coordinator role at Toledo, I’ll be honest with you, the success we’ve had with our offense, especially within our running game, under Tom’s tutelage. That was tremendous.”

While at Toledo, Manning had a large role in play-calling along with offensive coordination Jason Candle, who was later named the replacement head coach after Campbell left. When Campbell learned of his new job in Ames, he discussed the possibility of Manning heading the new offense. 

“Quite honestly, I think that was my plan from the very beginning of this whole thing,” Campbell said. “I think he knew that. And when Toledo made the decision [to name Candle as head coach], that was really an easy transition.” 

At Toledo last season, the offensive line had lost multiple linemen to graduation, decimating the experience up front. Manning overhauled the line and led a largely inexperienced offensive line that helped Toledo finish 26th in the NCAA in rushing yards.

At Iowa State, the team is losing four impact linemen, including All-Big 12 honorable mention Jamison Lalk. Having experience doing it before, Manning will have another chance in Ames.

“A lack of experience is never an excuse,” Manning said. “That experience was hard. It was difficult. We lost a lot of guys who played a lot of football games for us and played at a really high level. It helps prepare you for what’s next. You know how the progression has to go.” 

Campbell and Manning played one season together at Mount Union in Ohio and Campbell became Manning’s position coach during Manning’s senior season. 

“He is a natural-born leader, and he’s probably one the hottest young coaches in college football right now,” Campbell said. “He probably deserves that. To me, that title of that comes because of how hard he’s worked and really what he’s done both schematically and in a very short time frame.”

Since Toledo has been a run-first offense in the past few years, that doesn’t mean that’s what Manning focuses on. Manning said the only philosophy he has is getting the ball in the hands of the the play-makers, essentially building the plays around players. 

But at Iowa State, the key playmaker just so happens to be the running back, Mike Warren. Warren was committed to Toledo before current-ISU running back coach Lou Ayeni left Toledo two seasons ago. Warren came with. 

“I was praying that somehow Mike would stay with us [at Toledo],” Manning said. “Michael has proven that he can do it at a really high level. We’re excited. I know coach Lou is excited because he’s been excited with him for about three years now.”  

Campbell and Manning haven’t had much time to look at film of their new team because of recruiting, but that is still in the near future. 

“We’re really fired up about it and planning forward,” Manning said. “I’m ready to roll.”