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Iowa State defensive coordinator Jon Heacock retires, ending a coaching career after 4-plus decades

Iowa State defensive coordinator Jon Heacock retires, ending a coaching career after 4-plus decades | iNFOnews.ca
FILE - Iowa State defensive coordinator Jon Heacock on the sidelines during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Aug. 30, 2025, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Matthew Putney, File)

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State defensive coordinator Jon Heacock has retired, ending a coaching career after four-plus decades.

He announced his decision on Tuesday.

Heacock, known for a 3-3-5 scheme with the Cyclones, was a finalist for the Broyles Award that recognizes college football’s top assistant coach in 2017 and was nominated for it from 2022-25.

He was a top assistant on Matt Campbell’s staff at Iowa State for 10 seasons and at Toledo for two seasons. Campbell left Iowa State earlier this month to lead Penn State’s program.

Heacock was 60-44 as coach at Youngstown State from 2001 to 2009, leading the second-tier college football program to the FCS semifinals in 2006 and earning conference coach of the year honors twice.

The 65-year-old Heacock, who is from Beloit, Ohio, started his coaching career in 1983 at Toledo as a graduate assistant. He later was a graduate assistant for the late Bo Schembechler at Michigan and defensive coordinator for Jim Tressel at Youngstown State.

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Iowa State defensive coordinator Jon Heacock retires, ending a coaching career after 4-plus decades | iNFOnews.ca
FILE – Iowa State Defensive Coordinator Jon Heacock talks to the defense during a timeout in the second half of an NCAA college football game against Northern Iowa, Sept. 3, 2016, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Justin Hayworth, File)

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