Tom Manning is set to return to Iowa State as offensive coordinator, sources told FootballScoop on Friday. The news was first reported by Cyclone Fanatic.
We understand there are still I's to be dotted and T's to be crossed, so the deal is not expected to be official until early next week.
Manning had been a key lieutenant of Matt Campbell more than a decade before spending the 2018 campaign as the Indianapolis Colts' tight ends coach. The pair played together at Mount Union in the early years of this century, then re-united at Toledo in 2009, when Campbell was the Rockets' offensive line coach and Manning a graduate assistant. After a 1-year stint as Mount Union's offensive line coach, Manning returned to Toledo in 2012 to coach the Rockets' offensive line when Campbell was promoted to head coach. He was named FootballScoop's Offensive Line Coach of the Year in 2015.
Manning then joined Campbell at Iowa State, serving as his offensive coordinator and offensive line coach in 2016-17. Manning left to coach the Colts' tight ends this season and was offered a chance to handle the club's offensive line in 2019 but opted to return to Ames instead.
Campbell did not hire an offensive coordinator to replace Manning.
In conjunction with Manning's return, sources told FootballScoop that wide receivers coach Bryan Gasser will explore opportunities elsewhere. We understand Nate Scheelhaase will move from running backs to wideouts, but positional assignments beyond that have yet to be worked out. Joel Gordon coached the Cyclones' quarterbacks in 2018, Jeff Myers managed the offensive line and Alex Golesh served as tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator.
Iowa State improved from 2017 to '18. Though their final record of 8-5 was identical from season to season, the Cyclones spent the bulk of the season in the College Football Playoff's top 25 rankings and posted a program-best 6-3 Big 12 record.
Manning's task will be to continue to mold the offense around rising sophomore quarterback Brock Purdy while mitigating the departures of Second Team All-Big 12 running back David Montgomery (1,216 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2018) and Second Team All-Big 12 wide receiver Hakeem Butler (1,318 yards and nine touchdowns). The Cyclones are set to return eight of their top 10 offensive linemen in 2019, including all five starters.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.
Update> Source tells FootballScoop West Virginia safeties coach Matt Caponi is expected to join the staff as well. Caponi has been on staff at WVU since the 2016 season working with the defensive backs. Prior to that, he was coaching safeties at Arizona from 2013-15. Like Campbell and Manning, he played and coached at Mount Union.