Ross Watson Brings Edge, Energy, and a Whole Lot of Toughness to Iowa State’s New Defensive Staff
There’s something unmistakably intense about Ross Watson the moment he walks into a room - the shaved head, the salt-and-pepper beard, the tattoos that tell stories of a football life lived with grit. But it’s not just the look.
It’s the mindset. It’s the way he talks about the game.
Raw. Real.
And above all, tough.
Watson is the new SAM linebackers and nickelbacks coach at Iowa State, also holding the title of defensive passing game coordinator. He’s the only coach on the Cyclones’ revamped defensive staff who hasn’t previously worked with new head coach Jimmy Rogers at South Dakota State or Washington State - and he’s perfectly fine with that. In fact, he embraces it.
“I like being one of the new guys, ‘cause I’m with the players,” Watson said. “I’m in the same boat they are, figuring out, ‘How do I get to the cafeteria?
Where is that, you know?’ This week, I got to the office with no GPS, so I’m fired up about that.”
That blend of humility and humor is part of Watson’s charm. But don’t mistake it for softness.
His coaching philosophy is rooted in toughness - a word he comes back to again and again. And he’s not alone.
The entire defensive staff is speaking the same language, even if their paths to Ames have differed.
Defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbit, who also coaches the linebackers, has a clear vision for the unit: play within the rules, be fundamentally sound, and bring the violence. Not reckless, undisciplined violence - but the kind that wears opponents down over four quarters.
“Whether you win a rep, or you lose a rep, you pop right back up and you let them know you’re gonna be bringing it the next play,” Bobbit said. “You’re not always gonna be perfect. You are not gonna win every single battle, but you’d better have the mindset that you’re going to win the next one.”
That mindset - relentless, physical, and unshakable - is the heartbeat of the new Cyclones defense.
Cornerbacks coach Mike Banks wants his group to be “the most physical, dominant group in the league.” Defensive line coach Jalon Bibbs doesn’t sugarcoat it either: “You can’t care about the person across from you.” And safeties coach Pete Menage, a Rock Rapids native, sees a room full of eager, hard-nosed players ready to make their mark.
“It’s gonna be an exciting room,” Menage said. “It’s a bunch of good kids who want to play hard, and are excited about Cyclone football.”
Watson shares that excitement. And while he’s new to Rogers’ staff, he’s not new to Iowa State’s broader football family.
He played at Division III powerhouse Mount Union, where he was teammates with former ISU head coach Matt Campbell. Watson got his first coaching shot there in 2006 - just days after Campbell had left.
Later, in 2016, he joined Toledo’s staff as safeties coach - again, just after Campbell departed for Ames.
“Campbell and I were teammates,” Watson said. “Heacock recruited me in high school when he was at Youngstown State.”
That’s Jon Heacock, the now-retired ISU defensive coordinator and architect of the Cyclones’ signature 3-3-5 defense - a system that helped Iowa State punch above its weight in the Big 12 for years. Watson respects both Campbell and Heacock deeply. But he’s not shy about wanting to raise the bar.
“I want to outdo Matt Campbell,” Watson said. “That’s a big driving factor for me.
I’ve got some pettiness in me and I let that come out sometimes and I shouldn’t - but I say that lovingly. Like, we were teammates.
We won a national championship together. … We’re competitive, and he would be the same way - he would be saying the same things.
That’s what makes it exciting.”
That competitive fire is what drives Watson. And now, he’s bringing that same edge to a Cyclones defense that’s undergoing a major reset - but one with serious upside.
Under Rogers, Bobbit helped lead South Dakota State to back-to-back seasons as the top defense in the FCS, including a national title run in 2023. One year later, at Washington State, the defense ranked 15th nationally in total defense and racked up 31 sacks.
So yes, there’s talent. Yes, there’s a proven system. But Watson knows none of that matters without toughness - the kind that shows up in the fourth quarter, when bodies are sore and games are on the line.
“Still looking for tough guys who love football,” he said. “You can’t beat that.
My dad and I joke about it all the time, ‘Oh, these gurus, right? Football coaching gurus.’
And I don’t know if this will be printable, but show me your (bleeping) players. I’ll tell you (about) good.
I am really good at coaching football when I’ve got good players. That’s the key.”
That’s Watson in a nutshell - no fluff, no filters, just football. And as Iowa State turns the page to a new era on defense, he’s helping to set the tone.
It’s tough. It’s talented.
And it’s coming for the Big 12 - or whatever the Power Four landscape looks like now. Either way, the Cyclones’ new defensive identity is taking shape.
And Ross Watson is right in the middle of it.