AMES, Iowa -- Iowa State defensive coordinator Jon Heacock announced his retirement Tuesday, ending a coaching career after four-plus decades.
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.
The Cyclones immediately named a replacement on Tuesday, with new head coach Jimmy Rogers inserting Jesse Bobbit as his new defensive coordinator.
Heacock was 60-44 as head 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.
Bobbit, who played for Rogers at South Dakota State, served as defensive coordinator at Washington State this season and was named interim head coach for the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl as the Cougars beat Utah State.
"Jesse was one of the most focused players I've ever coached and that has carried over into his coaching career," Rogers said in a statement. "He has a great ability to build a culture within his defensive staff and on that side of the ball. A culture where guys play for each other and hold each other accountable.
"The style we are going to play here will replicate Jesse's personality, his intensity and what he expects on a day-to-day basis."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
