AMES, Iowa – Iowa State head football coach Matt Campbell announced today a number of personnel changes on his offensive staff.
With the departure of Tom Manning to the NFL, Jeff Myers, who was a graduate assistant the last two seasons at ISU, will assume duties as the offensive line coach. Joe Houston was named ISU’s 10th assistant coach as the team’s special teams coordinator.
Campbell also announced that Jim Hofher, who was ISU’s passing game coordinator the last two seasons, will move into a new role as senior offensive analyst/assistant to the head coach. Joel Gordon will replace Hofher and lead the Cyclone quarterbacks after serving as an offensive analyst the last two seasons.
“We are excited to get started with our new offensive staff,” Campbell said. “I have great faith and trust in Jeff Myers, Joel Gordon and Joe Houston. Continuity and trust is important for success of a football program. Everyone is familiar with our program goals and I’ve witnessed the hard work they all have put forth on a daily basis the last two years. Each have earned the respect from our players and we won’t miss a beat as we head into spring practice in a couple of weeks.”
2018 Iowa State Football Offensive Staff
Bryan Gasser- Wide Receivers
Alex Golesh- Tight Ends/Recruiting Coordinator
Jeff Myers- Offensive Line
Joel Gordon- Quarterbacks
Nate Scheelhaase- Running Backs
Joe Houston- Special Teams Coordinator (10th assistant coach)
Jeff Myers- Offensive Line
Jeff Myers is in his third season with the Iowa State football program and his first as the offensive line coach.
Myers worked directly with the Cyclone offensive line from 2016-17 as a graduate assistant, mentoring a pair of linemen who earned second-team All-Big 12 accolades in Nick Fett (2016) and Jake Campos (2017).
The 2017 Cyclone offensive line helped pave the way for a 1,000-yard rusher (David Montgomery) and allowed only 19 sacks to rank 26th nationally, as the Cyclones recorded an 8-5 record and were Liberty Bowl champions.
The Cyclones posted the two-best passing offenses in school history in his two seasons as a graduate assistant: 1. 272.9 in 2017; 2. 258.8 in 2016.
Myers was briefly a quality control assistant on offense for the Cyclones before being elevated to offensive line coach.
A native of Massillon, Ohio, Myers was a graduate assistant on offense at Toledo in 2015, helping the Rockets go 9-2 and win the Boca Raton Bowl. UT allowed just four sacks all season, ranking second nationally.
Myers was a three-year starter (2012-14) on the offensive line at Toledo, starting in 38-straight games. He was a two-time All-MAC selection and was named team captain in 2014, helping UT to a pair of nine-win seasons and two bowl appearances.
The Rockets ranked second in the MAC in rushing (240.6) and fourth in the league in total offense (445.2) in 2013 with Myers anchoring the line.
After graduating from Toledo in 2014, Myers signed a free agent contract with the Cleveland Browns and participated in their mini-camp in 2015.
Myers is engaged to Lauren Best.
Coaching Experience
2018- Iowa State – Offensive Line
2016-17 Iowa State – Graduate Assistant
2015 Toledo – Graduate Assistant
Joel Gordon- Quarterbacks
Joel Gordon is in his third season with the Iowa State football program and his first directing the Cyclone quarterbacks.
As an offensive analyst with the Cyclone staff from 2016-17, Iowa State produced two of the most prolific offensive seasons in school history, averaging 27.7 points in 2016 (ninth in school history) and 29.2 points in 2017 (third in school history).
ISU averaged 421.6 yards of total offense in 2016, the fourth-best clip in the ISU record book, and established the top-two passing offenses in the history of the program (1. 272.9 in 2017; 2. 258.8 in 2016).
Gordon was hired as the offensive coordinator at Division III Ferrum College (Va.) in January of 2016, but left four months later when Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell asked him to assist with the Cyclone offense.
A former college quarterback, Gordon spent five seasons at his alma mater Shepherd (W.V.) University (2011-15), helping the team to three league titles as quarterbacks and wide receivers coach in the second of his two stints at the school. Gordon, who assisted in calling passing plays on gamedays, coached in the 2015 Division II national championship game in his final season at the school.
The Rams were 49-9 and qualified for three NCAA Division II playoff appearances from 2011-15. In 2011, the Rams broke the school record for points per game (43.5), ranking third in the nation in scoring offense.
Gordon mentored all-conference signal-callers Bobby Cooper and Jeff Ziemba while at Shepherd. Cooper broke the school’s single-game passing mark by throwing for 430 yards at Fairmont State.
From 2008-10, Gordon was the offensive coordinator at Emory & Henry, a Division III school in Virginia. He worked alongside former ISU offensive coordinator Tom Manning, who was the offensive line coach at the school in 2008. The Wasps were 18-12 in his three seasons directing the offense.
His first tenure at Shepherd was from 2005-07, helping the team to three conference championships as quarterbacks and wide receivers coach. The Rams went 32-4 and made the Division II playoffs three times.
Gordon’s first collegiate coaching job was at North Carolina Wesleyan as a graduate assistant and quarterbacks coach.
A native of Waynesboro, Va., Gordon was a four-year starting quarterback and three-time team captain at Shepherd from 1999-2002, earning all-conference honors. He graduated with career records in passing yards (7,236), completions (522), total offense (7,677) and touchdown passes (66).
He earned his bachelor’s degree (2003) and master’s degree (2013) from Shepherd. He is a member of the Shepherd University Hall of Fame.
Gordon briefly played professional football as a quarterback for the Richmond Speed (Arena Football 2) and the Wintherthur Warriors, an American football team based in Switzerland.
He and his wife, Becca, have a daughter, Savanna.
Coaching Experience
2018- Iowa State – Quarterbacks
2016-17 Iowa State – Offensive Analyst
2016- Ferrum (VA) – Offensive Coordinator
2011-15 Shepherd (W.V.) – Quarterbacks, Wide Receivers
2008-10 Emory & Henry (VA) – Offensive Coordinator
2005-07 Shepherd (W.V.) – Quarterbacks, Wide Receivers
2003-04 North Carolina Wesleyan – Quarterbacks, Graduate Assistant
Joe Houston- Special Teams Coordinator
Joe Houston is in his third season at Iowa State and his first as special teams coordinator.
Houston was an associate for quality control for special teams from 2016-17, mentoring a pair of All-Big 12 kickers in Cole Netten (2016) and Garrett Owens (2017).
Houston’s work with Netten, a First Team All-Big 12 kicker, was evident. Netten broke the school record for field goal percentage (94.1 pct.) in a season, connecting on 16 of his 17 attempts.
Owens was an Honorable Mention All-Big 12 kicker in 2017, connecting on 77.3 percent (17-of-22) of his field goals for the fifth-best single-season percentage in school history. Owens’ 17 field goals made ranked 37th nationally and tied for third in ISU’s season record book.
Iowa State kickers are 33-of-39 on field goal attempts (84.6 pct.) under Houston’s tutelage.
ISU’s special teams have been phenomenal the last two seasons. In 2016, true freshman Kene Nwangwu averaged 26.35 yards per kickoff return, which ranked 15th nationally and was the third-best average in school history. In the season finale vs. West Virginia, Nwangwu ran back a 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, the third-longest return in school history. Nwangwu was named to a number of freshman All-America teams as a kick returner.
Trever Ryen was one of the best punt returners in the nation in 2016 and 2017, averaging 16.50 per return in 2016, the third-best average in school history. Ryen ranked 20th nationally in punt return average (10.1) in 2017, ending his career with the fourth-best punt return average (13.4) in school history.
ISU’s 2016 special teams units appeared in the top-35 of the national rankings in the following categories: punt return defense (No. 21, 4.40), kickoff returns (No. 27, 23.11) and net punting (No. 35, 38.88).
Houston arrived in Ames after spending the 2015 season as a quality control assistant for special teams at Toledo. In his only season with the Rockets, Houston helped mentor Freshman All-America kicker Jameson Vest.
Prior to his stint at Toledo, the Redondo Beach, Calif., native was an assistant coach at El Camino College (Torrance, Calif.) for three seasons (2012-14), directing the special teams and specialists. He also was a defensive secondary assistant for the school in 2014.
A 2010 graduate of USC, Houston was a placekicker for the Trojans from 2007-10 after an All-American season at El Camino College in 2006. Houston played for Pete Carroll and Lane Kiffin at USC, earning the starting kicking duties in 2010. He led the team in scoring (73 points) and made 10-of-16 field goals and 43-of-43 PATs as a senior.
After graduation, Houston was a kicker in the Arena Football League for the Chicago Rush and Nebraska Danger. He tied an AFL record with 11 PATs in a game for the Rush in 2012
