Cyclone Football Camps
Offensive Coaching Staff

Bill Bleil
Assistant Head Coach

Remsen native Bill Bleil, who coached with Iowa State head coach Paul Rhoads at Pacific and Pittsburgh, is Rhoads’ first hire. Bleil, who has coached all-star performers in several conferences, including the Big Ten and Big East, will serve as assistant head coach and oversee an offensive position to be determined. He was also the head coach at Western Carolina for five seasons.

“I have coached with Bill at two schools and I know that he is an excellent coach,” Rhoads said. “Bill is a great recruiter and I know that because I have recruited with and against him. His Midwest background will make him an ideal fit for our staff.”

Bleil just completed his fourth season at Akron, where he was the assistant head coach the last three seasons. After overseeing the running backs in his first two seasons with the Zips, Bleil coached the tackles and tight ends in 2007 and 2008.

“Iowa is home to my family,” Bleil said. “The family part of this is important. Even more important however is that Paul Rhoads is a great hire for Iowa State. He is smart, driven and is just what Iowa State needs in a football coach.”

Bleil’s success in producing standout players continued at Akron last fall as offensive tackle Chris Kemme became the first Zip to be a three-time All-Mid American Conference selection. He was just the eighth Akron player to be named first-team All-MAC. Kemme anchored an offensive line that allowed just 1.5 sacks per game in 2008 as the Zip offense averaged nearly 400 yards per contest.

In his inaugural season at Akron, Bleil helped tutor second-team All-Mid-American Conference running back Brett Biggs, the program’s first 1,000-yard rusher since the 2002 season. Biggs finished the season with 1,230 rushing yards, the fifth-highest single-season total in school history, and most since the Zips moved to the Football Bowl Subdivision in 1987. Biggs was also among the top receiving backs in the nation in 2005. His five catches per game ranked third nationally among backs. Biggs’ efforts enabled the Zips to become the 31st team in NCAA history with a 1,000-yard rusher, 1,000-yard receiver and 3,000-yard passer.

In 2006, Dennis Kennedy was tabbed second-team All-MAC, rushing for 914 yards despite missing a game-and-a-half due to an injury. Bleil’s running backs also took care of the football. They fumbled just three times all of 2005, losing just one in the process. Biggs fumbled only once in 284 carries. Last season, Kennedy only coughed the ball up twice in 226 carries, while Andre Walker did not fumble once in 65 carries.

The 49-year-old Bleil spent the 2004 season as the offensive tackles/tight ends coach under Walt Harris at Pittsburgh as the Panthers went to their first-ever BCS bowl game when they took part in the 2005 Fiesta Bowl versus Utah. Rhoads was the Pitt defensive coordinator that season.

He served the 2003 season under Joe Novak at Northern Illinois, knocking off traditional powers Alabama and Maryland en route to posting a school-record 10-2 mark, and one year (2002) at South Dakota.

Bleil also has head-coaching experience, having led the Western Carolina program for five years (1997-01). During that span, he was named 2001 Southern Conference Coach of the Year and led the Catamounts to their first winning season since 1994 with a 6-5 mark in 1998. Also during his time there, he coached current Carolina Panthers running back Brad Hoover.

Prior to that stint in Cullowhee, N.C., Bleil served four seasons at Pacific (1992-95) and two years at Northwestern (1990-91). He was the offensive line coach at both stops before being elevated to offensive coordinator for the final three years with Pacific. Rhoads was also an assistant coach on that staff.

He and his wife Laurel have two children, Kevin (22) and Tim (20).

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Tom Herman
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks

Tom Herman, the architect of one of the nation’s most prolific offenses at Rice University, has been named offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Iowa State. Cyclone head coach Paul Rhoads made the announcement Saturday.

“I couldn’t be more excited to have a coach of Tom’s caliber joining my staff at Iowa State,” Rhoads said. “The staggering numbers that his offense put up at Rice are indicative of his abilities. But, beyond his coaching expertise, I believe his recruiting ties in Texas, familiarity with the Big 12 and his innovative approach to moving the football and scoring points matches my vision for Iowa State football.”

In two seasons with the Owls, Herman’s offenses re-wrote the school record book (nearly 50 records were broken) and helped Rice win 10 games in 2008, including the school’s first bowl game since 1954. The Owls improved their win total by seven (3 in 2007 to 10 in 2008) – the best mark in the nation – during his tenure.

“I am elated to have the opportunity to coach in one of the nation’s best conferences, represent an outstanding academic institution like Iowa State University and work for a head coach with the reputation of Paul (Rhoads),” Herman said. “Now, it’s time to finish off the recruiting season with a flourish and then start teaching.”

As a team, the Owls ranked in the Top 10 nationally last fall for passing offense (5th at 327.8), scoring offense (tied for 8th at 41.6) and total offense (10th at 472.3). Rice was seventh nationally in first downs (309) and 12th in third-down conversion percentage (49.4%). Herman-led offenses broke Rice school records for points and touchdowns in a season both years.

The Owls’ spread attack completed nearly two-thirds (65.6%) of its passes and recorded a TD-to-interception ratio of 48-to-7, second-best in the nation (Oklahoma is 49-to-7 entering its final game). The quick-strike Owls had 30 scoring drives of five plays of less this season and 31 scoring marches of less than two minutes.

Among the players Herman coached were: Jarrett Dillard, who led the NCAA with 20 TD catches in 2008 (and his 60 career touchdown receptions broke the old NCAA record by 10); quarterback Chase Clement, who topped the NCAA accounting for 25.8 points per game; and James Casey, the second-leading receiver in the NCAA with 111 receptions.

Dillard and Casey each registered more than 1,300 yards receiving in 2008 and the Clement-Dillard combination connected for a NCAA-record 51 touchdowns (12 more than the old mark) in their careers. Herman also managed the unique skills of Casey, who twice this fall scored via a run, pass and reception in the same game.

“In studying tapes, I was impressed with the explosiveness of Tom’s offenses as well as its ability to implement so many weapons,” Rhoads said. “Multiple receivers caught many passes, his quarterback ran for nearly 700 yards and his running back averaged more than 90 yards per game the last half of the season. The diversification is impressive.”

Prior to Rice, Herman directed offensive attacks for two years (2005-06) at Texas State and both Bobcat squads led the Southland Conference in total offense. The 2005 Texas State club was eighth nationally in scoring and made a deep run in the school’s first-ever appearance in the Division 1-AA playoffs.

Herman also worked four years as an assistant coach at Sam Houston State, helping them to a pair of conference titles and playoff appearances. The 2004 Bearkats ranked second nationally in passing offense. One of his wide receivers, Jonathan Cooper, was the NCAA Division I-AA Wide Receiver of the Year and three of his wideouts at Sam Houston State earned All-America honors.

The 33-year-old Herman received Big 12 experience at Texas (1999-2000) serving as a graduate assistant with the offensive line on the Longhorns’ Cotton and Holiday Bowl teams. His coaching start came as wide receivers coach at Texas Lutheran, in 1998.

Before the coaching bug hit, Herman worked in television and radio as a sports production assistant in Oxnard, Calif., and Los Angeles and as a highlight coordinator for FOX Sports. He also managed training sites for Adams Course Texas, which aided student-athletes in developing personal goals and leadership skills.

Herman earned his B.S. degree in business administration from California Lutheran in 1997 where he graduated cum laude and was a Presidential Scholarship recipient. As a player, he earned all-conference honors as a wide receiver. Herman, who added a Masters of Education degree from Texas, is also a member of Mensa.

Tom and his wife (Michelle) are the parents of a daughter (Priya Nicolette, 4) and a son (Maddock, 1).

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Kenith Pope
Running Backs

Kenith Pope, who has coached in 15 bowl games and was the running backs coach at UNLV last season, is the latest addition to Iowa State head coach Paul Rhoads’ football coaching staff. Pope’s experience includes two Cotton Bowls, two Holiday Bowls and three Sun Bowls. He has also mentored 15 players who have gone on to the NFL, including Greg Favors (Jacksonville Jaguars), Jason Carter (Carolina Panthers) and Freddie Milons (Philadelphia Eagles).

Pope joined the Rebels last season after five years as the assistant head coach at Texas A&M, where he also oversaw the Aggie running backs his last two seasons in College Station, Texas and tutored the Aggies’ wide receivers in the 2004 and 2005 seasons.

“Ken is well-known and a highly respected veteran in (the coaching) profession,” Rhoads said. “He brings us experience coaching running backs. In addition he has been recruiting the Houston area for 25 years and that is important to the future of our program.”

A veteran of three decades in coaching, Pope also served as assistant head coach/receivers coach at Alabama in 2001-02. Other stops included TCU (from 1998-2000), Oklahoma (1995-97), Mississippi State (1991-94), Oklahoma State (1987-90) and SMU (1981-86). He started his coaching career at Beaumont Herbert (Texas) High School. Among his bowl experiences was the Independence Bowl contest between Iowa State and Alabama in 2001.

“I have been in the Big 12 before and wanted to be a part of that league again,” Pope said. “More importantly, I know that Paul Rhoads knows what it takes to win in the Big 12. He is putting together a special staff of assistant coaches who will do what it takes to win at Iowa State in this league. When (UNLV) played Iowa State earlier this year I had a chance to see that they had some very talented players offensively and that makes me excited to get going.”

A defensive back at the Oklahoma, Pope earned his bachelor's degree from the school in 1976. He was a ninth round choice by the Oakland Raiders in the 1974 NFL Draft and played that same season with the New England Patriots.

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Luke Wells
Wide Receiver Coach

Luke Wells, a former Oklahoma quarterback who has coached the last five years at Louisiana-Monroe, has been named wide receivers coach at Iowa State, Cyclone head coach Paul Rhoads announced Friday. Wells was ULM’s recruiting coordinator the last two years and helped bring to Monroe the Warhawks’ highest-ever rated classes in school history. Rhoads said Wells’ recruiting experience makes him a great hire for the Cyclones.

“Luke brings a great amount of knowledge and experience on the recruiting trail in Texas, especially in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex,” Rhoads said. “His familiarity with the style of offense we want to run at Iowa State and the type of players we need to make it work makes him a great fit for ISU. He also played at Oklahoma and knows what it takes to win in the Big 12 Conference.”

The Louisiana-Monroe offense posted the highest scoring average in the school’s NCAA BCS history last season. Warhawk wide receiver Anthony McCall set a school record for freshman TD receptions in 2008.

“Obviously, this is a great opportunity for me,” Wells said. “To be back in the Big 12 Conference under a head coach with a proven track record like Paul Rhoads and to run the kind of offense we are setting up at Iowa State makes me excited to get started. Coach Rhoads has a great reputation and (offensive coordinator) Tom Herman has already demonstrated the success of his offense.”

In 2007, Wells led a group of receivers that caught 16 touchdown passes. Junior wide out Darrell McNeal received Sun Belt Player of the Week honors after catching two touchdowns and rushing for another against Florida International.

Wells took over the wide receivers in 2007 and mentored All-Sun Belt second-team selection LaGregory Sapp. Sapp led the league in yards per reception with 18.5 on 43 receptions for 796 yards.

In 2004 and 2005, Wells worked with the tight ends and All-Sun Belt first teamer Joey Trappey. Trappey was the top receiving tight end in the league in 2005 with 42 receptions for 425 yards.

Wells spent the 2003 season as a ULM graduate assistant before being promoted to assistant coach.

Prior to ULM, Wells coached wide receivers at Denton High School in Texas, helping his team win the 2002 bi-district championship.

Before that, Wells was a student assistant coach at Oklahoma from 1999-2001. His responsibilities included assisting with quarterbacks and wide receivers, coaching and coordinating scout team defense and special teams, and assisting with recruiting. His work helped the Sooners win the 2000 Big 12 Conference title and national title. The Sooners also won the 2001 Cotton Bowl and participated in the 1999 Independence Bowl.

Wells worked under several outstanding coaches during his time at OU – Bob Stoops, Mike Leach, Mark Mangino and Chuck Long.

Wells earned his bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma in secondary education and did graduate work at ULM.

Wells is married to the former Coby Groves. They have a son, Walker, who was born in February 2007.

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Courtney Messingham
Tight End Coach

Waterloo native Courtney Messingham, a veteran coach of 19 years who played quarterback and defensive back at Northern Iowa, has joined the Iowa State coaching staff as tight ends coach from Missouri State. Messingham, a former head coach at Upper Iowa and offensive coordinator at Missouri State, worked as special teams coordinator and receivers coach under former ISU associate head coach Terry Allen in 2008.

“To get an individual who has been a head coach and a coordinator as our tight ends coach is a great thing for Iowa State football,” Rhoads said. “He knows our state, but he has recruited around the country and has excellent contacts in central Florida.”

Before his latest tour of duty at Missouri State, Messingham coached three seasons at Southern Mississippi. That stint included two years as receivers coach (2005-06) and a season as running backs coach and recruiting coordinator (2007). Messingham's tenure at USM saw the Golden Eagles go to three straight bowl games. He coached on Southern Mississippi’s 2006 Conference USA East Division championship team. At USM, Messingham coached running back Damion Fletcher, the 2007 winner of the Conerly Trophy. The Conerly Trophy is given annually to the best college football player in the state of Mississippi.

“I have great respect for Paul Rhoads and that was a primary factor in my decision to come to Iowa State,” Messingham said. “The opportunity to coach at Iowa State and in the Big 12 Conference was a factor in my decision. The chance to return to Iowa where we have family was also a factor.”

Messingham was head coach at Upper Iowa in Fayette, Iowa, in 2003 and 2004. He was on the Missouri State staff from 1999 to 2002 with one season as receivers coach and three seasons as offensive coordinator.

Messingham was at Truman State from 1995-1999, the last two seasons as offensive coordinator. At Truman State, Messingham coached running back Jarrett Anderson, who claimed the 1996 Harlon Hill award as the nation’s best NCAA Division II player.

Messingham was the offensive coordinator at Iowa Lakes Community College from 1993 to 1995 and offensive coordinator at St. Ambrose (Iowa) University during the 1991 and 1992 seasons.

Messingham lettered four times at Northern Iowa. He and his wife, Carol, have a daughter, Taylor. Messingham is a 1990 graduate of UNI.