AMES, Iowa – Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell has announced the hiring of North Dakota State offensive coordinator Jake Landry as the program’s new running backs coach.

Landry spent the 2024 season serving as running backs coach and offensive coordinator for FCS National Champion North Dakota State after two seasons as OC and quarterbacks coach at St. Thomas, which won the Pioneer Football League in 2022 and was runner-up in 2023.

“We are excited to welcome Jake into our program,” Campbell said. “He’s had success at multiple levels, including as an offensive coordinator last year for FCS National Champion NDSU. His experience working with successful programs will be very positive for our offense and our football program as a whole.”

In 2024 with Landry calling plays and coaching the running backs, North Dakota State reached the top of FCS once again. Landry’s offensive unit was the nation’s No. 3 scoring offense averaging 38.1 points per game. It also ranked No. 1 nationally in first downs (361), team passing efficiency (178.66) and fewest turnovers (6). It was also Top 20 in third down conversion percentage (3rd, .545), red zone offense (5th, .933), time of possession (5th, 33:04), fourth down conversion percentage (8th, .682), passes intercepted (9th, 5), rushing offense (20th, 193.3) and total offense (20th, 417.6).

The Bison went 14-2 overall and 7-1 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. NDSU claimed five spots on the All-MVFC offensive first and second teams.

Individually, running back CharMar Brown rushed for more than 1,000 yards and 15 touchdowns on his way to winning the 2024 Jerry Rice Award, given annually to the nation’s most outstanding freshman player at the FCS level.

Landry, a Grand Forks, North Dakota, native, joined NDSU after two seasons as offensive coordinator and QB coach at St. Thomas (Minn.) as it transitioned from NCAA Division III to NCAA FCS.

The Tommies were 2022 Pioneer Football League champions, finishing 10-1 overall and 8-0 in conference play. Due to the transition from Division III, St. Thomas was ineligible to compete in the FCS Playoffs that season.

Landry has also coached at Temple University, Northern Illinois University, the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

He played at his hometown University of North Dakota, starting his final two seasons at quarterback as the team captain.

He received his bachelor’s degree in communications from UND in 2011, while earning a master’s degree in education from UMD in 2015 and a master’s degree in sports management from Northern Illinois in 2020.

Coaching Experience

2025 – Iowa State – Running Backs

2024-25 – North Dakota State – Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs

2022-24 – St. Thomas (Minn.) – Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks

2021 – Temple – Quarterbacks

2019-21 – Temple – Offensive Analyst (Offensive line/Running Backs)

2018-19 – Northern Illinois – Running Backs

2016-18 – Wisconsin-La Crosse – Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks

2014-16 – Northern Illinois – Graduate Assistant

2013-14 – Northern Illinois – Offensive Intern (Quarterbacks)

2011-13 – Minnesota-Duluth – Graduate Assistant (Wide Receivers)