Paul Rhoads

Paul Rhoads is the first Iowa State coach to win six games in his initial season since 1915, when Charles Mayser coached the Cyclones to a 6–2–1 record.

The highly touted defense fell to an overall defensive ranking of 27th out of 119 Division I FBS squads, but did finish 10th in yards per play and 15th in scoring.

Following the departure of Tommy Tuberville at Auburn, Gene Chizik (then head coach at Iowa State) returned to Auburn as head coach.

Rhoads was not retained by Chizik and was instead chosen to replace him as head coach at Iowa State.

Paul Robert Rhoads (born February 2, 1967) is an American football coach.

He is currently the outside linebackers coach at Boston College.

A long-time major conference assistant coach and head coach, he is best-known for his seven-year tenure as head coach at Iowa State.

Rhoads played defensive back at Missouri Western State University.

In his first season, Rhoads was credited with improving the team's defense to their best performance since 1980.

Rhoads was a prep special mention all-state free safety and valedictorian of his high school class at Ankeny, Iowa before lettering for three-years at Missouri Western State University from 1986 to 1988, where he played defensive back alongside Leland Williams.

He graduated in 1989 with a bachelor's degree in economics and was the recipient of the Chris Faros Scholarship, honoring the program's top senior student-athlete.

Rhoads had previously spent time at Iowa State as an assistant coach in the late 1990s and was raised only 20 miles from the school's football facilities.

His father Cecil was one of the winningest coaches in the state of Iowa's history, coaching high school for more than three decades, and was inducted into the Iowa High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame.

Rhoads' contract was reported to be a five-year deal worth $5.75 million that included incentives that could increase total compensation.

Rhoads opened his ISU career with a win over FCS North Dakota State.

He also led Iowa State to a victory at Kent State in his first year, ending a 17-game road losing streak.

Rhoads then earned a master's degree from Utah State University in 1991.

Rhoads began his coaching career under Chuck Shelton as a graduate assistant at Utah State working with the secondary.

After serving in the same capacity under John Cooper at Ohio State, Rhoads received his first full-time position as a defensive backs coach at University of the Pacific in 1992.

The following season, the Pacific Tigers ranked 20th nationally in pass defense, allowing just 152 yards passing per game.

In 1995, incoming head coach Dan McCarney hired Rhoads to join him at Iowa State, where he served as linebackers and secondary coach for 5 seasons.

While with the Cyclones, Rhoads also assisted with the special teams.

In 2000, Rhoads was hired as the defensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Panthers by Walt Harris.

In 2001, his defensive unit ranked among the nation's top 30 in five different categories at season's end.

Additionally, Pitt finished with 38 quarterback sacks.

In 2002, the Panthers defense ranked among the nation's top 25 in an impressive seven different categories.

In 2002, coach Tommy Tuberville offered Rhoads a job to fill a vacant spot for defensive coordinator at Auburn.

Having completed only his second season at Pitt, Rhoads passed on the job with Tuberville eventually hiring Gene Chizik.

In 2004, Pitt ranked ninth nationally with 17 interceptions and Rhoads was kept on staff by new head coach Dave Wannstedt.

That decision proved wise as by then end of the 2005 season, Pitt was ranked second nationally in pass defense (yielding just 152.82 yards per game) and sixth in pass efficiency defense with a 99.36 rating.

In 2006, Sporting News named Rhoads the Big East's best defensive coordinator.

In 2007, Rhoads' defense was among the nation's leaders in various categories, finishing fifth nationally in total defense (allowing just 297.7 yards per games) and third nationally in pass defense (allowing just 167.3 yards per game).

While the team finished 5–7, they ended on a high note by holding then-#2 ranked rival West Virginia to a season-low nine points in a 13–9 victory in the Backyard Brawl, limiting the Mountaineers high-powered offense to 183 yards (292 yards below their average).

However, when Will Muschamp resigned at the conclusion of the 2007 season, coach Tuberville again offered the job with Rhoads accepting to head the 2008 Tigers defense on January 17, 2008.

As head of Auburn's defense, Rhoads also coached defensive backs, as did the Tigers' last four defensive coordinators.

While the 2008 Auburn defense started exceptionally (ranking in the top25 nationally in 6 defensive categories after week 6, including the 2nd ranked scoring defense), the Tigers struggled down the stretch finishing 5–7.

Rhoads was introduced as the Cyclones' 31st head coach on December 20, 2008.

On October 17, 2009, Rhoads and the Cyclones defeated Baylor to end an 11-game losing stretch against conference opponents.

On October 24, 2009, the Cyclones defeated the University of Nebraska on the road for the first time since 1977, inciting his post game speech which became nationally recognized.

On December 31, 2009, Rhoads and the Cyclones capped off their season with an Insight Bowl victory over Minnesota.