Peterson: From Iowa State's Matt Campbell to Mike Leach, last week was interesting

I see Matt Campbell hasn’t publicly identified a new offensive line coach, and that quarterbacks coach Joel Gordon has re-joined Alex Golesh at South Florida.

And about that 2023 Big 12 football schedule? Certainly it would be released by the time I returned from a week-long break, also known as mandated furlough, right?

It wasn’t, and the reason could have something to do with The Defectors and the Big 12 negotiating an early release. And speaking of that 14-team schedule for next season, don’t be surprised if Iowa State against BYU is an annual thing.

More:Iowa State football QB coach Joel Gordon steps down, accepts same job with USF

Also while doing things that weren’t work-related ...

• No Cyclones player, at least that I know of, entered the transfer portal last week. Seven have declared to be looking for different places, compared to 11 at this time in 2021. On the portal's positive side, running back Arlen Harris is transferring in from Stanford.

• I can’t say I expected to see many other portal players transferring during the past few days for Campbell’s eighth season, but it certainly wouldn’t have surprised me. There’s still plenty of time for that. It’s common for players to evaluate their options once the early signing period has expired. The current signing period starts Wednesday, by the way.

• Has any Iowa State winter sports athlete made a bigger splash than hoopster Stephanie Soares? Should be a fun Big 12 season for Bill Fennelly’s squad, that’s for sure. The conference opener is at Texas Tech at 2 p.m. on Dec. 31.

• I caught the Cyclones’ men's and women's basketball teams on TV Sunday. Nice to see Tre King’s successful debut after sitting out the past 20 months to satisfy NCAA transfer requirements. His first basket was a dunk from the baseline, and the crowd seemed to love it. The 6-foot-7 forward scored 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting. He logged 16 minutes. "It was a long time coming,” the senior told reporters. “A lot of long days and long nights. But playing in Hilton for the first time, it was great." He can finish physical plays around the basket. He looks like a perfect fit at the four of the five positions.

• We’ll find out during a Tuesday morning media session at Hilton Coliseum if Osun Osunniyi will play in Wednesday’s 6 p.m. home game against Omaha. He injured his lower leg on Sunday.

What else did I miss?

• Did Campbell hire Boise State’s Reid Kagy to replace strength coach Dave Andrews? I saw that someplace. We'll probably find out for sure later this week.

• TCU star quarterback Max Duggan, who played his grass roots football at Council Bluffs’ Lewis Central High School, is opting out of what would be his final season of eligibility. He’s entering the NFL draft. After finishing No. 2 in Heisman Trophy balloting, he’s got nothing left to prove at the college level.

And yes, I would have written something about Mike Leach’s passing had I been working last week, instead of whatever else one does while watching the busy world of college athletics fly by. I already miss the Mississippi State coach who died last week. He never took himself too seriously. He saw the big picture, not just the nuts and bolts of the football coaching business in which he was a rock star.

He fathered the Air Raid offense while assisting Hal Mumme at Iowa Wesleyan in Mount Pleasant between 1989-91.

A couple days before Iowa State hooked up with Leach’s Washington State team in the 2018 Alamo Bowl, he had this to say about Iowans. He said it while sitting next to Campbell on the podium at the coaches’ pregame press conference.

More:Mike Leach praises Iowa State's success and has parenting advice for Matt Campbell

“Outstanding people in Iowa,” he told a room full of reporters in his characteristic short, broken sentences. “Very down-to-earth people in Iowa. It was a great place to be. I was in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, of course, Iowa Wesleyan College. Of course, every town has some unique thing, unique place, unique story. Iowa is kind of a fascinating place.“It was kind of funny, Iowans love Iowa. There's actually a great book, I think it's called "Breakfast in America" (actually it's "Made in America," but we get the point), by Bill Bryson, and he's from Iowa. He talks about Iowa and his travels across the U.S.”

Leach went on to mention that Iowans like Disney World and Mickey Mouse.

“Then when it was time to go, they'd be at the airport a couple of hours before the plane left. They're on the plane, get back (home), and then they go to the Maid-Rite.

“People are enthusiastic about (Iowa). It was a captivating place.”

Leach was always the smartest person in the room. To me, the only current coach with that cred is West Virginia basketball coach Bob Huggins.

Iowa State columnist Randy Peterson is in his 51st year writing sports for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at rpeterson@dmreg.com, and on Twitter @RandyPete

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: From Iowa State's Matt Campbell to Mike Leach, recapping last week