Youngstown State head coach Jon Heacock talks to a referee during the first quarter of a college football game against Ohio State, Aug. 30, 2008, in Columbus. Heacock announced his retirement from coaching on Tuesday.(AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato, File)
AMES, Iowa — Former Youngstown State head football coach Jon Heacock and current Iowa State defensive coordinator announced his retirement on social media on Tuesday.
“I’m so thankful, grateful and blessed to have worked alongside some of the finest players, support staff members and coaches in America,” Heacock said in an X post announcing his retirement. “I’m certainly thankful and grateful that God chose me to be the defensive coordinator at Iowa State University for 10 years. Ames, Iowa State, the team, and Cyclone Nation: Man, we all did some special stuff together! Thanks to you all!”
The 1979 West Branch graduate started his coaching career in 1983 as a graduate assistant at Toledo. His assistant coaching stops included Steubenville High School, West Liberty, Michigan and Army before settling in on Jim Tressel’s staff from 1991 to 1996 where he helped build defenses that won three NCAA I-AA championships.
Heacock, 65, departed YSU to serve as Indiana’s defensive coordinator from 1997 to 1999 before returning as the Penguin defensive coordinator in 2000. After Tressel was hired to take over at Ohio State, Heacock was promoted to head coach and led the Penguins to a 60-44 record from 2001-2009.
Following his tenure at YSU, Heacock was a defensive coordinator at Kent State from 2010-2012 as well as a defensive backs coach at Purdue in 2013. In 2014 he joined Matt Campbell’s staff at Toledo and later followed him to Iowa State in 2016.