AMES, Iowa – Iowa native and former St. Ambrose head football coach Todd Sturdy, most recently offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Washington State, has joined Iowa State’s football staff as wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator. Iowa State head coach Paul Rhoads made the announcement Tuesday.
“It is a real coup for us to get a coach from Tipton, Iowa who has been an offensive coordinator, a play caller and proven himself as a West Coast recruiter,” Rhoads said. “Todd Sturdy brings all of that to Iowa State as a coach with a stellar reputation based on all that he has accomplished. He has been a PAC-12 offensive coordinator for four years, a head coach for 12 years and a football coach for 22 years with success at each stop. That says it all.”
Sturdy’s 2011 Washington State offense ranked ninth nationally among FBS schools in passing offense. The Cougars were 26th nationally in first downs, 33rd in total offense, 36th in passing efficiency, 41st in red zone offense and 45th in scoring offense.
“I was attracted to this job by Paul Rhoads, specifically what he has done with this program and the direction it is heading under his leadership,” Sturdy said. “Coaching in the Big 12 Conference, a premier league also is a plus. Finally, it is great to get back to Iowa, which is still home to a lot of our family.”
Sturdy joined the WSU staff in 2008 after serving as offensive coordinator at Eastern Washington during the 2007 season.
During his one year at EWU the Eagles went 9-4 and reached the 2008 FCS quarterfinals before falling to eventual champion Appalachian State. Sturdy also guided an offense that set school records for pass completions (287) and touchdown passes (36). EWU finished the 2007 campaign fifth nationally in total offense and eighth in passing offense. Quarterback Matt Nichols was named the Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year while wide receiver Aaron Boyce and offensive lineman Matt Alfred each garnered All-America honors, with Boyce being named to the second team and Alfred the third team.
Prior to EWU, Sturdy was 85-40 in 12 seasons as head coach for his alma mater, St. Ambrose in Davenport, Iowa. The winningest coach in the program’s history, his teams won five Mid-States Football Association-Midwest League championships and had a 42-8 league record in his last seven seasons at the helm, including six-straight playoff appearances. In 2006 he was NAIA Region 2 Coach of the Year, with the team going a perfect 10-0 before a first-round, 38-31 double-overtime loss to Morningside in the NAIA Championship playoffs.
His accomplishments at St. Ambrose began in his first season as he guided his team to a 9-1 season with the only loss coming at the hands of eventual national champion Findlay. During his 12 seasons Sturdy coached 64 first-team all-conference players and 28 All-Americans. His players rewrote the offensive school records in virtually every category.
Sturdy began his coaching career after his freshman year of college, taking over the Tipton High School sophomore baseball team in the summer of 1987. He continued to coach Tipton baseball for the next four seasons as the head sophomore coach and assistant varsity coach.
Sturdy began coaching football in 1990 as a graduate assistant for St. Ambrose University while student teaching at Assumption High School. In the spring of 1991 Sturdy was named the director of facilities at St. Ambrose University. He then coached the secondary and special teams under Mike Woodley in 1992 and 1993 and was defensive coordinator in 1994.
In 1995 Sturdy was defensive coordinator at SAU under head coach Chuck Schrader. With seven games remaining in the season, Sturdy became interim head coach and was named the permanent head coach in December.
As a player, Sturdy was a quarterback for St. Ambrose University from 1987-90, while he earned a bachelor’s degree in history education. In 1988 he was named the team’s MVP, and as team captain in 1989, he received the coach’s appreciation award.
Sturdy attended Tipton High School, where he played four sports and accumulated 14 varsity letters. He was named all-state as a quarterback and started at quarterback for the South team in the 1986 Shrine Bowl.
Sturdy and his wife Gina are the parents of sons Keegan Joseph, Carson, and daughter Kenzington.
