I gave up a $70,000 coaching job. Spent my life savings to work for free. Slept on the floor while my wife and 5 kids shared 2 beds. All to chase one shot to learn from a college football mastermind. 🧵 THREAD

Tomorrow's game kicks off at noon ET on ESPN. Two of college football's most authentic leaders write the next chapter of their remarkable stories. Follow me for more coach previews this season @ThadWells 🙏

What do you want to know?.

Campbell and Klieman prove there's no single formula for success. But both share the same core truth: authentic leadership and genuine relationships create lasting change. Whether you're coaching football or leading anything else, their journeys offer a roadmap.

Iowa State comes off their historic peak - first Big 12 Championship Game appearance. Kansas State needs to prove they can sustain championship-level consistency. The winner gains crucial early momentum in a wide-open Big 12 title race.

Tomorrow in Dublin, these contrasting philosophies collide. Campbell's transformation story meets Klieman's patient climb to the top. The stakes are high for both programs.

The results speak for themselves. 8 wins in his first season - most by any first-year K-State coach ever. 2022 Big 12 Championship. 28 wins over the past three years.

Where Snyder commanded through authority, Klieman empowers through ownership. "You'll never hear me say 'My football team.' It's OUR football team.". His collaborative approach shaptes the culture.

In 2019, Klieman faced the ultimate test. Following Bill Snyder at Kansas State - a man who turned "Futility U" into a powerhouse. The stadium literally bears Snyder's name.

When Klieman finally got his next shot at North Dakota State in 2014, he dominated. 69-6 record with four FCS national championships in five seasons. Coached future NFL quarterbacks Carson Wentz and Trey Lance.

In 2006, Klieman made his own backwards decision. He stepped DOWN from head coach at Division III Loras College. Returned as a position coach at Northern Iowa to keep learning.

Meanwhile, Chris Klieman took a completely different path. Born in 1967, he spent decades climbing the coaching ladder with uncommon patience. No shortcuts. Just pure apprenticeship.

Now Campbell is Iowa State's winningest coach in history. First 11-win season ever in 2024. Led them to a Big 12 Championship game.

His first few years were brutal. Campbell's Division III grind burned out his teams by season's end. But he learned to evolve his leadership style.

Campbell carried this philosophy to Iowa State in 2016. The Cyclones were struggling when he showed up. Just 5 total wins in the previous two seasons. One bowl game since 2012.

At Mount Union, Campbell learned that culture beats talent. He went 54-1 and won three national championships under Larry Kehres. The lesson stuck: relationships and joy matter more than prestige.

Campbell made what seemed like a backwards decision. He ditched his Division I scholarship to play Division III football. Some would think he lost his mind.

Campbell had just left Pittsburgh where football was miserable. Guys showing up late for team events, if they did at all. But these Division III players looked like they were having the time of their lives.

Summer 1999. A 19-year-old named Matt Campbell stops his black Ford Ranger at an intersection in Alliance, Ohio. What he sees changes everything. 40 Mount Union players walking together after practice, laughing and genuinely enjoying each other's company.

The biggest game of Week 0 takes place in Dublin, Ireland tomorrow. It features 2 head coaches with incredible journeys. Here's their story and a look at tomorrow's matchup. 🧵 THREAD

This is why coaches like @arbuckle_ben are so valuable in the current landscape of college sports. Someone who can be a catalyst to generate momentum can change a program overnight.

Tomorrow morning I'm sharing Arbuckle's 100+ best plays from Washington State. Plus the untold details of his journey that didn't make this thread. Sign up for Tackle the Day to get it!.