Former Iowa State Director of Football Analytics Jace Heacock has joined Penn State football’s staff in a recruiting and scouting analytics role, per the team’s staff directory.

Heacock is the son of Jon Heacock, Iowa State’s former defensive coordinator, who was speculated to take the same job on Matt Campbell’s staff in Happy Valley before retiring in late December.

Heacock first started work with the Cyclones as a student assistant from 2016-19. He then worked as a quality control and defensive assistant in 2020 and as a graduate assistant from 2021-22.

Heacock received a two-week ban from the NCAA in May 2025 after an Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation investigation into gambling at Iowa State from April 2021 to May 2023. Heacock placed 787 bets on professional and college sports, totaling $55,359.

Heaock and four other Iowa State staffers acknowledged their violation of the NCAA’s sports betting bylaws and have a one-year show-cause order through April 24, 2026, according to Sports Illustrated. If any of them were to take a new coaching job prior to that date, like Heacock, they must serve a two-week suspension and attend a yearly NCAA rules seminar. None of them faced any criminal charges.

According to Iowa State’s staff directory, Heacock did not work there in 2023 or 2024. He rejoined the staff as Director of Football Analytics in 2025, and now rejoins Campbell and Co. in the Big Ten.

About the Author

Oscar Orellana

Oscar is a third-year broadcast journalism student from Los Angeles. He's probably at the movies. He mostly writes about Penn State football. Email him at oscar@onwardstate.com.

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