Tyler Roehl Returning As Offensive Coordinator

AMES, Iowa – Tyler Roehl is returning to Iowa State as offensive coordinator after a one-year stint with the Detroit Lions. Roehl previously served as assistant head coach and running backs coach for the Cyclones during their record-setting 2024 season.

Roehl will stay with the Lions through their final game, including the National Football League Playoffs, if applicable.

Roehl, a West Fargo, North Dakota native, helped the Cyclones to an 11-3 season, a Big 12 Championship game appearance and a Pop-Tarts Bowl championship in his lone season in Ames before coaching the Lions' tight ends this season. ISU finished the 2024 season ranked No. 15 nationally.

Roehl and Iowa State head coach Jimmy Rogers have competed against each other both as players and coaches at NDSU and South Dakota State, respectively.

"I've competed against Tyler, I've coached against him," Rogers said. "He's the ultimate competitor and having gone against him as a coach I know he has the mindset and leadership to help our offense be successful.

"His offenses are known for creativity, innovation and toughness, and as a former defensive coordinator, I know how hard those offenses were to prepare for when we competed against one another."

For the Lions this season, Roehl's top two tight ends Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright have combined for 54 receptions for 597 yards and five touchdown catches.

Roehl, who spent five seasons as North Dakota State's offensive coordinator before coming to Ames, led a Cyclone rushing attack that had 27 touchdowns on the ground, tied for the fourth-most in school history. It was an increase of 14 rushing touchdowns, while ISU pounded the ground for 2,247 yards, 688 yards more than the previous season.

Individually, Carson Hansen had 13 rushing touchdowns, becoming the ISU's first non-QB outside NFL stars David Montgomery and Breece Hall to rush for 10 touchdowns in a season since 2005.

While he was on staff, Iowa State averaged 31.1 points per game, the fifth-best mark in program history, while its 416.2 total yards was the eighth best per game average.

Roehl joined the Cyclones in 2024 after being named Tennessee State's associate head coach and offensive coordinator in January following a successful tenure at North Dakota State.

Roehl won seven FCS national titles and eight Missouri Valley Football Conference titles with the Bison.

In total, Roehl spent 11 years at NDSU, including five as play caller for the Bison. NDSU reached the FCS National Championship game three times, winning titles in 2019 and 2021 when Roehl was in charge of the offense. He also coached the tight ends and fullbacks for NDSU.

As coordinator in 2023, his final season at his alma mater, NDSU had one of the most prolific offenses in FCS. The Bison led the nation in rushing yards (3,560), rushing touchdowns (47) and overall touchdowns (74). In his five seasons leading the offense, NDSU ranked among the top five nationally in rushing offense four times and paced the nation in rushing touchdowns in three-straight seasons.

He coached five FCS All-Americans and 11 players who combined for 15 all-conference honors.

In his first season as offensive coordinator in 2019, the Bison scored 38 of their 80 total touchdowns on plays of 20 or more yards, including 15 touchdowns of 50-plus yards. Quarterback Trey Lance won the Walter Payton Award that season as NDSU was among the nation's leaders in scoring offense, total offense and rushing offense.

Roehl was named to the 2020 class of the American Football Coaches Association's 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute.

Roehl was a standout player for NDSU, rushing for 2,512 yards and being named a two-time CSC Academic All-American. He signed with the Seattle Seahawks in 2009 as an undrafted free agent.

He was a Sports Network and Associated Press second team FCS All-American in 2007, rushing for 1,431 yards and 21 touchdowns. He ran for a school-record 263 yards in a win over Minnesota and led the Great West Football Conference in rushing, scoring and all-purpose yards.

Roehl graduated from NDSU in 2009 with a bachelor's degree in physical education and earned a master's degree in health, nutrition and exercise science in 2014.