Fitting finish: Knipfel caps Senior Day with wild win against Kansas

AMES – A 41-31 win against Kansas in which the lead changed six times for Hampton native Josh Knipfel during Iowa State University Senior Day was described by him as ‘fitting.’

“I think with all of the seniors, that is the Iowa State way: it’s never easy winning at Iowa State,” Knipfel said of the way his final home game went. “It was a fitting moment. Back-and-forth. The only way we should have gone out.”

Head coach Matt Campbell said that the way the Senior Day game went could have been the emotion of the day, but he didn’t want to use that as an excuse.

“They are excited to just play and I guess that’s a bit of my frustration is the joy these kids get from playing, our precision to detail wasn’t perfect all the time today,” Campbell said at the post-game press conference. “We do these situational drills all the time and I feel the kids have the ability to get it done. Wish I did (know) and if I did, I’d tell you…But Senior Day is emotional. I put that on myself. It was (also) an emotional game last week.

“When you get to the end of the season, all those things can be excuses. But, I don’t want to be that team; I want to be the team that’s getting better every week and has the ability to be its best. Parts of today, we did that.”

The 6-foot-5, 305-pound offensive lineman and one of the captains of the Cyclones shared a long moment with Campbell before heading out onto the field to greet his family.

Knipfel said he was keeping part of what was said private, but added, “I was thanking him for giving me a chance and he was thanking me for coming to Iowa State.”

Among 20 seniors sent off, Knipfel said it was hard to describe what was going through his head as he entered the field for the final time.

“It’s a pretty surreal moment for me,” Knipfel said. “I was one of the kids who sat on the hillside. To walk up one last time, it was a cool moment.”

Campbell took time to talk about all of his seniors, including Knipfel, after the game.

“The thing that is really hard for me is knowing those guys bought into myself and trusted our coaching staff,” Campbell said. “This program, we would be nowhere near where we are at without them.

“I see how much they’ve changed in their…years, how much they’ve grown and the thing I’m most proud of is whatever we finish on the football field is great (but) those guys are going to go on in life and they are going to be great fathers, they’re going to be great husbands, they’re going to be great leaders and ultimately, that is the greatest joy that I see these guys: they come in as young men and they leave as men ready to make a difference and I’m really proud of these guys.”

The Cyclones have one more regular-season game left, a road test at Kansas State this Saturday before they and Knipfel learn where they will go for a bowl game.

“Kansas State is a good team, good culture,” Knipfel said of his final regular-season game. “They are well-disciplined, a good opponent. We’ve got them (to play) and see where we go for a bowl game.”

Beyond playing football at Iowa State, Knipfel said he hasn’t heard anything about furthering his career.

“I’m taking it one day, one game at a time,” Knipfel said. “I graduate in December and we’ll see. I’d like to thank everyone who supported me over the years. A lot of people came to my games and supported me. I appreciated it and my family did, as well.”