Completed Event: Football versus #17 Kansas State on August 23, 2025 , Win , 24, to, 21

Josh Runda is in his second season as a Quality Control assistant for the Iowa State defense.
In 2021, The Cyclone defense was second in the Big 12 and ninth nationally in total defense at 310.5, only allowing two teams to amass 350 yards of offense en route to the school’s lowest total defensive output since 1984.
ISU also equaled its season record for sacks (33) and ranked ninth in the nation in passing defense (187.8) to earn a trip to the Cheez-It Bowl.Â
Runda previously was the defensive coordinator at Bluffton (Ohio) for three seasons (2018-21). In the spring of 2021, Runda helped mentor freshman Montez Archer Jr., who was named the Heartland Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year.
A native of Lima, Ohio, Runda spent one season as linebackers coach at the University of Indianapolis (2017) and was the special teams coordinator and defensive line coach at Ohio Wesleyan in 2016.
Runda was a three-time all-conference linebacker at Bluffton, earning his bachelor’s (2014) and master’s (2016) from the school.
Runda played for Iowa State Assistant Head Coach Tyson Veidt at Bluffton.
Coaching Experience
2021- Iowa State – Quality Control/Defense
2018-21 Bluffton (OH) – Defensive Coordinator
2017 Indianapolis – Linebackers
2016 Ohio Wesleyan – Defensive Line
2014-15 Bluffton (OH) – Graduate Assistant