Iowa State Football 2026 Preview: How Fast Can Jimmy Rogers Rebuild a Gutted Roster?

Iowa State is essentially starting from scratch after Matt Campbell left for Penn State and much of the roster followed him out the door. Jimmy Rogers takes over with roughly 60 new players and as many as 16 new starters, many arriving from the Group of Six, FCS and Division II levels. Arkansas State transfer Jaylen Raynor is the new quarterback, bringing plenty of experience and mobility but also 21 interceptions over the last two seasons. The plan appears to be a more controlled offense built around motion, play action, quick throws and a running game featuring Aiden Flora and Cameron Pettaway rather than asking Raynor to throw it all over the field.

The changes are just as dramatic defensively, where Iowa State is moving away from Jon Heacock’s familiar 3-3-5 and toward Jesse Bobbit’s 4-2-5 with more pressure expected from the front four. There are intriguing pieces along the defensive line, but the back seven, overall talent level and sheer amount of roster turnover make this feel much more like Year 0 than a normal coaching transition. Jimmy Rogers impressed us during his brief run at Washington State, but can even a good coach overcome this much change immediately in the Big 12?

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