Aiden Flora’s game is growing as fast as his body.
The Iowa State running back and punt returner checked in at 6-feet even, but he’s added at least five pounds and now sits at 195. Flora said that extra weight isn’t all muscle, either, and he’s fine with that as long as it helps him handle what’s coming.
“It’s gonna be, hopefully, a big season physically, mentally,” Flora explained last month at Big 12 media days. “So I had to train both those assets to be ready.”
The Cyclones are clearly counting on that readiness. Offensive coordinator Tyler Roehl has used Christian McCaffrey as the comparison point for Flora’s versatility, and head coach Jimmy Rogers said Wednesday that Flora will keep a major role in the return game while also being in the mix to serve as the team’s primary back.
That’s a big jump from being a former walk-on out of Adel to becoming one of the central pieces in a new era for Iowa State. Rogers called punt returning a niche job and explained why Flora is the kind of player you want there.
“Punt returning is a niche, right?” Rogers said.
“It’s an uncomfortable position, so we’re gonna play Flora at that position. In years past, I had a safety doing it because he was our most talented player.”
Flora already flashed what he can do in limited chances last season. He averaged 20.6 yards per punt return and took one back for a touchdown. He also turned four carries into 58 yards and a touchdown, and he recovered a punt in the season-opening win over Kansas State in Ireland.
That kind of production has given Iowa State confidence that Flora can do a lot more than just handle special teams. Roehl made it clear the staff sees him as one of two dynamic options at running back, alongside Bowling Green transfer and MAC freshman of the year Cam Pettaway.
“I’m high on Flora,” Roehl said recently. “I’m high on (Bowling Green transfer and MAC freshman of the year) Cam (Pettaway).
Cam’s a good player. We’ve got two really good, dynamic players in there.”
Even with last season’s top two rushers gone - Carson Hansen to Penn State and Abu Sama to Wisconsin - the Cyclones believe the ground game can still be a strength. Rogers said Flora and Pettaway have handled a heavy load, especially with all the work they’re putting in on special teams.
“That running back (group), between Flora and Cam, they’ve done an unbelievable job,” Rgers said. “I’m proud of that group, too, because we’ve started to limit Cam and Flora a lot because they’re in the return game as far as practice. So it’s not necessarily that they’re hurt or anything like that, but they take so (many) reps on special teams because they will be a vital role of that.”
Pettaway brings his own big-play resume to the mix. Last season he averaged 33 yards per kick return and took one 98 yards for a touchdown. He also rushed for 365 yards and caught two touchdown passes out of the backfield.
That shared workload has already built a strong connection between the two backs.
“It’s a big brotherhood because they just took me in when I just came in,” Pettaway - who also rushed for 365 yards last season and caught two touchdown passes out of the backfield - said this spring. “They’ve been super-great guys to work with and we’re always competing, so it’s fun.”
For Flora, the challenge is simple: keep building, keep producing, and keep adapting as his responsibilities widen. He likes the way Rogers handles the roster, giving everybody a shot, and he sees consistency as the key to making the most of it.
“That’s what I love about Rogers, is he gives everyone the same opportunity,” Flora said. “Consistency is everything. If you want to get better, you have to be consistent.”
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