AMES - Iowa State is about to open training camp on Wednesday, and the first look at Jimmy Rogers’ Cyclones will come with a roster that has been turned over almost from top to bottom.
Rogers takes over for Matt Campbell, Iowa State’s winningest coach, heading into the 2026 season after a chaotic offseason that left the program with 55 players gone to the transfer portal and roughly 50 newcomers arriving to fill the gaps. That influx includes 15 transfers from Washington State, where Rogers coached in 2025, plus about 25 more from non-Power Conference schools. The Cyclones also lost close to 40 players overall to Power Conference programs, among them 24 who ended up at Penn State with Campbell’s staff.
That level of churn has dragged down outside expectations. Iowa State is now being projected near the bottom of the Big 12, and its season win total sits at 4.5 after FanDuel had it at 5.5 in mid-June.
Still, Rogers isn’t backing away from the challenge. At Big 12 Football Media Days, he said, "I think when you have so much roster overhaul, I think it's hard for people to believe that it's doable," Rogers said about his team while at Big 12 Football Media Days.
"For me, I feel like we're so much further along than what we were at Washington State at this time with the connection of the team, with scheme and overall understanding. And this team has been really willing and bought into the process in which it takes to have success.
So, I do believe the future is bright."
Now the real evaluation begins. Wednesday’s first practice of camp will offer the first glimpse of who’s lining up where, and this projection points to the players most likely to sit atop the depth chart in Practice 1 - and possibly when Iowa State opens the season against Southeast Missouri State on September 5.
Rogers summed up his outlook this way: "I am excited about the roster that we've assembled," Rogers said. "And I do believe that we're going to have the opportunity to go prove our truth."
In Other News...
Iowa State Is Betting On Chemistry As Portal Buzz Keeps Growing
A new eligibility rule has sent ripples through college basketball, giving athletes five years to play five seasons and extending that window for players in the high school class of 2022 after a court ruling. The result has been a busier transfer portal than usual, with guard Dug McDaniel among the names drawing interest from multiple programs, including Iowa State.
Still, the Cyclones do not appear eager to join the late rush. With 14 players already on the roster, Iowa State is leaning into the chemistry and depth it has built rather than chasing extra bodies, a sign the staff believes continuity may matter more than adding another portal piece at this stage. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa States New Frontcourt Look Comes With One Big Summer Question
Iowa States summer work has been centered on reshaping the frontcourt, with T.J. Otzelberger leaning into a bigger, more physical look around sophomores Dom Pleta and Blake Buchanan. The staff is also working in transfer Taj Manning as the Cyclones sort through what this new rotation can become, giving the group a different feel as it tries to add size and presence inside.
The one lingering variable is Ryan Prather Jr., whose summer has been slowed while he recovers from a hip injury. His status matters because Iowa State has clear plans for what he can add once he is fully back, and his availability will help determine how quickly this new frontcourt identity can settle in before the season begins. [Read more 🡒]