Iowa State Football’s Roster Reset: Jimmy Rogers Embraces a New Era, Starting with the Backfield
AMES - If you’re looking for a single moment that defines the start of the Jimmy Rogers era at Iowa State, circle the calendar between January 2 and January 20. In just under three weeks, the Cyclones’ football roster underwent a transformation that’s hard to overstate.
More than 50 players exited via the transfer portal, and roughly 45 new faces arrived to take their place. That’s not just a roster tweak - that’s a full-blown rebuild.
Now, as Iowa State turns the page to 2026, the team is sitting at around 105 players. That number tells part of the story. The real intrigue lies in how Rogers and his staff will mold this new-look squad into a cohesive, competitive unit.
“It means you have to make the most out of what this roster is,” Rogers said in a recent conversation. “And there’s no turning back.
You can’t say, ‘Well, this guy’s going to be better than this guy.’ It’s none of that.
You have what you have.”
That’s a coach embracing the reality of modern college football. The transfer portal has rewritten the rules, and Rogers isn’t wasting time wishing for what could’ve been. He’s focused on what is - and that starts with evaluating every inch of this new roster.
Over the coming days, Iowa State’s staff will be deep in the weeds, position by position, breaking down who’s gone, who’s arrived, and who’s grinding through winter workouts in Ames right now as spring practice looms. And where better to start than the backfield - the heartbeat of any offense.
The running back room is always a tone-setter. It’s a position that demands physicality, vision, and trust. And with so much turnover across the board, the Cyclones will be leaning heavily on whoever emerges in that group to stabilize the offense early.
There’s no easing into this rebuild. Rogers knows it.
The staff knows it. And soon, the players - both new and returning - will feel it too.
The 2026 season isn’t waiting for anyone to get comfortable. Iowa State’s next chapter is already underway, and it starts with a roster that’s been flipped on its head.
Stay tuned as we dive into each position group, starting with the running backs, to see how this new-look Cyclones team is shaping up for the road ahead.