Iowa State’s quarterback room is still sorting itself out heading into fall camp, and the backup job behind Jaylen Raynor is very much up for grabs.
That’s the picture head coach Jimmy Rogers painted when he spoke with Bill Seals of ON3. Rogers made it clear nothing has been settled yet.
“It’s still working right now. And nothing is set.
These guys have so many days to the end of this. These guys need to compete constantly and need to feel like nothing is set in stone.”
Raynor is set to open the season as the starter in Week 1, but the Cyclones are still sorting through who will be next in line if they need a second quarterback.
One name to watch is Oklahoma State transfer Zane Flores. He enters the mix with Big 12 starting experience from last season, even if the results at Oklahoma State were rough. The Cowboys struggled, and Flores had a difficult year as a freshman, but that experience still gives him a path to the job.
Connor Moberly is also in the race. One of the few players who remained with the program through the offseason turnover, the red-shirt sophomore gives Iowa State another option and could challenge Flores for the backup role.
With so much roster and coaching change already in the rearview, the quarterback depth chart is one of the key spots still being worked out. For now, the Cyclones at least appear to have more than one candidate ready to compete behind Raynor.
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Jaylen Raynor Is Giving Iowa State The Voice It Needed
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For Iowa State, the appeal goes beyond whether Raynor can pick up the system quickly. The Cyclones have been looking for a quarterback who can give the offense a steadier voice, someone who can organize the operation as much as execute it. Raynor is still adapting to the finer points of the scheme, but the early signs suggest he understands the responsibility that comes with the job and the standard expected in this first season with Rogers. [Read more 🡒]