Iowa State is heading into a new chapter, and the roster turnover around Jimmy Rogers is going to make this season look very different from the one that came before it. Matt Campbell’s departure for Penn State closed the book on a long run of steady progress, and the Cyclones now have to reset after losing a lot of talent through the transfer portal.
That kind of change usually comes with a step back, and there’s no reason to pretend otherwise. Rogers will need time to put his stamp on the program, and this year looks like a transition season more than anything else.
Even so, there’s a clear place to look for optimism: the running back room.
Aiden Flora is one of the few players who stayed put, and his role should grow significantly after spending last season behind Carson Hansen and Abu Sama III. He didn’t get much of a chance to carry the load then, but that changes now. Flora has already shown value as a returner and on special teams, and Iowa State will be counting on him to handle a much bigger workload as the lead back.
He won’t be carrying the backfield alone, either. Cameron Pettaway gives the Cyclones another promising option after transferring in from Bowling Green. Pettaway is coming off a strong freshman season and now gets the chance to show what he can do at the Power Four level.
There’s also depth behind those two, which matters for a team trying to shape its identity around defense, the run game, and clock control. If Iowa State is going to find its footing under Rogers, the backs will be central to that plan. And for all the uncertainty elsewhere, that part of the roster gives the Cyclones a real reason to feel better about what’s ahead.
In Other News...
Jimmy Rogers' First Iowa State Team Has One Defining Roster Question
The first Iowa State roster built under Jimmy Rogers is starting to take shape, and the middle of the depth chart is where the intrigue really lives. With the program moving on from the Matt Campbell era, the Cyclones have spent this offseason reshaping both the lineup and the staff, including bringing in coaches from Washington State to help guide the transition.
A recent look at players ranked 15 through 11 on the 2026 roster shows why this group matters so much: several transfers are positioned to factor into the rotation, including newcomers from Washington State and Arkansas who could help define the teams identity early in Rogers tenure. The broader question is no longer whether Iowa State has pieces to work with, but how quickly those pieces can settle into roles that make the whole thing click. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa States Backcourt Just Took A Hit It Cant Ignore
Iowa States backcourt is entering a tricky stretch after losing several familiar pieces to eligibility and the transfer portal, and now the Cyclones have another immediate concern to manage. Sophomore Killyan Toure recently underwent shoulder surgery and is expected to be out until January, a setback that removes one of the teams more valuable two-way options just as the roster is being reshaped.
For a program that leans on guard play to set the tone at both ends, Toures absence puts even more on the shoulders of the newcomers. Transfer guard Jaquan Johnson was brought in with a major role in mind, and that importance only grows while Iowa State waits for Toure to get back into the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Former Cyclone Sydney Harris Is Giving Fans A New Reason To Watch
Sydney Harris is starting her professional basketball career in Portugal, where she has signed with Basquete Clube de Barcelos after turning heads at the Eurobasket Summer League. For Iowa State fans who followed her final collegiate seasons in Ames, the move offers a fresh chance to keep tabs on a familiar player whose game was built around shooting and work on the perimeter.
Harris arrived at Iowa State after earlier stops at Central Michigan and TCU, and her latest opportunity gives her a new stage to show the same skills that made her a fit for BC Barcelos. The signing also gives Cyclone followers another reason to check in overseas, especially after her strong summer showing hinted that she could be ready to make an early impact in her first pro season. [Read more 🡒]