Iowa State’s offense is getting a new look this fall, and Tyler Fortenberry could wind up being one of the more important pieces in the mix.
With Jimmy Rogers taking over and a wave of players gone through the transfer portal, the Cyclones are working through a roster that looks very different from the one they had under Matt Campbell. That kind of turnover makes fall camp especially important, because the staff is still figuring out how the pieces fit and which new additions can help right away.
Fortenberry arrived as one of those additions, and the expectations are easy to see. The senior tight end is the likely starter at the position, which puts him in line for a major role in his first season with Iowa State. He also comes in from Arkansas State with quarterback Jaylen Raynor, and that connection could matter from the jump.
That familiarity gives Fortenberry a chance to settle in quickly while Raynor adjusts to life as the starter. In an offense full of new faces, having a quarterback who already knows where his tight end likes the ball can be a real advantage. It may also make Fortenberry one of the more trusted targets in the passing game.
Last season at Arkansas State, Fortenberry finished with 32 receptions, 294 receiving yards, and two receiving touchdowns. Those numbers give Iowa State a baseline for what he can bring, and if the chemistry with Raynor carries over, he could be in line for a strong season.
For now, the key is how quickly the offense comes together during camp. If Fortenberry and Raynor click the way Iowa State is hoping, the tight end should have plenty of chances to make an impact.
In Other News...
Gene Chizik Still Defines A Painful Era Iowa State Outgrew
Matt Campbells departure after 10 seasons sent Iowa State into a familiar kind of offseason upheaval, only this time the ripples felt even larger. He left for Penn State and took much of the staff and roster with him, leaving the Cyclones facing a rebuild without a returning starter and forcing the program to confront just how much of its recent identity had been tied to one coach.
For longtime fans, the new uncertainty still sits in the shadow of Gene Chizik, whose two-year run in Ames ended with a 5-19 record before he moved on to Auburn and later won a national championship there. Paul Rhoads and Campbell both helped Iowa State move forward in different ways, with Campbell in particular lifting the program well beyond where it had been, but the old pain never fully disappears when a coaching change reopens the question of how much ground still has to be made up. [Read more 🡒]