Jimmy Rogers takes over as Iowa State head coach in 2026 after Matt Campbell leaves for Penn State. Tyler Roehl takes over as offensive coordinator, while Arkansas State transfer Jaylen Raynor, a three-year starter at his former school, has won the starting quarterback job. The Cyclones must replace all eight of last season’s top receivers. Bowling Green transfer Cameron Pettaway joins a backfield led by returning running back Aiden Flora, while Tulane transfer Arnold Barnes also joins the group. Dominic Overby returns in the receiving corps, while Michigan State transfer Evan Boyd and Tarleton State transfer Cody Jackson join the group. Update (Sept. 21): WR Evan Boyd suffered a season-ending knee injury against Iowa and will miss the remainder of the 2026 season. Update (Oct. 13): WR Carter Pabst is expected to miss the remainder of the 2026 season with a knee injury, adding to Iowa State’s receiving depth concerns following Boyd’s season-ending injury. The Cyclones feature five new offensive line starters, with no players returning who started for Iowa State in 2025.
Jesse Bobbit takes over as defensive coordinator. Iowa State returns only one of its top eleven tacklers from last season: safety Drew Surges, who made three starts in 2025, while the Cyclones’ top nine tacklers have departed. Washington State transfers Isaac Terrell and Bryson Lamb join the defensive line, and fellow Washington State transfer Sullivan Schlimgen joins the linebacker group.
Rob Grande takes over as special teams coordinator after working directly with Iowa State’s special teams the previous three seasons. Kyle Konrardy returns at placekicker after earning three Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week honors last season, while Australian-born Ethan Gurney joins the punting competition. Aiden Flora returns with experience handling both kickoff and punt return duties after earning two Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week honors in 2025.
With a new coaching staff and extensive roster turnover on both sides of the ball, Iowa State enters 2026 facing major change across the program. Season-ending injuries to Boyd and Pabst have further depleted an already rebuilt receiving corps, while the Cyclones continue adjusting to five new offensive line starters and a defense that has replaced nearly all of its leading tacklers.