Iowa State Cyclones Transfer Portal Commit Cannot Wait To Play at Jack Trice Stadium

The Iowa State Cyclones fans at Jack Trice Stadium were a draw for this player in the transfer portal.

Iowa State fans cheer the Iowa State and Kansas football in the senior day on Nov. 22, 2025, at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones are going to have a lot of new faces on the sidelines at football games following the seismic change their coaching staff underwent this offseason.

Gone is Matt Campbell after 10 years at the helm. He accepted the head coaching position with the Penn State Nittany Lions and has been replaced by Jimmy Rogers, formerly of the Washington State Cougars.

With Campbell no longer leading the program, players also chose to explore their options. More than 50 players entered the transfer portal, including 16 starters, which is the most any program lost during this cycle to the portal.

The positional group that was hit the hardest, arguably, was the offensive line. Not only did three-year starter Brendan Black and key member Trevor Buhr hit the transfer portal, but left tackle James Neal III, right tackle Trevor Miller, interior offensive lineman Dylan Barrett and center Jim Bonifas exhausted their eligibility.

Colin Amick looking forward to playing at Jack Trice Stadium

Aug 30, 2025; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones mascot “Cy” visits with fans during their game with the South Dakota Coyotes in the second half at Jack Trice Stadium. | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

With so many players moving on, Rogers and his staff got to work restocking the depth chart. They left no stone unturned, landing recruits from all levels of college football to replace the talent and production that was lost.

Rogers emphasized the offensive line early in the transfer portal, bringing in a ton of talent, which will create competition during the offseason. One of the players who committed to the Cyclones and will be competing for a spot in the offensive line rotation is Colin Amick.

And he cannot wait to play at Jack Trice Stadium, playing in front of the passionate fan base.

“The Iowa State fans bring consistent intensity to game day and create an unreal atmosphere that makes playing at Jack Trice Stadium special,” Amick said to Cyclone Fanatic.

It's safe to say that FCS Freshman All-American Colin Amick is ready to experience a Saturday at Jack Trice Stadium. pic.twitter.com/T0H12OSzv1

— Cyclone Fanatic (@cyclonefanatic) January 6, 2026

He isn’t the only player looking forward to the atmosphere of Jack Trice Stadium, with quarterback Jaylen Raynor also noting how great the atmosphere is.

Amick transferred to the Cyclones from the Montana Grizzlies after a very successful 2025 season. An FCS Freshman All-American last fall, he provides the Cyclones with a high-upside long-term option in the trenches to develop. 

Amick has a strong resume, with how well he performed in 2025, excelling as a pass blocker, with a grade of 71.4 on passing plays according to PFF. Some work remains to be done in the run game, with his 54.1 run blocking grade leaving something to be desired.

There are some talented players he will have to beat out for a prominent spot in the lineup under offensive line coach Jake Thornton. But Amick has proven he has some real talent to work with.