Iowa State 'Still Feels Right' to Class of 2026 Commit Despite Coaching Change

A coaching change has not changed the stance of an Iowa State Cyclones commit in the Class of 2027.

Jan 2, 2021; Glendale, AZ, USA; Detailed view of an Iowa State Cyclones helmet during the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

A lot has changed for the Iowa State Cyclones football team over the last few weeks, which began with the departure of Matt Campbell.

The winningest coach in program history decided to accept the head coaching position with the Penn State Nittany Lions. That led to the Cyclones pivoting quickly, hiring Jimmy Rogers away from the Washington State Cougars.

Once his addition was finalized, Rogers had to get to work on a roster that would be crushed by players entering the transfer portal and members of the Class of 2026 deciding to reopen their recruitments.

He and his staff have done a wonderful job restocking the talent and depth on the roster. He was even able to convince a few of the commits from the previous regime to stick with Iowa State.

Daniel Howard reaffirms commitment to Iowa State

Dec 11, 2025; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones new football coach Jimmy Rogers speaks during the Cyclones game with the Iowa Hawkeyes during the first half at James H. Hilton Coliseum. | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

One of the players who has remained committed to the Cyclones is defensive lineman Daniel Howard. He has been committed to the program since April 2025, with Iowa State beating out Power 4 teams such as the Kansas Jayhawks, Texas Tech Red Raiders, Kansas State Wildcats, Cincinnati Bearcats, Illinois Fighting Illini and Michigan State Spartans.

What led him not to reopen his recruitment like so many other players following the coaching change? Howard still felt the same about the Cyclones, even with Rogers taking over for Campbell.

“A lot of things have happened, but (Iowa State) still feels right to me,” he said, via Bill Seals of Cyclone Report (subscription required). “Things happen, a lot of things change, but it still feels good and right to stay connected and have a long journey with a place that’s believed in you when no one else did. That feels really good.”

The Lane Technical High School product is a three-star recruit. He is one of only six holdovers from a 22-player group on Signing Day, with a lot of the commits following Campbell to Penn State.

Howard was productive during his senior season in high school. As shared by Seals, he had 37 tackles, nine tackles for loss, three sacks and 10 quarterback hurries from the defensive tackle position.

“In my opinion, nothing’s really changed. The people around the program are still great. Nothing’s really going to change from what I’ve gotten from the visit. It was great to be able to get around the players as well, get to know some of the new guys that came in from the portal and the other guys that came down from Washington State. It’s great to meet up with all those people for the first time,” he added.

Howard visited Ames last weekend, and based on his comments, it was a positive experience. One of the top recruits in the Class of 2026, he is ready to get to work under Rogers, defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbit and defensive line coach Jalon Bibbs.