Jaylen Raynor Has Clear Path To Getting Comfortable Against Iowa

The Iowa State Cyclones have easy ways to get Jaylen Raynor in a rhythm to take advantage of.

Sep 5, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones quarterback Jaylen Raynor (1) throws a pass against the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks at Jack Trice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

One of the most important players for the Iowa State Cyclones football team finding success on the field is quarterback Jaylen Raynor.

His debut with the team against the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks was a mixed bag in a 38-10 win. It was certainly encouraging that he was responsible for four touchdowns, throwing two and running in two. However, there were some concerns.

He completed only 8-of-16 pass attempts for 184 yards. That level of efficiency may have been enough to beat an overmatched Southeast Missouri State, but the Cyclones are going to need better if they are going to pull off an upset against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Cy-Hawk Rivalry Game at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.

Going on the road into a hostile environment is never an easy thing to do. Coming off a somewhat underwhelming performance, Raynor will be motivated to play well against a rival team, and there are ways for Iowa State to get him going.

Jaylen Raynor found success playing off run game

Iowa State quarterback Jaylen Raynor (1) rushes a score a touchdown as running back Arnold Barnes III (3) blocks Southeast Missouri safety Cyler Christmas (28) during the fourth quarter in the week one NCAA football at Jack Trice Stadium on Sept. 5, 2026, in Ames, Iowa. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The most important thing for the veteran signal caller to find success is the ground game. Offensive coordinator Tyler Roehl has to keep things moving with the rushing attack for Raynor to find success through the air.

That is because almost all of his production came off play-action. According to Pro Football Focus, 52.6% of Raynor’s dropbacks were against the Redhawks. When using play action, he completed 6-of-10 passes for 145 yards and two touchdowns. On the plays he dropped back and there wasn’t a play action, he completed only 2-of-6 passes for 39 yards.

Keeping the defense honest with the ground game is key to Raynor finding success through the air. He was much more efficient when using play action compared to straight dropbacks, and is something the Cyclones could certainly consider using more moving forward if it helps him get into a rhythm.

One of the weaknesses that Raynor was working on this offseason was his downfield passing. He looked much improved in Week 1, completing 3-of-6 attempts that were 20+ yards down the field for 103 yards and one touchdown.

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Those shots need to continue being taken to help soften up the defense. Iowa State is also going to benefit from Iowa’s defensive scheme that doesn’t rely heavily on sending extra rushers on the blitz.

That is good news for Raynor, who didn’t perform very well under pressure against Southeast Missouri State. He was blitzed on 26.3% of his dropbacks, completing only 1-of-3 passes for 20 yards in such situations.

As long as the offensive line can hold up and the running game is producing enough that play action still draws a reaction from the Hawkeyes’ defense, Raynor could put together a strong game through the air.