Jimmy Rogers 'Excited' About Key Positional Group on Offense With Iowa State Cyclones

One positional group on offense has Iowa State Cyclones head coach Jimmy Rogers excited.

Jimmy Rogers speaks during his introductory press conference as Iowa State’s new head football coach on Dec. 8, 2025, at Iowa State University in Ames, IA. | Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones underwent a massive change this offseason on the sidelines with head coach Matt Campbell departing 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He accepted the head coaching position with the Penn State Nittany Lions and has been replaced by Jimmy Rogers. Iowa State hired him away from the Washington State Cougars in a move that cost millions of dollars.

Just like last year with the Cougars, Rogers had a lot of work to do to prepare for Year 1 with the Cyclones. More than 50 players entered the transfer portal after Campbell’s departure, including 16 starters from the 2025 team, which meant needing to reshape the roster.

Included in those departures is the most important position on the football field: quarterback. Three-year starter Rocco Becht entered the transfer portal and followed Campbell to Penn State. As did Class of 2025 four-star recruit, Alex Manske.

Iowa State successfully rebuilt quarterback depth chart

Sep 6, 2025; Little Rock, Arkansas, USA; Arkansas State Red Wolves quarterback Jaylen Raynor (1) rushes during the first quarter against the Arkansas Razorbacks at War Memorial Stadium. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Connor Moberly is remaining with the program, but the rest of the depth chart had to be reshaped. In the transfer portal, Iowa State landed Jaylen Raynor, formerly of the Arkansas State Red Wolves, and Zane Flores, who left the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

Those three will likely sit atop the depth chart, with Raynor penciled in currently as the starter. Moberly and Flores will battle it out behind him for the backup job, and Rogers is excited about that trio.

"Between Jaylen, Zane Flores and Connor Moberly, I'm excited about that group," the new head coach said, via Alec Busse of Cyclone Alert, part of the 247Sports Network, in an exclusive interview (subscription required).

Raynor brings a ton of experience to the table as a multi-year starter just like Becht. Flores also picked up some starts with Oklahoma State in 2025 as a freshman, appearing in nine games.

Cyclones set up for years to come at quarterback

Oklahoma State's Zane Flores (6) warms up before during the college football game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Iowa State Cyclones at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday Nov. 29, 2025. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Along with those three players, the Cyclones secured a commitment from Hudson Kurland, a quarterback in the Class of 2026. Their other signee, Kase Evans, decommitted following the coaching change and flipped to the Nittany Lions.

"I feel good about the future of that position," Rogers said. "And they're all going to have an opportunity to compete."

Kurland was originally committed to Washington State, but decommitted with the coaching change. After being back on the market, he decided to follow Rogers to Ames.

If all goes according to plan, Kurland will be able to soak up practice reps and experience in a redshirt year and compete for a bigger role in 2027. This year, it looks as if Raynor has the inside track to the starting role.