Late Addition to Iowa State Backfield Expected To Play Big Role

An Iowa State Cyclones transfer in the backfield is expected to have a significant role with the team.

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

There isn’t a team in college football that underwent as massive a roster overhaul this offseason as the Iowa State Cyclones.

Not a single starter is returning on either side of the ball after head coach Matt Campbell left for the Penn State Nittany Lions. There aren’t many returning players under new head coach Jimmy Rogers, who at least has some continuity with coaches and players following him from the Washington State Cougars.

While every positional group has new contributors, one that people will be keeping a close eye on is running back. The three leading rushers from last season all departed, leaving former walk-on Aiden Flora, who remained in Ames through the coaching change, as the leading returning rusher.

He is expected to be the starter when the team takes the field for the first time, but this will be a committee approach in the backfield. One player who is expected to take on a large role, according to Alec Busse of Cyclone Alert, part of the 247Sports Network (subscription required), is Arnold Barnes III, a transfer from the Tulane Green Wave.

Arnold Barnes III set for sizable role with Iowa State

Iowa State running back Arnold Barnes III (3) runs with the ball during a drill in the university’s football open practice at Johnny Majors practice field on August 8, 2026, in Ames, Iowa. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

He was a late addition to the team, only being added after Salahadin Allah suffered a season-ending injury during offseason workouts. However, he quickly became the most accomplished running back on the roster.

Barnes has 34 games of experience under his belt entering his senior year. He has carried the ball 161 times for 757 yards, averaging a solid 4.7 yards per carry, with six rushing touchdowns. That is more yardage than the rest of the active depth chart combined.

However, he doesn’t offer much as a pass-catcher, reeling in only 10 receptions for 35 yards and one more score in his career.

"I like AB," Iowa State running backs coach John Johnson said. "He brings another dynamic skill set to the room to where he's powerful, he's strong, 215 [pounds] type back that have a burst and a little twist to him."

Arnold Barnes brings different dynamic to Cyclones backfield

Nov 28, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Tulane Green Wave running back Arnold Barnes III (20) runs against Memphis Tigers defensive back Davion Ross (1) during the first quarter at Yulman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Based on those comments and the experience he brings with him, Barnes will likely operate as an early-down and short-yardage back for the Cyclones. Goal line work will likely be his as well, providing more size to work between the tackles than Flora or Cameron Pettaway, another transfer.

With shiftier backs who both excel in space as return men, offensive coordinator Tyler Roehl could certainly get creative and have multiple running backs on the field at the same time to give opposing defenses a different look schematically.

Barnes likely wouldn’t have been on the team had Allah not gotten hurt, but his late addition is going to prove to be a good one for Iowa State. He complements the other running backs well and provides some much-needed experience in the backfield to take some pressure off them.