Iowa State Football Coach Jimmy Rogers Wisely Names Frontrunner for Starting QB Job

With Big 12 Media Day kicking off for the Iowa State Cyclones, Jimmy Rogers spoke with the media about numerous things. One of the most important being what the quarterback position is going to be like.

Due to the departure of star quarterback Rocco Becht in the transfer portal, the Cyclones saw a player that was expected to be a senior starter for them leave. With a majority of the team leaving, this is going to be a very different-looking program.

Jimmy Rogers has taken over as the head coach, and his goal will be to get the most out of the roster. Iowa State is certainly a team that is going to be doing some rebuilding, but early indications are that their recruiting class for 2027 is looking strong, and that is a great thing for the future.

However, while Rogers might be recruiting well and that will help the program long-term, they do have a lot of work to do this season. Recently, with the quarterback position being one of the most important on the field, he did speak about what the position will look like heading into camp.

Jaylen Raynor Named Frontrunner

Jimmy Rogers officially names ISU QB Jaylen Raynor as the frontrunner.

“We’re going to play the best players, but Jaylen is going into camp as the one and he’s got to continue to hold his position.” pic.twitter.com/SUKnTNKsr2
— Ben Hutchens (@Ben_Hutchens_) July 8, 2026

To little surprise, it was Raynor being named the frontrunner for the starting spot. After a few years as a starter with the Arkansas State Red Wolves, it was expected that he would be the man to take over for Becht, and that appears to be the case.

However, while he was named the frontrunner to be the starter, it is worth noting that Rogers said it would be for camp. With a new roster, it seems like all jobs are going to be up for grabs when camp opens up, and that competition should result in improvements.

Behind Raynor, the other possible candidate who could push him for the starting job would be Zane Flores. The Oklahoma State Cowboys transfer started games for the team last year in the Big 12.

However, with Raynor coming in with more success and experience, it would be a shocker if he isn’t the Week 1 starter. The talented quarterback is a great dual-threat option and is also a player that has been improving every year.

Overall, while the team would have loved to have Becht as their starter for his senior season, this is a quarterback room that does have some talent, and competition this summer could make them even better.

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